And the word of the LORD came unto Elijah, saying, "Arise, go…to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and live there: look, I have commanded a widow woman there to feed you."

So Elijah arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, look, the widow woman was there gathering…sticks. And he called to her, and said, "Fetch me, I pray you, a little water in a container, that I may drink." And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, "Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of bread in your hand."

And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a jar: and, look, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and fix it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not; go and do as you have said: but make me…a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for you and for your son. For this says the LORD God of Israel, ‘the barrel of meal shall not be empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’" And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal emptied not, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Elijah.

And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so bad, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O you man of God? Are you come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?"

And Elijah said unto her, "Give me your son." And he took the boy’s body out of her arms, and carried him up into a loft, where he stayed, and laid the boy upon his own bed. And Elijah stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, "O LORD my God, I pray you, let this child's breath come into him again." And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the breath of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the loft into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, "See, your son lives."

And the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth." And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a terrible famine in Samaria.

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, "Are you he that troubles Israel?"

And Elijah answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and you have followed Baalim. "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 groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table."

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, "How long waver you between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." And the people answered Elijah not a word.

Then said Elijah unto the people, "I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God." And all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, "Choose…one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under." And they took the bullock, which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us." But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar, which was made.

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that listened.

And Elijah said unto all the people, "Come near unto me." And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name": And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, "Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood."

And Elijah 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; and he filled the trench also with water.
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again." Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, "The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God."

And Elijah said unto them, "Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

And Elijah said unto Ahab, "Get…up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he threw himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea."

And the servant went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And Elijah said, "Go again" seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that the servant said, "Look, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand."

And Elijah said, "Go up, say unto Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and get…down, that the rain stop you not.’" And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he…ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and…how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."

And when Elijah saw that, he arose, and went for his life…unto Horeb the mount of God. …He came there unto a cave, and lodged there; and, look, the word of the LORD came to him, and the LORD said…, "Why are you here, Elijah?"

And Elijah said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

And the LORD said unto him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat…shall you anoint to be prophet in your place. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him."

REFERENCES

1 Kings 17:8-19, 21-24; 1 Kings 18:1-2, 17-26, 28-46; 1 Kings 19:1-3a, 8b-10, 15-16, 18.

CHAPTER 33