Elijah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elijah
An icon of Elijah from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai

Elijah of Tishbe was an important prophet in ancient Israel. His name means "The Lord is God." He lived in the Kingdom of Israel around 900 BC. You can read about him in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Qur'an, and other religious texts. Elijah is famous for bravely challenging false gods and for going up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elijah and the Widow

Elijah went to King Ahab, who had turned away from God. Ahab's wife, Jezebel, was even more unfaithful. Elijah told King Ahab a message from God: "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, there will be no dew or rain for the next few years, unless I say so."

Then, Elijah followed God's command. He went and hid in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan River. He drank from the brook there. God had ordered ravens to bring him food. The ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and evening.

But because there was no rain, the brook eventually dried up. So, God told Elijah, "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have told a widow in that place to give you food."

A Widow's Last Meal

Elijah went to Zarephath and met a widow gathering sticks. She was preparing to make the very last meal for herself and her son. After that, they expected to die because they had no more food.

Elijah asked her for some water and bread. The widow said, "As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don't have any bread. I only have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to make a meal for myself and my son, so we can eat it and then die."

But Elijah told her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do what you planned. But first, make a small cake of bread for me from what you have. Then, make something for yourself and your son. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not run out, and the jug of oil will not become empty until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.'"

The widow did exactly as Elijah told her. And just as God promised, there was always enough food in her house for everyone.

A Son Brought Back to Life

Later, the widow's son became very ill. He grew worse and worse, and then he stopped breathing. The widow was very worried. She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"

Elijah replied, "Give me your son." He took the boy and carried him to the upper room where he was staying. He laid the boy on his own bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?"

Elijah then stretched himself out on the boy three times. He prayed, "O Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!" And the boy returned to life! This amazing event made the woman realize that Elijah was truly "a man of God" and that "the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth." This was the first time someone was brought back to life in the Bible.

Elijah Challenges Baal's Prophets

After some time, God told Elijah to "present himself to Ahab." On his way, Elijah met Obadiah, a good man who was loyal to God. Obadiah had hidden 100 of God's prophets when King Ahab tried to kill them. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down respectfully, saying, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"

Elijah said yes and told Obadiah to tell Ahab that he was there. Obadiah was scared. He cried, "What have I done wrong that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be killed?" He explained how he had saved the prophets and feared Ahab would kill him if Elijah disappeared.

Elijah calmly replied, "As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today." So, Obadiah went and told Ahab, and Ahab came to meet Elijah.

The Contest on Mount Carmel

Elijah told Ahab to gather all the people of Israel on Mount Carmel. He also told Ahab to bring the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who ate at Jezebel's table. Surprisingly, Ahab obeyed.

When everyone was gathered, Elijah spoke to the people. "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him!" But the people did not say anything.

Elijah continued, "I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves. They should cut it into pieces and put it on wood, but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on wood, but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is the God!" The people agreed to this plan.

Baal's Prophets Fail

The prophets of Baal prepared their bull. They called out to Baal all morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no reply. The prophets grew tired and discouraged.

Elijah started to tease them. "Shout louder! Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So, they shouted even louder. They even cut themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until blood flowed from their wounds. But still, nothing happened.

God Answers by Fire

After midday, it was Elijah's turn. He prepared his sacrifice. Then he gave a strange command: "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." They did it. He said, "Do it again." And they did it again. Then he said, "Do it a third time." They did it a third time. There was so much water that it ran down into the trench around the altar.

Then, Elijah stepped forward and prayed, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Let these people know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Suddenly, the fire of the Lord fell! It burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil. It even licked up all the water in the trench! All the people were amazed. They fell to the ground and repented. They then seized the prophets of Baal, as Elijah had told them, and killed them.

After this, Elijah told Ahab to go home because a big rainstorm was coming. Ahab rushed into his chariot. But the "Power of the Lord" came upon Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel!

Elijah Flees to Horeb

King Ahab told Jezebel everything that had happened, including how the prophets of Baal had been killed. Jezebel became very angry. She sent a message to Elijah, threatening to kill him by the next day.

Elijah became scared and ran away to Beersheba. He left his servant there and traveled for a day into the desert. Finally, he sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he complained. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down and fell asleep.

