1 Un pagāja ilgāks laiks, kad tā Kunga vārds atkal nāca pār Eliju trešajā gadā, sacīdams: „Ej parādies Ahabam, un Es gribu likt lietum līt pār zemi.“
2 Un Elija aizgāja Ahabam parādīties, bet bads bija bargs Samarijā.
3 Un Ahabs ataicināja Obadju, kas bija nama pārraugs, bet Obadja bija ļoti dievbijīgs,
4 Jo kad Izebele iznīcināja tā Kunga praviešus, tad Obadja bija paņēmis simt praviešus un bija tos pa piecdesmit paslēpis kādās alās un bija tos apgādājis ar maizi un ar ūdeni.
5 Un Ahabs sacīja Obadjam: „Noej šinī zemē pie visiem ūdens avotiem un pie visām upēm: var jau būt, ka atrodam zaļu zāli un varam saglabat zirgus un mūļus dzīvus, lai mēs nezaudējam lopus.“
6 Un tā viņi savā starpā sadalīja zemi, lai to pārstaigātu: Ahabs pats gāja pa savu ceļu, bet Obadja atkal gāja pa savu ceļu.
7 Un kad Obadja vēl bija ceļā, lūk, tam pretī nāca Elija. Un viņš to pazina un krita tā priekšā uz sava vaiga un sacīja: „Vai tu neesi mans pavēlnieks, Elij?“
8 Un viņš sacīja: „Tas es esmu! Ej un saki savam kungam: Elija ir šeit!“
9 Bet tas sacīja: „Ko tad es būtu nogrēkojies, ka tu savu kalpu nododi Ahaba rokā. Vai lai tas mani nonāvē?
10 Tik tiešām, ka tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir dzīvs: nav nevienas pagānu tautas nedz valsts, kurp mans kungs nebūtu sūtījis, lai tevi tur sameklētu. Bet kad sacīja: Viņa nav, tad viņš tai tautai ir ķēniņa valstij lika ar zvērestu apliecināt, ka viņi tevi nav atraduši.
11 Un tagad tu nupat te saki: ej un saki savam kungam, ka te, lūk, ir Elija!
12 Var notikt, ka es, aiziedams no tevis, tevi vairs neatrastu, kad tā Kunga Gars tevi paceltu nezin kur projām. Un ja es aizietu, lai to Ahabam paziņotu, bet viņš pats tevi neatrastu, tad tas mani nokautu. Bet tavs kalps bīstas to Kungu no pašas jaunības.
13 Vai tad nav paziņots manam pavēlniekam, ko es esmu darījis tolaik, kad Ahabs nogalināja tā Kunga pra-viešus, ka no praviešu skaita es esmu paslēpis simts vīru: pa piecdesmit un atkal pa piecdesmit alās un ka es tos esmu apgādājis ar maizi un ar ūdeni?
14 Un tagad tu mani skubini, lai es ejot un sakot savam kungam, ka te ir Elija. Vai lai viņš mani nokauj?“
15 Tad Elija sacīja: „Tik tiešām, ka tas Kungs Cebaots ir dzīvs, kā priekšā es te stāvu: es vēl šodien rādīšos viņa priekšā!“
16 Un Obadja aizgāja, lai satiktu Ahabu. Un viņš tam pateica to. Bet Ahabs devās Elijam pretī.
17 Un kad Ahabs ieraudzīja Eliju, viņš tam sacīja: „Vai tu esi tas, kas Israēlu ieved nelaimē?“
18 Bet tas atbildēja: „Es gan neievedu Israēlu nelaimē, bet tas esi tu pats un tava tēva nams, jo jūs esat atmetuši tā Kunga baušļus un jūs esat sekojuši baāliem.
19 Bet tagad liec sapulcināt man visu Israēlu Karmela kalnā un tos četri simti un piecdesmit Baāla priesterus, kas ēd pie Izebeles galda.“
20 Un Ahabs deva ziņu visiem Israēla bērniem un sapulcināja arī praviešus Karmela kalnā.
21 Tad Elija pienāca visai tautai klāt un sacīja: „Cik ilgi jūs klibosit uz abām pusēm? Ja tas Kungs ir Dievs, tad sekojiet Viņam. Bet ja Baāls ir Dievs, tad sekojiet tam!“ Bet tauta viņam neat-bildēja ne vārda.
22 Un Elija sacīja tautai: „Es esmu vienīgais tā Kunga pravietis atlicies. Bet Baāla praviešu ir četri simti un piecdes-mit vīru.
23 Lai mums tagad nodod divi vēršus. Un viņi lai izvēlas sev vienu vērsi, lai sacērt to gabalos un lai sakārto to uz malkas, bet uguni lai nepieliek. Tad es arī sagatavošu otru vērsi: es to uzlikšu uz malkas, bet uguni es nepielikšu.
