After the death of King Shlomo, Israel was split into two
kingdoms, Yehudah and Israel. Since the Temple had remained in Yehudah, the
kings of Israel created alternate locations and methods of serving G-d. This
was a violation of many commandments in the Torah, but it was still G-d that
they were worshipping. Several generations later, the king Achav married the
princess of the neighboring kingdom of Tzidon, Izevel (Jezebel). She set out to make Israel conform
with the social and religious standards of her upbringing: the bizarre local religion
of an invisible G-d would have to give way in favor of the far more popular worship
of Ba'al. She imported hundreds of priests of Ba'al and Ashera, making it the official
state religion, and executed prophets of Hashem. The worship of Ba'al began to
spread through the nation. In protest, the prophet Eliyahu decreed a drought on
the land. G-d acquiesced, and sent Eliyahu to hide, sustaining him miraculously,
first in the countryside, then among the
starving people. At the time the Haftarah begins, the famine has grown stronger,
Jezebel is still in charge, and while Eliyahu was the one who started this drought,
it is G-d Himself who says, "Enough."
G-d tells Eliyahu that the time has come to end the
famine. He must leave his hiding place, speak with Achav, and create a situation
where Israel would deserve rain.
|
1) Much time passed, And the word of Hashem came to Eliyahu, in the third year, saying, "Go show yourself to Achav, and I will send rain upon the land." |
(א)
וַיְהִי
יָמִים
רַבִּים וּדְבַר
ה' הָיָה אֶל
אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּשָּׁנָה
הַשְּׁלִישִׁית
לֵאמֹר לֵךְ
הֵרָאֵה אֶל
אַחְאָב וְאֶתְּנָה
מָטָר עַל
פְּנֵי
הָאֲדָמָה: |
|
2) Eliyahu went to show himself to Achav; and the famine was fierce in Shomron. |
(ב)
וַיֵּלֶךְ
אֵלִיָּהוּ לְהֵרָאוֹת
אֶל אַחְאָב וְהָרָעָב
חָזָק
בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן: |
We are introduced to a minor yet heroic character,
Ovadiahu. He is described as "extremely G-d-fearing", a title that is
not bestowed easily in the Tanach. Ovadiahu, despite being a member of Achav's
staff, had saved one hundred prophets from Jezebel's persecutions, and fed them
out of his own pocket.
|
3) Achav called to Ovadiahu, the chamberlain, and Ovadiahu feared Hashem very much. |
(ג) וַיִּקְרָא
אַחְאָב אֶל
עֹבַדְיָהוּ
אֲשֶׁר עַל
הַבָּיִת וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ
הָיָה יָרֵא
אֶת ה' מְאֹד: |
|
4) When Jezebel had been wiping out the prophets of Hashem, Ovadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them, fifty men per cave, and supplied them with bread and water. |
(ד)
וַיְהִי
בְּהַכְרִית
אִיזֶבֶל אֵת
נְבִיאֵי ה' וַיִּקַּח
עֹבַדְיָהוּ
מֵאָה
נְבִאִים וַיַּחְבִּיאֵם
חֲמִשִּׁים
אִישׁ
בַּמְּעָרָה
וְכִלְכְּלָם
לֶחֶם
וָמָיִם: |
At that time, Israel was a military power; King Achav had
a cavalry of horses (you can visit his stables at Megiddo). The famine affected
not only the economic stability of the nation, but also impacted the security
situation. If the horses were to die, the defence of Israel would be severely
compromised. Achav was so worried about this scenario that he personally went
out to look for grass in all the springs and wadis in the Shomron, and commanded
his high-ranking official, Ovadiahu, to do the same.
|
5) Achav said to Ovadiahu, "Go out to the land, to all the sources of water, to all the wadis, maybe we'll find some grass to save the horses and mules, so that the animals will not die out." |
(ה)
וַיֹּאמֶר
אַחְאָב אֶל
עֹבַדְיָהוּ
לֵךְ
בָּאָרֶץ
אֶל כָּל
מַעְיְנֵי
הַמַּיִם וְאֶל
כָּל
הַנְּחָלִים
אוּלַי
נִמְצָא
חָצִיר
וּנְחַיֶּה
סוּס וָפֶרֶד
וְלוֹא
נַכְרִית
מֵהַבְּהֵמָה: |
|
6) They divided the land between them to go over it; Achav went alone in one direction, and Ovadiahu went alone in another direction. |
(ו)
וַיְחַלְּקוּ
לָהֶם אֶת
הָאָרֶץ
לַעֲבָר בָּהּ
אַחְאָב
הָלַךְ
בְּדֶרֶךְ
אֶחָד
לְבַדּוֹ וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ
הָלַךְ
בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד
לְבַדּוֹ: |
It is at this point that Ovadiahu runs into Eliyahu. He
cannot believe his eyes, and we find out that Achav had made a man-hunt for
Eliyahu, and called in political favors throughout the region in an attempt to
locate him. Ovadiahu is worried that in the time it will take him to tell Achav
that he saw Eliyahu, Eliyahu would find it necessary to disappear again, and
Ovadiahu would be left to bear Achav's wrath. Eliyahu swears to him that this
time it is his mission is to see Achav; Ovadiahu is convinced to go get Achav.
