Now Elijahthe Tishbite,who was of the settlersof Gilead,saidto Ahab,"As the LORD,the Godof Israellives,beforewhomI stand,surelythere shall be neitherdewnor raintheseyears,exceptby my word."
But she said,"As the LORDyour Godlives,I havenobread,onlya handfulof flourin the bowland a littleoilin the jar;and behold,I am gatheringa fewsticksthat I may goin and preparefor me and my son,that we may eatit and die."
The wordof the LORDcameto him, saying,
Now it happened[after] manydaysthat the wordof the LORDcameto Elijahin the thirdyear,saying,"Go,showyourself to Ahab,and I will sendrainon the faceof the earth."
"As the LORDyour Godlives,thereis nonationor kingdomwheremy masterhas not sentto searchfor you; and when they said,'He is not [here],' he made the kingdomor nationswearthat they could not findyou.
Elijahsaid,"As the LORDof hostslives,beforewhomI stand,I will surelyshowmyself to him today."
But Micaiahsaid,"As the LORDlives,whatthe LORDsaysto me, that I shall speak."
"When the heavensare shutup and there is norain,becausethey have sinnedagainst You, and they praytowardthisplaceand confessYour nameand turnfrom their sinwhenYou afflictthem,
But the angelof the LORDsaidto Elijahthe Tishbite,"Arise,goup to meetthe messengersof the kingof Samariaand sayto them, 'Is it becausethereis noGodin Israel[that] you are goingto inquireof Baal-zebub,the godof Ekron?'
Elishasaid,"As the LORDof hostslives,beforewhomI stand,were it not that I regardthe presenceof Jehoshaphatthe kingof Judah,I would not lookat you norseeyou.
When Elishareturnedto Gilgal,[there was] a faminein the land.As the sonsof the prophetswere sittingbeforehim, he saidto his servant,"Puton the largepotand boilstewfor the sonsof the prophets."
But he said,"As the LORDlives,beforewhomI stand,I will takenothing."And he urgedhim to take[it], but he refused.
But Gehazi,the servantof Elishathe manof God,thought,"Behold,my masterhas sparedthisNaamanthe Aramean,by not receivingfrom his handswhathe brought.As the LORDlives,I will runafterhim and takesomethingfrom him."
Then a lettercameto him from Elijahthe prophetsaying,"Thussaysthe LORDGodof your fatherDavid,'Becauseyou have not walkedin the waysof Jehoshaphatyour fatherand the waysof Asakingof Judah,
"When the heavensare shutup and there is norainbecausethey have sinnedagainst You, and they praytowardthisplaceand confessYour name,and turnfrom their sinwhenYou afflictthem;
"Behold,He restrainsthe waters,and they dryup; And He sendsthem out, and they inundatethe earth.
"Liftup your eyesand lookaround;Allof them gathertogether, they cometo you. As I live,"declaresthe LORD,"You will surelyputon allof them as jewelsand bindthem on as a bride.
"I will layit waste;It will not be prunedor hoed,But briarsand thornswill comeup. I will also chargethe cloudsto rainnorainon it."
Are thereanyamong the idolsof the nationswho giverain?Orcan the heavensgrantshowers?Is it not You, O LORDour God?Therefore we hopein You, For You are the one who has doneallthesethings.
Therefore,thussaysthe LORD,"Ifyou return,then I will restoreyou-- BeforeMe you will stand;And ifyou extractthe preciousfrom the worthless,You will becomeMy spokesman.They for their partmay turnto you, But as for you, you must not turnto them.
"The prophetswhowere beforeme and beforeyou from ancienttimesprophesiedagainstmanylandsand againstgreatkingdoms,of warand of calamityand of pestilence.
"Therefore,becauseof you the skyhas withheldits dewand the earthhas withheldits produce.
"And ifyou are willingto accept[it], John himselfis Elijahwho was to come.
And they said,"Some[say] Johnthe Baptist;and others,Elijah;but still others,Jeremiah,oroneof the prophets."
And someof thosewho were standingthere,when they heardit, [began] saying,"This manis callingfor Elijah."
But the rest[of them] said,"Letus seewhetherElijahwill cometo saveHim."
for He was teachingthem as [one] havingauthority,and not as their scribes.
"It is he who will go[as a forerunner] beforeHim in the spiritand powerof Elijah,TO TURNTHE HEARTSOF THE FATHERSBACKTO THE CHILDREN,and the disobedientto the attitudeof the righteous,so as to make readya peoplepreparedfor the Lord."
The angelansweredand saidto him, "I amGabriel,who standsin the presenceof God,and I have been sentto speakto you and to bringyou thisgood news.
"But keep on the alertat alltimes,prayingthat you may have strengthto escapeallthese thingsthat are aboutto take place,and to standbeforethe Sonof Man."
And behold,twomenwere talkingwith Him; and they were Mosesand Elijah,
And as thesewere leavingHim, Petersaidto Jesus,"Master,it is goodfor us to be here;let us makethreetabernacles:onefor You, and onefor Moses,and onefor Elijah"--not realizingwhathe was saying.
When His disciplesJamesand Johnsaw[this], they said,"Lord,do You wantus to commandfireto come downfrom heavenand consumethem?"
They askedhim, "Whatthen?Are you Elijah?"And he said,"I amnot." "Are you the Prophet?"And he answered,"No."
They askedhim, and saidto him, "Whythenare you baptizing,ifyou are not the Christ,norElijah,northe Prophet?"
"For thisvery nightan angelof the Godto whomI belongand whomI servestood beforeme,
Godhas not rejectedHis peoplewhomHe foreknew.Ordo you not knowwhatthe Scripturesaysin [the passage about] Elijah,howhe pleadswith GodagainstIsrael?
At that timethe LORDsetapartthe tribeof Levito carrythe arkof the covenantof the LORD,to standbeforethe LORDto serveHim and to blessin His nameuntilthisday.
Elijahwas a manwith a nature likeours,and he prayedearnestlythat it would not rain,and it did not rainon the earthfor threeyearsand sixmonths.
Thesehavethe powerto shutup the sky,sothat rainwill not fallduring the daysof their prophesying;and they havepoweroverthe watersto turnthem into blood,and to strikethe earthwith everyplague,as oftenas they desire.
Then Jephthahgatheredallthe menof Gileadand foughtEphraim;and the menof GileaddefeatedEphraim,becausethey said,"You are fugitivesof Ephraim,O Gileadites,in the midstof Ephraim[and] in the midstof Manasseh."
