Yoqne‘am ‘Illit

Mt. Carmel is the scene of the showdown between the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, and the One True God of Israel. The Bible story takes place during one of Israel’s worst times of crisis under King Ahab. To please his wife, Jezebel, Ahab set up an altar to Baal at the top of Mt. Carmel. Baal, the favorite deity of Jezebel, was said to be the god of rain and vegetation.
In 1 Kings 17:1–24, Elijah enters the story as a prophet of the Lord. He confronted Ahab and announced a drought in the land in response to Ahab and Jezebel’s unholy devotion to Baal. To prove God was the only true God, Elijah proposed a contest. All of Israel was summoned to Mt. Carmel to witness the confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets of Baal and Asherah (1 Kings 18:19). The match would show whose god was able to send fire from heaven to consume their offerings. The prophets of Baal prayed all day and cut themselves violently to get Baal’s attention, but no one answered (verses 28–29).
By evening it was Elijah’s turn. He re-built the ruined altar of God that existed on Mt. Carmel. He set the offering on top of the wood and then drenched the whole thing with water and prayed aloud: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:36–37). God answered with a spectacular display of fire from heaven, consuming the offering, licking up the saturated wood as well as every drop of water that had been poured over the altar. Even the rocks of the altar were consumed. The people fell on their faces, proclaiming, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God” (1 Kings 18:39). Elijah then ordered the people to execute false prophets of Baal according to the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 13).
Near the top of the mountain, a Catholic Monastery was built and there is a statue of Elijah flashing his knife at the defeated Baal prophets. The mountain is dotted with springs that provide all sorts of growth (carob trees, oaks, pines, cedars, myrtles, laurels, and tamarinds). Mt. Carmel's highest point is over 1700 feet. It is within the inheritance of Manasseh.Read more