Editing Books of Kings (section)

=====The great drought (17:1–18:46)=====
A new prophet arises in Israel, named [[Elijah]], who informs Ahab of a years-long [[drought]] about to begin. God then tells Elijah to hide in the [[Chorath|Kerith]] Ravine, where he drinks from the stream and is fed by [[raven]]s. When the brook dries up, God tells Elijah to travel to [[Sarepta|Zarephath]], where a widow will feed him. She is more than happy to give him water, but when he asks for bread, she informs him that she is just about to make a small loaf – only enough that she and [[Raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath|her son]] may eat it as their last meal. Elijah instructs her to make him some anyway, telling her that she will not run out of food until the famine is over. Soon, the widow's son becomes ill and dies. At the widow's insistence, Elijah raises him from the dead.

Three years later, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab because the drought is coming to an end. On the way, Elijah meets his administrator [[Obadiah (1 Kings)|Obadiah]], who was hiding prophets during Jezebel's persecutions, and asks him to tell Ahab of his arrival. Seeking to end the worship of Baal for good, Elijah tells Ahab to invite four hundred priests of Baal and four hundred of [[Asherah]] to the top of [[Mount Carmel]]. There, he upbraids the people for their duplicity, telling them to choose either worship of the God of Israel or of Baal.

He then proposes a challenge: he and the priests will each prepare a sacrifice, and then call upon their respective gods to send fire to burn it. When the priests attempt to call down fire, none comes. On the other hand, despite having the Israelites pour much water over his altar, when Elijah prays for fire God sends it, accepting the sacrifice. Elijah orders the priests of Baal be killed, and informs Ahab of the coming rain. Climbing to the top of the mountain, Elijah sends his servant to look out to sea. After returning seven times, the servant eventually sees a small cloud rising far out at sea. Elijah tells the servant to inform Ahab to return to [[Tel Jezreel|Jezreel]] in his chariot, while Elijah manages to run ahead of him.