1 Passados muitos dias veio a palavra de Jeová a Elias no terceiro ano, dizendo: Vai mostrar-te a Acabe; e farei cair chuva sobre a terra.2 Partiu Elias a se mostrar a Acabe. A fome era extrema em Samaria.3 Acabe chamou a Obadias, que estava sobre a sua casa (Ora Obadias temia muito a Jeová,4 porque quando Jezabel exterminava os profetas de Jeová, tomou Obadias cem profetas, e os escondeu cinqüenta numa caverna e cinqüenta na outra e os sustentou de pão e água).5 Disse Acabe a Obadias: Vai pela terra a todas as fontes de água e a todas as torrentes; talvez possamos achar erva e salvar a vida aos cavalos e machos, de maneira que não percamos todos os animais.6 Repartiram entre si a terra, para a percorrerem; Acabe foi sozinho por um caminho, e Obadias foi sozinho por outro caminho.7 Quando Obadias estava em caminho, eis que Elias se encontrou com ele. Obadias, reconhecendo-o, prostrou-se com o rosto em terra e disse: És tu, meu senhor Elias?8 Ele respondeu: Sou eu; vai, dize ao teu senhor: Eis aqui está Elias.9 Ele disse: Em que pequei, para que tu entregues o teu servo nas mãos de Acabe, para ele me matar?10 Pela vida de Jeová teu Deus que não há nação nem reino, aonde o meu senhor não tenha enviado em busca de ti, e dizendo eles: Não está aqui; fazia ele jurar a nação e o reino que não te haviam achado.11 Agora tu dizes: Vai, dize ao teu senhor: Eis aqui está Elias.12 Logo que eu me apartar de ti, levar-te-á o espírito de Jeová para um lugar que ignoro; quando eu vier e o disser a Acabe, e ele não te puder achar, tirar-me-á a vida. Porém, eu, teu servo, temo a Jeová desde a minha mocidade.13 Acaso não se te disse o que fiz quando Jezabel matava os profetas de Jeová, a saber, como escondi cem dos profetas de Jeová, cinqüenta numa caverna e cinqüenta na outra, e os sustentei de pão e água?14 Agora dizes tu: Vai, dize ao teu senhor: Eis aqui está Elias. Ele me matará.15 Elias disse: Pela vida de Jeová em cuja presença estou, hoje mesmo me hei de mostrar a ele.16 Foi Obadias encontrar-se com Acabe, e avisou-o; e foi Acabe ter com Elias.17 Vendo-o, disse-lhe: És tu, ó perturbador de Israel?18 Respondeu Elias: Eu não tenho perturbado a Israel; mas tu e a casa de teu pai, por terdes deixado os mandamentos de Jeová, e por teres tu seguido os Baalins.19 Agora envia e ajunta a mim todo o Israel no monte Carmelo e os quatrocentos e cinqüenta profetas de Baal e os quatrocentos profetas da Asera, que comem da mesa de Jezabel.20 Acabe enviou a todos os filhos de Israel, e ajuntou os profetas no monte Carmelo.21 Elias, chegando-se a todo o povo, disse: Até quando claudicareis para duas partes? se Jeová é Deus, segui-o; se, porém, Baal o é, segui-o. O povo não lhe respondeu palavra.22 Então disse Elias ao povo: Eu sou o único que fiquei dos profetas de Jeová, mas os profetas de Baal são quatrocentos e cinqüenta homens.23 Dêem-se-nos, portanto, dois novilhos; escolham eles para si um novilho, e dividindo-o em pedaços, o ponham sobre a lenha, porém não metam fogo por baixo; eu prepararei o outro novilho, e pô-lo-ei sobre a lenha, porém não meterei fogo por baixo.24 Invocai vós o nome do vosso deus, e eu invocarei o nome de Jeová; o Deus que responder por meio do fogo, seja esse o