After many days the word of the Lord came to Elias, in the third year, saying: Go and shew thyself to Achab, that I may give rain upon the face of the earth.

Post dies multos factum est verbum Domini ad Eliam, in anno tertio, dicens: Vade, et ostende te Achab, ut dem pluviam super faciem terræ.

It was long before the Lord’s word came to Elias; but at last, when two years had gone by, he said, Go and confront Achab; it is time I should send rain on this parched earth.

And Elias went to shew himself to Achab, and there was a grievous famine in Samaria.

Ivit ergo Elias, ut ostenderet se Achab: erat autem fames vehemens in Samaria.

So Elias went out to confront Achab. Sore famine there was in Samaria;

And Achab called Abdias the governor of his house: now Abdias feared the Lord very much.

Vocavitque Achab Abdiam dispensatorem domus suæ: Abdias autem timebat Dominum valde.

and Achab had called his steward Abdias to his aid. This Abdias was one that held the Lord in great reverence;

For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water.

Nam cum interficeret Jezabel prophetas Domini, tulit ille centum prophetas, et abscondit eos quinquagenos et quinquagenos in speluncis, et pavit eos pane et aqua.

and when Jezabel killed the Lord’s prophets, he rescued a hundred of them, by hiding them in two caves, fifty in each, and supplying them with food and water.

And Achab said to Abdias: Go into the land unto all fountains of waters, and into all valleys, to see if we can find grass, and save the horses and mules, that the beasts may not utterly perish.

Dixit ergo Achab ad Abdiam: Vade in terram ad universos fontes aquarum, et in cunctas valles, si forte possimus invenire herbam, et salvare equos et mulos, et non penitus jumenta intereant.

To him Achab said, Go through the whole land in search of grass wherever it may be found, by spring or mountain torrent, to keep the horses and the mules alive, or we shall lose all the beasts.

And they divided the countries between them, that they might go round about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias another way by himself.

Diviseruntque sibi regiones ut circuirent eas: Achab ibat per viam unam, et Abdias per viam alteram seorsum.

So they divided up the country into circuits and separated, Achab taking one way and Abdias the other;

And as Abdias was in the way, Elias met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said: Art thou my lord Elias?

Cumque esset Abdias in via, Elias occurrit ei: qui cum cognovisset eum, cecidit super faciem suam, et ait: Num tu es, domine mi, Elias?

and it was Abdias that fell in with Elias in the course of his journey. Why, said he, bowing to the earth as he recognized him, it is my lord Elias!

And he answered: I am. Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.

Cui ille respondit: Ego. Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias.

None other, said he; go and tell thy master that Elias is here.

And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me thy servant into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?

Et ille: Quid peccavi, inquit, quoniam tradis me servum tuum in manu Achab, ut interficiat me?

Ah, my lord, answered Abdias, what wrong have I done thee, that thou wouldst hand me over to Achab to be slain?

As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when all answered: He is not here: he took an oath of every kingdom and nation, because thou wast not found.

Vivit Dominus Deus tuus, quia non est gens aut regnum quo non miserit dominus meus te requirens: et respondentibus cunctis: Non est hic: adjuravit regna singula et gentes, eo quod minime reperireris.

As the Lord thy God is a living God, there is never race or realm to which my master has not sent in search of thee; and as each answered, Not here, he would take an oath of them, race by race and realm by realm, that thou wert not to be found.

And now thou sayest to me: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.

Et nunc tu dicis mihi: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias.

Go and tell thy master, sayest thou, that Elias is here;

And when I am gone from thee, the spirit of the Lord will carry thee into a place that I know not: and I shall go in and tell Achab, and he not finding thee, will kill me: but thy servant feareth the Lord from his infancy.

Cumque recessero a te, spiritus Domini asportabit te in locum quem ego ignoro: et ingressus nuntiabo Achab, et non inveniens te, interficiet me: servus autem tuus timet Dominum ab infantia sua.

and what will be the issue of it? Why, when I have left thee, the spirit of the Lord will carry thee off I know not where; my errand done, and thou nowhere to be found, Achab will put me to death; and am not I, thy servant, one that has feared the Lord since he was a child?

