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Elijah

He called down fire, then ran for his life. God met him in a whisper.

Old Testament · 9th century BC · 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Malachi, Matthew · Also known as Elijah the Tishbite, Elias

About Elijah

Elijah the Tishbite confronted King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who led Israel into worshipping Baal. He announced a drought, was fed by ravens, and challenged 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where fire fell from heaven. Soon after, terrified and exhausted, he fled into the wilderness and asked to die. God fed him, and spoke to him in "a still small voice." He was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Ahab ruled the northern kingdom of Israel in the 9th century BC. His wife Jezebel promoted the worship of Baal, a Canaanite storm god, which is why a drought and fire from heaven were such pointed signs. Malachi promised Elijah would come again, and the Gospels connect that promise with John the Baptist.

The story

Fed by ravens

Elijah announced to King Ahab that there would be no rain except by his word. God sent him to hide by a brook, "and the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening."

1 Kings 17:1-6

Fire on Mount Carmel

"How long halt ye between two opinions?" Elijah asked the people. The prophets of Baal called on their god all day. Nothing happened. Elijah drenched his altar with water three times and prayed. "Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice."

1 Kings 18:20-39

Under the juniper tree

When Jezebel vowed to kill him, Elijah ran into the wilderness, sat under a tree and asked to die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life." An angel woke him twice with bread and water. "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee."

1 Kings 19:1-8

A still small voice

At Mount Horeb a great wind tore the rocks, then came an earthquake, then fire, but the LORD was not in them. "After the fire a still small voice." God asked, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" and gave him new work to do.

1 Kings 19:9-18

A chariot of fire

As Elijah walked and talked with Elisha, "there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire… and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." Elisha took up his cloak and carried on his work.

2 Kings 2:1-14

Key moments

Questions about Elijah

In meetBible these answers are given in Elijah’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.

Why did you run away after Mount Carmel?

Jezebel sent a message vowing to take my life by the next day. I fled for my life into the wilderness, sat under a juniper tree and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." Scripture shows how low I was straight after the greatest victory of my life. God’s answer was food, sleep, and then his voice.

What was the still small voice?

On Mount Horeb a great wind broke the rocks, "but the LORD was not in the wind," nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire. "And after the fire a still small voice." Some translations render it "a gentle whisper" or "a sound of sheer silence." Scripture doesn’t describe it further. It was there that God spoke to me.

Did you die?

Scripture records that "there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire… and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." It doesn’t describe a death. Later, Malachi promised, "I will send you Elijah the prophet," and I appeared with Moses, talking with Jesus on the mountain.

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Read it yourself

Start with 1 Kings 17–19.

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