7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him. He bowed down to the ground. He said, "My master Elijah! Is it really you?"
8. "Yes," he replied. "Go and tell your master Ahab, 'Elijah is here.' "
9. "What have I done wrong?" asked Obadiah. "Why are you handing me over to Ahab to be put to death?
10. "My master has sent people to look for you everywhere. There isn't a nation or kingdom where he hasn't sent someone to look for you. Suppose a nation or kingdom would claim you weren't there. Then Ahab would make them take an oath and say they couldn't find you. And that's just as sure as the Lord your God is alive.
11. "But now you are telling me to go to my master. You want me to say, 'Elijah is here.'
12. But the Spirit of the Lord might carry you away when I leave you. Then I won't know where you are. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he'll kill me. "But I've worshiped the Lord ever since I was young.
13. My master, haven't you heard what I did? Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets. But I hid 100 of them in two caves. I put 50 in each cave. I supplied them with food and water.
14. And now you are telling me to go to my master Ahab. You want me to say to him, 'Elijah is here.' He'll kill me!"
15. Elijah said, "I serve the Lord who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I will speak to Ahab today."
16. Obadiah went back to Ahab. He told Ahab that Elijah wanted to see him. So Ahab went to where Elijah was.
17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you? You are always stirring up trouble in Israel."
18. "I haven't made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have turned away from the Lord's commands. You have followed the gods that are named after Baal.
19. "Now send for people from all over Israel. Tell them to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of the god Baal. Also bring the 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah. All of them eat at Jezebel's table."
20. So Ahab sent that message all through Israel. He gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21. Elijah went there and stood in front of the people. He said, "How long will it take you to make up your minds? If the Lord is the one and only God, follow him. But if Baal is the one and only God, follow him." The people didn't say anything.
22. Then Elijah said to them, "I'm the only one of the Lord's prophets left. But Baal has 450 prophets.
23. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal's prophets choose one for themselves. Let them cut it into pieces. Then let them put it on the wood. But don't let them set fire to it. I'll prepare the other bull. I'll put it on the wood. But I won't set fire to it.
24. Then you pray to your god. And I'll pray to the Lord. The god who answers by sending fire down is the one and only God." Then all of the people said, "What you are saying is good."