''The Fifth Mountain'' ( pt, O Monte Cinco) is the work of Brazilian author

Paulo Coelho Paulo Coelho de Souza (, ; born 24 August 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002. His novel ''The Alchemist'' became an international best-seller and he has published 28 more book ...

published in Brazil in 1996. The book is author's interpretation of the story of Elijah, the old testament prophet and the tale of his trials, tribulations, and suffering all while learning about self love and his capacity to love and forgive his fellow beings.

Plot summary

The story is based on the account of Biblical prophet

Elijah Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My El (deity), God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic language, Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) w ...

from the Hebrew

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

(1 Kings chapters 17-19). The focus is on Elijah's time in Zarephath (in this book named Akbar). In ninth century B.C.,wife to Israel's ruler Jezebel threatens to execute all prophets who refused to worship the pagan deity Baal. Elijah, a young prophet is commanded by an angel of God to flee Israel and he eventually seeks safety in the land of Zarephath. He unexpectedly falls in love with the widow to whom God sent him. But this new-found rapture is cut short and Elijah gets lost in his emotional turmoil. Much has been added to the simple Bible story by Coelho, including Elijah witnessing the sacking of Akbar by the

Assyria Assyria ( Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the ...

ns, Elijah's journey up the Fifth Mountain itself (said to be the dwelling place of

Baal Baal (), or Baal,; phn, , baʿl; hbo, , baʿal, ). ( ''baʿal'') was a title and honorific meaning "owner", "lord" in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during antiquity. From its use among people, it came to be applied t ...

). For a considerable portion of the story Elijah is very compliant, obeying everything God's angels say. Eventually he realizes that his destiny is not being chosen by him but by God and ultimately he decides to abide by his own desires and will.

References

1996 Brazilian novels Novels by Paulo Coelho Brazilian historical novels Portuguese-language novels Novels based on the Bible 20th-century Brazilian novels Novels set in the 9th century BC {{1990s-specf-novel-stub