Lexham English Bible

1 Kings 18:29-43 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

29. It happened as noon passed, they raged until the time of the evening offering, but there was no voice, there was no answer, and no one paid attention.

30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me,” so all the people came closer to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that had been destroyed.

31. Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of God came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

32. With them, he built an altar in the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench which would have held about two seahs of seed, all around the altar.

33. And he arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”

34. He said, “Do it again!” They did it again. He said, “Do it a third time!” So they did it a third time.

35. The water went all around the altar, and the trench also was filled with water.

36. It happened at the offering of the evening oblation, Elijah the prophet went near, and he said, “O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and that I have done all of these things by your words.

37. Answer me, O Yahweh, answer me; that this people may know that you, O Yahweh, are God and that you have turned their hearts back again.”

38. Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and it consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust; and the water which was in the trench it licked up!

39. When all the people saw, they fell on their faces and said, “Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!”

40. Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; don’t let any man of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the wadi of Kishon and killed them there.

41. Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of the noise of rain.”

42. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink while Elijah went to the top of Carmel, bent down to the earth, and put his face between his knees.

43. Then he said to his servant, “Please go and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went up and looked; then he said, “There is nothing.” Then he said, “Go back,” seven times.