Deus. Todo o povo, respondendo, disse: É boa a proposta.25 Disse Elias aos profetas de Baal: Escolhei para vós um novilho, e preparai-o primeiro, porque sois muitos, invocai o nome do vosso deus, e não metais fogo por baixo.26 Tendo eles tomado o novilho que lhes fora dado, prepararam-no, e invocaram o nome de Baal desde a manhã até o meio dia, dizendo: Baal, responde-nos. Porém não havia voz, nem havia quem respondesse. Rodeavam manquejando o altar que se tinha feito.27 Ao meio dia Elias zombava deles, e dizia: Gritai em altas vozes, pois ele é um deus; ou está meditando, ou está em retiro, ou está em viagem, ou porventura está dormindo, e necessita que o acordem.28 Clamavam em altas vozes, e segundo o seu costume se retalhavam com facas e lancetas, até sair-lhes sangue.29 Passado o meio dia, profetizavam até o tempo de se oferecer a oblação da tarde; porém não havia voz, nem havia quem respondesse, nem atendesse.30 Então disse Elias a todo o povo: Chegai-vos a mim. Chegou-se a ele todo o povo. Elias consertou o altar de Jeová, que tinha sido derrubado.31 Tomou doze pedras, conforme o número das tribos dos filhos de Jacó, a quem viera a palavra de Jeová, dizendo: Israel será o teu nome.32 Com as pedras edificou um altar ao nome de Jeová; e fez um sulco capaz de conter duas medidas de semente ao redor do altar.33 Dispôs a lenha, dividiu o novilho em pedaços e pô-lo sobre a lenha. Ele disse: Enchei de água quatro talhas, e entornai-a sobre o holocausto e sobre a lenha.34 Disse ainda: Fazei-o segunda vez; e fizeram-no segunda vez. De novo disse: Fazei-o terceira vez; e fizeram-no terceira vez.35 A água corria ao redor do altar; ele encheu também de água o sulco.36 Sendo já o tempo de se oferecer a oblação da tarde, chegou-se Elias e disse: Ó Jeová, Deus de Abraão, de Isaque e de Israel, seja manifestado hoje que tu és Deus em Israel, e que eu sou teu servo, e que por tua ordem tenho feito todas estas cousas.37 Responde-me, Jeová, responde-me para que este povo conheça que tu, Jeová, és Deus, porque fizeste voltar para trás o seu coração.38 Caiu o fogo de Jeová, e consumiu o holocausto, e a lenha, e as pedras, e o pó, e sorveu a água que estava no sulco.39 O que tendo visto todo o povo, prostraram-se com o rosto em terra e disseram: Jeová é o Deus; Jeová é o Deus.40 Disse-lhes Elias: Agarrai os profetas de Baal; que nenhum deles escape. Agarraram-nos. Elias fê-los descer à torrente de Quisom, e ali os matou.41 Disse Elias a Acabe: Sobe, come e bebe, porque se ouve o ruído duma grande chuva.42 Subiu Acabe a comer e a beber. Elias subiu ao cume do Carmelo e, inclinado por terra, meteu o rosto entre os joelhos.43 Disse ao seu criado: Sobe agora, e olha para a banda do mar. Subiu, olhou e disse: Não há nada. Elias disse-lhe: Torna a ir sete vezes.44 À sétima vez, disse: Eis que se levanta do mar uma nuvem, ao tamanho da mão dum homem. Disse-lhe Elias: Sobe, e dize a Acabe: Manda aprontar o teu carro, e desce, para que a chuva não te impeça de o fazer.45 Em pouco tempo o céu enegreceu de nuvens e de vento, e caiu uma grande chuva. Acabe subiu ao carro, e foi para Jezreel.46 A mão de Jeová foi sobre Elias, que cingiu os lombos, e correu adiante de Acabe até a entrada de Jezreel.

