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I KINGS
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Chapter 18
I Ki Rotherha 18:1  And it came to pass, after many days, that, the word of Yahweh, came unto Elijah, in the third year, saying,—Go, shew thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the face of the ground.
I Ki Rotherha 18:2  And Elijah went, to show himself unto Ahab. Now, the famine, was severe in Samaria.
I Ki Rotherha 18:3  And Ahab had called for Obadiah, who was over his house. Now, Obadiah, was one who revered Yahweh, exceedingly.
I Ki Rotherha 18:4  And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water.
I Ki Rotherha 18:5  So then Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go, and let us pass throughout the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the ravines, peradventure we may find grass, and save alive horse and mule, and not have more of the beasts cut off.
I Ki Rotherha 18:6  So they divided to them the land, to pass through it,—Ahab, went one way, by himself, and, Obadiah, went another way, by himself.
I Ki Rotherha 18:7  And so it was, as Obadiah was on the road, that lo! Elijah, met him,—and he recognised him, and fell upon his face, and said—Now art, thou, my lord Elijah?
I Ki Rotherha 18:8  And he said to him—I, am! Go, say to thy lord: Here, is, Elijah!
I Ki Rotherha 18:9  And he said—How have I sinned,—that, thou, art delivering thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?
I Ki Rotherha 18:10  By the life of Yahweh thy God, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee, and, when they have said—Nay! he hath taken an oath of the kingdom or the nation, that no one could find thee;
I Ki Rotherha 18:11  and, now, thou, art saying,—Go say to thy lord, Here, is, Elijah;
I Ki Rotherha 18:12  so shall it come to pass, as soon as, I, go from thee, that, the spirit of Yahweh, shall carry thee away—whither I know not, and so, when I go in to tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, then will he slay me,—and yet, thy servant, hath revered Yahweh, from my youth.
I Ki Rotherha 18:13  Was it not told my lord, what I did when Jezebel was slaying the prophets of Yahweh,—how I hid, of the prophets of Yahweh, a hundred men—by fifties—in caves, and sustained them with bread and water?
I Ki Rotherha 18:14  and yet, now, thou, art saying, Go, tell thy lord—Here, is, Elijah; and so he will slay me!
I Ki Rotherha 18:15  Then said Elijah—By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, to-day, will I show myself unto him.
I Ki Rotherha 18:16  So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him,—and, Ahab, went to meet, Elijah.
I Ki Rotherha 18:17  And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Now, art, thou, troubling Israel?
I Ki Rotherha 18:18  And he said—I have not troubled Israel, but, thou and the house of thy father,—in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and followed Baal.
I Ki Rotherha 18:19  Now, therefore, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto Mount Carmel,—and the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Sacred Stem, four hundred, who do eat at the table of Jezebel.
I Ki Rotherha 18:20  So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel,—and gathered the prophets unto Mount Carmel.
I Ki Rotherha 18:21  And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said—How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word.
I Ki Rotherha 18:22  Then said Elijah unto the people—I, am left, Yahweh’s, only, prophet,—but, the prophets of Baal, are four hundred and fifty men.
I Ki Rotherha 18:23  Let there be given us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose for themselves one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon the wood, but, fire, shall they not put,—then, I, will make ready the other bullock, and place upon the wood, but, fire, will I not put.
I Ki Rotherha 18:24  Then shall ye call on the name of your god, and, I, will call on the name of Yahweh, and it shall be, the God that respondeth by fire, he, is GOD. And all the people responded—Well spoken!
I Ki Rotherha 18:25  Then said Elijah to the prophets of Baal—Choose for yourselves one bullock, and make ye ready, first, for, ye, are many,—and call ye on the name of your god, but, fire, shall ye not put.
I Ki Rotherha 18:26  So they took the bullock which was given them, and made ready, and called on the name of Baal—from the morning even until the noon, saying—O Baal! answer us. But them was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about by the altar which had been made.
I Ki Rotherha 18:27  And it came to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said—Cry with a loud voice, for, a god, he is, either he hath, a meditation, or an occasion to retire, or he hath, a journey,—peradventure, he, sleepeth, and must be awaked.
I Ki Rotherha 18:28  And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances,—until the blood gushed out upon them.
I Ki Rotherha 18:29  And so it was, when noon was passed, that although they prophesied until the offering up of the evening gift, yet was there no voice nor any that answered, nor any that hearkened.
I Ki Rotherha 18:30  Then said Elijah unto all the people: Draw near unto, me. And all the people drew near unto, him. Then repaired he the broken-down altar of Yahweh; yea Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,—
I Ki Rotherha 18:31  unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying—Israel, shall be thy name;
I Ki Rotherha 18:32  and built, with the stones, an altar, in the name of Yahweh,—and he made a trench, as large as would contain two measures of seed, round about the altar;
I Ki Rotherha 18:33  and he put in order the wood,—and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he—Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so.
I Ki Rotherha 18:34  And 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.
I Ki Rotherha 18:35  And the water ran round about the altar,—moreover also, the trench, filled he with water.
I Ki Rotherha 18:36  And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the gift, that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said, O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! To-day, let it be known—That, thou, art God in Israel, and that, I, am thy servant,—and that, by thy word, have I done all these things.
I Ki Rotherha 18:37  Answer me, O Yahweh! answer me, That this people may know, that, thou—Yahweh, art GOD,—so shalt, thou thyself, have turned their heart back again.
I Ki Rotherha 18:38  Then fell fire from Yahweh, and consumed the ascending-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust,—even the water that was in the trench, it licked up.
I Ki Rotherha 18:39  And, when all the people saw it, they fell upon their faces,—and said, Yahweh, he, is GOD, Yahweh, he, is GOD.
I Ki Rotherha 18:40  And Elijah said unto them—Seize ye the prophets of Baal—let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there.
I Ki Rotherha 18:41  Then said Elijah unto Ahab, Go up, eat and drink,—for there is a sound of a downpour of rain.
I Ki Rotherha 18:42  So Ahab went up, to eat and to drink,—but, Elijah, went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself to the earth, and put his face between his knees.
I Ki Rotherha 18:43  Then said he unto his young man—Go up, I pray thee, and look about in the direction of the sea. So he went up, and looked about, and said—There is, nothing whatever. Then said he—Go again, seven times.
I Ki Rotherha 18:44  And it came to pass, at the seventh time, that he said, Lo! a little cloud, like a man’s hand coming up from the sea. Then he said—Go up, say unto Ahab—Harness, and get thee down, lest the rain shut thee in.
I Ki Rotherha 18:45  And it came to pass, meanwhile, that, the heavens, had enshrouded themselves with clouds and wind, and there came a great rain, and Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel;
I Ki Rotherha 18:46  but, the hand of Yahweh, came upon Elijah, so he girded his loins,—and ran before Ahab, until thou enterest Jezreel.