23. Let two oxen be given to us. And let them choose one ox for themselves, and, cutting it into pieces, let them set it on the wood. But they may not place fire under it. And I will prepare the other ox, and set it on the wood. But I will not place fire under it.
24. Call upon the names of your gods. And I will call on the name of my Lord. And the God who will have heeded with fire, let him be God." And in response, all the people said, "Excellent proposition."
25. Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: "Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first. For you are many. And call on the names of your gods, but do not place fire under it."
26. And when they had taken an ox, which he had given to them, they prepared it. And they called on the name of Baal, from morning even until midday, saying, "O Baal, heed us." And there was no voice, nor did anyone respond. And so they leaped upon the altar that they had made.
27. And when it was now midday, Elijah ridiculed them, saying: "Cry out with a louder voice. For he is a god, and perhaps he is talking, or at an inn, or on a journey, or certainly he may be asleep, and must be awakened."
28. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves, in accord with their ritual, with knives and lancets, until they were entirely covered in blood.
29. Then, after midday had passed, and they were prophesying, the time had arrived when the sacrifice is usually offered. And there was no voice heard, neither did anyone heed or respond to the praying.
30. Elijah said to all the people, "Draw near to me." And as the people were drawing near to him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down.
31. And he took twelve stones, in accord with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
32. And he built from the stones an altar to the name of the Lord. And he made a trench for water, like two furrows of plowed land, all around the altar.
33. And he arranged the wood, and he cut the ox into pieces, and he placed it on the wood.
34. And he said, "Fill four containers with water, and pour it over the holocaust, and over the wood." And again, he said, "Do this a second time." And when they had done it a second time, he said, "Do it also a third time." And they did so a third time.
35. And the water was running down around the altar, and the pit of the trench was filled with water.