1 After a long time, the word of Jehovah came to Elijah. In the third year he said: »Go and let Ahab see you. I will send rain on the earth.«2 So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was no food to be had in Samaria.3 Ahab sent for Obadiah, the controller of the king's house. Obadiah had great respect for Jehovah.4 When Jezebel massacred the prophets of Jehovah, Obadiah took a hundred of them, and hid them secretly in a hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water.5 Ahab said to Obadiah: »Come! Let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers. Let us see if there is any grass for the horses and the transport beasts. We must save some of the livestock.«6 They went through all the country by dividing it between them. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another by himself.7 While Obadiah was on his way, he came face to face with Elijah. Seeing who it was, he went down on his face and said: »Is it you, my lord Elijah?«8 Elijah answered: »It is I. Go tell your lord Elijah is here.«9 He said: »What sin have I done that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill him?10 »By the life of Jehovah your God, there is not a nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent in search of you. When they said: He is not here; he made them take an oath that they had not seen you.11 »Now you say: ‘Go, say to your lord Elijah is here.’«12 »What if the Spirit of Jehovah carries you off to some unknown place as soon as I leave? Then, when I tell Ahab that you are here and he cannot find you, he will put me to death. Remember that I have been a devout worshiper of Jehovah ever since I was a boy.13 »Have you not heard that when Jezebel was killing Jehovah’s prophets I hid a hundred of them in caves, in two groups of fifty, and supplied them with food and water?14 »So how can you order me to go and tell the king that you are here? He will kill me!«15 Elijah said: »By the life of Jehovah of armies, whose servant I am, I will certainly let him see me today.«16 So Obadiah went to Ahab and gave him the news. Ahab went to see Elijah.17 Ahab saw Elijah. He said: »Is it you, Israel’s troublemaker?«18 Then he said in answer: »I have not made trouble for Israel. You and your family have. You have disobeyed Jehovah’s commands and have gone after the Baals.19 »Now gather all Israel together before me at Mount Carmel. Also gather the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal who get their food at Jezebel's table.«20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and assembled the prophets together at Mount Carmel.21 Elijah came near to all the people and said: »How long will you balance bounce back and forth between two opinions? If Jehovah is God, then give worship to him. If Baal is, give worship to him.« The people did not answer him.22 Then Elijah said to the people: »I, even I, am the only living prophet of Jehovah but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.«23 »Let them give us two bulls. Let them take one for themselves and have it cut up, and put it on the wood, but put no fire under it. I will get the other bull ready, and put it on the wood, and put no fire under it.24 »You pray to your god and I will pray to Jehovah. The God who answers with fire is God!« All the people answered: »It is well said.«25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: »Take one bull for yourselves and get it ready first, for there are so many of you; and make your prayers to your god, but do not light the fire.26 So they took the bull that was given them, and made it ready. They cried out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day. They said: »O Baal, give ear to us.« But there was no voice and no answer. They jumped up and down before the altar they had made.27 In the middle of the day, Elijah made sport of them, saying: »Give louder cries, for he is a god; he may be deep in thought. He may have gone away for some purpose. Perhaps he is on a journey. By chance he is sleeping and must be woke up.«28 So they gave loud cries and they cut themselves with knives and swords till the blood came streaming out all over them.29 They went on with their prayers from midday till the time of the offering; but there was no voice, or any answer, or any who gave attention to them.30 Then Elijah said to all the people: »Come near to me.« Then all the people came near. He repaired the altar of Jehovah that was broken down.31 Elijah took twelve stones, the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Jehovah said: »Israel will be your name.«32 He used the stones to make an altar to the name of Jehovah. He dug a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two seahs of seed.33 He put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on there. Then he said: Get four vessels full of water and put it on the burned offering and on the wood. Do it a second time, and they did it a second time.34 Then he said: »Get four vessels full of water and put it on the burned offering and on the wood. Do it a second time« They did it a second time. Then he said: »Do it a third time« and they did it a third time.35 The water went all round the altar until the drain was full.36 Then at the time of the offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, »Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be seen this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things by your order.37 »Give me an answer, O Jehovah. Give me an answer so that this people may see that you are God. That you have made their hearts come back again.«38 Then the fire of Jehovah came down. It burned up the offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and drinking up the water in the drain.39 When the people saw it, they all went down on their faces. They said: »Jehovah is God! Jehovah is God!«40 Elijah said to them: »Take the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them get away.« So they took them, and Elijah made them go down to the stream Kishon, and executed them there.41 Then Elijah said to Ahab: »Get up and take food and drink, for there is a sound of much rain.«42 So Ahab went up to have food and drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He bowed down to the earth and put his face between his knees.43 He told his servant to look in the direction of the sea. After he looked the servant said: »There is nothing.« Elijah said: »Go again seven times.« So he went seven times.44 The seventh time he said: »I see a cloud coming up out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.« Then Elijah said: »Go up and say to Ahab, Get your carriage ready and go down or the rain will keep you back.«45 After a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel.46 The hand of Jehovah was on Elijah. Jehovah gave special strength to Elijah and he ran ahead of Ahab until they came to Jezreel.