|
7) Ovadiahu was on the road, and Eliyahu came toward him. He recognized him, and bowed before him; He said, "Is that really you, my master, Eliyahu?" |
(ז)
וַיְהִי
עֹבַדְיָהוּ
בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהִנֵּה
אֵלִיָּהוּ
לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיַּכִּרֵהוּ
וַיִּפֹּל
עַל פָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר
הַאַתָּה
זֶה אֲדֹנִי
אֵלִיָּהוּ: |
|
8) He said to him, "It's me. Go tell your master that Eliyahu is here." |
(ח)
וַיֹּאמֶר
לוֹ אָנִי לֵךְ
אֱמֹר
לַאדֹנֶיךָ
הִנֵּה
אֵלִיָּהוּ: |
|
9) He said, "What have I done wrong that you are placing your servant in Achav's hands to die?" |
(ט)
וַיֹּאמֶר
מֶה
חָטָאתִי כִּי
אַתָּה
נֹתֵן אֶת
עַבְדְּךָ
בְּיַד אַחְאָב
לַהֲמִיתֵנִי: |
|
10) I swear by Hashem your G-d, that there isn't a nation or a kingdom that my master did not send messengers asking for you, and they said "not here", and he made the nation and the kingdom swear that they have not found you. |
(י) חַי ה'
אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ אִם
יֶשׁ גּוֹי
וּמַמְלָכָה
אֲשֶׁר
לֹא שָׁלַח
אֲדֹנִי
שָׁם
לְבַקֶּשְׁךָ
וְאָמְרוּ
אָיִן וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ
אֶת
הַמַּמְלָכָה
וְאֶת הַגּוֹי
כִּי
לֹא
יִמְצָאֶכָּה: |
|
11) And now you tell me, "Go tell your master that Eliyahu is here?!" |
(יא)
וְעַתָּה
אַתָּה
אֹמֵר לֵךְ
אֱמֹר
לַאדֹנֶיךָ
הִנֵּה
אֵלִיָּהוּ: |
|
12) What will happen is that I'll walk away from you, and Hashem's spirit will take you who knows where, and I'll come to tell Achav, he will not find you, he'll kill me! And your servant has feared Hashem from his youth. |
(יב)
וְהָיָה
אֲנִי
אֵלֵךְ
מֵאִתָּךְ וְרוּחַ
ה'
יִשָּׂאֲךָ
עַל אֲשֶׁר
לֹא אֵדָע וּבָאתִי
לְהַגִּיד
לְאַחְאָב
וְלֹא יִמְצָאֲךָ
וַהֲרָגָנִי
וְעַבְדְּךָ
יָרֵא אֶת ה'
מִנְּעֻרָי: |
|
13) Hasn't my master heard what I have done, when Jezebel was killing the prophets of Hashem, I hid one hundred men of the prophets of Hashem, fifty per cave, and supplied them with bread and water. |
(יג)
הֲלֹא
הֻגַּד
לַאדֹנִי
אֵת אֲשֶׁר
עָשִׂיתִי בַּהֲרֹג
אִיזֶבֶל אֵת
נְבִיאֵי ה' וָאַחְבִּא
מִנְּבִיאֵי
ה' מֵאָה
אִישׁ חֲמִשִּׁים
חֲמִשִּׁים
אִישׁ
בַּמְּעָרָה
וָאֲכַלְכְּלֵם
לֶחֶם
וָמָיִם: |
|
14) And now you tell me, "Go tell your master that Eliyahu is here?" He's going to kill me! |
(יד)
וְעַתָּה
אַתָּה
אֹמֵר לֵךְ
אֱמֹר
לַאדֹנֶיךָ
הִנֵּה
אֵלִיָּהוּ וַהֲרָגָנִי:
ס |
|
15) Eliyahu said, "I swear by Hashem Tzva-ot before Whom I stand, that today I will appear to him." |
(טו)
וַיֹּאמֶר
אֵלִיָּהוּ חַי ה'
צְבָא-וֹת אֲשֶׁר
עָמַדְתִּי
לְפָנָיו כִּי
הַיּוֹם
אֵרָאֶה
אֵלָיו: |
|
16) Ovadiahu went toward Achav and told him, Achav went toward Eliyahu. |
(טז) וַיֵּלֶךְ
עֹבַדְיָהוּ
לִקְרַאת
אַחְאָב וַיַּגֶּד
לוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ
אַחְאָב
לִקְרַאת
אֵלִיָּהוּ: |
Achav and Eliyahu blame each other for the current
situation. But now that Eliyahu has a plan for ending it, Achav cooperates
fully.
