The Book of Elijah

Chapter 1

Drought in Israel; Elijah is fed by ravens and by a poor widow; the widow's son is raised.

Elijah, when he'd heard God's word,                          [1 Kings 17:1]Told Ahab, "Now, as Israel's LordIs living, before whom I stand,No dew or rain upon the landWill fall, except at my command."

Elijah heard the Lord God speak:                                        [1.17:2]"Go east, and hide beside the creekOf Cherith, east of Jordan. ThereYou'll drink the water and ravens will bear Your food to you as I've decreed."Elijah did as God had said:He went to Cherith according toThat which the Lord had bidden him do;And ravens brought him bread and meat,Morning and evening, early and late;But after a time the stream went dry—No rain had fallen from the sky.

The word of the Lord came to him now:                               [1.17:8]"To Zarephath in Sidon go.I have commanded a widow toFeed you in Zarephath." And so,Elijah came to its gates and sawA widow gathering sticks and strawFor fuel. He called to her and said,"Bring me some water, a morsel of bread."The widow said, "As God doth live,I haven't any bread to give,Only some meal in a jar,A little oil that won't go far.I'm gathering sticks now so that IAnd my little boy can eat and die."Elijah said, "Be not afraid:Go do exactly what you said.But first prepare a little sconeOf meal for me, and when that's doneMake some for you and for your son.For thus the God of Israel,The Lord, has said: 'The jar of mealShall not be spent; the jug of oilShall not be emptied, no, nor fail,Until the day the Lord brings forthRain upon the dried-up earth.'"She did as he had asked; and she,And he, and all her familyAte for many a day: the mealWas not depleted, nor the oil—According to the word of the Lord;And what he spake, Elijah heard. It happened that the woman's son                                        [1.17:17]Fell sick (he was her only one).He was so sick he had no breath—Either was dead or near to death."What have I done to you, man of God?"She said unto the prophet: "CouldYou have come here to bring my sinHome to me now and kill my son?""Give me your son," Elijah said.He laid him down upon his bed,And cried unto the Lord, "Have youBrought evil on the widow, whoHas taken care of me, by slayingHer son?" Then, stretched on the child and praying,He cried, "O Lord, my God, allowThis child's soul to return to him now."And to Elijah's voice the LordHarkened: as if by its own accord,The soul returned and the child was living.Elijah took the child, and givingHim to his mother, said, "You see,Your son is living." Therefore, sheSaid to Elijah, "Now I knowYou are a man of God, and soThe Lord's word in your mouth is true."

Chapter 2

Elijah meets Obadiah and Ahab; the test of Baal's prophets; they are slain; the rains finally come.

After many days there came                                                  [1.18:1]The word of the Lord, saying to him,"Go show yourself to Ahab. IWill bring down rain to the earth from the sky.And so Elijah went to showHimself to Ahab. The famine nowIn Samaria was severe.Ahab summoned his overseer,Obadiah, who loved the Lord.(When Jezebel had made things hard For the Lord's prophets, he had hidA hundred of them at once and fedAll of them bread and water together—Fifty in one cave, fifty in another.)And Ahab said to him, "Go throughThe land, to all the springs and toThe valleys: maybe we still can get...