1 Kings · Berean Standard Bible
1 Kings 18 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”
1 After many days, Yahweh’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.”
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,
2 Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.
3 and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,
3 Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;
4 for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
4 for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”
6 So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
7 As Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 “It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”
8 He answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’”
9 But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
9 He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
10 As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.
10 As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they didn’t find you.
11 And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’
11 Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’
12 I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
12 It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that Yahweh’s Spirit will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth.
13 Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.
13 Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”
14 Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”
15 Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”
15 Elijah said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
16 So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah.
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
18 “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.
18 He answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken Yahweh’s commandments and you have followed the Baals.
19 Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
21 Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.
23 Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
23 Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”
24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on Yahweh’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” All the people answered, “What you say is good.”
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
26 And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.
26 They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”
27 At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”
28 So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.
28 They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them.
29 Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.
29 When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
30 Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired Yahweh’s altar that had been thrown down.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Yahweh’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
32 With the stones he built an altar in Yahweh’s name. He made a trench around the altar large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,
33 He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
34 and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.
34 He said, “Do it a second time;” and they did it the second time. He said, “Do it a third time;” and they did it the third time.
35 So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
35 The water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.
36 At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
37 Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”
37 Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again.”
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust; and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, “Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!”
40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
40 Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.
43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
43 He said to his servant, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, then said, “There is nothing.” He said, “Go again” seven times.
44 On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
44 On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
45 In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
46 Yahweh’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ahab
Son of Omri, who reigned twenty-two years in Samaria, married Jezebel and served Baal, took Naboth's vineyard, fought Ben-hadad of Aram, and died of an arrow wound at…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 16:29; 1 Kings 16:30; 1 Kings 18:17
Elijah the Tishbite
A prophet among the settlers of Gilead who announced a drought to Ahab, was fed by ravens, revived the widow's son at Zarephath, defeated Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel, heard…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:36; 1 Kings 19:9
Jezebel
Daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians and wife of Ahab, who slaughtered the LORD's prophets, threatened Elijah, had Naboth stoned on false testimony, and was thrown down from…
