1 Kings 18
1 Aftir many daies the word of the Lord was maad to Elie, in the thridde yeer, and seide, Go, and schewe thee to Achab, that Y yyue reyn on the face of erthe.
After many days, the LORD’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.”
2 Therfor Elie yede to schewe hym silf to Achab; forsothe greet hungur was in Samarie.
Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.
3 And Achab clepide Abdie, dispendere, ether stiward, of his hows; forsothe Abdie dredde greetli the Lord God of Israel.
Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;
4 For whanne Jezabel killide the prophetis of the Lord, he took an hundrid prophetis, and hidde hem, bi fifties and fifties, in dennes, and fedde hem with breed and watir.
for when Jezebel cut off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
5 Therfor Achab seide to Abdie, Go thou in to the lond, to alle wellis of watris, and in to alle valeis, if in hap we moun fynde gras, and saue horsis and mulis; and werk beestis perische not outirli.
Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”
6 Therfor thei departiden the cuntreis to hem silf, that thei schulden cumpasse tho; Achab yede bi o weye, and Abdie yede bi another weie, `bi hym silf.
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 And whanne Abdie was in the weie, Elie mette hym; and whanne he hadde knowe Elie, he felde on his face, and seide, Whethir thou art my lord Elie?
As Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 To whom he answeride, Y am. And Elie seide, Go thou, and seie to thi lord, Elie is present.
He answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’”
9 And Abdie seide, What `synnede Y, for thou bitakist me in the hond of Achab, that he sle me?
He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
10 Thi Lord God lyueth, for no folk ethir rewme is, whidur my lord, sekynge thee, sente not; and whanne alle men answeriden, He is not here, he chargide greetli alle rewmes and folkis, for thou were not foundun; and now thou seist to me,
As the LORD 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.
11 Go, and seie to thi lord, Elie is present.
Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’
12 And whanne Y schal departe fro thee, the Spirit of the Lord schal bere thee awey in to a place which Y knowe not; and Y schal entre, and `Y schal telle to Achab, and he schal not fynde thee, and he schal sle me; forsothe thi seruaunt dredith the Lord fro his yong childhod.
It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that the LORD’s Spirit will carry you I do not know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
13 Whether it is not schewid to thee, my lord, what Y dide, whanne Jesabel killide the prophetis of the Lord, that Y hidde of the prophetis of the Lord an hundrid men, bi fifty and bi fifti, in dennes, and Y fedde hem with breed and watir?
Was not it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the LORD’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now thou seist, Go, and seie to thi lord, Elie is present, that he sle me.
Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”
15 And Elie seide, The Lord of oostis lyueth, bifor whos siyt Y stonde, for to dai Y schal appere to hym.
Elijah said, “As the LORD of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
16 Therfor Abdie yede in to the metyng of Achab, and schewide to hym; and Achab cam in to the meetyng of Elie.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 And whanne he hadde seyn Elie, he seide, Whether thou art he, that disturblist Israel?
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
18 And he seide, Not Y disturble Israel, but thou, and the hows of thi fadir, whiche han forsake the comaundementis of the Lord, and sueden Baalym, `disturbliden Israel.
He answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the LORD’s commandments and you have followed the Baals.
19 Netheles now sende thou, and gadere to me al Israel, in the hil of Carmele, and foure hundrid and fifti prophetis of Baal, and foure hundrid prophetis of woodis, that eten of the table of Jezabel.
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.”
20 Achab sente to alle the sones of Israel, and gaderide prophetis in the hil of Carmele.
So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
21 Forsothe Elie neiyede to al the puple of Israel, and seide, Hou long halten ye in to twey partis? If the Lord is God, sue ye hym; forsothe if Baal is God, sue ye hym. And the puple answeride not o word to hym.
Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not say a word.
22 And Elie seide eft to the puple, Y dwellide aloone a prophete of the Lord; sotheli the prophetis of Baal ben foure hundrid and fifti, and the prophetis of woodis ben foure hundrid men.
Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left as a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.
23 Tweyne oxis be youun to us; and chese thei oon oxe, and thei schulen kitte in to gobetis, and schulen putte on trees, but putte thei not fier vndur; and Y schal make the tother oxe in to sacrifice, and Y schal putte on the trees, and Y schal not putte fier vnder.
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 dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Clepe ye the name of youre goddis, and Y schal clepe the name of my God; and the God that herith bi fier, be he God. And al the puple answeride, and seide, The resoun is best, `which resoun Elie spak.
