Bible Characters
Elijah the Prophet: From Mount Carmel to His Ascent in a Whirlwind (+Quiz)
A drought, ravens, fire from heaven, and a still small voice.
Elijah the Tishbite is the most zealous prophet in the Bible - who stood alone against kings and idolatry. His story in the Book of First Kings ends with a living ascent in a whirlwind, and tradition sees him as the herald of redemption - a central figure in Bible quizzes.
▶ Play now: the Elijah quiz — 50 questions per level
The Drought and the Ravens
Elijah decreed a drought upon the Land of Israel because of Ahab and Jezebel's worship of Baal. He hid by the brook of Cherith, and ravens brought him bread and meat morning and evening - a miracle of survival in the wilderness.
The Widow of Zarephath
Elijah lodged with a widow in Zarephath who was left with a handful of flour. Through him "the jar of flour was not spent" throughout the days of famine. And when her son died, Elijah revived him - one of the great miracles of raising the dead in the Bible.
The Showdown on Mount Carmel
The great moment: facing the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah issued a challenge - whoever answers with fire is the true God. The prophets of Baal failed; Elijah prayed, fire came down from heaven, and the people cried out, "The Lord, He is God."
The Still Small Voice
After the victory Elijah fled from Jezebel to Mount Horeb, in despair. The Lord passed by - not in the wind, nor in the fire, but in a "still small voice." Thus we learn that the height of revelation lies not in power but in stillness.
Elisha His Successor
Elijah found Elisha plowing in a field and cast his mantle upon him - a sign of inheriting the prophecy. Elisha followed him and served him, and later asked for "a double portion" of his spirit.
The Ascent in a Whirlwind
Elijah did not die as all people do: in a chariot of fire and horses of fire he ascended to heaven in a whirlwind before Elisha's eyes. Tradition sees him as the herald of redemption who will come before "the great day of the Lord," and the Cup of Elijah at the Passover Seder carries this hope.
Play the Elijah quiz
Bible Quiz now has a dedicated Elijah quiz — real questions from the bank across five difficulty levels, 50 questions per level, from the easy questions up to the "Super-Rabbi" level with exact verses and numbers. You can also reach it from the character area or the game screen, via the "by hero" button.
FAQ
What happened on Mount Carmel?
Elijah faced the prophets of Baal; fire came down from heaven upon his offering, and the people cried out, "The Lord, He is God."
Who brought food to Elijah at the brook of Cherith?
Ravens brought him bread and meat morning and evening.
What is the "still small voice"?
The revelation Elijah experienced at Mount Horeb - God was found not in the wind or the fire but in the faint stillness.
How did Elijah depart from the world?
He ascended to heaven in a whirlwind in a chariot of fire and horses of fire, before the eyes of his disciple Elisha.