(KJV) 1 Kings 181

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⥃Elijah’s Message to Ahab

[1] And it came to pass [after] many days2, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year3, saying, Go4, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain5 upon the earth.6 [2] And Elijah went to shew7 himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore8 famine in Samaria. [3] And Ahab called Obadiah9, which [was] the governor of [his] house10. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord11 greatly: [4] For it was [so], when Jezebel12 cut off the prophets13 of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave14, and fed them15 with bread and water16.) [5] And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass17 to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts18. [6] So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went19 one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

[7] [¶]And as Obadiah was in the way20, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew21 him, and fell on22 his face, and said, [Art] thou that my lord Elijah23? [8] And he answered him, I [am]: go, tell thy lord24, Behold, Elijah [is here]. [9] And he said, What have I sinned25, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? [10] [As] the Lord26 thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord27 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 not28. [11] And now thou sayest, Go29, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]. [12] And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord30 shall carry thee whither I know not; and [so] when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me31: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth32. [13] Was it not told my lord what I did33 when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred34 men of the Lord’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them35 with bread and water? [14] And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]: and he shall slay me36. [15] And Elijah said, [As] the Lord37 of hosts liveth38, before whom I39 stand, I will surely40 shew myself unto him to day.

⥃Elijah on Mount Carmel

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

[17] And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel41? [18] And he answered, I have not42 troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have43 forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. [19] Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel44, and the prophets of Baal45 four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves46 four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table47. [20] So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered48 the prophets together unto mount Carmel. [21] And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long49 halt ye between two opinions50? if the Lord51 [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered52 him not a word. [22] Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only53, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets54 [are] four hundred and fifty men. [23] Let 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]: [24] And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire55, let him be God. And all the people answered and said56, It is well spoken57. [25] And 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]. [26] And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning58 even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear59 us. But [there was] no voice60, nor any that answered61. And they leaped upon the altar62 which was made. [27] And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah63 mocked them, and said, Cry aloud64: for he [is] a god65; either66 he is talking67, or he is pursuing68, or he is in a journey, [or] peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked69. [28] And they cried aloud, and cut themselves70 after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them71. [29] And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied72 until the [time] of the offering73 of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice74, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded75. [30] And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired76 the altar of the Lord77 [that was] broken down. [31] And Elijah took twelve stones78, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying79, Israel shall be thy name: [32] And with80 the stones he built an altar in the name81 of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. [33] And he put82 the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four83 barrels with water, and pour [it84] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. [34] And he said, Do [it] the second85 time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said, Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time. [35] And the water ran86 round about the altar; and he filled the trench87 also with water.

⥃Elijah’s Prayer

[36] And it came to pass at [the time88 of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God89 of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it90 be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have91 done all these things at thy word. [37] Hear me92, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the Lord God, and [that] thou hast turned93 their heart back again. [38] Then the94 fire95 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. [39] And when all the people saw [it], they fell96 on their faces: and they said, The Lord97, he [is] the God; the Lord, he [is] the God. [40] And Elijah said unto them, Take98 the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon99, and slew them there100.

⥃The LORD Sends Rain

[41] And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get101 thee up, eat and drink; for [there is] a sound102 of abundance of rain. [42] So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah103 went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself104 down upon the earth, and put his face105 between his knees, [43] And said to his servant, Go up106 now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, [There is] nothing. And he said, Go again107 seven times. [44] And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud108 out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare109 [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. [45] And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was110 a great rain. And Ahab111 rode, and went to Jezreel. [46] And the hand112 of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded113 up his loins, and ran before114 Ahab to the entrance of115 Jezreel.

<< 1 Kings 17 1 Kings 19 >>

  1. 1Kgs 18:1, In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah; 1Kgs 18:9, Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah; 1Kgs 18:17, Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal’s prophets; 1Kgs 18:41, Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel. ↩

  2. Luke 4:25; Jas 5:17; Rev 11:2, Rev 11:6 ↩

  3. This form of expression, both in Hebrew and Latin, means "after the third year," i.e., some time between the third and fourth year. 1Kgs 17:1, 1Kgs 17:7, 1Kgs 17:15; Luke 4:25; Jas 5:17 ↩