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:2
Obadiah
The man in charge of Ahab's palace who greatly feared the LORD, hid a hundred prophets in caves when Jezebel slaughtered the LORD's prophets, and brought Elijah's message to Ahab.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 18:3; 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:7
Places
Mount Carmel
A fertile ridge jutting into the sea near Haifa. Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal here vindicated the Lord as the God who answers by fire.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 18:20; 1 Kings 18:38
Cross references (43)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 4:25; James 5:17; 1 Kings 18:15–40; Deuteronomy 28:12; 1 Kings 17:1
- 2 Joel 1:15–20; Leviticus 26:26; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 51:4; Isaiah 51:12
- 3 Nehemiah 7:2; 1 Kings 16:9; Matthew 10:28; Malachi 3:16; Genesis 41:40
- 4 1 Kings 18:13; Matthew 10:40–42; Matthew 25:35; Revelation 17:4–6; Matthew 21:35
- 5 Jeremiah 14:5–6; Joel 1:18; Joel 2:22; Habakkuk 3:17; Romans 8:20–22
- 6 Jeremiah 14:3
- 7 2 Kings 1:6–8; Isaiah 60:14; Genesis 44:16; Matthew 11:8; Genesis 50:18
- 8 1 Kings 18:3; Romans 13:7; 1 Peter 2:17–18
- 9 Exodus 5:21; 1 Kings 17:18; 1 Kings 18:12
- 10 1 Kings 17:1; Psalm 10:2; 1 Kings 18:15; 1 Samuel 29:6; 1 Kings 17:9
- 11 1 Kings 18:8; 1 Kings 18:14
- 12 Acts 8:39; 2 Kings 2:16; Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:24; Ezekiel 40:1–2
- 13 1 Kings 18:4; Matthew 25:35; Acts 20:34; Matthew 10:41–42; Genesis 20:4–5
- 14 Matthew 10:28
- 15 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:10; Job 25:3; Psalm 148:2–3; Jeremiah 8:2
- 17 Joshua 7:25; 1 Kings 21:20; Acts 16:20; Acts 17:6; Amos 7:10
- 18 2 Chronicles 15:2; 1 Kings 9:9; 1 Kings 16:31; Jeremiah 2:19; 1 Kings 21:25
- 19 Joshua 19:26; 1 Kings 16:33; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Kings 2:25; 1 Samuel 15:12
- 20 1 Kings 22:9
- 21 Matthew 6:24; Joshua 24:15; 1 Corinthians 10:21–22; 2 Corinthians 6:14–16; 1 Samuel 7:3
- 22 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:14; 1 Kings 20:13; 2 Timothy 4:3–4; 2 Peter 2:1–3
- 24 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Chronicles 21:26; Leviticus 9:24; 2 Chronicles 7:3; 2 Chronicles 7:1
- 26 Jeremiah 10:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Matthew 6:7; 1 Corinthians 12:2; Isaiah 44:17
- 27 Isaiah 41:23; Psalm 78:65–66; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Mark 4:38–39; 2 Chronicles 25:8
- 28 Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1; Mark 5:5; Mark 9:22; Micah 6:7
- 29 1 Kings 22:10; Exodus 29:39; 1 Corinthians 11:4–5; 1 Samuel 18:10; Galatians 4:8
- 30 2 Chronicles 33:16; 1 Kings 19:14; 1 Kings 19:10; Romans 11:3
- 31 2 Kings 17:34; Genesis 35:10; Genesis 32:28; Joshua 4:3–4; Joshua 4:20
- 32 Colossians 3:17; Exodus 20:24–25; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Judges 21:4; 1 Samuel 7:17
- 33 Genesis 22:9; Judges 6:20; John 11:39–40; Daniel 3:25; Daniel 3:19
- 34 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 8:21
- 35 1 Kings 18:32; 1 Kings 18:38
- 36 1 Kings 18:29; 2 Kings 19:19; Exodus 3:6; 1 Kings 8:43; Matthew 22:32
- 37 Daniel 9:17–19; Luke 1:16–17; Ezekiel 36:25–27; Malachi 4:5–6; 1 Kings 18:24
- 38 Leviticus 9:24; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1; Judges 6:21; 1 Kings 18:24
- 39 1 Kings 18:24; 2 Chronicles 7:3; 1 Kings 18:21; Judges 13:20; 1 Chronicles 21:16
- 40 Judges 4:7; Deuteronomy 18:20; Deuteronomy 13:5; Zechariah 13:2–3; Judges 5:21
- 41 1 Kings 18:1; Ecclesiastes 9:7; 1 Kings 17:1; Acts 27:34
- 42 Luke 6:12; 1 Kings 19:13; Genesis 24:52; 1 Kings 18:19–20; Ezra 9:6
- 43 Habakkuk 2:3; Luke 18:1; Luke 18:7; Genesis 32:26; Ephesians 6:18
- 44 Luke 12:54; Job 8:7; Micah 1:13; Zechariah 4:10; 1 Samuel 6:10
- 45 2 Kings 9:16; 1 Kings 21:23; 1 Kings 18:39–40; 2 Samuel 21:14; 1 Kings 21:1
- 46 Ezekiel 3:14; Ezekiel 1:3; 2 Kings 3:15; 2 Kings 9:1; Matthew 22:21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… foot of the mountain, --the same number which was placed by Joshua in the river, and again, on the other side, the bearers of the ark of the covenant, --those stones which were set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering; the number, too, of the apostles; and, in fine, every event which embraces in it …
… is not lawful for thee to have thy brother Philip's wife;" such as he was possessed of, who before him was like him, and after him shall be so again; who said to Ahab, "I do not trouble Israel, but thou, and thy father's house;" such as the prophets had, such as all the apostles.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Elias, too, when all Israel was assembled at Mount Carmel, wishing to turn them from idolatry, says to them, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him." And again, at the burnt-offering, he thus addresses the idolatrous priests: "Ye shall call upon the name of your gods, and I will call on the name …
… directed them to that God upon whom he believed, and who was truly God; whom invoking, he exclaimed, "Lord God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, hear me to-day, and let all this people know that Thou art the God of Israel."