1 Kings 18:9-24

Then Obadiah said, “How have I sinned that you are handing me, your servant, over to Ahab so he can kill me? As surely as the LORD your God lives, there’s no nation or kingdom where my master Ahab hasn’t looked for you. They would insist, ‘He’s not here,’ but Ahab would make them swear that they couldn’t find you. And now you are commanding me: ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is here”’? But here’s what will happen: As soon as I leave you, the LORD’s spirit will carry you off somewhere—I don’t know where—then I’ll report to Ahab, but he won’t be able to find you. Then he will kill me! But your servant has feared the LORD from my youth. Wasn’t my master told what I did when Jezebel killed the LORD’s prophets? I hid one hundred of the LORD’s prophets, fifty each in two caves. I also supplied them with food and water. But even after all that, you tell me, ‘Say to your master, “Elijah is here”’! Ahab will kill me!” Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of heavenly forces lives, the one I serve, I will appear before Ahab today.” So Obadiah went to meet Ahab. He told him what had happened. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one who troubles Israel?” Elijah answered, “I haven’t troubled Israel; you and your father’s house have! You did as much when you deserted the LORD’s commands and followed the Baals. Now send a message and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel. Gather the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” Ahab sent the message to all the Israelites. He gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hobble back and forth between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow God. If Baal is God, follow Baal.” The people gave no answer. Elijah said to the people, “I am the last of the LORD’s prophets, but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. Give us two bulls. Let Baal’s prophets choose one. Let them cut it apart and set it on the wood, but don’t add fire. I’ll prepare the other bull, put it on the wood, but won’t add fire. Then all of you will call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers with fire—that’s the real God!” All the people answered, “That’s an excellent idea.”