|
17) When Achav saw Eliyahu, Achav said to him, "Is that you, the destroyer of Israel?" |
(יז)
וַיְהִי
כִּרְאוֹת
אַחְאָב אֶת
אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר
אַחְאָב
אֵלָיו הַאַתָּה
זֶה עֹכֵר
יִשְׂרָאֵל: |
|
18) He said, "It wasn't I who destroyed Israel, it was you and your father's house, when you left the commandments of Hashem, and went after the Ba'als. |
(יח)
וַיֹּאמֶר
לֹא
עָכַרְתִּי
אֶת
יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי
אִם אַתָּה
וּבֵית
אָבִיךָ בַּעֲזָבְכֶם
אֶת מִצְוֹת
ה' וַתֵּלֶךְ
אַחֲרֵי
הַבְּעָלִים: |
|
19) But now, Send and gather to me all of Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty prophets of Ba'al, and four hundred prophets of Ashera, those that eat at Jezebel's table." |
(יט)
וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח
קְבֹץ אֵלַי
אֶת כָּל
יִשְׂרָאֵל
אֶל הַר
הַכַּרְמֶל וְאֶת
נְבִיאֵי
הַבַּעַל
אַרְבַּע
מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים
וּנְבִיאֵי
הָאֲשֵׁרָה
אַרְבַּע
מֵאוֹת אֹכְלֵי
שֻׁלְחַן
אִיזָבֶל: |
|
20) Achav sent messengers to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel. |
(כ)
וַיִּשְׁלַח
אַחְאָב
בְּכָל
בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
וַיִּקְבֹּץ
אֶת
הַנְּבִיאִים
אֶל הַר הַכַּרְמֶל: |
Eliyahu compares the people to a bird that can't decide
which branch to land on and flutters between them restlessly. It appears that
the people were hedging their bets, as it were, and worshipping both G-d and Ba'al. Eliyahu decided to prove, once and for all,
that G-d is real and Ba'al is not. He creates a contest, a controlled experiment,
to see who could bring down fire from Heaven and show that their sacrifice was
accepted. This contest is heavily
weighted toward Ba'al, with the greater number of prophets, 400:1, the choice
of sacrificial animal, and all the time in the world. It promises to be quite a
show and the people approve.
|
21) Eliyahu approached all the people, He said, "How long will you skip between two branches? If Hashem is G-d, follow Him, if the Ba'al, then follow him." And the people did not answer him at all. |
(כא)
וַיִּגַּשׁ
אֵלִיָּהוּ
אֶל כָּל
הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר
עַד מָתַי
אַתֶּם
פֹּסְחִים
עַל שְׁתֵּי
הַסְּעִפִּים
אִם ה'
הָאֱ-לֹהִים
לְכוּ
אַחֲרָיו וְאִם
הַבַּעַל
לְכוּ
אַחֲרָיו וְלֹא
עָנוּ הָעָם
אֹתוֹ
דָּבָר: |
|
22) Eliyahu said to the people, "I am the last prophet of Hashem left, and the prophets of Ba'al, are four hundred and fifty people. |
(כב)
וַיֹּאמֶר
אֵלִיָּהוּ
אֶל הָעָם אֲנִי
נוֹתַרְתִּי
נָבִיא לַה'
לְבַדִּי וּנְבִיאֵי
הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע
מֵאוֹת
וַחֲמִשִּׁים
אִישׁ: |
|
23) Give us two cows, they will chose for themselves a cow and butcher it, and place it on the wood, but not set it afire; and I will prepare the other cow and place it on the wood, and not set it afire. |
