19-00

The Prophets

This title can also be translated as: “About the work the prophets did for God” or “How did the prophets work for God?”

19-01

God was always sending prophets to the Israelites

This introduces the prophets of God as new characters. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-participants/01.md]])

Israelites

Here, this could be translated as: “the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.” All of the descendants of Jacob, including those in the kingdom of Judah, continued to be called Israelites.

The prophets heard messages from God and then told them to the people.

This is background information about what the prophets did. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-background/01.md]])

19-02

So Elijah told King Ahab that God was going to punish the people

The connecting word So connects the reason (Ahab tried to make the people worship Baal), with the result (God was going to punish the people). (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result/01.md]])

He said to him, “There will be no rain or dew in the kingdom of Israel until I say it will rain again.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “He told him that there would be no rain or dew in the kingdom of Israel until he said it would rain again.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

until I say it will rain again

This may be translated as: “until I command the rain and dew to come again.”

This made Ahab so angry

This could be translated as: “When Ahab heard what Elijah said, he became so angry.”

19-03

the wilderness

This was a remote location with very few people. This may also be translated as: “desert” or “the bush.”

During this time

The connecting words During this time introduce a simultaneous clause. At the same time as Elijah was hiding in the wilderness, Ahab and his army were looking for him but could not find him. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-simultaneous/01.md]])

19-04

another country close by

This refers to a country that was beside, or shared a border with, Israel.

because there was no harvest

The connecting word because connects the reason (there was no harvest), with the result (they had almost run out of food). (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result/01.md]])

But still

The connecting words But still introduce a contrast relationship. You would expect the widow to refuse to help Elijah because she was almost out of food, but she did the unexpected and took care of him. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])

took care of

This means they gave him a place to stay in their house and provided food for him. It does not mean he was sick.

God provided for her and her son. Her jar of flour and her bottle of oil never became empty

This could be translated as: “God prevented their flour jar and their bottle of oil from becoming empty” or “God caused their flour jar and their bottle of oil to never become empty.”

jar of flour

This refers to a clay jar in which the widow kept her supply of flour.

bottle of oil

In Israel, olive oil is used for cooking. This could be translated as: “bottle of cooking oil.” The widow used the flour and the oil for making bread.

19-05

There you are, you troublemaker!

This is a strong statement that expresses that Ahab was very angry with Elijah. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

you troublemaker

This means: You are a troublemaker! Ahab was accusing Elijah of causing trouble by telling the king that he was doing wrong and also by stopping the rain.

It is you who are the troublemaker!

This is a strong statement that Elijah uses to rebuke Ahab. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

You have abandoned Yahweh

That is, Ahab had led Israel to stop worshiping and obeying Yahweh.

Now you must bring all the people of the kingdom of Israel to Mount Carmel.

This is a command that Elijah gave to Ahab by his authority as a prophet of God.

all the people of the kingdom of Israel

This is a generalization to refer to the leaders and people who represent the ten tribes of the northern kingdom. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-hyperbole/01.md]])

Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel is the name of a mountain located in northern Israel. It is over 500 meters high.

19-06

all the people of Israel

Not every person in the land of Israel came to Mount Carmel. This is a generalization to refer to the leaders and people who represent the ten tribes of the northern kingdom. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-hyperbole/01.md]])

Mount Carmel

See how you translated this in 19:05.

Baal’s prophets

This refers to the prophets that served the god Baal. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-possession/01.md]])

450

This could also be written in words: “four hundred and fifty.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/translate-numbers/01.md]])

How long will you keep changing your mind?

This is not a real question asking for information. Elijah was rebuking the Israelites for repeatedly changing their minds about whether they would serve Yahweh or Baal. Some languages will have to express this as a statement such as “Stop changing your minds about whom you will worship!” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-rquestion/01.md]])

If Yahweh is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!

This is a strong statement that the people should decide once for all who they would worship. This does not mean that Elijah was undecided. He knew that Yahweh is the real God. He wanted the people to understand that when they worship false gods, they are rejecting Yahweh as the only true God. Translate this in a way that shows that the people had to make a choice. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

19-07

Kill a bull, divide the meat into pieces, and put it on an altar for a sacrifice, but do not light the fire.

Elijah commanded exactly how the prophets of Baal should prepare their sacrifice in order to test and see if Baal was a real god.

if God sends fire on the altar

The connecting word If indicates a hypothetical conditional relationship. If God sends fire, then it proves that he is real. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical/01.md]])

the real God

This means the one and only true God.

So the prophets of Baal prepared a sacrifice but did not light the fire.

The connecting word So connects the result (the prophets of Baal made the sacrifice but didn’t light a fire), with the reason (Elijah told them to do it that way). (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result/01.md]])

19-08

prayed to Baal

The prophets of Baal asked Baal to send fire onto the bull they prepared as a sacrifice.

