Bible in 90 Days
Omri’s Reign over Israel
21 At that time the people of Israel were divided in their loyalties. Half the people supported Tibni son of Ginath and wanted to make him king; the other half supported Omri. 22 Omri’s supporters were stronger than those who supported Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died; Omri became king.
23 In the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 24 He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver. He launched a construction project there[b] and named the city he built after Shemer, the former owner of the hill of Samaria. 25 Omri did more evil in the sight of[c] the Lord than all who were before him. 26 He followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat and encouraged Israel to sin;[d] they angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.[e]
27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[f] 28 Omri passed away[g] and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab replaced him as king.[h]
Ahab Promotes Idolatry
29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri’s son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of[i] the Lord than all who were before him. 31 As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal.[j] 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole; he[k] did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
34 During Ahab’s reign,[l] Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. Abiram, his firstborn son, died when he laid the foundation;[m] Segub, his youngest son, died when he erected its gates,[n] in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.[o]
Elijah Visits a Widow in Sidonian Territory
17 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve),[p] there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”[q] 2 The Lord’s message came to him: 3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 4 Drink from the stream; I have already told[r] the ravens to bring you food[s] there.” 5 So he carried out[t] the Lord’s message; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
7 After a while,[u] the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 The Lord’s message came to him, 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told[v] a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a little water in a cup, so I can take a drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.”[w] 12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.”[x] 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned.[y] But first make me a small cake[z] and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family.[aa] 16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Elijah.
17 After this[ab] the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come[ac] to me to confront me with[ad] my sin and kill my son?” 19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet[ae] and that the Lord’s message really does come through you.”[af]
Elijah Meets the King’s Servant
18 Some time later, in the third year of the famine,[ag] the Lord’s message came to Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord.[ah] 4 When Jezebel was killing[ai] the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took 100 prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas[aj] so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill[ak] some of the animals.” 6 They divided up the land between them to search it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him.[al] When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 8 He replied, “Yes,[am] go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’”[an] 9 Obadiah[ao] said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?[ap] 10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them[aq] swear an oath that they could not find you. 11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’[ar] 12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s Spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you.[as] If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me.[at] That would not be fair,[au] because your servant has been a loyal follower of[av] the Lord from my youth. 13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did[aw] when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’[ax] but he will kill me.” 15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[ay] lives (whom I serve),[az] I will make an appearance before him today.”
Elijah Confronts Baal’s Prophets
16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.[ba] 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he[bb] said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on[bc] Israel?” 18 Elijah[bd] replied, “I have not brought disaster on[be] Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 19 Now send out messengers[bf] and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.”[bg]
20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision?[bh] If the Lord is the true God,[bi] then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 22 Elijah said to them:[bj] “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 24 Then you[bk] will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.”[bl] All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”[bm]
25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.”[bn] 26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested,[bo] and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped[bp] around on the altar they had made.[bq] 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”[br] 28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual,[bs] mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.[bt] 29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy,[bu] but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.[bv]
30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.[bw] 31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord’s message had come, “Israel will be your name.”[bx] 32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord.[by] Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs[bz] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” 34 When they had done so,[ca] he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 36 When it was time for the evening offering,[cb] Elijah the prophet approached the altar[cc] and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove[cd] today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God[ce] and that you are winning back their allegiance.”[cf] 38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky.[cg] It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God![ch] The Lord is the true God!” 40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed[ci] them there.
41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.”[cj] 42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.”[ck] Seven times Elijah sent him to look.[cl] 44 The seventh time the servant[cm] said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah[cn] then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”[co] 45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward[cp] Jezreel. 46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power;[cq] he tucked his robe into his belt[cr] and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Elijah Runs for His Life
19 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning,[cs] “May the gods judge me severely[ct] if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”[cu]
3 Elijah was afraid,[cv] so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 4 while he went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He went and sat down under a shrub[cw] and asked the Lord to take his life:[cx] “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.”[cy] 5 He stretched out[cz] and fell asleep under the shrub. Suddenly an angelic messenger[da] touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more.[db] 7 The angel of the Lord came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.”[dc] 8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly the Lord’s message came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[dd] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[de] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you,[df] torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[dg] 11 The Lord[dh] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides,[di] but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.[dj] 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Suddenly[dk] a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[dl] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[dm] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[dn] 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the wilderness of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 18 I still have left in Israel 7,000 followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”[do]
19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah[dp] said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” 21 Elisha[dq] went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke.[dr] He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.
