< 1 Kings 18 >

1 And it happened after many days that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
וַֽיְהִי יָמִים רַבִּים וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָה הָיָה אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית לֵאמֹר לֵךְ הֵרָאֵה אֶל־אַחְאָב וְאֶתְּנָה מָטָר עַל־פְּנֵי הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. And the famine was severe in Samaria.
וַיֵּלֶךְ אֵֽלִיָּהוּ לְהֵרָאוֹת אֶל־אַחְאָב וְהָרָעָב חָזָק בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
3 And Ahab summoned Obadiah, the steward of the house. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly.
וַיִּקְרָא אַחְאָב אֶל־עֹבַדְיָהוּ אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַבָּיִת וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הָיָה יָרֵא אֶת־יְהֹוָה מְאֹֽד׃
4 And it came about, when Jezebel was killing the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
וַֽיְהִי בְּהַכְרִית אִיזֶבֶל אֵת נְבִיאֵי יְהֹוָה וַיִּקַּח עֹבַדְיָהוּ מֵאָה נְבִיאִים וַֽיַּחְבִּיאֵם חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ בַּמְּעָרָה וְכִלְכְּלָם לֶחֶם וָמָֽיִם׃
5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the wadis. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."
וַיֹּאמֶר אַחְאָב אֶל־עֹבַדְיָהוּ לֵךְ בָּאָרֶץ אֶל־כׇּל־מַעְיְנֵי הַמַּיִם וְאֶל כׇּל־הַנְּחָלִים אוּלַי ׀ נִמְצָא חָצִיר וּנְחַיֶּה סוּס וָפֶרֶד וְלוֹא נַכְרִית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃
6 So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way alone, and Obadiah went another way alone.
וַֽיְחַלְּקוּ לָהֶם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ לַֽעֲבׇר־בָּהּ אַחְאָב הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ־אֶחָד לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
7 And as Obadiah was on the way, look, Elijah met him; and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"
וַיְהִי עֹֽבַדְיָהוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיַּכִּרֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הַאַתָּה זֶה אֲדֹנִי אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
8 He answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, 'Look, Elijah is here.'"
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אָנִי לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
9 And he said, "How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה חָטָאתִי כִּֽי־אַתָּה נֹתֵן אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ בְּיַד־אַחְאָב לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי׃
10 As Jehovah your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they did not find you.
חַי ׀ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אִם־יֶשׁ־גּוֹי וּמַמְלָכָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָׁלַח אֲדֹנִי שָׁם לְבַקֶּשְׁךָ וְאָמְרוּ אָיִן וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה וְאֶת־הַגּוֹי כִּי לֹא יִמְצָאֶֽכָּה׃
11 Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, Elijah is here."'
וְעַתָּה אַתָּה אֹמֵר לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
12 It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry you I do not know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Jehovah from my youth.
וְהָיָה אֲנִי ׀ אֵלֵךְ מֵאִתָּךְ וְרוּחַ יְהֹוָה ׀ יִֽשָּׂאֲךָ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־אֵדָע וּבָאתִי לְהַגִּיד לְאַחְאָב וְלֹא יִֽמְצָאֲךָ וַהֲרָגָנִי וְעַבְדְּךָ יָרֵא אֶת־יְהֹוָה מִנְּעֻרָֽי׃
13 Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Jehovah, how I hid one hundred men of Jehovah's prophets, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
הֲלֹֽא־הֻגַּד לַֽאדֹנִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בַּֽהֲרֹג אִיזֶבֶל אֵת נְבִיאֵי יְהֹוָה וָאַחְבִּא מִנְּבִיאֵי יְהֹוָה מֵאָה אִישׁ חֲמִשִּׁים חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ בַּמְּעָרָה וָאֲכַלְכְּלֵם לֶחֶם וָמָֽיִם׃
14 Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, Elijah is here";' and he will kill me."
