1 Kings 18

1 After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”

1 旱灾持续了三年。一天，耶和华对以利亚说：“你去见亚哈。我要降雨在地上。”

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,

2 以利亚就去见亚哈。当时，撒玛利亚正遭受严重饥荒。

3 and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,

3–4 亚哈的宫廷总管俄巴底非常敬畏耶和华，耶洗别屠杀耶和华的众先知时，他救了一百名先知，把他们分别藏在两个山洞里，每洞五十人，并供应他们饮食。亚哈召见俄巴底，

4 for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”

5 对他说：“我们去各地的水泉和河谷，也许可以找到草救活骡马，不致丧失牲畜。”

6 So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.

6 于是，亚哈和俄巴底分头到不同地区寻找。

7 Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”

7 俄巴底在路上遇见了以利亚，俄巴底认出了他，就俯伏在地上说：“你是我主以利亚吗？”

8 “It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”

8 以利亚回答说：“我就是，你去告诉你主人我在这里。”

9 But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

9 俄巴底说：“仆人犯了什么罪，你竟叫我去亚哈那里送死？

10 As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.

10 我凭你的上帝——永活的耶和华起誓，王派人到各邦各国寻找你，任何邦国若说你不在那里，王就要他们起誓说真的找不到你。

11 And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’

11 现在，你叫我去告诉我主人你在这里，

12 I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.

12 我离开你以后，不知道耶和华的灵会把你带到哪里。如果我去告诉亚哈，他来了却找不到你，必定会杀我。但仆人自幼就敬畏耶和华。

13 Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.

13 耶洗别屠杀耶和华的众先知时，我把一百名先知分别藏在两个山洞里，每洞五十人，供应他们饮食。我主没有听说这事吗？

14 And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”

14 现在，你要我去告诉我主人你在这里，这是让我去送死。”

15 Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”

15 以利亚说：“我事奉的是永活的万军之耶和华，我凭祂起誓，我今天必出现在亚哈面前。”

16 So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah.

16 于是，俄巴底去禀告亚哈，亚哈就来找以利亚，

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

17 见到以利亚后，就说：“给以色列带来灾祸的就是你吗？”

18 “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

18 以利亚回答说：“给以色列带来灾祸的不是我，而是你和你父亲家，因为你们抛弃耶和华的诫命，去随从巴力。

19 Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

19 现在，你快派人去召集所有的以色列人到迦密山来见我，把四百五十名巴力的先知和耶洗别所供养的四百名亚舍拉的先知也带来。”

20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.

20 亚哈便派人把以色列人和那些先知招聚到迦密山。

21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

21 以利亚走到众人面前说：“你们三心二意要到什么时候呢？如果耶和华是上帝，你们当跟从祂；如果巴力是上帝，你们就跟从他吧！”他们都默不作声。

22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.

22 以利亚继续对众人说：“耶和华的先知现在只剩下我一人，巴力的先知却有四百五十人。

23 Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.

23 请给我们牵两头公牛来，巴力的先知可以选一头，切成块放在柴上，但不要点火；我会把另一头公牛预备好，放在柴上，也不点火。

24 Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”

24 然后，你们求告你们神明的名字，我求告耶和华的名，那听祷告降下火来的就是上帝。”众人非常赞同他的主意。

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”

25 以利亚对巴力的先知说：“你们人数众多，可先选一头公牛预备好，然后呼求你们的神明，但不可点火。”

26 And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

26 他们取了公牛预备好，然后从早上到正午不断地呼求巴力的名：“巴力啊，求你应允我们！”可是毫无动静。他们又绕着自己筑的祭坛跳个不停。

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

27 中午时分，以利亚讥讽他们说：“喊大声点吧，它肯定是神明！也许它在沉思冥想，也许太忙了，也许出游了，也许睡着了，需要人叫醒它！”

28 So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.

28 于是，他们更加大声呼求，并按自己的风俗用刀枪自割自刺，直到身体流血。

29 Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.

29 过了中午，他们仍不断地狂呼乱叫，直到献晚祭的时候，仍然毫无动静，没有半点反应。

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

30 以利亚把众人召集到自己跟前，他重修已遭毁坏的耶和华的祭坛，

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”

31 拿了十二块石头分别代表雅各子孙的十二支派。耶和华曾经对雅各说：“你的名字要叫以色列。”

32 And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

32 以利亚就奉耶和华的名用那些石头筑了一座祭坛，又在坛的周围挖了一条能盛十五升谷种的沟，

33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,

33 然后在坛上摆好柴，把公牛切成块放在柴上，对众人说：“你们去打四桶水倒在祭物和柴上。”他们照做了。

34 and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.

34 以利亚吩咐他们再倒一次，他们又倒了一次。以利亚又吩咐他们倒第三次，他们就倒了第三次。

35 So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

35 水流到坛的四周，沟里也灌满了。

36 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.

36 到了献晚祭的时候，以利亚先知走到坛前祷告：“亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的上帝耶和华啊，求你今天让这些人知道你是以色列的上帝，我是你的仆人，我是按你的命令做这一切事。

37 Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”

37 耶和华啊，求你应允我，应允我，好让众人知道你耶和华是上帝，你要使他们回心转意。”

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

38 于是，耶和华降火烧尽了祭物、木柴、石头、尘土，甚至烧干了沟里的水。

39 When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

39 众人看见这情景，都俯伏在地高呼：“耶和华是上帝！耶和华是上帝！”

40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

40 以利亚对他们说：“抓住巴力的先知，别放走一个人！”众人就抓住他们，以利亚把他们带到基顺河边，在那里杀了他们。

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”

41 以利亚对亚哈说：“你去吃喝吧，因为已传来大雨声。”

42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.

42 亚哈就去吃喝。以利亚上到迦密山顶，跪在地上，脸伏在双膝之间。

43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

43 他吩咐仆人：“你去向海的方向观看。”仆人就去观看，然后说：“什么也没有。”以利亚又让他去观看，前后共七次。

44 On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

44 第七次，仆人说：“我看见一朵手掌那么大的云从海里升起来了。”以利亚便吩咐他：“你去告诉亚哈，叫他套车下山，免得被雨阻挡。”

45 Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

45 霎时间，天上乌云密布，狂风大作，下起大雨。亚哈坐着马车回耶斯列。

46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

46 耶和华的手按在以利亚身上，他就束上腰带，飞奔回城，在亚哈之前到达耶斯列的城门。