Elijah, whose career is described in the book of Kings, was a protagonist of King Ahab, King of Israel, and the priests of Baal. Elijah, the fore­runner of the literary prophets, denounced Ahab, induced by his wife, Jezebel, to introduce religious syncretism and illegally take possession of property belonging to the freeholder, Naboth.

Confronted by the challenge of the priests of Baal, Elijah said unto the people, "How long will you waver between two opinions; if the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." He then offered the challenge to the priests of Baal to call upon the name of their god to send fire and consume the animal sacrifice that he had prepared. When the priests were unsuccessful, Elijah chided them with the words, "Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is musing. . . or he sleepeth." Where upon Elijah proceeded to call upon the Lord. Then miraculously, fire appeared and consumed the "burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench."

Elijah was later forced to flee and sought refuge in a cave. A voice came to him in the cave and told him to stand upon the mountain. The Lord was not in the strong wind, or the earthquake or the fire but in a "still, small Voice," "kol d'mamah dakah," the words that are prominently visible in the Elijah panel.