1
And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show thyself unto Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth."
2
And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.
3
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.
4
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
5
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, "Go into the land unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks. Perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts."
6
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7
And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him; and he knew him, and fell on his face and said, "Art thou my lord Elijah?"
8
And he answered him, "I am. Go, tell thy lord: `Behold, Elijah is here.'"
9
And he said, "What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me?
10
As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee; and when they said, `He is not there,' he took an oath from the kingdom and nation that they found thee not.
11
And now thou sayest, `Go, tell thy lord: "Behold, Elijah is here."'
12
And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me. But I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
13
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD'S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14
And now thou sayest, `Go, tell thy lord: "Behold, Elijah is here,"' and he shall slay me!"
15
And Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him today."
16
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?"
18
And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed the Baalim.
19
Now therefore, send and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel.
21
And Elijah came unto all the people and said, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people answered him not a word.