Hath it not been told thee, my lord, what I did when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water?

Numquid non indicatum est tibi domino meo quid fecerim cum interficeret Jezabel prophetas Domini, quod absconderim de prophetis Domini centum viros, quinquagenos et quinquagenos, in speluncis, et paverim eos pane et aqua?

Hast thou never had tidings, good master, of what I did when Jezabel was slaying the Lord’s prophets; how I rescued a hundred of them, by hiding them in two caves, fifty in each, and supplying them with food and water?

And now thou sayest: Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here: that he may kill me.

et nunc tu dicis: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias: ut interficiat me?

Why wouldst thou bid me court death by telling my master, Elias is here?

And Elias said: As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whose face I stand, this day I will shew myself unto him.

Et dixit Elias: Vivit Dominus exercituum, ante cujus vultum sto, quia hodie apparebo ei.

Nay, answered Elias, as the Lord I serve is a living God, I mean to confront Achab this day.

Abdias therefore went to meet Achab, and told him: and Achab came to meet Elias.

Abiit ergo Abdias in occursum Achab, et indicavit ei: venitque Achab in occursum Eliæ.

So Abdias went to find Achab, and gave him the message. Whereupon Achab came to meet Elias;

And when he had seen him, he said: Art thou he that troublest Israel?

Et cum vidisset eum, ait: Tune es ille, qui conturbas Israël?

and his greeting was, So it is thou, the man that gives Israel no rest?

And he said: I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, who have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim.

Et ille ait: Non ego turbavi Israël, sed tu, et domus patris tui, qui dereliquistis mandata Domini, et secuti estis Baalim.

Nay, answered he, if Israel finds no rest, the fault lies not with me, but with thee and with thy father’s race, that have neglected the Lord’s command, and betaken yourselves to the gods of the country-side.

Nevertheless send now, and gather unto me all Israel, unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, who eat at Jezabel’s table.

Verumtamen nunc mitte, et congrega ad me universum Israël in monte Carmeli, et prophetas Baal quadringentos quinquaginta, prophetasque lucorum quadringentos, qui comedunt de mensa Jezabel.

But there is work to do; send out couriers, and gather me all Israel on mount Carmel, with Baal’s four hundred and fifty prophets, and those four hundred, prophets of the forest-shrines, that feed on Jezabel’s bounty.

Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophets unto mount Carmel.

Misit Achab ad omnes filios Israël, et congregavit prophetas in monte Carmeli.

So Achab sent word to all the men of Israel, and gathered the prophets together, there on mount Carmel.

And Elias coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt between two sides? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.

Accedens autem Elias ad omnem populum, ait: Usquequo claudicatis in duas partes? si Dominus est Deus, sequimini eum: si autem Baal, sequimini illum. Et non respondit ei populus verbum.

And now Elias appeared before the whole of Israel, and thus reproached them, Will you never cease to waver between two loyalties? If the Lord is God, then take his part; if Baal is God, then take his. No word did the people give him in answer,

And Elias said again to the people: I only remain a prophet of the Lord: but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.

Et ait rursus Elias ad populum: Ego remansi propheta Domini solus: prophetæ autem Baal quadringenti et quinquaginta viri sunt.

and Elias began speaking to them again; Here am I, he said, the only prophet of the Lord left, while Baal has four hundred and fifty.

Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it upon wood, but put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it.

Dentur nobis duo boves, et illi eligant sibi bovem unum, et in frusta cædentes ponant super ligna, ignem autem non supponant: et ego faciam bovem alterum, et imponam super ligna, ignem autem non supponam.

Bring us two bulls; let them choose which they will, cut it up into pieces, and set these upon fire-wood, without kindling it. I will prepare the other bull, and I too will set it on fire-wood still unkindled.

Call ye on the names of your gods, and I will call on the name of my Lord: and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be God. And all the people answering, said: A very good proposal.

Invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, et ego invocabo nomen Domini mei: et Deus qui exaudierit per ignem, ipse sit Deus. Respondens omnis populus ait: Optima propositio.