  4. 1Kgs 18:2, 1Kgs 18:15-40 ↩

  5. Lev 26:4; Deut 28:12; Ps 65:9-13; Isa 5:6; Jer 10:13, Jer 14:22; Joel 2:23; Amos 4:7 ↩

  6. am 3098, bc 906 ↩

  7. Ps 27:1, Ps 51:4; Prov 28:1; Isa 51:12; Heb 13:5-6 ↩

  8. Lev 26:26; Deut 28:23-24; 2Kgs 6:25; Jer 14:2-6, Jer 14:18; Joel 1:15-20 ↩

  9. Heb. Obadiahu ↩

  10. Heb. over his house. Gen 24:2, Gen 24:10, Gen 39:4-5, Gen 39:9, Gen 41:40 ↩

  11. 1Kgs 18:12; Gen 22:12, Gen 42:18; 2Kgs 4:1; Neh 5:15, Neh 7:2; Prov 14:26; Mal 3:16; Matt 10:28; Acts 10:2, Acts 10:35 ↩

  12. Heb. Izabel ↩

  13. Neh 9:26; Matt 21:35; Rev 17:4-6 ↩

  14. Heb 11:38 ↩

  15. 1Kgs 18:13; 2Kgs 6:22-23; Matt 10:40-42, Matt 25:35, Matt 25:40 ↩

  16. 1Kgs 13:8-9, 1Kgs 13:16 ↩

  17. Ps 104:14; Jer 14:5-6; Joel 1:18, Joel 2:22; Hab 3:17; Rom 8:20-22 ↩

  18. Heb. we cut not off ourselves from the beasts ↩

  19. Jer 14:3 ↩

  20. 1Kgs 11:29 ↩

  21. 2Kgs 1:6-8; Matt 3:4, Matt 11:8 ↩

  22. Gen 18:2, Gen 50:18; 1Sam 20:41; 2Sam 19:18; Isa 60:14 ↩

  23. Gen 18:12, Gen 44:16, Gen 44:20, Gen 44:33; Num 12:11 ↩

  24. 1Kgs 18:3; Rom 13:7; 1Pet 2:17-18 ↩

  25. 1Kgs 18:12, 1Kgs 17:18; Exod 5:21 ↩

  26. 1Kgs 18:15, 1Kgs 1:29, 1Kgs 2:24, 1Kgs 17:1, 1Kgs 17:12; 1Sam 29:6 ↩

  27. Ps 10:2; Jer 26:20-23 ↩

  28. 1Kgs 17:5, 1Kgs 17:9; Ps 12:7-8, Ps 31:20, Ps 91:1; Jer 36:26; John 8:59 ↩

  29. tell they lord, 1Kgs 18:8, 1Kgs 18:14 ↩

  30. 2Kgs 2:11, 2Kgs 2:16; Ezek 3:12-14, Ezek 8:3, Ezek 11:24, Ezek 37:1, Ezek 40:1-2; Matt 4:1; Acts 8:39; 2Cor 12:2-3 ↩

  31. 1Sam 22:11-19; Dan 2:5-13; Matt 2:16; Acts 12:19 ↩

  32. 1Sam 2:18, 1Sam 2:26, 1Sam 3:19-20; 2Chr 34:3; Ps 71:17-18; Prov 8:13; Eccl 7:18; Isa 50:10; Luke 1:15; 2Tim 3:15 ↩

  33. 1Kgs 18:4; Gen 20:4-5; Ps 18:21-24; Acts 20:34; 1Thess 2:9-10 ↩

  34. Matt 10:41-42 ↩

  35. Matt 25:35 ↩

  36. Matt 10:28 ↩

  37. 1Kgs 18:10; Heb 6:16-17 ↩

  38. Gen 2:1; Deut 4:19; Job 25:3; Ps 24:8-10, Ps 103:21, Ps 148:2-3; Isa 6:3; Jer 8:2; Luke 2:13-14 ↩

  39. 1Kgs 17:1; Deut 1:38; Luke 1:19 ↩

  40. Isa 51:7-8 ↩

  41. 1Kgs 21:20; Josh 7:25; Jer 26:8-9, Jer 38:4; Amos 7:10; Acts 16:20, Acts 17:6, Acts 24:5 ↩

  42. Ezek 3:8; Matt 14:4; Acts 24:13, Acts 24:20 ↩

  43. 1Kgs 9:9; 2Chr 15:2; Prov 11:19, Prov 13:21; Isa 3:11; Jer 2:13, Jer 2:19; Rev 2:8-9 ↩

  44. Mount Carmel is situated north of Dora and south of Ptolemais or Acre, from which it is distant, according to Josephus, 120 stadia, or, according to Thevenot, 10 miles; one of its principal points advancing considerably into the Mediterranean, and forming an elevated promontory. It is described as a flattened cone, about 2,000 feet (some say 1,500) in height, very rocky, its sides steep and rugged, and the soil neither deep nor rich. Capt. Mangles says its is now quite barren, though at the north-eastern foot of it there are some pretty olive-grounds. 1Kgs 18:42-43; Josh 19:26; 1Sam 15:12; 2Kgs 2:25; Jer 46:18; Amos 1:2, Amos 9:3 ↩

