13. Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the Lord’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14. Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”
15. Elijah said, “As the Lord of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17. When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
18. He answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the Lord’s commandments, and you have followed the Baals.
19. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20. So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
21. Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the Lord 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, even I only, am left as a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
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. You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the Lord’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.”All the people answered, “What you say is good.”
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. 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 lept about the altar which was made.
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. They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
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. Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the Lord’s altar that had been thrown down.
31. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”