Then call upon the names of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord I serve; and the God who sends fire in answer shall be acknowledged as God. Well said, cried all the people, well said!

Then Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one bullock and dress it first, because you are many: and call on the names of your gods, but put no fire under.

Dixit ergo Elias prophetis Baal: Eligite vobis bovem unum, et facite primi, quia vos plures estis: et invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, ignemque non supponatis.

Thereupon Elias bade them choose their bull, and offer sacrifice first, since theirs was the greater number; let them call upon the names of their gods as they would, but kindle no fire.

And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it: and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made.

Qui cum tulissent bovem quem dederat eis, fecerunt: et invocabant nomen Baal de mane usque ad meridiem, dicentes: Baal, exaudi nos. Et non erat vox, nec qui responderet: transiliebantque altare quod fecerant.

And they, accepting one of the bulls he offered them, prepared it for sacrifice; all day long they cried out on the name of Baal, Lord Baal, hear us; but never a sound came, and there was none to answer, dance as they would on the altar they had built there.

And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a God, and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep, and must be awaked.

Cumque esset jam meridies, illudebat illis Elias, dicens: Clamate voce majore: deus enim est, et forsitan loquitur, aut in diversorio est, aut in itinere, aut certe dormit, ut excitetur.

When mid-day came, Elias fell to mocking them; Cry louder, he said, a God Baal is, past doubt, but it may be he is detained in talk, or lodging abroad, or on a journey; or he has fallen asleep, and needs awakening.

So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood.

Clamabant ergo voce magna, et incidebant se juxta ritum suum cultris et lanceolis, donec perfunderentur sanguine.

Cry louder they did, cutting themselves with knives and lancets, till they were all bathed in blood;

And after midday was past, and while they were prophesying, the time was come of offering sacrifice, and there was no voice heard, nor did any one answer, nor regard them as they prayed:

Postquam autem transiit meridies, et illis prophetantibus venerat tempus quo sacrificium offerri solet, nec audiebatur vox, nec aliquis respondebat, nec attendebat orantes,

but mid-day passed, and they were still prophesying; and now it was time for the evening sacrifice to be offered, but still no sound came; there was none to answer them or listen to their supplications.

Elias said to all the people: Come ye unto me. And the people coming near unto him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, that was broken down:

dixit Elias omni populo: Venite ad me. Et accedente ad se populo, curavit altare Domini quod destructum fuerat.

Then Elias bade the people come near; and when they were standing close to him, he began repairing the altar of the Lord, that was broken down.

And he 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 thy name.

Et tulit duodecim lapides juxta numerum tribuum filiorum Jacob, ad quem factus est sermo Domini, dicens: Israël erit nomen tuum.

Twelve stones he took, one for each tribe that sprang from the sons of Jacob, to whom the divine voice gave the surname of Israel;

And he built with the stones an altar to the name of the Lord: and he made a trench for water, of the breadth of two furrows round about the altar.

Et ædificavit de lapidibus altare in nomine Domini: fecitque aquæductum, quasi per duas aratiunculas in circuitu altaris,

and with these stones he built up the altar again, calling on the Lord’s name as he did it. Then he made a trench round the altar, of some two furrows’ breadth;

And he laid the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it upon the wood.

et composuit ligna: divisitque per membra bovem, et posuit super ligna,

piled the wood high, cut the bull into joints, and laid these on the wood.

And he said: Fill four buckets with water, and pour it upon the burnt offering, and upon the wood. And again he said: Do the same the second time. And when they had done it the second time, he said: Do the same also the third time. And they did so the third time.

et ait: Implete quatuor hydrias aqua, et fundite super holocaustum et super ligna. Rursumque dixit: Etiam secundo hoc facite. Qui cum fecissent secundo, ait: Etiam tertio idipsum facite. Feceruntque tertio,

Now, he said, fill four buckets with water, and pour it over victim and wood alike. And again he bade them do it, and when they had finished, a third time. When they had poured it out a third time,

And the water run round about the altar, and the trench was filled with water.

et currebant aquæ circum altare, et fossa aquæductus repleta est.

the water was running all round the altar, and the trench he had dug for it was full.

