1 Kings 18:16-40

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

17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, a“Is it you, you btroubler of Israel?” 18And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have cabandoned the commandments of the Lord and dfollowed the Baals. 19Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount eCarmel, and the f450 prophets of Baal and gthe 400 prophets of Asherah, hwho eat at Jezebel’s table.”

The Prophets of Baal Defeated

20So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long iwill you go limping between two different opinions? jIf the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, k“I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are l450 men. 23Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who manswers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28And they cried aloud and ncut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of othe offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been pthrown down. 31Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, qIsrael shall be your name,” 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 seahs
A  seah was about 7 quarts or 7.3 liters
of seed.
33 sAnd he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and tpour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

36And at the time of uthe offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, vGod of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that wyou are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that xI have done all these things at your word. 37Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 yThen the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, z“The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to aathe brook Kishon and abslaughtered them there.

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