24 Pēc tam piesauciet jūs sava dieva vārdu. Un arī es piesaukšu tā Kunga vārdu. Un tad lai notiek tā: kura dievs atbildēs ar uguni, tas lai ir Dievs!“ Un tauta teica: „Tā ir labi!“
25 Tad Elija sacīja Baāla priesteriem: „Izraugaities vienu vērsi un rīkojieties pirmie, jo jūsu ir daudz, un piesauciet sava dieva vārdu, bet uguni nepielieciet.“
26 Tad viņi paņēma vērsi, kufu viņš viņiem bija nodevis, un tie to sagatavoja. Un viņi piesauca Baāla vārdu no rīta līdz dienvidum, sacīdami: „Ak, Baāl, atbildi mums!“ Bet tur nebija nevienas balss nedz arī kāda, kas atbild. Un tie kliboja apkārt altārim, kas bija uzcelts.
27 Un ap dienvidu Elija tos apsmēja un sacīja: „Sauciet stiprā balsī, jo viņš taču ir dievs; viņš varbūt iegrimis domās, vai aizņemts darīšanās, vai atrodas ceļā; varbūt, ka viņš guļ, un viņam būtu jāmostas!“
28 Un tie sauca ar stipru balsi un ievainoja sevi pēc sava ieraduma ar nažiem un īleniem, tiekāms tiem asinis tecēja.
29 Bet kad dienvidus laiks bija pagājis, tad tie bija praviešu aizrautības stāvoklī līdz pat dāvinājuma upura stundai: taču tur nebija nedz balss, nedz atbildes, nedz uzklausīšanas.
30 Tad Elija sacīja visai tautai: pienāciet klāt pie manis!“ Un visa tauta pienāca klāt. Un viņš izlaboja altāri, kas bija salauzts.
31 Un Elija paņēma divpadsmit akmeņus—pēc Jēkabu bērnu cilšu skaita, kurām kādreiz tā Kunga vārds bija noteicis, ka Israēls lai ir tavs vārds!
32 Un viņš Kunga vārdā uzcēla no akmeņiem altāri un izraka visapkārt altārim grāvi, kas aptvēra ar diviem mēriem labības apsējamu laukumu.
33 Tad viņš sakārtoja malku, sadalīja vērsi un uzlika to uz malkas.
34 Un viņš sacīja: „Piepildiet četrus traukus ar ūdeni un slaciet to pāri dedzināmam upurim un arī pāri malkai! Un viņš sacīja: „Vēl otru reizi dariet tā!“ Un tie izdarīja tā otru reizi. Un viņš sacīja: „Atkārtojiet to trešo reizi!“ Un tie izpildīja to treškārt.
35 Un ūdens tecēja altārim visapkārt, un arī grāvis piepildījās ar ūdeni.
36 Un tanī brīdī, kad dāvinājuma upuri mēdz nest, pravietis Elija piegāja un sacīja: „Kungs, Ābrahāma, īzāka un Israēla Dievs, šodien dari sevi zināmu, ka Tu esi Dievs Israēlā un ka es esmu tavs kalps un, ka es ar taviem paša vārdiem visu šo esmu paveicis.
37 Atbildi man, Kungs, atbildi man, lai šī tauta zina, ka Tu, Kungs, esi Dievs, un ka Tu pats viņu sirdīm esi licis atgriezties!“
38 Tad tā Kunga uguns nokrita, un tā aprija ir dedzināmo upuri, ir malku, ir akmeņus, ir pelnus, ir ūdeni tā uzsūca, kas bija grāvī.
39 Un visa tauta to redzēja, un tie krita uz saviem vaigiem un sacīja: „Tas Kungs ir Dievs, tas Kungs ir Dievs!“
40 Bet Elija sacīja: „Satveriet Baāla praviešus, lai neviens pats no to pulka neizbēg!“ Un tie tos sagrāba ciet, un Elija viņus noveda Kisona upes līcī, un viņš tos tur nokāva.
41 Bet Elija sacīja Ahabam: „Ej, ēd un dzer: jo lielas lietus gāzes švīkoņa ir dzirdama.“
42 Un Ahabs devās kalnup, lai ēstu un dzertu, bet Elija devās uz Karmela virsotni. Tas noliecās līdz pat zemei un lika savu vaigu starp saviem ceļiem
43 Un sacīja savam puisim: „Ej, lūdzu, un skaties uz jūras pusi.“ Un tas nogāja kalnup un raudzījās un sacīja: „Tur nav nekā itin nekur.“ Bet viņš sacīja: „Griezies turp atpakaļ septiņas reizes!“
44 Un notika septītajā reizē, ka tas sacīja: „Tur ir mākonītis, tik niecīgs kā cilvēka delna, kas paceļas no jūras puses!“ Un tas sacīja viņam: „Ej, paziņo Ahabam: liec aizjūgt un dodies lejup, ka lietus tevi nepārsteidz!“
45 Un vēl pēc viena un vēl nākamā īsā brīža debesis aptumšojās ar mākoņiem, un sacēlās vētra, un sāka lietus gāzt, bet Ahabs sēdās ratos un brauca uz Jezreēlu.