And when it was now time to offer the holocaust, Elias the prophet came near and said: O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things.

Cumque jam tempus esset ut offerretur holocaustum, accedens Elias propheta ait: Domine Deus Abraham, et Isaac, et Israël, ostende hodie quia tu es Deus Israël, et ego servus tuus, et juxta præceptum tuum feci omnia verba hæc.

The time was now come for offering the evening burnt-sacrifice; and as the prophet Elias went to the altar, thus he prayed, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, give proof this day that thou art the Lord God, and I am thy servant, and all I have done was done at thy command.

Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.

Exaudi me, Domine, exaudi me: ut discat populus iste quia tu es Dominus Deus, et tu convertisti cor eorum iterum.

Audience, Lord, give audience! Prove to all the people that thou art the Lord God, and art calling their hearts back to thee!

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

Cecidit autem ignis Domini, et voravit holocaustum, et ligna, et lapides, pulverem quoque, et aquam quæ erat in aquæductu lambens.

With that, the divine fire fell, consuming victim and wood and stones and dust, and swallowing up the very water in the trench.

And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.

Quod cum vidisset omnis populus, cecidit in faciem suam, et ait: Dominus ipse est Deus, Dominus ipse est Deus.

At the sight, the whole people fell face to earth, and raised a cry, It is the Lord is God, it is the Lord is God!

And Elias said to them: Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape. And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.

Dixitque Elias ad eos: Apprehendite prophetas Baal, et ne unus quidem effugiat ex eis. Quos cum apprehendissent, duxit eos Elias ad torrentem Cison, et interfecit eos ibi.

Seize the prophets of Baal, Elias told them, and do not let one of them slip through your hands. Seize them they did, and Elias took them down to the valley of Cison, where he put them to death.

And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink: for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

Et ait Elias ad Achab: Ascende, comede, et bibe, quia sonus multæ pluviæ est.

Then Elias said to Achab, Go back now, eat and drink; I hear a noise like a storm of rain.

Achab went up to eat and drink: and Elias went up to the top of Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth put his face between his knees,

Ascendit Achab ut comederet et biberet: Elias autem ascendit in verticem Carmeli, et pronus in terram posuit faciem suam inter genua sua,

So Achab went back to eat and drink, while Elias climbed the heights of mount Carmel, and there sat, his face bowed to the ground between his knees.

And he said to his servant: Go up, and look towards the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And again he said to him: Return seven times.

et dixit ad puerum suum: Ascende, et prospice contra mare. Qui cum ascendisset, et contemplatus esset, ait: Non est quidquam. Et rursum ait illi: Revertere septem vicibus.

And he bade his servant go to the hill-top and look out seawards; so he went and looked, but came back with word that he had seen nothing. Seven times he must go back on the same errand;

And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man’s foot. And he said: Go up and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot and go down, lest the rain prevent thee.

In septima autem vice, ecce nubecula parva quasi vestigium hominis ascendebat de mari. Qui ait: Ascende, et dic Achab: Junge currum tuum et descende, ne occupet te pluvia.

and at the seventh time, a little cloud shewed, no bigger than a man’s foot-print, rising up out of the sea. Go back, Elias said, and bid Achab mount his chariot and return home, before the rain overtakes him.

And while he turned himself this way and that way, behold the heavens grew dark, with clouds, and wind, and there fell a great rain. And Achab getting up went away to Jezrahel:

Cumque se verteret huc atque illuc, ecce cæli contenebrati sunt, et nubes, et ventus, et facta est pluvia grandis. Ascendens itaque Achab, abiit in Jezrahel:

This way and that he turned; and now the whole sky was dark, and clouds came, and a wind with the clouds, and a great storm of rain began. So Achab mounted his chariot and betook himself to Jezrahel;

And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his loins and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.

et manus Domini facta est super Eliam, accinctisque lumbis currebat ante Achab, donec veniret in Jezrahel.

as for Elias, the power of the Lord came upon him, so that he girded his cloak about him and ran all the way to Jezrahel at Achab’s bridle.