Protos

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.

Elijah taken up into heaven
Elijah taken up into heaven · Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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 382 Kings 21Matthew 8Mark 8Luke 7John 22 Chronicles 1James 1Malachi 1Romans 1

Showing the first 24 of 88.

Open all 88 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Elijah.

AhabElishaBaalMosesSamariaJezebel

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.

Read it in context

Read 1 Kings with Elijah explained on the verse.

Tap any name, place, or word you do not recognize and the background opens on the verse you are reading. No second tab, no search, no losing your place.

The Protos reader open on Genesis 1 with the How to Read Genesis background sheet raised over it
Download Protos

Testimonies from pastors and Bible teachers

Portrait of Darren Raynald
“Great app for diving into Scripture wherever you are. It makes it easy and convenient to study on the go.”

Darren Raynald

Pastor, MountainHouse Church · Teaches at Portland Bible College

Portrait of Jason Layantara
“Been using Protos for months now. Protos is an amazing Bible study app for anyone who wants to grow deeper in God's Word. I love how it helps me understand Scripture beyond simply reading the verses, providing helpful historical context, commentary, and insights into the original Hebrew and Greek. The resources make it easier to engage with the Bible and grow in understanding.”

Jason Layantara

Teaching Pastor, MountainHouse Church · M.A. in Christian Leadership · Bible class teacher, Lake Tahoe

"People often think they have a discipline problem because they struggle to read the Bible for more than a few minutes, while they can watch movies for hours. It may not be an attention-span problem so much as an immersion problem: when you understand the story, the people, the world, and what is happening, two hours can disappear. But when you do not understand what you are reading, even ten minutes can feel like work. So you skim past the words and jump straight to what the passage means for you before you have listened to what God is saying through the text, the story, and the voice of the writer. It happens so often that theology has a name for it: eisegesis."
Fabio Jonathan ArifinFabio JonathanFounder of Protos · Portland Bible College graduate

Protos helps you close that gap so you can stop skimming and start getting immersed in the world of the Bible.

★★★★★4.8 from 117 App Store ratings

The streak feature actually got people in my congregation excited to read, especially the youth. We've started comparing notes after service.
PhilPastor, Ohio
between work + kids i barely get time to breathe lol. but protos somehow helps making deep studies doable. i've been reading during lunch breaks again for the first time in years.
CalebA dad
been using protos for like 2 weeks now. It helps me prep for our small group without getting overwhelmed. The context snippets show up right where I need them.
Chloe ChuaSmall group leader, Singapore

Start understanding the Bible better.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play