your father's house have; because you have failed to
follow the commands of Jehovah and have run after the Phoenician gods.
Now therefore call together to me at Mount Carmel all the Israelites and
the four hundred and fifty prophets of the god Baal who eat at Jezebel's
table."

So Ahab sent for all the Israelites and gathered the prophets together
at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah came to the people and said, "How long are
you going to falter between worshipping Jehovah or Baal? If Jehovah is
the true God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him." But the people
were silent. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left as
a prophet of Jehovah, but there are four hundred and fifty prophets of
Baal. Let us take two oxen; let them choose one ox for themselves and
cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, without lighting any fire, and
I will dress the other ox and lay it on wood, without lighting any fire.
Then you call on your god and I will call on Jehovah. The god who
answers by fire is the true God." All the people answered and said, "It
is a fair offer."

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the oxen for
yourselves and dress it first, for you are many, and call on your god,
without lighting any fire." So they took the ox which he gave them and
dressed it, and called on their god from morning until noon, saying, "O
Baal, hear us." But there was no voice nor answer, although they leaped
about the altar which they had built.

When it was noon, Elijah mocked them, saying, "Call loudly, for he is a
god; either he is thinking, or he has gone out, or he is on a journey,
or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!" Then they called loudly
and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and lances until
the blood gushed out upon them. When noon was past, they cried out in
frenzy until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but
there was neither voice nor answer nor was any attention paid to their
cry.

Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the
people drew near to him, and he rebuilt the altar of Jehovah which had
been thrown down. Then around the altar he made a ditch that would hold
about two bushels of seed. When he had placed the pieces of wood in
order, he cut up the ox and laid it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill
four jars with water and pour it on the burnt-offering and on the pieces
of wood." And he said, "Do it the second time"; and they did