A-Z: Famous stories from the Bible: Elijah and the prophets of Baal

Definition

Stained glass window depicting Elijah's offering being consumed by fire from heaven Led by their King, Ahab, and his wife Jezebel, many of the Israelites had started to worship local gods such as Baal and Asherah. Some of God’s prophets were killed and the rest were in mortal danger. However, one of them, Elijah, told Ahab to gather all the people at Mount Carmel, including the hundreds of priests who led the worship of the local gods, especially of Baal.

Elijah spoke to the people: ‘How long are you going to dither about? Choose today whom you are going to worship! If you believe that the Lord is God, then follow him. If you think Baal alone is god, then follow him.’ But no one answered him.

‘Listen to me,’ he went on. ‘There are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal here – and I am the only one of God’s prophets standing here. Bring us two bulls. They can prepare one for sacrifice and I will prepare the other. Then they and I will both call upon our own gods to send fire to burn the sacrifice. The god who answers with fire – he is God.’

The people agreed to this. So Baal’s prophets prepared their sacrifice, cutting up the flesh and laying it on the wood of their altar. From morning to evening, they shouted their prayers to Baal, begging for fire. They danced around the altar and even slashed themselves to show their devotion. Elijah taunted them. ‘You must shout more loudly!’ he said. ‘After all, he is a god. He may be thinking or travelling – or perhaps he is sleeping. Wake him up!’ But, whatever they did, no fire set the wood alight.

Then Elijah called the people to him. He repaired the ruined altar of the Lord with twelve stones – one for each of the Israelite tribes. He dug a deep trench around the altar and laid the prepared sacrifice and wood upon it. Then he ordered the people to soak the offering with water, three times! The water seeped through the wood, ran off the altar and filled the trench.

At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah began to pray: ‘O Lord, let it be known today that you are God of Israel and that I am your servant. Let these people see that you are their God and that you are bringing them back to you today.’

Miraculously, fire set the sodden wood alight. It burned fiercely, consuming the sacrifice, the wood and stones and the soil around. It burned so fiercely that the water in the trench was dried up. In response, the people shouted, ‘The Lord is the God of Israel!’ as they fell down on the ground.

The story illustrates:

The power of God over nature and his desire to reveal himself
The power of faithful prayer
The reality of God’s power compared to other gods.

Bible References

1 Kings 18:16-39

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth. ²So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. ³And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, ⁴and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) ⁵And Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals. ⁶So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself. ⁷And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah? ⁸And he answered him, It is I. Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. ⁹And he said, How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? ¹⁰As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, He is not here, he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. ¹¹And now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. ¹²And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. ¹³Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? ¹⁴And now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will kill me. ¹⁵And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today. ¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel? ¹⁸And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. ¹⁹Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. ²⁰So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. ²¹And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. ²²Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. ²³Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. ²⁴And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken. ²⁵Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it. ²⁶And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. ²⁷And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. ²⁸And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. ³⁰Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. ³¹Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be your name, ³²and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. ³³And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood. ³⁴And he said, Do it a second time. And they did it a second time. And he said, Do it a third time. And they did it a third time. ³⁵And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. ³⁶And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and 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. ³⁷Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back. ³⁸Then the fire of the Lord 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. ³⁹And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God. ⁴⁰And Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. ⁴¹And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain. ⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. ⁴³And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again, seven times. ⁴⁴And at the seventh time he said, Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you. ⁴⁵And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

¹And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. ²And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. ³And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: ⁴For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) ⁵And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. ⁶So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. ⁷And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? ⁸And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. ⁹And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? ¹⁰As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. ¹¹And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. ¹²And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. ¹³Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? ¹⁴And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. ¹⁵And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. ¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? ¹⁸And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. ¹⁹Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. ²⁰So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. ²¹And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²²Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. ²³Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: ²⁴And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. ²⁵And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. ²⁶And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. ²⁷And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. ²⁸And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. ³⁰And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. ³¹And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: ³²And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. ³³And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. ³⁴And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. ³⁵And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. ³⁶And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. ³⁷Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. ³⁸Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. ⁴⁰And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. ⁴¹And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. ⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, ⁴³And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. ⁴⁴And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not. ⁴⁵And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Scan and go

Scan on your mobile for direct link.