Hear us, Baal!

This is a both a command and a strong plea for Baal to answer their request and to send fire on the sacrifice. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

shouted

They yelled or called out loudly to Baal.

cut themselves with knives

They injured themselves with knives as an extreme way to show their devotion to Baal, hoping that this would persuade him to listen to them.

but Baal did not answer, and he did not send any fire.

The connecting word but contrasts Baal’s not answering or sending fire with the prophets praying, shouting, and cutting themselves. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])

19-09

After that

The connecting words After that introduce a sequential clause. Elijah prepared the sacrifice, and then had people pour 12 pots of water over it. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-sequential/01.md]])

19-10

show us

This could mean prove to us or demonstrate to us.

I am your servant

This could be translated as: “You have given me authority to serve you and do these things.”

Answer me

This could mean respond to my prayer or send the fire that I have asked you for.

these people will know

This may be translated as: “these people will see and understand.”

19-11

Immediately

The connecting word Immediately emphasizes that the fire fell from the sky as soon as Elijah prayed. In contrast, the prayers of the prophets of Baal were still not answered after hours of praying. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-sequential/01.md]])

fell from the sky

This may be translated as: “suddenly came down from the sky.”

Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!

This statement is repeated to emphasize that it is indeed true! (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

Yahweh is God

This expression means that they understood that Yahweh is the only God, not just one god among others.

19-12

Then Elijah said, “Do not let any of the prophets of Baal escape!”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “Then Elijah told them not to let any of the prophets of Baal escape!” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

Do not let any of the prophets of Baal escape!

This is a both a command and also a strong statement to emphasize that the people must seize every one of the prophets of Baal. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-exclamations/01.md]])

escape

The prophets of Baal tried to run away after their god was proven to be a false god.

captured

This could mean seized and held onto or took hold of.

19-13

Then Elijah said to King Ahab, “Return immediately to your home, because the rain is coming.”

This is direct quotation. It can also be stated as an indirect quotation: “Then Elijah told King Ahab to return immediately to his home, because the rain was coming.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-quotations/01.md]])

Then Elijah said to King Ahab

The connecting word Then introduces a sequential clause. The prophets of Baal were killed, and then Elijah warned Ahab. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-sequential/01.md]])

Return immediately to your home

Elijah is giving a command to King Ahab on his authority as a prophet of God.

the sky became black

This could mean the sky became very dark. Heavy rainclouds covered the sky, making it look dark grey or black.

the drought

This could mean the long dry time with no rain.

19-14

When Elijah finished his work, God chose a man named Elisha to be his prophet

This sentence introduces Elisha as a new character in the story. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-participants/01.md]])

the commander of an enemy army

Naaman was a commander in the army of one of the countries that was Israel’s enemy.

but he had a bad skin disease

The connecting word but contrasts Naaman’s prestigious position of army commander, with his having this terrible disease. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])

Naaman heard about Elisha

This means that people had told Naaman that Elisha was able to perform miracles. Here Elisha is used to represent the miracles that God gave Elisha the power to perform. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metonymy/01.md]])

he went to Elisha and asked him

This could mean he went to see Elisha and asked him. Naaman had to go into Israel to find Elisha and ask him to do this.

19-15

He refused to do this because it seemed foolish

Naaman would not do what Elisha said because he knew that washing alone could not heal his disease.

because it seemed foolish

The connecting word because connects the reason for his anger (it seemed foolish), with the result (Naaman refused to obey). (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result/01.md]])

he changed his mind

This could mean he decided to do what Elisha had told him to do.

When he came up from the water the last time

The connecting clause When he came up from the water the last time introduces a sequential clause. Naaman dipped himself seven times, and then God healed him. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-time-sequential/01.md]])

19-16

If the people did not do this

The connecting word If introduces a hypothetical condition. The result depended on Israel’s response to the warning of the prophets. God said that, if they did not stop doing evil, he would punish them. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical/01.md]])

19-17

Once, they put the prophet Jeremiah into a dry well

This begins a new event about Jeremiah being held captive in a well. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-newevent/01.md]])

a dry well

The well did not currently have any water in it, but it did still have mud in the bottom. This could be translated as: “an empty well.”

But then the king had mercy on him

The connecting word But contrasts the people putting Jeremiah in the well to die, and the king having mercy on him and ordering him brought out. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])

had mercy on him

This means he was kind to Jeremiah and helped him.

19-18

continued to speak for God

This could mean continued to tell the people what God wanted to tell them.

even though the people hated them

The connecting words even though contrast the prophets speaking for God with the people hating them for their obedience. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])

A Bible story from

These references may be slightly different in some Bible translations.