46 Bet tā Kungs roka bija ar Eliju: viņš apjoza savus gurnus un skrēja Ahabam pa priekšu līdz Jezreēlas pie-vārtei.
Elijah Proves He Is the Lord's Prophet
1-2 For three years no rain fell in Samaria, and there was almost nothing to eat anywhere. The Lord said to Elijah, “Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon make it rain.” So Elijah went to see Ahab.
3-4 At that time Obadiah was in charge of Ahab's palace, but he faithfully worshiped the Lord. In fact, when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord's prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves and gave them food and water.
Ahab sent for Obadiah 5 and said, “We have to find something for our horses and mules to eat. If we don't, we will have to kill them. Let's look around every creek and spring in the country for some grass. 6 You go one way, and I'll go the other.” Then they left in separate directions.
7 As Obadiah was walking along, he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down, and asked, “Elijah, is it really you?”
8 “Yes. Go tell Ahab I'm here.”
9 Obadiah replied:
King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven't even done anything wrong. 10 I swear to you in the name of the living Lord your God that the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent people to look in every country, and when they couldn't find you, he made the leader of each country swear that you were not in that country. 11 Do you really want me to tell him you're here?
12 What if the Lord's Spirit takes you away as soon as I leave? When Ahab comes to get you, he won't find you. Then he will surely kill me.
I have worshiped the Lord since I was a boy. 13 I even hid 100 of the Lord's prophets in caves when Jezebel was trying to kill them. I also gave them food and water. 14 Do you really want me to tell Ahab you're here? He will kill me!
15 Elijah said, “I'm a servant of the living Lord All-Powerful, and I swear in his name that I will meet with Ahab today.”
16 Obadiah left and told Ahab where to find Elijah.
Ahab went to meet Elijah, 17 and when he saw him, Ahab shouted, “There you are, the biggest troublemaker in Israel!”
18 Elijah answered:
You're the troublemaker—not me! You and your family have disobeyed the Lord's commands by worshiping Baal.
19 Call together everyone from Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. Be sure to bring along the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table.
20 Ahab got everyone together, then they went to meet Elijah on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the Lord is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!”
The people did not say a word.
22 Then Elijah continued:
I am the Lord's only prophet, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Bring us two bulls. Baal's prophets can take one of them, kill it, and cut it into pieces. Then they can put the meat on the wood without lighting the fire. I will do the same thing with the other bull, and I won't light a fire under it either.
24 The prophets of Baal will pray to their god, and I will pray to the Lord. The one who answers by starting the fire is God.
“That's a good idea,” everyone agreed.
25 Elijah said to Baal's prophets, “There are more of you, so you go first. Pick out a bull and get it ready, but don't light the fire. Then pray to your god.”
26 They chose their bull, then they got it ready and prayed to Baal all morning, asking him to start the fire. They danced around the altar and shouted, “Answer us, Baal!” But there was no answer.
27 At noon, Elijah began making fun of them. “Pray louder!” he said. “Baal must be a god. Maybe he's daydreaming or using the toilet or traveling somewhere. Or maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up.”
28 The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. This was the way they worshiped, 29 and they kept it up until time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no answer of any kind.
30 Elijah told everyone to gather around him while he repaired the Lord's altar. 31-32 Then he used twelve stones to build an altar in honor of the Lord. Each stone stood for one of the tribes of Israel, which was the name the Lord had given to their ancestor Jacob. Elijah dug a ditch around the altar, large enough to hold about 14 liters. 33 He placed the wood on the altar, then they cut the bull into pieces and laid the meat on the wood.
He told the people, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it over the meat and the wood.” After they did this, 34 he told them to do it two more times. They did exactly as he said 35 until finally, the water ran down the altar and filled the ditch.
36 When it was time for the evening sacrifice, Elijah prayed:
Our Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Now, prove that you are the God of this nation, and that I, your servant, have done this at your command. 37 Please answer me, so these people will know that you are the Lord God, and that you will turn their hearts back to you.
38 The Lord immediately sent fire, and it burned up the sacrifice, the wood, and the stones. It scorched the ground everywhere around the altar and dried up every drop of water in the ditch. 39 When the crowd saw what had happened, they all bowed down and shouted, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”
40 Just then, Elijah said, “Grab the prophets of Baal! Don't let any of them get away.”
So the people captured the prophets and took them to Kishon River, where Elijah killed every one of them.
It Starts To Rain
41 Elijah told Ahab, “Get something to eat and drink. I hear a heavy rain coming.”
42 Ahab left, but Elijah climbed back to the top of Mount Carmel. Then he stooped down with his face almost to the ground 43 and said to his servant, “Look toward the sea.”
The servant left. And when he came back, he said, “I looked, but I didn't see anything.” Elijah told him to look seven more times.
44 After the seventh time the servant replied, “I see a small cloud coming this way. But it's no bigger than a fist.”
Elijah told him, “Tell Ahab to get his chariot ready and start home now. Otherwise, the rain will stop him.”
45-46 A few minutes later, it got very cloudy and windy, and rain started pouring down. So Elijah wrapped his coat around himself, and the Lord gave him strength to run all the way to Jezreel. Ahab followed in his chariot.