  45. 1Kgs 22:6; 2Pet 2:1; Rev 19:20 ↩

  46. 1Kgs 15:13, 1Kgs 16:33; 2Kgs 13:6; Though ashairah certainly denotes in some place a grove, yet it is equally certain, that in others, as here, it must signify an idol; and it is thought by learned men to be the same as Ashtoreth, or Astarte the Syrian Venus. ↩

  47. 1Kgs 19:1-2; 2Kgs 9:22; Rev 2:20 ↩

  48. 1Kgs 22:9 ↩

  49. Deut 4:35; 2Kgs 17:41; Zeph 1:5; Matt 6:24; Luke 6:13; Rom 6:16-22; 1Cor 10:21-22; 2Cor 6:14-16; Rev 3:15-16 ↩

  50. or, thoughts ↩

  51. 1Kgs 18:39; Exod 5:1-2; Josh 24:15, Josh 24:23-24; 1Sam 7:3; 1Chr 17:26; 2Chr 33:13; Ps 100:3 ↩

  52. Gen 24:50, Gen 44:16; Job 40:4-5; Matt 22:12, Matt 22:34, Matt 22:36; Rom 3:19, Rom 6:21 ↩

  53. 1Kgs 19:10, 1Kgs 19:14, 1Kgs 20:13, 1Kgs 20:32, 1Kgs 20:35, 1Kgs 20:38, 1Kgs 22:6-8; Rom 11:3 ↩

  54. 1Kgs 18:19-20; Matt 7:13-15; 2Tim 4:3-4; 2Pet 2:1-3 ↩

  55. 1Kgs 18:38; Lev 9:24; Judg 6:21; 1Chr 21:26; 2Chr 7:1, 2Chr 7:3 ↩

  56. 2Sam 14:19 ↩

  57. Heb. the word is good, Isa 39:8 ↩

  58. Matt 6:7 ↩

  59. or, answer ↩

  60. 1Kgs 18:24; Ps 115:4-8, Ps 135:15-20; Isa 37:38, Isa 44:17, Isa 45:20; Jer 10:5; Dan 5:23; Hab 2:18; 1Cor 8:4, 1Cor 10:19-20, 1Cor 12:2 ↩

  61. or, heard ↩

  62. or, leaped up and down at the altar, Zeph 1:9 ↩

  63. 1Kgs 22:15; 2Chr 25:8; Eccl 11:9; Isa 8:9-10, Isa 44:15-17; Ezek 20:39; Amos 4:4-5; Matt 26:45; Mark 7:9, Mark 14:41 ↩

  64. Heb. with a great voice ↩

  65. Isa 41:23 ↩

  66. Such were the absurd and degrading notions which the heathens entertained of their gods. "Vishnoo sleeps four months in the year; and to each of the gods some particular business is assigned. Vayoo manages the winds; Vuroonu the waters, etc. According to a number of fables in the pooranus, the gods are often out on journeys or expeditions." Ward's Views of the Hindoos, vol. ii. p. 324. ↩

  67. or, he meditateth ↩

  68. Heb. hath a pursuit ↩

  69. Ps 44:23, Ps 78:65-66, Ps 121:4; Isa 51:9; Mark 4:38-39 ↩

  70. Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1; Mic 6:7; Mark 5:5, Mark 9:22 ↩

  71. Heb. they poured out blood upon them ↩

  72. 1Kgs 22:10, 1Kgs 22:12; 1Sam 18:10; Jer 28:6-9; Acts 16:16-17; 1Cor 11:4-5 ↩

  73. Heb. ascending, 1Kgs 18:36 ↩

  74. 1Kgs 18:26; Gal 4:8; 2Tim 3:8-9 ↩

  75. Heb. attention ↩

  76. 1Kgs 19:10, 1Kgs 19:14; 2Chr 33:16; Rom 11:3 ↩

  77. This altar of Jehovah was probably built in the time of the judges; and it was even known among the heathen by the name of the altar of Carmel. Both Tacitus and Suetonius mention an altar on mount Carmel, which Vespasian went to consult: there was no temple nor statue, but simply an altar, venerable for its antiquity. ↩

  78. Exod 24:4; Josh 4:3-4, Josh 4:20; Ezra 6:17; Jer 31:1; Ezek 37:16-22, Ezek 47:13; Eph 2:20, Eph 4:4-6; Rev 7:4-8, Rev 21:12 ↩