Ben Hadad Invades Israel
20 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria and besieged and attacked it.[ds] 2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city.[dt] He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says: ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.’”[du] 7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders[dv] of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble.[dw] Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.”[dx] 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king: ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’”[dy] So the messengers went back and gave their report.
10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely[dz] if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for all my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.”[ea] 11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.”[eb] 12 When Ben Hadad received this reply,[ec] he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters.[ed] He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
The Lord Delivers Israel
13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Do you see this huge army?[ee] Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?”[ef] He answered, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab[eg] asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
15 So Ahab[eh] assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were drinking heavily[ei] in their quarters.[ej] 17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.”[ek] 19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier;[el] the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated[em] Syria.
The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory
22 The prophet[en] visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses.[eo] Determine[ep] what you must do, for in the spring[eq] the king of Syria will attack[er] you.” 23 Now the advisers[es] of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them. 24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. 25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots.[et] Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised.[eu]
26 In the spring[ev] Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army[ew] and marched to Aphek to fight Israel.[ex] 27 When the Israelites had mustered and received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks[ey] of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 28 The prophet[ez] visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will deliver this entire huge army into to your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’
29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them.[fa] Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room.[fb] 31 His advisers[fc] said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind.[fd] Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads[fe] and surrender[ff] to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant[fg] Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’” Ahab[fh] replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”[fi] 33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab[fj] then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot. 34 Ben Hadad[fk] said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets[fl] in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.”[fm] So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
A Prophet Denounces Ahab’s Actions
35 One of the members of the prophetic guild[fn] told his companion a message from the Lord, “Please wound me!” But the man refused to wound him. 36 So the prophet[fo] said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him. 37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely.[fp] 38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat[fq] of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner.[fr] He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason,[fs] you will pay with your life or with a talent[ft] of silver.’[fu] 40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.”[fv] 41 The prophet[fw] quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets. 42 The prophet[fx] then said to him, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life, and your people will suffer instead of his people.’”[fy] 43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.
Ahab Murders Naboth
21 After this the following episode took place.[fz] Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.[ga] 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer,[gb] I will pay you silver for it.”[gc] 3 But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.”[gd]
4 So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said,[ge] “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.”[gf] He lay down on his bed, pouted,[gg] and would not eat. 5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 6 He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’”[gh] 7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel![gi] Get up, eat some food, and have a good time.[gj] I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
8 She wrote out orders,[gk] signed Ahab’s name to them,[gl] and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders[gm] to the leaders[gn] and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city.[go] 9 This is what she wrote:[gp] “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 The men of the[gq] city, the leaders,[gr] and the nobles who lived there[gs] followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them.[gt] 12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him[gu] outside the city and stoned him to death.[gv] 14 Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”[gw]
15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she[gx] said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead,[gy] he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
17 The Lord’s message came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord has said: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’[gz] Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord has said: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood—yes, yours!”’”
