וַיְהִי יָמִים רַבִּים וּדְבַר־ה' הָיָה אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית לֵאמֹר לֵךְ הֵרָאֵה אֶל־אַחְאָב וְאֶתְּנָה מָטָר עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה

Many days passed and the word of the Lord was with Elijah, in the third year, saying: Two years have passed without rain, in accordance with your declaration. Now go, appear to Ahav, and I will send rain upon the land. I am instructing you to restore the rain upon the land, as you declared that rain would fall only by your word.

וַיֵּלֶךְ אֵלִיָּהוּ לְהֵרָאוֹת אֶל־אַחְאָב והָרָעָב חָזָק בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן

Elijah went to appear to Ahav, and in the meantime, as no rain had fallen, nothing had grown; therefore, the famine was severe in Samaria.

וַיִּקְרָא אַחְאָב אֶל־עֹבַדְיָהוּ אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַבָּיִת

Ahav summoned Ovadyahu, who was in charge of the king’s household and all his affairs. The verse parenthetically notes: Ovadyahu feared the Lord greatly.

וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הָיָה יָרֵא אֶת־ה' מְאֹד וַיְהִי בְּהַכְרִית אִיזֶבֶל אֵת נְבִיאֵי ה'וַיִּקַּח עֹבַדְיָהוּ מֵאָה נְבִיאִים וַיַּחְבִּיאֵם חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ בּמְּעָרָה וְכִלְכְּלָם לֶחֶם וָמָיִם

Ovadyahu did not just personally follow the will of God despite living in a royal complex where all had strayed after the Baal: It was when Izevel eliminated the prophets of the Lord that Ovadyahu took one hundred prophets and concealed them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with bread and water. Izevel had established the worship of the Baal as one of the foundations of her kingdom, and she therefore ordered that all the prophets of God be killed. Ovadyahu found two large caves, where he hid and sustained one hundred of these prophets. This courageous act of concealing one hundred individuals wanted by the authorities, and feeding them during a famine, was an extremely complex task.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַחְאָב אֶל־עֹבַדְיָהוּ לֵךְ בָּאָרֶץ אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵי הַמַּיִם וְאֶל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִים אוּלַי נִמְצָא חָצִיר וּנְחַיֶּה סוּס וָפֶרֶד וְלוֹא נַכְרִית מֵהַבְּהֵמָה

Ahav said to Ovadyahu, upon his arrival: Go through the land, to all the springs of water and to all the streams. Find all the water sources. Perhaps, despite the lack of rain, we will find forage, which can be eaten by animals, and we may thereby sustain the horses and mules, so that we will not be deprived of animals.

וַיְחַלְּקוּ לָהֶם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ לַעֲבָר־בָּהּ –אַחְאָב הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ־אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ

They divided the land, with which they were familiar, between them to traverse it: Ahav went one way by himself, to search one part of the land, and Ovadyahu went the other way by himself.

וַיְהִי עֹבַדְיָהוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיַּכִּרֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הַאַתָּה זֶה אֲדֹנִי אֵלִיָּהוּ

Ovadyahu was on the way, and behold, Elijah encountered him. Elijah had arrived in order to meet with Ahav, as he had been commanded by God. He, Ovadyahu, recognized him, fell on his face, and said: Is that you, my lord Elijah?

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אָנִי לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ

He, Elijah, said to him: It is I. Go, say to your lord, Ahav: Here is Elijah.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה חָטָאתִי כִּי־אַתָּה נֹתֵן אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ בְּיַד־אַחְאָב לַהֲמִיתֵנִי

He, Ovadyahu, said: How have I sinned, that you deliver your servant into the hand of Ahav, to put me to death? What have I done wrong that I deserve to be executed by Ahav?

חַי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אִם־יֶשׁ־גּוֹי וּמַמְלָכָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָׁלַח אֲדֹנִי שָׁם לְבַקֶּשְׁךָ וְאָמְרוּ אָיִן וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה וְאֶת־הַגּוֹי כִּי לֹא יִמְצָאֶכָּה

As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to where my lord, Ahav, did not send to seek you. He has been looking everywhere for you for a long time. And they all said: He is not here, as no one knew your whereabouts. Then he, Ahav, administered an oath to the kingdom and the nation that they should inform him of your location, as they could not find you. Ahav knows that the drought is due to your decree and that it will end when you say so. He has therefore been searching for you throughout the land to bring relief from the famine.

וְעַתָּה אַתָּה אֹמֵר לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ

Now you say: Go, say to your lord: Here is Elijah.

