1 Kings 18:18-40

VIN(i) 18 Then he said in answer: "I have not made trouble for Israel. You and your family have. You have disobeyed the LORD's commands and have gone after the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of the groves, who eat at Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab sent word among the Israelites, and he assembled the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 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 didn't say a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them give us two bulls, and let them choose for themselves one bull, cut him in pieces, and put it on the wood, but don't let them start a fire on it. I will prepare the other bull and set it on the wood, but I will put no fire on it. 24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the god who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "It is well said." 25 So Elijah told the prophets of Baal, "Choose an ox for yourselves and you prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but don't set fire to the offering." 26 So they took the ox that was given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from early morning until noon. "Baal! Answer us!" they cried. But there was no response. Nobody answered. So they kept on dancing around the altar that they had made. 27 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 So they called out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves with swords and with spears as was their custom, until the blood poured out over them. 29 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 Then Elijah said to all the people: "Come near to me." Then all the people came near. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob's descendants, to whom the message from the LORD had come that "Israel shall be your name." 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." 34 He said, "Do it again!" They did it again. He said, "Do it a third time!" So they did it a third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and completely filled the trench. 36 At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “the 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 Answer me, O LORD, answer me; that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back again." 38 And the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the burnt sacrifice and the wood, and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God. The LORD, he is God." 40 Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; don't let any man of them escape!" So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the wadi of Kishon and killed them there.