20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him,[ha] “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah[hb] replied, “I have found you, because you are committed[hc] to doing evil in the sight of[hd] the Lord. 21 The Lord says,[he] ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster[hf] on you. I will destroy you[hg] and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.[hh] 22 I will make your dynasty[hi] like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’[hj] 23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall[hk] of Jezreel.’ 24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones[hl] who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed[hm] to doing evil in the sight of[hn] the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel.[ho] 26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols,[hp] just as the Amorites[hq] whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 28 The Lord’s message came to Elijah the Tishbite, 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse[hr] before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”[hs]
Ahab Dies in Battle
22 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years.[ht] 2 In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit[hu] the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.”[hv] 4 Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.”[hw] 5 But then Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king, “Please seek a message from the Lord this very day.”[hx] 6 So the king of Israel assembled about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”[hy] They said, “Attack! The Sovereign One[hz] will hand it over to the king.” 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will.[ia] But I despise[ib] him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”[ic] Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.” 9 The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones,[id] dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” 12 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 13 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.[ie] Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.”[if] 14 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”
15 When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.”[ig] 16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in[ih] the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 17 Micaiah[ii] said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 19 Micaiah[ij] said, “That being the case, listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing beside him on his right and on his left. 20 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die[ik] there?’ One said this and another that. 21 Then a spirit[il] stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ 22 The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord[im] said, ‘Deceive and overpower him.[in] Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 23 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 24 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 25 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 26 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 27 Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water[io] until I safely return.”’”[ip] 28 Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note,[iq] all you people.”
29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter[ir] into the battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. 31 Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers;[is] fight only the king of Israel.” 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 34 Now an archer shot an arrow at random,[it] and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king[iu] ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line,[iv] because I’m wounded.” 35 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. 36 As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.” 37 So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him.[iw] 38 They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria. Then the dogs licked his blood, while the prostitutes bathed, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken.[ix]
39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[iy] 40 Ahab passed away.[iz] His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
Jehoshaphat’s Reign over Judah
41 In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 43 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.[ja] (22:44)[jb] However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 44 (22:45) Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.[jc] 46 He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa.[jd] 47 There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. 48 Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships[je] to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,”[jf] but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Jehoshaphat passed away[jg] and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor[jh] David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.
Ahaziah’s Reign over Israel
51 In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of[ji] the Lord and followed in the footsteps[jj] of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin.[jk] 53 He worshiped and bowed down to Baal,[jl] angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.[jm]
Elijah Confronts the King and His Commanders
1 After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel.[jn] 2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders,[jo] “Go, ask[jp] Baal Zebub,[jq] the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”
3 But the angel of the Lord told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up; go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.[jr] 4 Therefore this is what the Lord has said, “You will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!”’” So Elijah went on his way.
5 When the messengers returned to the king,[js] he asked them, “Why have you returned?” 6 They replied,[jt] “A man came up to meet us. He told us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are sending for an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron.[ju] Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”’” 7 The king[jv] asked them, “Describe the appearance[jw] of this man who came up to meet you and told you these things.” 8 They replied,[jx] “He was a hairy[jy] man and had a leather belt[jz] tied around his waist.” The king[ka] said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 The king[kb] sent a captain and his fifty soldiers[kc] to retrieve Elijah.[kd] The captain[ke] went up to him while he was sitting on the top of a hill.[kf] He told him, “Prophet,[kg] the king says, ‘Come down!’” 10 Elijah replied to the captain,[kh] “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire then came down[ki] from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
11 The king[kj] sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him,[kk] “Prophet, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”[kl] 12 Elijah replied to them,[km] “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire from God[kn] came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
13 The king[ko] sent a third captain and his fifty soldiers. This third captain went up and fell[kp] on his knees before Elijah. He begged for mercy, “Prophet, please have respect for my life and for the lives of these fifty servants of yours. 14 Indeed,[kq] fire came down from the sky and consumed the two captains who came before me, along with their men.[kr] So now, please have respect for my life.” 15 The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down[ks] with him to the king.
16 Elijah said to the king,[kt] “This is what the Lord has said, ‘You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek a message? Therefore[ku] you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”[kv]
17 And he did die in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Elijah. In the second year of the reign of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah, Ahaziah’s brother Jehoram replaced him as king of Israel, because he had no son.[kw] 18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[kx]
Elijah Makes a Swift Departure
2 Just before[ky] the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. 2 Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Some members of the prophetic guild[kz] in Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?”[la] He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 5 Some members of the prophetic guild in Jericho approached Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together. 7 The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha[lb] stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you,[lc] before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you?”[ld] 10 Elijah[le] replied, “That’s a difficult request![lf] If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot[lg] pulled by fiery horses appeared.[lh] They went between Elijah and Elisha,[li] and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. 12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”[lj] Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two. 13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah,[lk] hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over.
