Study Desk

So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel, - and gathered the prophets unto Mount Carmel.

And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said - How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word.

Then said Elijah unto the people - I, am left, Yahweh's, only, prophet, - but, the prophets of Baal, are four hundred and fifty men.

Let there be given us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose for themselves one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon the wood, but, fire, shall they not put, - then, I, will make ready the other bullock, and place upon the wood, but, fire, will I not put.

Then shall ye call on the name of your god, and, I, will call on the name of Yahweh, and it shall be, the God that respondeth by fire, he, is GOD. And all the people responded - Well spoken!

Then said Elijah to the prophets of Baal - Choose for yourselves one bullock, and make ye ready, first, for, ye, are many, - and call ye on the name of your god, but, fire, shall ye not put.

So they took the bullock which was given them, and made ready, and called on the name of Baal - from the morning even until the noon, saying - O Baal! answer us. But them was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about by the altar which had been made.

And it came to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said - Cry with a loud voice, for, a god, he is, either he hath, a meditation, or an occasion to retire, or he hath, a journey, - peradventure, he, sleepeth, and must be awaked.

And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them.

And so it was, when noon was passed, that although they prophesied until the offering up of the evening gift, yet was there no voice nor any that answered, nor any that hearkened.

Then said Elijah unto all the people: Draw near unto, me. And all the people drew near unto, him. Then repaired he the broken-down altar of Yahweh; yea Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, -

unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying - Israel, shall be thy name;

and built, with the stones, an altar, in the name of Yahweh, - and he made a trench, as large as would contain two measures of seed, round about the altar;

and he put in order the wood, - and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he - Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so.

And he said - Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said - Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

And the water ran round about the altar, - moreover also, the trench, filled he with water.

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the gift, that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said, O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! To-day, let it be known - That, thou, art God in Israel, and that, I, am thy servant, - and that, by thy word, have I done all these things.

Answer me, O Yahweh! answer me, That this people may know, that, thou - Yahweh, art GOD, - so shalt, thou thyself, have turned their heart back again.

Then fell fire from Yahweh, and consumed the ascending-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, - even the water that was in the trench, it licked up.

And, when all the people saw it, they fell upon their faces, - and said, Yahweh, he, is GOD, Yahweh, he, is GOD.

And Elijah said unto them - Seize ye the prophets of Baal - let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there.