וְהָיָה אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ מֵאִתָּךְ וְרוּחַ ה' יִשָּׂאֲךָ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־אֵדָע וּבָאתִי לְהַגִּיד לְאַחְאָב וְלֹא יִמְצָאֲךָ וַהֲרָגָנִי עַבְדְּךָ יָרֵא אֶת־ה' מִנְּעֻרָי

It will be that I will leave you, and the spirit of the Lord will carry you to where I do not know. You do not travel from one place to another like a normal person. Rather, you are carried by a wind sent by God, and therefore you might vanish while I am gone. And I will come and tell Ahav that you have appeared, and he will not find you and then he will kill me; but it is not right for you to cause my death, for your servant has feared the Lord from my youth.

הֲלֹא־הֻגַּד לַאדֹנִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בַּהֲרֹג אִיזֶבֶל אֵת נְבִיאֵי ה' וָאַחְבִּא מִנְּבִיאֵי ה' מֵאָה אִישׁ חֲמִשִּׁים חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ בַּמְּעָרָה וָאֲכַלְכְּלֵם לֶחֶם וָמָיִם

Was it not told to my lord, to you, Elijah, that which I did when Izevel killed the prophets of the Lord? I concealed one hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, fifty men to a cave, and I provided them with bread and water.

וְעַתָּה אַתָּה אֹמֵר לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ וַהֲרָגָנִי

Now you say: Go, tell your lord: Here is Elijah? He will kill me. What then will happen to the one hundred prophets?

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ חַי ה' צְבָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו כִּי הַיּוֹם אֵרָאֶה אֵלָיו

Elijah said: As the Lord of hosts, before whom I have stood, lives, I will appear to him today. In order to reassure Ovadyahu, Elijah swore to him that he would not disappear this time.

וַיֵּלֶךְ עֹבַדְיָהוּ לִקְרַאת אַחְאָב וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחְאָב לִקְרַאת אֵלִיָּהוּ

Ovadyahu went to meet Ahav and told him, and Ahav went to meet Elijah, as he now knew his location.

וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת אַחְאָב אֶת־אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אַחְאָב אֵלָיו הַאַתָּה זֶה עֹכֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל

It was when Ahav saw Elijah that Ahav said to him: Is that you, debaser of Israel? You are a troublemaker who has brought suffering upon the people by causing rain to be withheld.

וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא עָכַרְתִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם־אַתָּה וּבֵית אָבִיךָ בַּעֲזָבְכֶם אֶת־מִצְוֹת ה' וַתֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֵי הַבְּעָלִים

He said: I did not debase Israel; rather, it was you and your father’s house that have troubled Israel, with your forsaking of the commandments of the Lord, and your having followed the Baalim.

וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח קְבֹץ אֵלַי אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְאֶת־נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים וּנְבִיאֵי הָאֲשֵׁרָה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אֹכְלֵי שֻׁלְחַן אִיזָבֶל

Now send, gather to me all of Israel to Mount Carmel, and invite also the prophets of the Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Ashera, four hundred men, who all eat at Izevel’s table. Izevel sustained them at the expense of the royal household.

וַיִּשְׁלַח אַחְאָב בְּכָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים אֶל־הַר הַכַּרְמֶל

Ahav sent throughout all the children of Israel, and he gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel.

וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר עַד־מָתַי אַתֶּם פֹּסְחִים עַל־שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים אִם־ה' הָאֱלֹהִים לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְאִם־הַבַּעַל לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְלֹא־עָנוּ הָעָם אֹתוֹ דָּבָר

Elijah approached all the people and said: For how long are you skipping between two branches? If the Lord is God, follow Him, and if the Baal, follow him. You cannot hold onto the two faiths simultaneously. The people did not answer him a word, as they did not comprehend the principle of exclusivity. They were certain that they could practice a pagan cult alongside their worship of God.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־הָעָם אֲנִי נוֹתַרְתִּי נָבִיא לַה' לְבַדִּי וּנְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ

Elijah said to the people: You know that I alone remain a prophet of the Lord. Although Elijah was well aware of the prophets of God in hiding, he considered their lives insecure, as they had disappeared due to Izevel’s death sentence. And the prophets of the Baal are four hundred and fifty men.

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

Let them give us, to me and to them, two bulls, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood of the altar, but let them not place fire on the altar, and I will also prepare one bull, and place it on the wood, and I too will not place fire on the altar. We will prepare two bull offerings on two separate altars, without fire.

וּקְרָאתֶם בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וַאֲנִי אֶקְרָא בְשֵׁם־ה' וְהָיָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶה באֵשׁ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּעַן כָּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹב הַדָּבָר

You will call in the name of your god, and I will call in the name of the Lord, and the god who responds with a fire that burns his offering, He is the true God. All the people answered and said: The proposal is good. This will be a decisive proof.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לִנְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם הַפָּר הָאֶחָד וַעֲשׂוּ רִאשֹׁנָה כִּי אַתֶּם הָרַבִּים וְקִרְאוּ בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֵשׁ לֹא תָשִׂימוּ

Elijah said to the prophets of the Baal: Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, as you are the many, and call in the name of your god, but do not place fire on the altar. Elijah reiterates the conditions of the test. He suggests that the prophets of the Baal choose their bull first in order to prevent any later claim on their part that his offering was accepted because he selected a particular animal.

