<p class="bodytext">So Samuel called to the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc> made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the <sc>Lordsc> and Samuel.

When<n id="1" /> I close up the sky<n id="2" /> so that it doesn&#8217;t rain, or command locusts to devour the land&#8217;s vegetation,<n id="3" /> or send a plague among my people,

<p class="poetry">I will make it a wasteland;p> <p class="poetry">no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and thorns and briers will grow there.p> <p class="poetry">I will order the cloudsp> <p class="poetry">not to drop any rain on it.p>

<p class="poetry">When his voice thunders,<n id="1" /> the heavenly ocean roars.p> <p class="poetry">He makes the clouds rise from the far-off horizons.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He makes the lightning flash out in the midst of the rain.p> <p class="poetry">He unleashes the wind from the places where he stores it.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">When his voice thunders, the waters in the heavens roar.p> <p class="poetry">He makes the clouds rise from the far-off horizons.p> <p class="poetry">He makes the lightning flash out in the midst of the rain.p> <p class="poetry">He unleashes the wind from the places where he stores it.p>

Then the anger of the <sc>Lordsc> will erupt<n id="1" /> against you and he will close up the sky<n id="2" /> so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed<n id="3" /> from the good land that the Lord<n id="4" /> is about to give you.

The <sc>Lordsc> will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do;<n id="1" /> you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any.

Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the <sc>Lordsc> so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the <sc>Lordsc> by asking for a king for yourselves.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">O mountains of Gilboa,p> <p class="poetry">may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people<n id="2" /> sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="3" /> and turn away from their sin because you punish<n id="4" /> them,

then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly<n id="1" /> you will then teach them the right way to live<n id="2" /> and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, &#8220;As certainly as the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel lives (whom I serve),<n id="1" /> there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the <sc>Lordsc> told Elijah,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> the skies<n id="2" /> are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people<n id="3" /> sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="4" /> and turn away from their sin because you punish<n id="5" /> them,

then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly<n id="1" /> you will then teach them the right way to live<n id="2" /> and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">He will water the seed you plant in the ground,p> <p class="poetry">and the ground will produce crops in abundance.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">At that time<n id="2" /> your cattle will graze in wide pastures.p>