1 Reyes 18
1 Después de muchos días, llegó la palabra de Yahvé a Elías, en el tercer año, diciendo: “Ve, muéstrate a Ajab, y yo enviaré lluvia sobre la tierra.”
For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
2 Elías fue a mostrarse a Acab. La hambruna era grave en Samaria.
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 Ajab llamó a Abdías, que estaba a cargo de la casa. (Ahora bien, Abdías temía mucho a Yahvé;
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 porque cuando Jezabel eliminó a los profetas de Yahvé, Abdías tomó a cien profetas y los escondió a cincuenta en una cueva, y los alimentó con pan y agua).
One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
5 Ajab le dijo a Abdías: “Recorre la tierra, ve a todas las fuentes de agua y a todos los arroyos. Tal vez encontremos hierba y salvemos vivos a los caballos y a las mulas, para que no perdamos todos los animales”.
[By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
6 Así que se repartieron la tierra para pasar por ella. Ajab se fue por un camino, y Abdías por otro.
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 Cuando Abdías iba por el camino, he aquí que Elías le salió al encuentro. Lo reconoció, se postró sobre su rostro y dijo: “¿Eres tú, mi señor Elías?”.
While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
8 Él le respondió: “Soy yo. Ve y dile a tu señor: “¡Hay que ver que Elías está aquí!”.
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 Él dijo: “¿En qué he pecado, para que entregues a tu siervo en manos de Ajab, para que me mate?
Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
10 Vive Yahvé, tu Dios, que no hay nación ni reino donde mi señor no haya enviado a buscarte. Cuando le dijeron: ‘No está aquí’, juró al reino y a la nación que no te encontrarían.
Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
11 Ahora dices: “Ve y dile a tu señor: “Aquí está Elías””.
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Ocurrirá que, en cuanto te deje, el Espíritu de Yahvé te llevará no sé a dónde; y así, cuando venga y se lo diga a Ajab, y no te encuentre, me matará. Pero yo, tu siervo, he temido al Señor desde mi juventud.
But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
13 ¿No se le dijo a mi señor lo que hice cuando Jezabel mató a los profetas de Yahvé, cómo escondí a cien hombres de los profetas de Yahvé con cincuenta a una cueva, y los alimenté con pan y agua?
My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
14 Ahora dices: “Ve y dile a tu señor: “Aquí está Elías”. Me matará”.
Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
15 Elías dijo: “Vive el Señor de los Ejércitos, ante quien estoy, que hoy me mostraré ante él”.
But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
16 Entonces Abdías fue a reunirse con Ajab y se lo comunicó, y Ajab fue a reunirse con Elías.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 Cuando Ajab vio a Elías, le dijo: “¿Eres tú, perturbador de Israel?”
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 El respondió: “No he molestado a Israel, sino a ti y a la casa de tu padre, porque habéis abandonado los mandamientos de Yahvé y habéis seguido a los baales.
Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
19 Ahora, pues, envía y reúne conmigo a todo Israel en el monte Carmelo, y a cuatrocientos cincuenta de los profetas de Baal, y a cuatrocientos de los profetas de Asera, que comen en la mesa de Jezabel.”
So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
20 Entonces Acab envió a todos los hijos de Israel y reunió a los profetas en el monte Carmelo.
So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
21 Elías se acercó a todo el pueblo y dijo: “¿Hasta cuándo vacilaréis entre los dos bandos? Si Yahvé es Dios, seguidlo; pero si es Baal, seguidlo”. La gente no dijo nada.
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
22 Entonces Elías dijo al pueblo: “Yo, sólo yo, he quedado como profeta de Yahvé; pero los profetas de Baal son cuatrocientos cincuenta hombres.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Que nos den, pues, dos toros, y que escojan un toro para ellos, lo corten en pedazos, lo pongan sobre la leña y no pongan fuego debajo; y yo aderezaré el otro toro, lo pondré sobre la leña y no pondré fuego debajo.
Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
24 Tú invocas el nombre de tu dios, y yo invocaré el nombre de Yahvé. El Dios que responde con fuego, que sea Dios”. Toda la gente respondió: “Lo que dices es bueno”.
Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
25 Elías dijo a los profetas de Baal: “Escoged un solo toro para vosotros y aderezadlo primero, porque sois muchos; e invocad el nombre de vuestro dios, pero no pongáis fuego debajo.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
26 Tomaron el toro que les habían dado, lo aderezaron e invocaron el nombre de Baal desde la mañana hasta el mediodía, diciendo: “¡Baal, escúchanos!”. Pero no hubo voz, ni nadie respondió. Saltaron alrededor del altar que se había hecho.
So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
27 Al mediodía, Elías se burló de ellos y dijo: “Griten, porque es un dios. O está sumido en sus pensamientos, o se ha ido a alguna parte, o está de viaje, o tal vez duerme y hay que despertarlo”.
About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
28 Gritaron en voz alta y se cortaron en su camino con cuchillos y lanzas hasta que la sangre brotó sobre ellos.
So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
29 Cuando pasó el mediodía, profetizaron hasta la hora de la ofrenda de la tarde; pero no hubo voz ni respuesta, y nadie les prestó atención.
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 Elías dijo a todo el pueblo: “¡Acérquense a mí!”; y todo el pueblo se acercó a él. Él reparó el altar de Yahvé que había sido derribado.
Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
31 Elías tomó doce piedras, según el número de las tribus de los hijos de Jacob, a quienes llegó la palabra de Yahvé diciendo: “Israel será tu nombre.”
Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
32 Con las piedras construyó un altar en nombre de Yahvé. Hizo una zanja alrededor del altar lo suficientemente grande como para contener dos seahs de semillas.
With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
33 Puso la madera en orden, cortó el toro en pedazos y lo puso sobre la madera. Dijo: “Llena cuatro tinajas con agua, y viértela sobre el holocausto y sobre la madera”.
He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
34 Dijo: “Háganlo por segunda vez;” y lo hicieron por segunda vez. Dijo: “Háganlo por tercera vez”, y lo hicieron por tercera vez.
Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
35 El agua corrió alrededor del altar, y también llenó de agua la zanja.
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 A la hora de la ofrenda de la tarde, el profeta Elías se acercó y dijo: “Yahvé, Dios de Abraham, de Isaac y de Israel, haz que se sepa hoy que tú eres Dios en Israel y que yo soy tu siervo, y que he hecho todo esto por tu palabra.
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
37 Escúchame, Yahvé, escúchame, para que este pueblo sepa que tú, Yahvé, eres Dios, y que has hecho volver su corazón”.
Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
38 Entonces el fuego del Señor cayó y consumió el holocausto, la madera, las piedras y el polvo; y lamió el agua que estaba en la zanja.
Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
39 Cuando todo el pueblo lo vio, se postró sobre sus rostros. Decían: “¡Yahvé, él es Dios! Yahvé, él es Dios!”
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 Elías les dijo: “¡Atrapen a los profetas de Baal! No dejéis que se escape ni uno de ellos”. Los apresaron, y Elías los hizo descender al arroyo Cisón, y allí los mató.
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
41 Elías dijo a Ajab: “Levántate, come y bebe, porque se oye el ruido de la lluvia abundante”.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
42 Entonces Acab subió a comer y a beber. Elías subió a la cima del Carmelo, se postró en tierra y puso su rostro entre sus rodillas.
So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
43 Dijo a su siervo: “Sube ahora y mira hacia el mar”. Subió, miró y dijo: “No hay nada”. Dijo: “Vuelve a ir” siete veces.
Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
44 A la séptima vez, dijo: “He aquí que una pequeña nube, como la mano de un hombre, se levanta del mar”. Dijo: “Sube y dile a Ajab: “Prepárate y baja, para que la lluvia no te detenga””.
But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
45 Al poco tiempo, el cielo se oscureció con nubes y viento, y hubo una gran lluvia. Acab cabalgó y se dirigió a Jezreel.
Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
46 La mano de Yahvé estaba sobre Elías; éste se metió el manto en el cinturón y corrió delante de Ajab hasta la entrada de Jezreel.
Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
