Naboth’s Vineyard

Jezebel [Goes up to meet Ahab]:
You have seen a conversion yourself? Do tell me!

Ahab [Bewildered]:
Oh Jezebel! I am dying! I cannot breathe!
[Sinks into a chair.]
What is this? Am I seeing things?
Am I a victim of hallucinations?
Oh no! No, what I just saw was not a vision!
Oh God! It was real! Insulted Baal is crying
because he feels helpless before Adonai.
Is there a greater miracle than what happened today?
No, Queen, no!
My eyes saw a supernatural thing!
Elijah, the prophet of the God on high,
had all people gather at Mt. Carmel,
telling them that the ancient God of Israel
would show them his greatness,
and would thus demand that they recognize him.
He had two altars erected one facing the other,
which reminded me of the test of the staffs
that were placed by the tribes and Aaron in the Tent of Meeting,
with which God distinguished his favorite man.¹
Baal’s altar was surrounded by all Israelites,
and behind the other one were Elijah of Tishbe and his disciple.
Elijah cried, “We will praise and glorify the God who will make fire
descend on his altar,
because he is the true and almighty God.
First call your beloved Baal,
because there are so many of you; and then I will call on my God.”
Baal’s chief priest cried out in a loud voice,
and the people began to pray.
For many hours one could hear only screams and exclamations.
Baal’s prophets kept shouting.
“Listen to us, Baal! Help us!” they cried,
but Baal did not hear them, did not speak to them, did not respond.
Finally, Elijah approached his altar
with a sweet and humble expression on his face
and cried in a vibrant voice,
“Listen to me, false prophets, and you, ignorant people!
Thus says Adonai, the Holy Lord of hosts:
‘How long are you going to pray to a god
made of sticks and stones, who does not see or hear you?
Do you want still more of my wrath upon you?
You are not yet tired of running after vanities?’”
And then he appealed to Heaven: “God of mercy!
Show today your greatness to this blind people!
Bring your holy fire down on these logs,
so that Israel would recognize its ancient God!”
The skies opened, and from a great splendor
terrible flames came down on the logs,
consuming even the water poured over them.
The people and the prophets fell on the ground trembling
and shouting, “Adonai is God! Adonai is God!”

Jezebel:
You witnessed this false miracle?
And you were not affected by this blasphemy like everybody else?

Ahab:
Listen, Jezebel, you must hear what happened after that.
Elijah’s voice had so much power
over the people, which has been separated from the son of Nahshon,²
that he made them slaughter hundreds of prophets in Kishon,³
and nobody even tried to defend them.
This is how his voice incited and inflamed them!

Jezebel [Furious]:
What! This sorcerer was so insolent?
Let them drag him here like a dog!
Damn! Avidan, Zihri, Tura, Perets, Gaal!
Go! Run! All of you, friends of Baal!
[Servants enter through all doors.]
Take your weapons, all of you,
announce alert in every street of Shomron!
Quickly gather people of all classes!
Declare revenge and death in all squares!
Burn, destroy, kill, massacre without pity
all those who call Adonai the true God!
And the person who brings the seditious Elijah alive
will have half of the kingdom and a glorious future!
[To Ahab]
I will take a dagger, and you take a spear,
Let us go and show an example of revenge!
Let us not leave a single living soul!

The Servants:
Ready! Long live the royal couple!
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
[Everybody exits running.]