  79. Gen 32:28, Gen 33:20, Gen 35:10; 2Kgs 17:34; Isa 48:1 ↩

  80. Exod 20:24-25; Judg 6:26, Judg 21:4; 1Sam 7:9, 1Sam 7:17 ↩

  81. 1Cor 10:31; Col 3:17 ↩

  82. Gen 22:9; Lev 1:6-8 ↩

  83. Dan 3:19, Dan 3:25; John 11:39-40, John 19:33-34 ↩

  84. Judg 6:20 ↩

  85. 2Cor 4:2, 2Cor 8:21 ↩

  86. Heb. went ↩

  87. 1Kgs 18:32, 1Kgs 18:38 ↩

  88. 1Kgs 18:29; Exod 29:39-41; Ezra 9:4-5; Ps 141:2; Dan 8:13, Dan 9:21, Dan 12:11; Acts 3:1; Acts 10:30 ↩

  89. 1Kgs 18:21; Gen 26:24, Gen 31:53, Gen 32:9, Gen 46:3; Exod 3:6, Exod 3:15-16; 1Chr 29:18; 2Chr 20:6-7; Eph 1:17, Eph 3:14 ↩

  90. 1Kgs 8:43; 1Sam 17:46-47; 2Kgs 1:3, 2Kgs 1:6, 2Kgs 5:15, 2Kgs 19:19; Ps 67:1-2, Ps 83:18; Ezek 36:23, Ezek 39:7 ↩

  91. 1Kgs 22:28; Num 16:28-30; John 11:42 ↩

  92. 1Kgs 18:24, 1Kgs 18:29, 1Kgs 18:36; Gen 32:24, Gen 32:26, Gen 32:28; 2Chr 14:11, 2Chr 32:19-20; Isa 37:17-20; Dan 9:17-19; Luke 11:8; Jas 5:16-17 ↩

  93. Jer 31:18-19; Ezek 36:25-27; Mal 4:5-6; Luke 1:16-17 ↩

  94. Gen 15:17; Lev 9:24; Judg 6:21; 1Chr 21:26; 2Chr 7:1 ↩

  95. 1Kgs 18:24; Lev 10:2; 2Kgs 1:12; Job 1:16; Isa 31:9 ↩

  96. Judg 13:20; 1Chr 21:16; 2Chr 7:3 ↩

  97. 1Kgs 18:21, 1Kgs 18:24; John 5:35; Acts 2:37, Acts 4:16 ↩

  98. or, Apprehend, 2Kgs 10:25 ↩

  99. Judg 5:21 ↩

  100. Deut 13:5, Deut 18:20; Jer 48:10; Zech 13:2-3; Rev 19:20, Rev 20:10 ↩

  101. Eccl 9:7; Acts 27:34 ↩

  102. etc. or, a sound of a noise of rain, 1Kgs 18:1, 1Kgs 17:1 ↩

  103. 1Kgs 18:19; Matt 14:23; Luke 6:12; Acts 10:9 ↩

  104. Gen 24:52; Josh 7:6; 2Sam 12:16; Dan 9:3; Mark 14:35; Jas 5:16-18 ↩

  105. 1Kgs 19:13; Ezra 9:6; Ps 89:7; Isa 6:2, Isa 38:2; Dan 9:7 ↩

  106. Ps 5:3; Luke 18:1 ↩

  107. Gen 32:26; Hab 2:3; Luke 18:7; Eph 6:18; Heb 10:36-37 ↩

  108. Kekaph ish, "like the hollow of a man's hand;" in the form of a hand bent, the concave side downmost. Mr. Bruce mentions a similar cloud in Abyssinia, as attending the inundation of the Nile. "Every morning, about nine, a small cloud, not above four feet broad, appears in the east, whirling violently round, as if upon an axis; but arrived near the zenith, it first abates its motion, then loses its form, and extends itself greatly, and seems to call up vapours from all opposite quarters. These clouds having attained nearly the same height, rush against each other with great violence, and put me always in mind of Elijah foretelling rain on Mount Carmel." Job 8:7; Zech 4:10 ↩

  109. Heb. Tie, or Bind, 1Sam 6:7, 1Sam 6:10; Mic 1:13 ↩

  110. 1Kgs 18:39-40; Num 25:8; 2Sam 21:14 ↩

  111. 1Kgs 21:1, 1Kgs 21:23; Josh 19:18; 2Sam 2:9; 2Kgs 9:16 ↩

  112. 2Kgs 3:15; Isa 8:11; Ezek 1:3, Ezek 3:14 ↩

  113. 2Kgs 4:29, 2Kgs 9:1; Job 38:3; Jer 1:17; Eph 6:14; 1Pet 1:13 ↩

  114. Matt 22:21; 1Pet 2:17 ↩

  115. Heb. till thou come to ↩