Elijah

1And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

Elijah came from Gilead. He was a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. He said to King Ahab, "The LORD, the God of Israel, is alive. I serve him. No rain or dew will fall for years, until I say so."

2And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

Then God spoke to Elijah. God said:

3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

"Leave this place. Go east. Hide by the little stream called Cherith. It is east of the Jordan River.

4And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

You can drink water from the stream. I have told the ravens to bring you food there."

5So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

So Elijah did what God told him to do. He went and lived by the stream called Cherith.

6And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Every morning the ravens brought him bread and meat. Every evening they brought bread and meat again. He drank water from the stream.

7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

After some time, the stream dried up. No rain had fallen in the land.

8And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

Then God spoke to Elijah again. God said:

9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

"Get up and go to the town of Zarephath, near Sidon. Live there. I have told a widow there to feed you." A widow is a woman whose husband has died.

10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. At the town gate he saw the widow picking up sticks. He called to her, "Please bring me a little water in a cup to drink."

11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

She started to go get the water. Then he called again, "Please bring me a piece of bread too."

12And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

She said, "The LORD your God is alive, and I promise you this. I have no bread. I only have a handful of flour in a jar. I have a little oil in a jug. I am picking up a few sticks for a fire. I will cook one last meal for me and my son. Then we will eat it and die."

13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and cook, just as you said. But first make a small loaf for me and bring it out. Then make some for you and your son.

14For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

The LORD, the God of Israel, says this. The jar of flour will not run out. The jug of oil will not run dry. This will last until the day the LORD sends rain on the land."

15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

So she went and did what Elijah said. There was food every day for her, for Elijah, and for her family.

16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

The flour did not run out. The oil did not run dry. It happened just as God had said through Elijah.

17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

Some time later, the woman's son got sick. He got worse and worse. At last he stopped breathing.

18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

She said to Elijah, "Man of God, why did you do this to me? Did you come to remind God of my sin? Did you come to make my son die?"

19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

Elijah said, "Give me your son." He took the boy from her arms. He carried him upstairs to the room where he slept. He laid the boy on his own bed.

20And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

Then he called out to God. "LORD my God, this widow gave me a home. Have you now brought her this trouble? Have you let her son die?"

21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.

Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He called out to God, "LORD my God, please give this boy his life back."

22And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

God listened to Elijah. The boy's life came back into him, and he was alive again.

23And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

Elijah picked up the boy. He carried him downstairs into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive."

24And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

The woman said to Elijah, "Now I know you are a man of God. I know the words you speak from the LORD are true."

1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

A long time passed. It was now the third year with no rain. God spoke to Elijah, a prophet who told people what God said. God told him, "Go and let King Ahab see you. Then I will send rain on the land."

2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was very little food in Samaria. People were hungry.

3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

King Ahab called for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was in charge of the king's house. Obadiah loved God and obeyed him.

4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Earlier, Queen Jezebel had killed many prophets of the LORD. Obadiah had saved a hundred of them. He hid them in two caves, fifty men in each cave. He brought them bread and water.

5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go all over the land. Check every spring and every stream. Maybe we will find grass. Then our horses and mules can live. We will not lose all our animals."

6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

They split the land between them to search it. Ahab went one way alone. Obadiah went another way alone.

7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

While Obadiah was walking, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was. He bowed with his face to the ground. He said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"

8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

Elijah said, "Yes, it is me. Go tell your master the king that Elijah is here."

9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Obadiah said, "What have I done wrong? Why would you hand me over to Ahab? He will kill me."

10As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

"I promise you, before the living LORD your God, the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent men to every nation and kingdom. When they said you were not there, he made them promise it was true."

11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

"And now you tell me to go say to my master, 'Elijah is here!'"

12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

"But as soon as I leave, God's Spirit may carry you away. I will not know where. Then I will tell Ahab, and he will not find you. He will kill me. Yet I have obeyed the LORD since I was young."

13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

"Did no one tell you what I did? When Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets, I hid a hundred of them. I put fifty in each of two caves. I brought them bread and water."

14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

"And now you tell me, 'Go say to your master, Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"

15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

Elijah said, "I promise you, before the living LORD of heaven's armies, whom I serve. I will let Ahab see me today."

16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

So Obadiah went and told Ahab. Then Ahab went out to meet Elijah.

17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, "Is that you? You are the man who brings trouble to Israel."

18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

Elijah answered, "I have not brought trouble to Israel. You have, and your father's family too. You have turned away from God's commands. You have followed the Baals, false gods."

19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

"Now send word to all Israel. Have everyone meet me on Mount Carmel. Bring the 450 prophets of Baal. Bring the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel. He gathered the prophets on Mount Carmel.

21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Elijah came to all the people and said, "How long will you go back and forth? If the LORD is God, follow him. If Baal is God, follow him." The people said nothing at all.

22Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only prophet of the LORD left here. But Baal has 450 prophets."

23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

"Bring us two bulls. Let them pick one bull for themselves. Let them cut it up and lay it on the wood. But they must not light a fire. I will get the other bull ready the same way. I will not light a fire either."

24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

"Then you call on the name of your god. I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers with fire is the real God." All the people said, "That is a good plan."

25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

Elijah said to Baal's prophets, "You go first, since there are so many of you. Pick a bull and get it ready. Call on the name of your god. But do not light a fire."

26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

They took the bull and got it ready. They called on Baal's name from morning until noon. They shouted, "Baal, answer us!" But no voice came. No one answered. They danced around the altar they had made.

27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

At noon Elijah made fun of them. He said, "Shout louder! He is a god, after all. Maybe he is talking. Maybe he is busy or away on a trip. Maybe he is asleep and needs waking up."

28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

So they shouted louder. They cut themselves with knives and spears, the way they always did. Blood ran down over them.

29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

Noon went by. They kept shouting until the time of the evening offering. But no voice came. No one answered. No one paid attention.

30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come close to me." They all came close. He fixed the LORD's altar, which had been torn down.

31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

Elijah took twelve stones, one for each family group of Jacob's sons. God had spoken to Jacob and said, "Your name will be Israel."

32And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

He built an altar with those stones to honor the LORD. Then he dug a ditch around the altar. It was big enough to hold a lot of seed.

33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

He laid the wood in order. He cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four big jars with water. Pour it on the offering and on the wood."

34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

He said, "Do it again." They did it again. He said, "Do it a third time." They did it a third time.

35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

The water ran down all around the altar. It even filled the ditch.

36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came close. He prayed, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Show everyone today that you are God in Israel. Show them I am your servant. Show them I did all this because you told me to."

37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

"Answer me, LORD. Answer me. Then these people will know that you are the LORD God. They will know you are turning their hearts back to you."

38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

Then fire from the LORD came down. It burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt. It even dried up the water in the ditch.

39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

When the people saw it, they bowed with their faces to the ground. They said, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!"

40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

Elijah said, "Grab the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them get away." So they grabbed them. Elijah took them down to the Kishon brook and killed them there.

41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up and eat and drink. I hear the sound of heavy rain coming."

42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. He bent down low to the ground and put his face between his knees.

43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

He said to his helper, "Go up and look toward the sea." The helper went and looked. He said, "There is nothing there." Elijah said, "Go and look again." He said this seven times.

44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

The seventh time the helper said, "I see a little cloud coming up from the sea. It is as small as a man's hand." Elijah said, "Go tell Ahab to hitch up his chariot and go down. The rain will stop him if he waits."

45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

Soon the sky turned black with clouds and wind. Heavy rain began to fall. Ahab climbed into his chariot and rode to Jezreel.

46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The LORD's power came on Elijah. He tucked his long robe into his belt. Then he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

King Ahab told his wife Jezebel everything Elijah had done. He also told her that Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with a sword.

2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. She said, "May the gods punish me if I fail. By this time tomorrow, I will kill you, just like you killed them."

3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

Elijah was afraid, so he ran away to save his life. He came to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and left his servant there.

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Elijah walked one more day into the empty desert. He sat down under a small bush and asked to die. He said, "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life. I am no better than my family before me."

5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

He lay down under the bush and fell asleep. Then an angel, a messenger from God, touched him. The angel said, "Get up and eat."

6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

Elijah looked around. Near his head was bread baked on hot coals and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and then he lay down again.

7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him. The angel said, "Get up and eat. The trip ahead is too long and hard for you."

8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

So Elijah got up and ate and drank. That food made him strong. He walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

There he went into a cave and stayed the night. Then a message came from the LORD. God asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah said, "I have worked hard for the LORD, the God of armies. But the people of Israel have broken their promise to you. They knocked down your altars. They killed your prophets with swords. I am the only one left, and they want to kill me too."

11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

God said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain in front of me." Then the LORD went past. A strong wind tore the mountains and broke the rocks apart. But the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

After the earthquake came a fire. But the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire came a soft, quiet voice.

13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah said, "I have worked hard for the LORD, the God of armies. But the people of Israel have broken their promise to you. They knocked down your altars. They killed your prophets with swords. I am the only one left, and they want to kill me too."

15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came. Go to the desert near Damascus. When you get there, pour oil on Hazael's head to make him king of Syria.

16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

Also pour oil on Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king of Israel. And pour oil on Elisha son of Shaphat, from the town of Abelmeholah, to be a prophet in your place.

17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

Anyone who gets away from Hazael's sword, Jehu will kill. Anyone who gets away from Jehu's sword, Elisha will kill.

18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

But I have kept seven thousand people in Israel for myself. They have never bowed down to the god Baal. They have never kissed his statue."