(כג)
וְיִתְּנוּ
לָנוּ
שְׁנַיִם
פָּרִים וְיִבְחֲרוּ
לָהֶם
הַפָּר הָאֶחָד
וִינַתְּחֻהוּ
וְיָשִׂימוּ
עַל
הָעֵצִים וְאֵשׁ
לֹא
יָשִׂימוּ וַאֲנִי
אֶעֱשֶׂה
אֶת הַפָּר
הָאֶחָד
וְנָתַתִּי
עַל
הָעֵצִים וְאֵשׁ
לֹא אָשִׂים: |
|
24) You will call by the name of your gods, and I will call by the name of Hashem; and whichever god answers with fire, that's The G-d." All the people answered, and said, "That's good." |
(כד)
וּקְרָאתֶם
בְּשֵׁם
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וַאֲנִי
אֶקְרָא
בְשֵׁם ה' וְהָיָה
הָאֱלֹהִים
אֲשֶׁר
יַעֲנֶה
בָאֵשׁ הוּא
הָאֱ-לֹהִים
וַיַּעַן
כָּל הָעָם
וַיֹּאמְרוּ
טוֹב הַדָּבָר: |
|
25) Eliyahu said to the prophets of Ba'al, "Choose for yourselves a cow, and prepare it first, for you are many, and call in the name of your god, but do not set it afire." |
(כה)
וַיֹּאמֶר
אֵלִיָּהוּ
לִנְבִיאֵי
הַבַּעַל בַּחֲרוּ
לָכֶם
הַפָּר
הָאֶחָד
וַעֲשּׂו רִאשֹׁנָה
כִּי
אַתֶּם
הָרַבִּים וְקִרְאוּ
בְּשֵׁם
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֵשׁ
לֹא
תָשִׂימוּ: |
The contest takes place; the prophets of Ba'al are given
the first turn. They spend hours praying, yelling, and performing painful
rituals, while Eliyahu stands around making snide comments.
|
26) They took the cow that he gave them and prepared it, they called in the name of Ba'al, from morning until noon, saying "Ba'al, Answer us!" There was no voice and no response. They skipped on the altar that was prepared. |
(כו)
וַיִּקְחוּ
אֶת הַפָּר
אֲשֶׁר
נָתַן לָהֶם
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ
וַיִּקְרְאוּ
בְשֵׁם
הַבַּעַל מֵהַבֹּקֶר
וְעַד
הַצָּהֳרַיִם
לֵאמֹר הַבַּעַל
עֲנֵנוּ וְאֵין
קוֹל וְאֵין
עֹנֶה וַיְפַסְּחוּ
עַל
הַמִּזְבֵּחַ
אֲשֶׁר
עָשָׂה: |
|
27) It was noon; Eliyahu started to mock them. He said, "Call louder, for he is a god. Maybe he's in a meeting, or he's indisposed, or he's away? Maybe he's asleep, you should wake him." |
(כז)
וַיְהִי
בַצָּהֳרַיִם
וַיְהַתֵּל
בָּהֶם
אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר
קִרְאוּ
בְקוֹל
גָּדוֹל
כִּי אֱלֹהִים
הוּא כִּי
שִׂיחַ
וְכִי שִׂיג
לוֹ וְכִי
דֶרֶךְ לוֹ אוּלַי
יָשֵׁן הוּא
וְיִקָץ: |
|
28) They called in a loud voice, and tore their skin in their manner, with swords and lances, until blood was flowing all over them. |
(כח)
וַיִּקְרְאוּ
בְּקוֹל
גָּדוֹל וַיִּתְגֹּדְדוּ
כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם
בַּחֲרָבוֹת
וּבָרְמָחִים
עַד
שְׁפָךְ
דָּם
עֲלֵיהֶם: |
|
29) It was afternoon; and they prophesied until Mincha time, and there was no voice, no response, and no answer. |
(כט)
וַיְהִי
כַּעֲבֹר
הַצָּהֳרַיִם
וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ
עַד
לַעֲלוֹת
הַמִּנְחָה וְאֵין
קוֹל וְאֵין
עֹנֶה
וְאֵין
קָשֶׁב: |
It is finally Eliyahu's turn. He builds an altar for
Hashem, and places the animal on it. Adding to the tension, he soaks the entire
thing with water - again and again.