15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance,[ll] saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah[lm] rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the Lord[ln] may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha[lo] replied, “Don’t send them out.” 17 But they were so insistent that he became embarrassed. So he said, “Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out, and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah.[lp] 18 When they came back, Elisha[lq] was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”
Elisha Demonstrates His Authority
19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the city has a good location, as our[lr] master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.”[ls] 20 Elisha[lt] said, “Get me a new jar and put some salt in it.” So they got it. 21 He went out to the spring and threw the salt in. Then he said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have purified[lu] this water. It will no longer cause death or fail to produce crops.’”[lv] 22 The water has been pure to this very day, just as Elisha prophesied.[lw]
23 He went up from there to Bethel. As he was traveling up the road, some young boys[lx] came out of the city and made fun of him, saying, “Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!” 24 When he turned around and saw them, he called God’s judgment down on them.[ly] Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces. 25 From there he traveled to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria.[lz]
Moab Fights with Israel
3 In the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Jehoram became king over Israel in Samaria; he ruled for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of[ma] the Lord, but not to the same degree as his father and mother. He did remove the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Yet he persisted in[mb] the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin; he did not turn from them.[mc]
4 Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder.[md] He would send as tribute[me] to the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5 When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 At that time King Jehoram left Samaria and assembled all Israel for war. 7 He sent[mf] this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight with me against Moab?” Jehoshaphat[mg] replied, “I will join you in the campaign; my army and horses are at your disposal.”[mh] 8 He then asked, “Which invasion route are we going to take?”[mi] Jehoram[mj] answered, “By the road through the wilderness of Edom.” 9 So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom[mk] set out together. They wandered around on the road for seven days and finally ran out of water for the men and animals they had with them. 10 The king of Israel said, “Oh no![ml] Certainly the Lord has summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to the king of Moab!” 11 Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we might seek the Lord’s direction?”[mm] One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shapat is here; he used to be Elijah’s servant.”[mn] 12 Jehoshaphat said, “Yes, he receives the Lord’s messages.”[mo] So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him.
13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why are you here?[mp] Go to your father’s prophets or your mother’s prophets!” The king of Israel replied to him, “No, for the Lord is the one who summoned these three kings so that he can hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[mq] lives (whom I serve),[mr] if I did not respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah,[ms] I would not pay attention to you or acknowledge you.[mt] 15 But now, get me a musician.”[mu] When the musician played, the Lord energized him,[mv] 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Make many cisterns in this valley,’[mw] 17 for this is what the Lord has said, ‘You will not feel[mx] any wind or see any rain, but this valley will be full of water, and you and your cattle and animals will drink.’ 18 This is an easy task for the Lord;[my] he will also hand Moab over to you. 19 You will defeat every fortified city and every important[mz] city. You must chop down[na] every productive[nb] tree, stop up all the springs, and cover all the cultivated land with stones.”[nc]
20 Sure enough, the next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water came flowing down from Edom and filled the land.[nd] 21 Now all Moab had heard that the kings were attacking,[ne] so everyone old enough to fight was mustered and placed at the border.[nf] 22 When they got up early the next morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites, who were some distance away, the water looked red like blood. 23 The Moabites[ng] said, “It’s blood! The kings must have fought one another![nh] The soldiers have struck one another down![ni] Now, Moab, seize the plunder!” 24 When they approached the Israelite camp, the Israelites rose up and struck down the Moabites, who then ran from them. The Israelites[nj] thoroughly defeated[nk] Moab. 25 They tore down the cities, and each man threw a stone into every cultivated field until they were covered.[nl] They stopped up every spring and chopped down every productive tree.
