Who was Elijah in the Bible?
Prophet, during the divided monarchy
Elijah was a prominent prophet in Israel during the reigns of King Ahab and his son Ahaziah (1Ki.17-2Ki.2). Elijah appears in 88 verses across 10 books of the Bible.

What does the Bible say about Elijah?
Elijah was a prominent prophet in Israel during the reigns of King Ahab and his son Ahaziah (1Ki.17-2Ki.2). He is introduced as a Tishbite from Gilead, who proclaimed a drought in Israel as a judgment from God (1Ki.17.1). During the drought, God miraculously provided for Elijah through ravens and a widow in Zarephath (1Ki.17.2-16). Elijah famously confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, demonstrating the power of the true God and exposing the false prophets (1Ki.18). He also confronted King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for their wickedness, particularly in the case of Naboth's vineyard (1Ki.21). Elijah anointed Elisha as his successor and was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, leaving behind his mantle for Elisha (2Ki.2). He is mentioned in the New Testament as a forerunner to John the Baptist (Mat.11.14; Luk.1.17) and as appearing with Moses at Jesus' transfiguration (Mat.17.3-4; Mrk.9.4-5; Luk.9.30-33). Elijah is also referenced as an example of powerful prayer (Jas.5.17-18) and as a prophet whom God had preserved a remnant of faithful Israelites (Rom.11.2-4). The prophet Malachi foretold that Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah (Mal.4.5-6).
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Elijah appear in the Bible?
Elijah is referenced in 88 verses across 10 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Kings 17:1
- 1 Kings 17:13
- 1 Kings 17:15
- 1 Kings 17:16
- 1 Kings 17:18
- 1 Kings 17:22
- 1 Kings 17:23
- 1 Kings 17:24
- 1 Kings 18:1
- 1 Kings 18:2
- 1 Kings 18:7
- 1 Kings 18:8
- 1 Kings 18:11
- 1 Kings 18:14
- 1 Kings 18:15
- 1 Kings 18:16
- 1 Kings 18:17
- 1 Kings 18:21
- 1 Kings 18:22
- 1 Kings 18:25
- 1 Kings 18:27
- 1 Kings 18:30
- 1 Kings 18:31
- 1 Kings 18:36
Showing the first 24 of 88.
Open all 88 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Elijah.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Elijah?
Elijah appears in 88 verses across 10 books, most often in 1 Kings, which accounts for 38 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Elijah?
1 Kings, 2 Kings, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 2 Chronicles, James, and 2 more.
Where can I read every verse about Elijah?
This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 88, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.