וְעַתָּה אַתָּה אֹמֵר לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ וַהֲרָגָֽנִי׃
15 Elijah said, "As Jehovah of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today."
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵֽלִיָּהוּ חַי יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו כִּי הַיּוֹם אֵרָאֶה אֵלָֽיו׃
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
וַיֵּלֶךְ עֹבַדְיָהוּ לִקְרַאת אַחְאָב וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחְאָב לִקְרַאת אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
17 It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת אַחְאָב אֶת־אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אַחְאָב אֵלָיו הַאַתָּה זֶה עֹכֵר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
18 He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and you have followed the Baals.
וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא עָכַרְתִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם־אַתָּה וּבֵית אָבִיךָ בַּעֲזׇבְכֶם אֶת־מִצְוֺת יְהֹוָה וַתֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֵי הַבְּעָלִֽים׃
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח קְבֹץ אֵלַי אֶת־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְאֶת־נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים וּנְבִיאֵי הָאֲשֵׁרָה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אֹכְלֵי שֻׁלְחַן אִיזָֽבֶל׃
20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
וַיִּשְׁלַח אַחְאָב בְּכׇל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים אֶל־הַר הַכַּרְמֶֽל׃
21 Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you keep limping between two positions? If Jehovah is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.
וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר עַד־מָתַי אַתֶּם פֹּסְחִים עַל־שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים אִם־יְהֹוָה הָאֱלֹהִים לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְאִם־הַבַּעַל לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְלֹא־עָנוּ הָעָם אֹתוֹ דָּבָֽר׃
22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of Asherah four hundred.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־הָעָם אֲנִי נוֹתַרְתִּי נָבִיא לַיהֹוָה לְבַדִּי וּנְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים אִֽישׁ׃
23 Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
וְיִתְּנוּ־לָנוּ שְׁנַיִם פָּרִים וְיִבְחֲרוּ לָהֶם הַפָּר הָאֶחָד וִינַתְּחֻהוּ וְיָשִׂימוּ עַל־הָעֵצִים וְאֵשׁ לֹא יָשִׂימוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה ׀ אֶת־הַפָּר הָאֶחָד וְנָֽתַתִּי עַל־הָעֵצִים וְאֵשׁ לֹא אָשִֽׂים׃
24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah, and the god who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "It is well said."
וּקְרָאתֶם בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וַֽאֲנִי אֶקְרָא בְשֵׁם־יְהֹוָה וְהָיָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶה בָאֵשׁ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּעַן כׇּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹב הַדָּבָֽר׃
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לִנְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם הַפָּר הָאֶחָד וַעֲשׂוּ רִאשֹׁנָה כִּי אַתֶּם הָרַבִּים וְקִרְאוּ בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֵשׁ לֹא תָשִֽׂימוּ׃
26 And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no voice, nor any who answered. And they limped about the altar they had made.
וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־הַפָּר אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן לָהֶם וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְשֵׁם־הַבַּעַל מֵהַבֹּקֶר וְעַד־הַצׇּהֳרַיִם לֵאמֹר הַבַּעַל עֲנֵנוּ וְאֵין קוֹל וְאֵין עֹנֶה וַֽיְפַסְּחוּ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָשָֽׂה׃
27 And it came about, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Maybe he is thinking about it, or he is busy, or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."
וַיְהִי בַֽצׇּהֳרַיִם וַיְהַתֵּל בָּהֶם אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר קִרְאוּ בְקוֹל־גָּדוֹל כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִים הוּא כִּי שִׂיחַ וְכִי־שִׂיג לוֹ וְכִי־דֶרֶךְ לוֹ אוּלַי יָשֵׁן הוּא וְיִקָֽץ׃
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and spears, until the blood gushed out on them.
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם בַּחֲרָבוֹת וּבָרְמָחִים עַד־שְׁפׇךְ־דָּם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the offering up of the offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.
