Elijah

Eliyahu from Tishbe, an inhabitant of Gil'ad, said to Ach'av, "As ADONAI the God of Isra'el lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither rain nor dew in the years ahead unless I say so."

Eliyahu said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go; and do what you said; but first, use a little of it to make me a small loaf of bread; and bring it out to me. After that, make food for yourself and your son.

She went and acted according to what Eliyahu had said; and she, he and her household had food to eat for a long time.

The pot of meal did not get used up, nor did there fail to be oil in the jug, in fulfillment of the word of ADONAI spoken through Eliyahu.

She said to Eliyahu, "What do you have against me, you man of God? Did you come to me just to remind me how sinful I am by killing my son?"

ADONAI heard Eliyahu's cry, the child's soul came back into him, and he revived.

Eliyahu took the child, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Eliyahu said, "See? Your son is alive."

The woman replied to Eliyahu, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of ADONAI that you speak is the truth."

A long time passed. Then, in the third year, the word of ADONAI came to Eliyahu: "Go, present yourself to Ach'av, and I will send rain down on the land."

When Eliyahu went to present himself to Ach'av, the famine in Shomron had become severe.

'Ovadyah was on the road when suddenly Eliyahu encountered him. 'Ovadyah recognized him, fell on his face and said, "Is it really you, my lord Eliyahu?"

He answered, "Yes, it is I; go, tell your master, 'Eliyahu is here.'"

Now you say, 'Go tell your master, "Eliyahu is here."'

Now you say, 'Go tell your master, "Look, Eliyahu is here."' Why, he'll kill me!"

Eliyahu said, "As ADONAI-Tzva'ot lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to him today."

So 'Ovadyah went, found Ach'av and told him; and Ach'av went to meet Eliyahu.

When Ach'av saw Eliyahu, Ach'av said to him, "Is it really you, you troubler of Isra'el?"

Eliyahu stepped forward before all the people and said, "How long are you going to jump back and forth between two positions? If ADONAI is God, follow him; but if it's Ba'al, follow him!" The people answered him not a word.

Then Eliyahu said to the people, "I, I alone, am the only prophet of ADONAI who is left, while Ba'al's prophets number 450.

Then Eliyahu said to the prophets of Ba'al, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first; because there are many of you. Then call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."

Around noon Eliyahu began ridiculing them: "Shout louder! After all, he's a god, isn't he? Maybe he's daydreaming, or he's on the potty, or he's away on a trip. Maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up."

Then Eliyahu said to all the people, "Come here to me." All the people came up to him, as he set about repairing the altar of ADONAI that had been broken down.

Eliyahu took twelve stones, in keeping with the number of tribes of the sons of Ya'akov, to whom the word of ADONAI had come, saying, "Your name is to be Isra'el."

Then, when it came time for offering the evening offering, Eliyahu the prophet approached and said, "ADONAI, God of Avraham, Yitz'chak and Isra'el, let it be known today that you are God in Isra'el, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

Eliyahu said to them, "Seize the prophets of Ba'al! Don't let one of them escape!" They seized them; and Eliyahu brought them down to Vadi Kishon and killed them there.