You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the LORD’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” All the people answered, “What you say is good.”
25 Therfor Elie seide to the prophetis of Baal, Chese ye oon oxe to you, and make ye first, for ye ben the mo; and clepe ye the names of youre goddis, and putte ye not fier vnder.
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
26 And whanne thei hadden take the oxe, whom Elie yaf to hem, thei maden sacrifice, and clepiden the name of Baal, fro the morewtid `til to myddai, and seiden, Baal, here vs! And no vois was, nether ony that answerd; and thei skippiden ouer the auter, which thei hadden maad.
They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
27 And whanne it was thanne myddai, Elie scornede hem, and seide, Crie ye with gretter vois, for Baal is youre god, and in hap he spekith with an other, ethir he is in a herborgerie, ether in weie, ether certis he slepith, that he be reisid.
At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”
28 Therfor thei crieden with greet vois, and thei kerueden hem silf with knyues and launcetis, bi her custom, til thei weren bisched with blood.
They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them.
29 Sotheli after that mydday passide, and while thei prophesieden, the tyme cam, in which the sacrifice is wont to be offrid, nether vois was herd `of her goddis, nether ony answeride, nether perceyuede hem preiynge.
When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.
30 Elie seide to al the puple, Come ye to me. And whanne the puple cam to him, he arrayede the auter of the Lord, that was distried.
Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the LORD’s altar that had been thrown down.
31 And he took twelue stonys, bi the noumbre of lynagis of sones of Jacob, to which Jacob the word of the Lord was maad, and seide, Israel schal be thi name.
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 And he bildide an auter of stonys, in the name of the Lord, and he made a ledyng to of watir, `ether a dich, as bi twei litle dichis in the cumpas of the auter.
With the stones he built an altar in the LORD’s name. He made a trench around the altar large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
33 And he dresside trees, and he departide the oxe bi membris, and puttide on the trees,
He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
34 and seide, Fille ye foure pottis with watir, and schede ye on the brent sacrifice, and on the trees. And eft he seide, Also the secounde tyme do ye this. `And thei diden the secounde tyme. And he seide, Do ye the same thing the thridde tyme; and thei diden the thridde tyme.
He said, “Do it a second time;” and they did it the second time. He said, “Do it a third time;” and they did it the third time.
35 And the watris runnen aboute the auter, and the dich of ledyng to `of watir was fillid.
The water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 And whanne the tyme was thanne, that the brent sacrifice schulde be offrid, Elye the prophete neiyede, and seide, Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, schewe thou to dai that thou art God of Israel, and that Y am thi seruaunt, and haue do alle these wordis bi thi comaundement.
At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
37 Lord, here thou me; Lord, here thou me; that this puple lerne, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast conuertid eft the herte of hem.
Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again.”
38 Sotheli fier of the Lord felde doun, and deuouride brent sacrifice, and trees, and stonus, and lickide vp also the poudre, and the water that was in the `leding of water.
Then the LORD’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust; and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And whanne al the puple hadde seyn this, it felde in to his face, and seide, The Lord he is God; the Lord he is God.
When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, “The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!”
40 And Elie seide to hem, Take ye the prophetis of Baal; not oon sotheli ascape of hem. And whanne thei hadden take hem, Elie ledde hem to the stronde of Cison, and killide hem there.
Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.
41 And Elie seide to Achab, Stie thou, ete, and drynke, for the sown of myche reyn is.
Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
42 Achab stiede to ete and drynke; forsothe Elie stiede in to the hil of Carmele, and he settide lowli his face to the erthe, bitwixe hise knees;
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.
43 and seide to his child, Stie thou, and biholde ayens the see. And whanne he hadde stied, and hadde biholde, he seide, No thing is. And eft Elie seide to hym, Turne thou ayen bi seuene tymes.
He said to his servant, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, then said, “There is nothing.” He said, “Go again” seven times.
44 Sotheli in the seuenthe tyme, lo! a litil cloude as the step of a man stiede fro the see. And Elie seide, Stie thou, and seie to Achab, Ioyne thi chare, and go doun, lest the reyn byfor ocupie thee.
On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, 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 does not stop you.’”
45 And whanne thei turneden hem hidur and thidur, lo! heuenes weren maad derk, and cloud, and wynd, and greet reyn was maad. Therfor Achab stiede, and yede in to Jezrael;
In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
46 and the hond of the Lord was maad on Elie, and whanne the leendis weren gird, he ran bifor Achab, til he cam in to Jezrael.
The LORD’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
