The Sacrifice of Elijah

In this painting King Ahab of Israel is recoiling in shocked astonishment. By his side is the prophet, Elijah. Beyond them, the king's startled horse is being restrained (1 Kings 18: 38–39).

Aert Jansz or Jan Aertsz Marienhof (1626 in Utrecht – 1652 in Brussels), was a Dutch Golden Age painter.According to He left Utrecht for Brussels and made small paintings in the style of Rubens that were quite popular. He married young, and died young.

King Ahab and the people of Israel had fallen away from the worship of the God, worshipping instead the pagan god, Baal, and God had punished them for this with a long drought. To resolve the deadlock, the prophet Elijah arranged a test or trial between God and Baal on Mount Carmel. The priests of Baal went first: they prayed long and earnestly to their god to ignite miraculously the sacrifice they had prepared for him, but all to no avail. Elijah then prayed to God to ignite 'his' sacrifice. His prayer was heard; King Ahab and his people returned to the worship of the one, true God and rain came, bringing an end to the drought. The kindling beneath a sacrifice on an altar is bursting into flames, miraculously ignited by God with a thunderbolt.

This oil on canvas measured H 46.7 x W 60.3 cm and is housed in the Bowes Museum in Barnard Catle, England,