|
30) Eliyahu said to all the people, "Approach me!" All the people approached him. He fixed Hashem's destroyed altar. |
(ל)
וַיֹּאמֶר
אֵלִיָּהוּ
לְכָל הָעָם
גְּשׁוּ
אֵלַי ויִּגְּשׁוּ
כָל הָעָם
אֵלָיו וַיְרַפֵּא
אֶת
מִזְבַּח ה'
הֶהָרוּס: |
|
31) Eliyahu took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Yaakov, to whom Hashem had spoken saying, Israel will be your name. |
(לא)
וַיִּקַּח
אֵלִיָּהוּ
שְׁתֵּים
עֶשְׂרֵה
אֲבָנִים כְּמִסְפַּר
שִׁבְטֵי
בְנֵי
יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר
הָיָה דְבַר
ה' אֵלָיו
לֵאמֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל
יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ: |
|
32) He built these stones into an altar to Hashem's name, He made a ditch, the size of two measures of seed, all around the altar. |
(לב)
וַיִּבְנֶה
אֶת
הָאֲבָנִים
מִזְבֵּחַ בְּשֵׁם
ה' וַיַּעַשׂ
תְּעָלָה
כְּבֵית
סָאתַיִם
זֶרַע סָבִיב
לַמִּזְבֵּחַ: |
|
33) He arranged the wood, he butchered the cow, and placed it on the wood. |
(לג)
וַיַּעֲרֹךְ
אֶת
הָעֵצִים וַיְנַתַּח
אֶת הַפָּר וַיָּשֶׂם
עַל
הָעֵצִים: |
|
34) He said, "Fill four pitchers with water." They poured it on the offering and on the wood. He said, "Do it a second time." They did it a second time. He said, "A third time." They did it a third time. |
(לד)
וַיֹּאמֶר
מִלְאוּ
אַרְבָּעָה
כַדִּים מַיִם
וְיִצְקוּ
עַל הָעֹלָה
וְעַל
הָעֵצִים וַיֹּאמֶר
שְׁנוּ
וַיִּשְׁנוּ
וַיֹּאמֶר
שַׁלֵּשׁוּ
וַיְשַׁלֵּשׁוּ: |
|
35) The water went around the altar, and filled the ditch with water. |
(לה)
וַיֵּלְכוּ
הַמַּיִם סָבִיב
לַמִּזְבֵּחַ
וְגַם
אֶת
הַתְּעָלָה
מִלֵּא
מָיִם: |
The day is almost over and Eliyahu turns to G-d in
prayer. He asks G-d to answer him and prove to the people that He is their G-d.
He is answered - the fire comes down and consumes everything, including the
water. The people react with sudden certainty, using the words that we now say
at Ne'ilah of Yom Kippur: Hashem is G-d!
|
36) It was Mincha time; Eliyahu the Prophet approached and said, "Hashem, the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Israel! Today make it known that You are G-d in Israel and I am Your servant, and that by Your word, I have done all of these things. |
(לו)
וַיְהִי
בַּעֲלוֹת
הַמִּנְחָה וַיִּגַּשׁ
אֵלִיָּהוּ
הַנָּבִיא
וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱ-לֹהֵי
אַבְרָהָם
יִצְחָק
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל
הַיּוֹם
יִוָּדַע כִּי
אַתָּה אֱ-לֹהִים
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
וַאֲנִי
עַבְדֶּךָ וּבִדְבָרְךָ
עָשִׂיתִי אֵת
כָּל
הַדְּבָרִים
הָאֵלֶּה: |
|
37) Answer me, Hashem, answer me! So that these people shall know that You, Hashem, are G-d, for You have turned their hearts backwards." |
(לז)
עֲנֵנִי ה'
עֲנֵנִי וְיֵדְעוּ
הָעָם
הַזֶּה כִּי
אַתָּה ה'
הָאֱ-לֹהִים
וְאַתָּה
הֲסִבֹּתָ
אֶת לִבָּם
אֲחֹרַנִּית: |
|
38) The fire of Hashem fell and consumed the offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and lapped up the water in the ditch. |
(לח)
וַתִּפֹּל
אֵשׁ ה' וַתֹּאכַל
אֶת הָעֹלָה
וְאֶת
הָעֵצִים וְאֶת
הָאֲבָנִים
וְאֶת
הֶעָפָר וְאֶת
הַמַּיִם
אֲשֶׁר
בַּתְּעָלָה
לִחֵכָה: |
|
39) All the people saw, they fell on the ground, they said, "Hashem is G-d! Hashem is G-d!" |
(לט)
וַיַּרְא
כָּל הָעָם וַיִּפְּלוּ
עַל
פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ
ה' הוּא
הָאֱ-לֹהִים
ה' הוּא
הָאֱ-לֹהִים: |
Postscript:
Eliyahu and the people immediately turn on the prophets of Ba'al and kill them.
Eliyahu goes off to pray for rain. It takes seven tries, but eventually the
skies darken and the rains come. As Achav drives away toward his palace in
Yizre'el, Eliyahu runs ahead of his carriage as a sign of respect.
But the
next day, Jezebel announces that she put a price on Eliyahu's head. Despite the
phenomenal show, and despite "Hashem is G-d", nothing has actually
changed. We will read about Eliyahu's despair and G-d's response in the
Haftarah of Pinchas.
Copyright © Kira Sirote
In memory of my father, Peter Rozenberg, z"l
לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי פנחס בן נתן נטע ז''ל