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Joram Meets Moab in Battle
3 Now Joram the son of Ahab had become king over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He reigned twelve years 2 and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not as his father or his mother, as he removed the stone pillars of Baal that his father had made. 3 But he did cling to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin, and he did not depart from it.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he used to deliver to the king of Israel a hundred thousand male lambs and a hundred thousand wool rams. 5 It happened that when Ahab died, Mesha king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Joram went out on that day from Samaria, and he mustered all of Israel. 7 He went and sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab for the battle?” And he said, “I will go up. I am like you;[a] my people are like your people;[b] my horses are like your horses.”[c] 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the wilderness of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom went around, a way of seven days, but there was no water for the army or for the animals which were with them.[d] 10 Then the king of Israel said, “Aha, Yahweh has called for these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 11 Then Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here that we might inquire guidance from Yahweh?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”[e] 12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of Yahweh is with him.” So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do we have in common?[f] Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” Then the king of Israel said to him, “No, for Yahweh has called for these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 14 Then Elisha said, “As Yahweh of hosts lives,[g] before whom I stand, surely if I was not regarding the face[h] of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would have not looked at you nor even glanced at you. 15 But now, bring me a musician.” It happened that at the moment the musician played, the hand of Yahweh came upon him. 16 He said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Make this wadi full of cisterns,’[i] 17 for thus says Yahweh, ‘You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this wadi will be full of water; and you and all of your livestock and your animals shall drink.’ 18 And since this is too trivial in the eyes of Yahweh, he will also give Moab into your hand, 19 and you shall defeat every fortified city, every choice city, and you shall fell every good tree. All of the springs of water you shall stop up, and every tract of good land you shall ruin with the stones.” 20 It happened in the morning about the time of the morning offering, that water was suddenly coming from the direction of Edom and the land was filled with water.
21 Now all of Moab had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, and all who were fighting age and up[j] were called up, and they stood at the border. 22 When they arose early in the morning, the sun shone on the waters, and Moab saw the waters from the opposite side as red as blood. 23 Then they said, “This is blood! Certainly the kings have fought one another, and each has killed his neighbor. Now, to the war booty, O Moab!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel stood up and killed Moab, so that they fled from before them. They came at her and defeated Moab. 25 The cities they tore down, on every good tract of land they threw stones until it was filled up, every spring of water they stopped up, and every good tree they felled. They let the stone walls at Kir Hareseth remain, but the slingers surrounded and attacked it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too heavy for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew the sword to break through to the king of Edom, but they were not able. 27 He took his firstborn son who was to become king in his place and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. Great wrath came upon Israel, and they withdrew from him and returned to the land.
Elisha Answers a Widow’s Request
4 A certain woman from the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. Now you know that your servant was a fearer of Yahweh, but the creditor came to take two of my children for himself as slaves. 2 Elisha asked her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” Then she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of olive oil.” 3 Then he said to her, “Go, ask for yourself some containers from the streets, from all your neighbors. You must collect as many empty containers as you can![k] 4 You must also go and shut the door behind you and your children, and you must pour out oil into all of these containers and set the filled ones aside.” 5 So she went from him, and she shut the door behind her and her children. They were bringing containers to her, and she kept pouring. 6 It happened that when the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring near me another container,” but he said to her, “There is not another container.” Then the olive oil stopped flowing. 7 So she came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the olive oil and repay your debt. You and your sons can live on what is left over.”
Elisha at Shunem
8 It happened one day that Elisha passed through to Shunem where there was a wealthy woman, and she urged him to eat bread; so it happened each time he passed through, he would stop there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “Please now, I know that he is a holy man of God who is passing our way[l] regularly; 10 let us make a small enclosed room upstairs and put a bed, table, chair, and lampstand there for him, so that when he comes to us, he can turn and stay there. 11 One day it happened that he came there and went to the upper room and lay down there. 12 He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call to this Shunammite,” so he called to her, and she stood before him. 13 He said to him, “Please say to her, ‘Look, you took all this trouble, showing care for us; what is there for me to do for you? To speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” She said, “I am living among my people.” 14 Then he said, “What may be done for her?” Gehazi said, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 And he said, “Call for her,” so he called for her and she stood in the doorway. 16 And he said, “At this time next spring,[m] you will be embracing a son.” She said, “No, my lord, O man of God! You must not tell a lie to your servant!” 17 But the woman conceived, and she bore a son in the spring,[n] which Elisha had promised to her.
Mistaken for Gods in Lystra
8 And in Lystra a certain man was sitting powerless in his feet, lame from birth,[a] who had never walked. 9 This man listened while[b] Paul was speaking. Paul,[c] looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he leaped up and began walking.[d] 11 And when[e] the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods have become like men and[f] have come down to us!” 12 And they began calling[g] Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the principal speaker.[h] 13 And the priest of the temple[i] of Zeus that was just outside the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates and[j] was wanting to offer sacrifice, along with the crowds. 14 But when[k] the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it,[l] they tore their clothing and[m] rushed out into the crowd, shouting 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, proclaiming the good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things that are in them— 16 who in generations that are past permitted all the nations[n] to go their own ways. 17 And yet he did not leave himself without witness by[o] doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you[p] with food and your hearts with gladness.” 18 And although[q] they said these things, only with difficulty did they dissuade the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
19 But Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and when they[r] had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him[s] outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after[t] the disciples surrounded him, he got up and[u] went into the city. And on the next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
21 And after they[v] had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them[w] to continue in the faith and saying,[x] “Through many persecutions[y] it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.” 23 And when they[z] had appointed elders for them in every church, after[aa] praying with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed. 24 And they passed through Pisidia and[ab] came to Pamphylia. 25 And after[ac] they proclaimed the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed away to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. 27 And when they[ad] arrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.[ae] 28 And they stayed no little time with the disciples.
Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies
For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]
140 Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.[b]
Preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart.
They stir up wars continually.
3 They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;
the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to make me stumble.[c]
5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.
They have spread out a net along the side[d] of the path.
They have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to Yahweh, “You are my God.”
Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.
Do not allow them to attain their[e] plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
9 With respect to the head of those who surround me,
may the harm of their lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall on them;
let them be dropped into the fire,
into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
11 Do not let a slanderer[f] be established in the land;
as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
12 I know[g] that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.
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