וַֽיְהִי כַּעֲבֹר הַֽצׇּהֳרַיִם וַיִּֽתְנַבְּאוּ עַד לַעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וְאֵֽין־קוֹל וְאֵין־עֹנֶה וְאֵין קָֽשֶׁב׃
30 Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Jehovah that had been torn down.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לְכׇל־הָעָם גְּשׁוּ אֵלַי וַיִּגְּשׁוּ כׇל־הָעָם אֵלָיו וַיְרַפֵּא אֶת־מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָה הֶֽהָרֽוּס׃
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
וַיִּקַּח אֵלִיָּהוּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים כְּמִסְפַּר שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל יִֽהְיֶה שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah. And he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
וַיִּבְנֶה אֶת־הָאֲבָנִים מִזְבֵּחַ בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה וַיַּעַשׂ תְּעָלָה כְּבֵית סָאתַיִם זֶרַע סָבִיב לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
33 And he arranged the wood, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood.
וַֽיַּעֲרֹךְ אֶת־הָעֵצִים וַיְנַתַּח אֶת־הַפָּר וַיָּשֶׂם עַל־הָעֵצִֽים׃
34 And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood." And they did so. And he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the second time. And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third time.
וַיֹּאמֶר מִלְאוּ אַרְבָּעָה כַדִּים מַיִם וְיִֽצְקוּ עַל־הָעֹלָה וְעַל־הָעֵצִים וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁנוּ וַיִּשְׁנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלֵּשׁוּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽשׁוּ׃
35 And the water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
וַיֵּֽלְכוּ הַמַּיִם סָבִיב לַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגַם אֶת־הַתְּעָלָה מִלֵּא־מָֽיִם׃
36 It happened at the time of the offering up of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of 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.
וַיְהִי ׀ בַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא וַיֹּאמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם יִוָּדַע כִּֽי־אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ (ובדבריך) [וּבִדְבָרְךָ] עָשִׂיתִי אֵת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
37 Hear me, Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that you, Jehovah, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again."
עֲנֵנִי יְהֹוָה עֲנֵנִי וְיֵֽדְעוּ הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּֽי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָאֱלֹהִים וְאַתָּה הֲסִבֹּתָ אֶת־לִבָּם אֲחֹרַנִּֽית׃
38 Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
וַתִּפֹּל אֵשׁ־יְהֹוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הָֽעֵצִים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִים וְאֶת־הֶֽעָפָר וְאֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָה לִחֵֽכָה׃
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "Jehovah, he is God. Jehovah, he is God."
וַיַּרְא כׇּל־הָעָם וַֽיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לָהֶם תִּפְשׂוּ ׀ אֶת־נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אִישׁ אַל־יִמָּלֵט מֵהֶם וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּם וַיּוֹרִדֵם אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־נַחַל קִישׁוֹן וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם שָֽׁם׃
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of a heavy rain."
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לְאַחְאָב עֲלֵה אֱכֹל וּשְׁתֵה כִּי־קוֹל הֲמוֹן הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down toward the ground, and put his face between his knees.
וַיַּעֲלֶה אַחְאָב לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְאֵלִיָּהוּ עָלָה אֶל־רֹאשׁ הַכַּרְמֶל וַיִּגְהַר אַרְצָה וַיָּשֶׂם פָּנָיו בֵּין בִּרְכָּֽו׃
43 And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." Then he said, "Go again" seven times. And the servant went again seven times.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶֽל־נַעֲרוֹ עֲלֵה־נָא הַבֵּט דֶּֽרֶךְ־יָם וַיַּעַל וַיַּבֵּט וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין מְאוּמָה וַיֹּאמֶר שֻׁב שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִֽים׃
44 It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Look, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you.'"
וַֽיְהִי בַּשְּׁבִעִית וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה־עָב קְטַנָּה כְּכַף־אִישׁ עֹלָה מִיָּם וַיֹּאמֶר עֲלֵה אֱמֹר אֶל־אַחְאָב אֱסֹר וָרֵד וְלֹא יַעֲצׇרְכָה הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃
45 It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
וַיְהִי ׀ עַד־כֹּה וְעַד־כֹּה וְהַשָּׁמַיִם הִֽתְקַדְּרוּ עָבִים וְרוּחַ וַיְהִי גֶּשֶׁם גָּדוֹל וַיִּרְכַּב אַחְאָב וַיֵּלֶךְ יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃
46 The hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
וְיַד־יְהֹוָה הָֽיְתָה אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּס מׇתְנָיו וַיָּרׇץ לִפְנֵי אַחְאָב עַד־בֹּאֲכָה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃

< 1 Kings 18 >