Only Kir Hareseth was left intact,[nm] but the soldiers armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it. 26 When the king of Moab realized he was losing the battle,[nn] he and 700 swordsmen tried to break through and attack[no] the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel,[np] so they broke off the attack[nq] and returned to their homeland.
Elisha Helps a Widow and Her Sons
4 Now a wife of one of the prophets[nr] appealed[ns] to Elisha for help, saying, “Your servant, my husband is dead. You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord.[nt] Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil.” 3 He said, “Go and ask all your neighbors for empty containers.[nu] Get as many as you can.[nv] 4 Go and close the door behind you and your sons. Pour the olive oil into all the containers;[nw] set aside each one when you have filled it.” 5 So she left him and closed the door behind her and her sons. As they were bringing the containers to her, she was pouring the olive oil. 6 When the containers were full, she said to one of her sons,[nx] “Bring me another container.” But he answered her, “There are no more.” Then the olive oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the prophet.[ny] He said, “Go, sell the olive oil. Repay your creditor, and then you and your sons can live off the rest of the profit.”
Elisha Gives Life to a Boy
8 One day Elisha traveled to Shunem, where a prominent[nz] woman lived. She insisted that he stop for a meal.[oa] So whenever he was passing through, he would stop in there for a meal.[ob] 9 She said to her husband, “Look, I’m sure[oc] that the man who regularly passes through here is a very special prophet.[od] 10 Let’s make a small, private upper room[oe] and furnish it with[of] a bed, table, chair, and lamp. When he visits us, he can stay there.”
11 One day Elisha[og] came for a visit; he went[oh] into the upper room and rested.[oi] 12 He told his servant Gehazi, “Ask the Shunammite woman to come here.”[oj] So he did so and she came to him.[ok] 13 Elisha said to Gehazi,[ol] “Tell her, ‘Look, you have treated us with such great respect.[om] What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I’m quite secure.”[on] 14 So he asked Gehazi,[oo] “What can I do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Elisha told him, “Ask her to come here.”[op] So he did so[oq] and she came and stood in the doorway.[or] 16 He said, “About this time next year[os] you will be holding a son.” She said, “No, my master! O prophet, do not lie to your servant!” 17 The woman did conceive, and at the specified time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
18 The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers.[ot] 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father[ou] told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 So he picked him up and took him to his mother. He sat on her lap[ov] until noon and then died. 21 She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s[ow] bed. She shut the door behind her and left. 22 She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return.” 23 He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon[ox] or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.”[oy] 24 She saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Lead on.[oz] Do not stop unless I say so.”[pa]
25 So she went to visit[pb] the prophet at Mount Carmel. When he[pc] saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, it’s the Shunammite woman. 26 Now, run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well? Are your husband and the boy well?’” She told Gehazi,[pd] “Everything’s fine.” 27 But when she reached the prophet on the mountain, she grabbed hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the prophet said, “Leave her alone, for she is very upset.[pe] The Lord has kept the matter hidden from me; he didn’t tell me about it.” 28 She said, “Did I ask my master for a son? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t mislead me?’” 29 Elisha[pf] told Gehazi, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take my staff,[pg] and go! Don’t stop to exchange greetings with anyone![ph] Place my staff on the child’s face.” 30 The mother of the child said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So Elisha[pi] got up and followed her back.
31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. When he came back to Elisha[pj] he told him, “The child did not wake up.” 32 When Elisha arrived at the house, there was[pk] the child lying dead on his bed. 33 He went in by himself and closed the door.[pl] Then he prayed to the Lord. 34 He got up on the bed and spread his body out over[pm] the boy; he put his mouth on the boy’s[pn] mouth, his eyes over the boy’s eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy’s palms. As he bent down across him, the boy’s skin[po] grew warm. 35 Elisha[pp] went back and walked around in the house.[pq] Then he got up on the bed again[pr] and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. 36 Elisha[ps] called to Gehazi and said, “Get the Shunammite woman.” So he did so[pt] and she came to him. He said to her, “Take your son.” 37 She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed down. Then she picked up her son and left.
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