1 Kings 18:1

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1 Kings 18:1–3 · Berean Standard Bible

1 After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,

3 and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Luke 4:25

But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.

James 5:17

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Revelation 11:2

But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

Revelation 11:6

These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

1 Kings 17:1

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD lives—the God of Israel before whom I stand—there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”

1 Kings 17:7

Some time later, however, the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:15

So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and there was food every day for Elijah and the woman and her household.

1 Kings 18:2

So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,

1 Kings 18:15

Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”

1 Kings 18:16

So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah.

1 Kings 18:17

When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

1 Kings 18:18

“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

1 Kings 18:19

Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

1 Kings 18:20

So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.

1 Kings 18:21

Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

1 Kings 18:22

Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.

1 Kings 18:23

Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.

1 Kings 18:24

Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”

1 Kings 18:25

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”

1 Kings 18:26

And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18:27

At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

1 Kings 18:28

So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.

1 Kings 18:29

Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.

1 Kings 18:30

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

1 Kings 18:31

And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”

1 Kings 18:32

And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

1 Kings 18:33

Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,

1 Kings 18:34

and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.

1 Kings 18:35

So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

1 Kings 18:36

At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.

1 Kings 18:37

Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”

1 Kings 18:38

Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

1 Kings 18:39

When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

1 Kings 18:40

Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

Leviticus 26:4

I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.

Deuteronomy 28:12

The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.

Psalms 65:9

You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth.

Psalms 65:10

You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth.

Psalms 65:11

You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty.

Psalms 65:12

The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy.

Psalms 65:13

The pastures are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are decked with grain. They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.

Isaiah 5:6

I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.”

Jeremiah 10:13

When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Jeremiah 14:22

Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

Joel 2:23

Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

Amos 4:7

“I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered.