Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
1 After some time, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain.” 2 So Elijah started out.
The famine in Samaria was at its worst, 3 so Ahab called in Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the Lord, 4 and when Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets, Obadiah took a hundred of them, hid them in caves in two groups of fifty, and provided them with food and water.) 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Let us go and look at every spring and every stream bed in the land to see if we can find enough grass to keep the horses and mules alive. Maybe we won't have to kill any of our animals.” 6 They agreed on which part of the land each one would explore, and set off in different directions.
7 As Obadiah was on his way, he suddenly met Elijah. He recognized him, bowed low before him, and asked, “Is it really you, sir?”
8 “Yes, I'm Elijah,” he answered. “Go and tell your master the king that I am here.”
9 Obadiah answered, “What have I done that you want to put me in danger of being killed by King Ahab? 10 By the living Lord, your God, I swear that the king has made a search for you in every country in the world. Whenever the ruler of a country reported that you were not in his country, Ahab would require that ruler to swear that you could not be found. 11 And now you want me to go and tell him that you are here? 12 What if the spirit of the Lord carries you off to some unknown place as soon as I leave? Then, when I tell Ahab that you are here and he can't find you, he will put me to death. Remember that I have been a devout worshiper of the Lord ever since I was a boy. 13 Haven't you heard that when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord 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 answered, “By the living Lord Almighty, whom I serve, I promise that I will present myself to the king today.”
16 So Obadiah went to King Ahab and told him, and Ahab set off to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw him, he said, “So there you are—the worst troublemaker in Israel!”
18 “I'm not the troublemaker,” Elijah answered. “You are—you and your father. You are disobeying the Lord's commands and worshiping the idols of Baal. 19 Now order all the people of Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. Bring along the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah who are supported by Queen Jezebel.”
20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and the prophets of Baal to meet at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went up to the people and said, “How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the Lord is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him!” But the people didn't say a word. 22 Then Elijah said, “I am the only prophet of the Lord still left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Bring two bulls; let the prophets of Baal take one, kill it, cut it in pieces, and put it on the wood—but don't light the fire. I will do the same with the other bull. 24 Then let the prophets of Baal pray to their god, and I will pray to the Lord, and the one who answers by sending fire—he is God.”
The people shouted their approval.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since there are so many of you, you take a bull and prepare it first. Pray to your god, but don't set fire to the wood.”
26 They took the bull that was brought to them, prepared it, and prayed to Baal until noon. They shouted, “Answer us, Baal!” and kept dancing around the altar they had built. But no answer came.
27 At noon Elijah started making fun of them: “Pray louder! He is a god! Maybe he is day-dreaming or relieving himself, or perhaps he's gone off on a trip! Or maybe he's sleeping, and you've got to wake him up!” 28 So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed. 29 They kept on ranting and raving until the middle of the afternoon; but no answer came, not a sound was heard.
30 Then Elijah said to the people, “Come closer to me,” and they all gathered around him. He set about repairing the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the Lord had given the name Israel. 32 With these stones he rebuilt the altar for the worship of the Lord. He dug a trench around it, large enough to hold about four gallons of water. 33 Then he placed the wood on the altar, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering and the wood.” They did so, 34 and he said, “Do it again”—and they did. “Do it once more,” he said—and they did. 35 The water ran down around the altar and filled the trench.
36 At the hour of the afternoon sacrifice the prophet Elijah approached the altar and prayed, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove now that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant and have done all this at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you are bringing them back to yourself.”
38 The Lord sent fire down, and it burned up the sacrifice, the wood, and the stones, scorched the earth and dried up the water in the trench. 39 When the people saw this, they threw themselves on the ground and exclaimed, “The Lord is God; the Lord alone is God!”
40 Elijah ordered, “Seize the prophets of Baal; don't let any of them get away!” The people seized them all, and Elijah led them down to Kishon Brook and killed them.
The End of the Drought
41 Then Elijah said to King Ahab, “Now, go and eat. I hear the roar of rain approaching.” 42 While Ahab went to eat, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bowed down to the ground, with his head between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Go and look toward the sea.”
The servant went and returned, saying, “I didn't see a thing.” Seven times in all Elijah told him to go and look. 44 The seventh time he returned and said, “I saw a little cloud no bigger than a man's hand, coming up from the sea.”
Elijah ordered his servant, “Go to King Ahab and tell him to get in his chariot and go back home before the rain stops him.”
45 In a little while the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind began to blow, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah; he fastened his clothes tight around his waist and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Eliya ndi Nebii Bala robe
1 U'du amba vosi oko OPI atate Eliya ri ndroa nina 'buako ro ana si ekye: “Nyoyi nyaka'da andivo miro 'Bädri'ba Aba ri; ago mezina 'bu 'da u'dine 'bädri ya.” 2 Ndi Eliya oyite andivo ndaro ka'dane Aba ri.
'Dooko mä'bu te orivoya rritiro Samaria ya, 3 ago Aba zi Obadaya se orivoya voondre'ba zo'desi miriro ndaro ro ana te. (Oko Obadaya ro OPI tawi inye; 4 ago ondro Jezebela kate nebii OPI ro tufuna oko, Obadaya ru nebii kama alo (100) te ago da'do ànya te 'butenji kugyi alo azaya ago 'butenji kugyi aziri ya, ago ozo ŋgaonya ndi gyi be te ànyari.) 5 Ago Aba atate Obadaya ri ekye: “Mi'de moyi wari se cini koro gyi robe ndi vodelero cini be yasi, kode azaya musuna käyi 'da farasii ndi doŋgyii ŋga uŋgyiro be opazana lidriidriro, ago ko koronyai 'baro amaro rukäna o'bane todrane.” 6 Ndi ànya lonyiyi ya wari rote iyivoya ago leyitadrite oyine kigyesi; Aba oyite vo telesi aza yasi, ago Obadaya oyite vo telesi aza yasi ba iṛeiṛe.
7 Ondro Obadaya dri orivoya liti ya oko, Eliya 'bedrite nda be; ago Obadaya ni nda te, ago 'dete nda kandra militi si ago atate ekye: “Ono gi mi owo ya, 'desi maro Eliya.”
8 Eliya zatadri ndaro te ekye: “Ono ma owo, nyoyi, nyata 'desi miro 'bädri'ba ri mikye: Mindre, Eliya orivoya noŋwa.”
9 Ndi Obadaya atate ekye: “Maye ta e'diro koziro miri ma ruindu'ba miro ozone drí 'Bädri'ba Aba roya ma ufune niya? 10 Mäṛuru ävuru OPI Lu lidriidriro miro rosi, 'bädri'ba ṛi mi te kpi ni wari cini 'bädri ya yasi. Ondro 'dimiri'ba warina 'do ro katate ekye mi i'do wari iro ya, Aba eji 'dimiri'ba na 'do te ruäṛune ekye änina ko mi usune. 11 Oko yauono nya ata mikye: Moyi mata 'desi maro ri makye mi Eliya orivoya noŋwa ya? 12 Ondro ka'do oyi maro ni miresi vosi, ago dori ondro Tori OPI ro kuŋgyi mite vose mäni ko ya; 'dooko ondro moyi miti ta bete Aba ri ago nda kuni kote mi usune, nda ufuna ma ndi, minite ma ruindu'ba miro ma'dote OPI orooro ro ṛoni ŋgaga maro si. 13 Inye'do iti ṛoko miri ya 'desi maro, tase mayebe tuse Jezebela kabe nebii OPI ro tufuna si, se mada'do nebii kama alo (100) OPI rote ba 'butenji kugyii yasi, ago mozo ŋgaonya te ànyari ndi gyi beya? 14 Ago yauono nya ata mikye: Moyi mata 'desi maro ri makye mi Eliya orivoya noŋwa ono eŋwanyeya? Endaro nda ufuna ma ndi.”
15 Ago Eliya zatadrite ekye: “Ma'ba tate OPI Mbaraekye se mabe ruindu rigye ono si, endaro maka'dana andivo maro ndi 'bädri'ba ri ondro.”
16 Ndi Obadaya oyite 'Bädri'ba Aba re ago iti tana te ndäri, ago Aba oyite drî Eliya ro utune. 17 Ondro Aba kondre Eliya te oko nda atate rigye ekye: “'Do mi owo ya, mise rriti ezi'ba Yisaraele ya ono?”
18 Ago Eliya zatadrite ekye: “Mezi riti ko'de Yisaraele dri; oko mi ndi katidri täpi miro robe nyèzi ni, tana nyè'be ota OPI rote ago mìsote mätu Bala ro vo ayani. 19 Ka'do inye yauono mizo lazo ago nyotokala lidri cini Yisaraele ro ro mare 'bereŋwa Karemela pa, ndi nebii kama su 'butenji (450) Bala ro ndi nebii kama su (400) lu toko ro Asera robe se kayibe ŋgaonya tara'biza Jezebela ro dri iyi.”
20 Ndi Aba zo lazo te lidri cini Yisaraele ro ri, ago otokala nebii rote voaloya 'bereŋwa Karemela pa. 21 Ago Eliya kyite lidri re, ago atate ekye: “Nyuguna loŋga adiya tausu ritu be tuna mu'du eŋwanyeya? Ondro OPI ka'dote ni Lu yi, nyä̀mätu nda oko ondro ka'do Bala ka'dote ni Lu yi 'dooko nyä̀mätu nda.” Oko lidri zatadri alo aza kote ndäri. 22 'Dooko Eliya atate lidri ri ekye: “Ma toto alodi, nebi OPI ro e'bete toto ma iṛe; oko nebii Bala ro orivoya kama su 'butenji (450) mì'ba ezi. 23 Nyèzi 'daŋgo ritu ämäri; ago mì'ba nebii Bala ro konjiyi 'daŋgo alodi andivo ànyaro ri, ago kotoloyi jinyijinyi ago ko'bayi tiza dri, oko keleruyi asi ko kigye; ago medena 'daŋgo äziri ago ma'bana gwo tiza dri asi osoako kigye. 24 'Dooko nebii Bala ro kä̀mätuyi lu ànyaro, ago mämätuna maro OPI aya; ago Lu se kabe tadrioza asi ezi si 'do, anjioko nda ni orivoya Lu yi.” Ago lidri cini zatadrite ekye, nyatate orivoya kado ro.
25 'Dooko Eliya atate nebii Bala ro ri ekye: “Mìnji 'daŋgo alodi andivo amiro ri ago nyède anya käti, tana ami orivoya amba; ago nyä̀mätu lu amiro, oko miso asi ko kigye.” 26 Ago ànya ruyi 'daŋgo se ozobe ànyari te, ago edeyi anya te, ago mätuyi lu Bala rote eto ṛoni kyenoŋbo si le kitudiri, ekye: “Äye Bala mizatadri amaro!” caoko ata aza i'do, ago 'diaza zatadri kote. Ago ànya loŋgayite ändiriändiri vo tori oloro se ànya kobebe ana lomvosi.
27 Ago kitudiri si oko Eliya gu 'dolo te ànya zele ekye: “Mìtre amba! Tana nda orivoya lu yi! Kode a'dona nda orivoya tavousuvoya, kode nda zarute telesi, kode nda abavoya lozo, ago kode nda u'dute ago ndi mi ndaro upine.” 28 Ago ànya treyite amba, ago ànya toloyi lomvo ànyaro te bando ndi äzu be si, madale kari rote ni ànya lomvosi oso la'bi ànyaro ronye. 29 Ago kitudiri kälävute oko, ànya uguyi gi 'du totre madale saa tori oloro tandrole ro ya; oko ata aza a'dote i'do; 'diaza zatadri kote, ago 'dialo aza 'ba ta aza kpa kote.
30 'Dooko Eliya atate lidri cini ri ekye: “Nyìkyi loto mare;” ago lidri cini ishwete loto ndare, ago nda go ede vo tori oloro OPI ro se eperebe vuru ana te. 31 Eliya ru kuniŋwà 'butealo foritu te, oso oti 'bakalai ŋgwàagoro Yakoba ro ro ronye, mano se OPI katabe rigye ekye: “Ävuru miro a'dona te Yisaraele 'do.” 32 Eliya go be vo tori oloro te kuniŋwà se ana si ävuru OPI roya. Ago nda 'di 'bu te gbikyi vo tori oloro lomvo si 'desi, se ya kuru gyi ro ro oso su ronye. 33 Nda ra tiza te, ago tolo 'daŋgo te jinyijinyi ago drote tiza dri. Nda atate ekye: “Mìndi lakaza gyi ro twitwi su, ago mìda ŋgapäṛi ozaro ndi tiza be dri.” 34 Ago nda atate ekye: “Mìgo mìye kpa oso inye pere ṛirina si;” ago ànya yeyite inye pere ṛirina si. Ago nda atate ekye: “Mìgo mìye kpa oso inye pere ninana si;” ago ànya yeyi kpate oso inye pere ninana si. 35 Ndi gyi dite gbikyi vo tori oloro lomvosi ago gyi ga kpate twi 'bu ya.
36 Ago saa tori oloro tandrole ro si oko, nebi Eliya ikyite loto ago atate ekye: “Äye OPI, Lu Abarayama, Yisika ndi Yakoba be ro, mi'ba äni ndi tu ondro ono si anjioko mi ni Lu yi Yisaraele ya, ago anjioko ma ni ruindu'ba miro owo, ago anjioko tase cini ono mayete ata miro si. 37 Mizatadri maro, Äye OPI, mizatadri maro, tana lidri ono kuni robe anjioko mi Opi ni Lu yi ago mi'ba ya ànyaro drietane mire.”
38 'Dooko OPI evo asi te ago je ŋgapäṛi ozaro te ndi tiza be, ndi kuniŋwà be, ndi durufu be, ago ese gyi se 'bu ya ana te gbe. 39 Ago ondro lidri cini kondreyite oko, ànya 'deyite militi si vuru; ago ànya treyite ekye: “OPI ni orivoya Lu yi; OPI orivoya ni Lu yi.”
40 Ago Eliya atate ànyari ekye: “Mìru nebii Bala ro; mì'ba alodi ànyaro kopavo ko.” Ago ànya ruyi vo nebii Bala rote kpeye; ago Eliya ezi ànya te goloŋwa Kisona ya, ago tufu ànya te lau.
Okye U'diako 'Bu ro
41 'Dooko Eliya atate 'Bädri'ba Aba ri ekye: “Nyoyi ri yau kovole, minya ŋga ago mimvu ŋga; tana meri kporo 'bu 'desi kateezi ikyi.” 42 Ago ondro Aba koyite ŋgaonyane ago ŋgaumvune oko, Eliya tute dridopi 'bereŋwa Karemela roya, ago nda ändite vuru gyini dri, ago so drì ndaro te ta'balakole ndaro ya. 43 Ndi nda atate ruindu'ba ndaro ri ekye: “Nyoyi ri yau, mindrevo gyi'desi driro.” Ago ruindu'ba oyite ndrevote, ago ego atate ekye: “Ŋga aza i'do.” Ago Eliya atate ndäri ekye: “Nyaba ondrene perena njidrieri.” 44 Ago pere njidrierina si oko nda ego atate ekye: “Mandre 'dikolo giṛiŋwa te oso drì lidri ro ronye ka ugu oŋga ni gyi'desi yasi.” Ago Eliya atate ruindu'ba ndaro ri ekye: “Nyoyi ri yau 'Bädri'ba Aba re, nyata nda koci ri arabia ndaro ya ago kogo ri 'bäru, ukyi 'bu ota nda 'da.”
45 Ago toto fere oko vokuru inivote 'dikolo si ndi oli be, ago 'bu 'desi eto u'dite. Ago Aba cite arabia ya ago mute Jezerela ya. 46 Ago mbara Lu ro ikyite Eliya dri, ago nda embe boŋgo runduṛuro ndaro te anda ibaembevo ndaro yasi ago mute mile Aba roya le ecivo Jezerela ya ya.