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Now it happened after manydays that the word of the LORDcame to Elijah in the thirdyear, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will sendrain on the face of the earth."
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for when Jezebeldestroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiahtook a hundredprophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)
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Then Ahabsaid to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will findgrass and keep the horses and mulesalive, and not have to killsome of the cattle."
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"As the LORD your Godlives, there is nonation or kingdomwhere* my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, 'He is not here,' he made the kingdom or nationswear that they could not find you.
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"It will come about when I leave* you that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you where* I do not know; so when I come and tellAhab and he cannotfind you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.
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"Has it not been told to my masterwhat I did when Jezebelkilled the prophets of the LORD, that I hid a hundredprophets of the LORD by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water?
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He said, "I have not troubledIsrael, but you and your father'shouse have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed* the Baals.
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"Now then send and gather to me allIsrael at MountCarmel, together with 450**prophets of Baal and 400*prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel'stable."
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Elijahcamenear to all the people and said, "Howlong* will you hesitatebetweentwoopinions? If the LORD is God, follow* Him; but ifBaal, follow* him." But the people did not answer him a word.
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"Now let them give us twooxen; and let them chooseoneox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but putnofire under it; and I will prepare the otherox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.
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"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the Godwhoanswers by fire, He is God." And all the peoplesaid, "That is a goodidea."
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So Elijahsaid to the prophets of Baal, "Chooseoneox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but putnofire under it."
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Then they took the oxwhich was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morninguntilnoonsaying, "O Baal, answer us." But there was novoice and nooneanswered. And they leapedabout the altarwhich they made.
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It came about at noon, that Elijahmocked them and said, "Call out with a loudvoice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or goneaside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened."
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When midday was past, they raveduntil the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was novoice, nooneanswered, and noonepaidattention.
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Then Elijahsaid to all the people, "Comenear to me." So all the peoplecamenear to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torndown.
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Elijahtooktwelve*stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
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And he said, "Fillfourpitchers with water and pour it on the burntoffering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a secondtime," and they did it a secondtime. And he said, "Do it a thirdtime," and they did it a thirdtime.
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At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophetcamenear and said, "O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have doneallthesethings at Your word.
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Then the fire of the LORDfell and consumed the burntoffering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.