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

They took the bull that he gave them, and they prepared their altar and their offering. They called in the name of the Baal from the morning until noon, saying: The Baal, answer us. But there was no voice and no respondent. They skipped about the altar that they had prepared. Such jumping and dancing were common practices in various pagan cults. This enthusiastic ritual continued for some time.

וַיְהִי בַצָּהֳרַיִם וַיְהַתֵּל בָּהֶם אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר קִרְאוּ בְקוֹל־גָּדוֹל כִּי־אֱלֹהִים הוּא כִּי־שִׂיחַ וְכִי־שִׂיג לוֹ וְכִי־דֶרֶךְ לוֹ אוּלַי יָשֵׁן הוּא וְיִקָץ

It was at noon, and Elijah mocked them and said: Call in a loud voice, as he is a god. Elijah was sarcastically suggesting that as the Baal is apparently in charge of the entire world, he must be very busy, for he is in conversation, or is musing over some problem, or he is on the way and cannot hear you; alternatively, this is a euphemism for tending to his bodily functions. Or perhaps he is sleeping, and if you shout louder, he will awaken.

וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל וַיִּתְגֹּדְדוּ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם בַּחֲרָבוֹת וּבָרְמָחִים עַד־שְׁפָךְ־דָּם עֲלֵיהֶם

The prophets of the Baal ignored Elijah’s ironic words: They called in a loud voice, and they cut themselves according to their practice, in their ecstasy or in deliberate self-flagellation, with swords and with spears, until blood spilled on them.

וַיְהִי כַּעֲבֹר הַצָּהֳרַיִם וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ עַד לַעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וְאֵין־קוֹל וְאֵין־עֹנֶה וְאֵין קָשֶׁב

It was when noon had passed, and they prophesied, declaring that according to their prophecy they must wait until the time of offering up the afternoon offering, but there was no voice, and no respondent, and no listener. No one was listening to them, and therefore they received no response.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לְכָל־הָעָם גְּשׁוּ אֵלַי וַיִּגְּשׁוּ כָל־הָעָם אֵלָיו וַיְרַפֵּא אֶת־מִזְבַּח ה' הֶהָרוּס

Elijah said to all the people: Approach me. And all the people approached him. He repaired the destroyed altar of the Lord. This was an ancient altar to God on that site, dating back to the period when it was permitted to offer sacrifices on altars outside the Temple. Alternatively, Elijah had just built this altar, and the prophets of the Baal ruined it with their ecstatic leaps. Perhaps they deliberately sabotaged it in order to denigrate him.

וַיִּקַּח אֵלִיָּהוּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים כְּמִסְפַּר שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־ה' אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ

Elijah took twelve stones to reconstruct the altar, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom was the word of the Lord, saying: Israel shall be your name instead of Jacob. Since all of Israel is named after Jacob, Elijah built an altar using the number of stones corresponding to the sons of Jacob, the tribes of Israel.

וַיִּבְנֶה אֶת־הָאֲבָנִים מִזְבֵּחַ בְּשֵׁם ה' וַיַּעַשׂ תְּעָלָה כְּבֵית סָאתַיִם זֶרַע סָבִיב לַמִּזְבֵּחַ

He built the stones into an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench, encompassing an area as large as a field required for sowing two se’a of seed, around the altar. An area big enough to sow two se’a of seed is larger than a dunam.

וַיַּעֲרֹךְ אֶת־הָעֵצִים וַיְנַתַּח אֶת־הַפָּר וַיָּשֶׂם עַל־הָעֵצִים

He arranged the wood, and he cut the bull in pieces and placed it on the wood.

וַיֹּאמֶר מִלְאוּ אַרְבָּעָה כַדִּים מַיִם וְיִצְקוּ עַל־הָעֹלָה וְעַל־הָעֵצִים וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁנוּ וַיִּשְׁנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלֵּשׁוּ וַיְשַׁלֵּשׁוּ

He said: Fill four jugs with water and pour the water on the burnt offering and on the wood underneath the offering. He said: Do it a second time; and they did it a second time. He said: Do it a third time; and they did it a third time.

וַיֵּלְכוּ הַמַּיִם סָבִיב לַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגַם אֶת־הַתְּעָלָה מִלֵּא־מָיִם

The water went around the altar; he also filled the trench with water.