But God sent an angel to wake him up. The angel gave him water and a bread cake "baked over hot coals." Elijah ate and drank and lay down again. The angel came back a second time, woke him, and gave him more food. Strengthened by this food, Elijah traveled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There, he went into a cave and spent the night.

God's Gentle Whisper

The Lord appeared to Elijah and asked, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah didn't answer the question directly. Instead, he complained about how he had "been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty" and how the Israelites were being unfair to him.

The Lord told him to go out and stand on the mountain. Then, a great and powerful wind came, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Finally, after the fire, there was a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he went out, pulling his cloak over his face.

God was showing Elijah that He wasn't always in the big, dramatic events. He could also be found in a quiet, gentle way. The Lord asked again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" But Elijah again complained about being "zealous for the Lord God Almighty." So, the Lord told him to go and appoint new political and religious leaders. Elijah did this, and he also chose Elisha to be his next prophet and companion.

Elijah and King Ahaziah

After King Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king. Ahaziah became ill. He sent people to ask Baal-Zebub, a god of Ekron, if he would get better. God was very angry about this. He told Elijah to speak against Ahaziah.

Elijah met the king's servants on their way. He told them God's message: "Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, 'This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending men to ask Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'" The messengers delivered the message.

When King Ahaziah asked about the man who gave them the message, they described Elijah as "a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist." Elijah's cloak was probably made of sheepskin or camel's hair, like John the Baptist's. This simple clothing showed a big difference from the rich, well-dressed people of that time. Elijah was protesting against the selfishness of the king and the upper classes.

The king recognized Elijah from the description (Elijah had met Ahab, his father, many times). So, Ahaziah sent a captain and fifty men to get Elijah. Perhaps Ahaziah thought that if he killed Elijah or forced him to change the curse, it wouldn't happen.

Fire from Heaven

The captain found Elijah sitting on top of a hill. He said, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!'" King Ahaziah was trying to show that he, the king, had power over Elijah, the prophet. But in Israel, the king was supposed to be under the power of God's word, spoken by His prophets.

Elijah did not come down. Instead, he said, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then, fire fell from heaven and burned up the captain and his men. Elijah was showing the king that in Israel, the true king was God.

The king sent another captain with fifty men, and they too were burned up by fire. Finally, the king sent a third captain with fifty men. This captain "...fell on his knees before Elijah..." and humbly asked him to come. An angel of the Lord told Elijah to go down, so he went. Elijah told the king again, "You will certainly die!" And so, King Ahaziah died, just as Elijah had spoken.

Elijah Goes to Heaven

After these events, Elijah went with Elisha. They were walking from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel." But Elisha insisted on going with him.

At Bethel, a group of prophets came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?" Elisha said he knew, but warned them not to speak of it.

Then Elijah told Elisha again to stay, saying the Lord had sent him to the Jordan River by himself. But Elisha still insisted on going with Elijah. Elijah then asked Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" Elisha replied, "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit." This meant he wanted to be twice as powerful in God's spirit as Elijah.

Elijah agreed, but only if Elisha would see him being taken to heaven. As they were walking along, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared! They separated the two men. Then, Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elisha cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" Elisha saw Elijah as a symbol of Israel's true strength. Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak. He used it to divide the water in the Jordan River, just as Elijah had done. This cloak symbolized that Elisha had now taken Elijah's place as God's prophet.

Images for kids

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  Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston

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  Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis Hersent

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  Elijah's offering is consumed by fire from heaven in a stained glass window at St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

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  Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah (illustration by Gustave Doré from the 1866 La Sainte Bible)

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  Elijah's chariot in the whirlwind. Fresco, Anagni Cathedral, c. 1250

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  The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria

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  A Northern Russian icon from ca. 1290 showing the ascent of Elijah toward heaven

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  Elijah appeared at the Transfiguration of Jesus.

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  1690 Musée des Augustins

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  Elias on Mount Horeb, as depicted in a Greek Orthodox icon

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  This common depiction of the prophet Elijah riding a flaming chariot across the sky resulted in syncretistic folklore among the Slavs incorporating pre-Christian motifs in the beliefs and rites regarding him in Slavic culture.

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  The Druze maqam Al-Khidr in Kafr Yasif, Israel.

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  A statue of Elijah in the Cave of Elijah, Mount Carmel, Israel

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  The Cave of Elijah, Mount Carmel, Israel

See also

In Spanish: Elías para niños