וַיְהִי בַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם יִוָּדַע כִּי־אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ וּבִדְבָרְךָ עָשִׂיתִי אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה

It was at the time of offering up the afternoon offeringthat Elijah the prophet approached, and he said: Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today it will be known that You are God in Israel, and I am Your servant, and at Your word I performed all these matters.

עֲנֵנִי ה' עֲנֵנִי וְיֵדְעוּ הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי־אַתָּה ה' הָאֱלֹהִים וְאַתָּה הֲסִבֹּתָ אֶת־לִבָּם אֲחֹרַנִּית

Answer me, Lord, answer me, and this people will know that You, Lord, are God, and it is You who have turned their heart back. It would be preferable for Israel to witness miracles and recognize Your greatness in the world at all times, but You do not always show them Your presence. Meanwhile, they are enticed by the colorful and outwardly impressive service of the Baal. You thereby indirectly turn away their hearts. Elijah did not withhold his complaints even when they were directed at God.

וַתִּפֹּל אֵשׁ־ה' וַתֹּאכַל אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הָעֵצִים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָר ואֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָה לִחֵכָה

Fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and it even vaporized the water that was in the trench.

וַיַּרְא כָּל־הָעָם וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים

All the people saw, and they fell on their faces in astonishment and said: The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לָהֶם תִּפְשׂוּ אֶת־נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אִישׁ אַל־יִמָּלֵט מֵהֶם וַיִּתְפְּשׂוּם וַיּוֹרִדֵם אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־נַחַל קִישׁוֹן וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם שָׁם

Elijah said to them: Now that you know the truth about these so-called prophets, seize the prophets of the Baal; let no man of them escape. They seized them, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Stream, which is not far from Mount Carmel, and slaughtered them there.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ לְאַחְאָב עֲלֵה אֱכֹל וּשְׁתֵה כִּי קוֹל הֲמוֹן הַגָּשֶׁם

Elijah said to Ahav, who had been present at the ceremony, although he had not participated in any way: Rise, eat and drink. You may now return to your house, for there is the sound of the rumble of rain.

וַיַּעֲלֶה אַחְאָב לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְאֵלִיָּהוּ עָלָה אֶל־רֹאשׁ הַכַּרְמֶל וַיִּגְהַר אַרְצָה וַיָּשֶׂם פָּנָיו בֵּין בִּרְכָּו

Ahav rose to eat and drink, and Elijah ascended to the peak of the Carmel, and he bent down, he knelt, to the ground, and he put his face between his knees. This position helped him concentrate on his prayers.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־נַעֲרוֹ עֲלֵה־נָא הַבֵּט דֶּרֶךְ־יָם וַיַּעַל וַיַּבֵּט וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין מְאוּמָה וַיֹּאמֶר שֻׁב שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים

After a while, he said to his lad: Go up now, higher up the mountain, and look toward the sea. He went up and looked, and he said: There is nothing. I do not discern anything. He said: Return, and see if a cloud of any sort is approaching from the sea. This was repeated seven times.

וַיְהִי בַּשְּׁבִעִית וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה־עָב קְטַנָּה כְּכַף אִישׁ עֹלָה מִיָּם וַיֹּאמֶר עֲלֵה אֱמֹר אֶל־אַחְאָב אֱסֹר וָרֵד וְלֹא יַעֲצָרְכָה הַגָּשֶׁם

It was at the seventh time that he, the servant, said: Behold, a small cloud like a man’s hand is ascending from the sea. He, Elijah, said: Go up and say to Ahav: Harness your chariot, and descend, so the rain will not stop you. Travel quickly so that you will not be delayed by the coming rain.

וַיְהִי עַד־כֹּה וְעַד־כֹּה וְהַשָּׁמַיִם הִתְקַדְּרוּ עָבִים וְרוּחַ וַיְהִי גֶּשֶׁם גָּדוֹל וַיִּרְכַּב אַחְאָב וַיֵּלֶךְ יִזְרְעֶאלָה

It was, until this and until that, by the time they had harnessed the horses, and the heavens darkened with clouds and wind, signaling the end of the drought, and there was a great rain. Ahav rode and he went to Yizre’el. The winter palace of the kings of Israel was located in Yizre’el, which was smaller than Samaria.

וְיַד־ה' הָיְתָה אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּס מָתְנָיו וַיָּרָץ לִפְנֵי אַחְאָב עַד־בֹּאֲכָה יִזְרְעֶאלָה

The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah and he was imbued with great strength, and he girded his loins, tied his belt, and he ran before Ahav until the entrance to Yizre’el. With supernatural strength, Elijah ran ahead of the galloping horses to escort Ahav all the way to his house in Yizre’el. This action expressed both Elijah’s power and his respect for the king. Perhaps Ahav was deemed worthy of this honor because he had been present when all the prophets of the Baal were slaughtered and he had not objected, despite his wife’s support for them.