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1 Kings
| Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son
of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. |
| Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. |
| And he walked in all the sins of his father, which
he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his
God, as the heart of David his father. |
| Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God
give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to
establish Jerusalem: |
| Because David did that which was right in the eyes
of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him
all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. |
| And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all
the days of his life. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. |
| And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried
him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. |
| And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel
reigned Asa over Judah. |
| And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And
his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. |
| And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the
LORD, as did David his father. |
| And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and
removed all the idols that his fathers had made. |
| And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed
from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa
destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. |
| But the high places were not removed: nevertheless
Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. |
| And he brought in the things which his father had
dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of
the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels. |
| And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of
Israel all their days. |
| And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and
built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa
king of Judah. |
| Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were
left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the
king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king
Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king
of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, |
| There is a league between me and thee, and between
my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of
silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel,
that he may depart from me. |
| So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the
captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and
smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all
the land of Naphtali. |
| And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that
he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. |
| Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all
Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and
the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built
with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. |
| The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might,
and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the
time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. |
| And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with
his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son
reigned in his stead. |
| And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over
Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel
two years. |
| And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked
in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to
sin. |
| And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of
Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon,
which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege
to Gibbethon. |
| Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did
Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. |
| And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote
all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed,
until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which
he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: |
| Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and
which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the
LORD God of Israel to anger. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? |
| And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of
Israel all their days. |
| In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha
the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four
years. |
| And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked
in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. |
| Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of
Hanani against Baasha, saying, |
| Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and
made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way
of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to
anger with their sins; |
| Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha,
and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. |
| Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs
eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air
eat. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did,
and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel? |
| So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead. |
| And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of
Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house,
even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking
him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of
Jeroboam; and because he killed him. |
| In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah
began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. |
| And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots,
conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in
the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah. |
| And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in
the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his
stead. |
| And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon
as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left
him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor
of his friends. |
| Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha,
according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu
the prophet, |
| For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his
son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in
provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he
did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? |
| In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah
did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped
against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. |
| And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri
hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made
Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. |
| And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with
him, and they besieged Tirzah. |
| And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city
was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt
the king's house over him with fire, and died, |
| For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the
sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin
which he did, to make Israel to sin. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason
that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel? |
| Then were the people of Israel divided into two
parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him
king; and half followed Omri. |
| But the people that followed Omri prevailed against
the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and
Omri reigned. |
| In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah
began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in
Tirzah. |
| And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two
talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the
city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill,
Samaria. |
| But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and
did worse than all that were before him. |
| For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the
LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and
his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel? |
| So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. |
| And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of
Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son
of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. |
| And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of
the LORD above all that were before him. |
| And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing
for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took
to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went
and served Baal, and worshipped him. |
| And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of
Baal, which he had built in Samaria. |
| And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke
the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were
before him. |
| In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he
laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the
gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the
LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. |
| And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants
of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom
I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to
my word. |
| And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, |
| Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide
thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. |
| And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook;
and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. |
| So he went and did according unto the word of the
LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. |
| And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the
morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. |
| And it came to pass after a while, that the brook
dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. |
| And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, |
| Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to
Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to
sustain thee. |
| So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came
to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of
sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little
water in a vessel, that I may drink. |
| And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her,
and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. |
| And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not
a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:
and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it
for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. |
| And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as
thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it
unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. |
| For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of
meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day
that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. |
| And she went and did according to the saying of
Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. |
| And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the
cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by
Elijah. |
| And it came to pass after these things, that the son
of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was
so sore, that there was no breath left in him. |
| And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with
thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to
remembrance, and to slay my son? |
| And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took
him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode,
and laid him upon his own bed. |
| And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God,
hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by
slaying her son? |
| And he stretched himself upon the child three times,
and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this
child's soul come into him again. |
| And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul
of the child came into him again, and he revived. |
| And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out
of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and
Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. |
| And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know
that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth
is truth. |
| And it came to pass after many days, that the word
of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself
unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. |
| And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there
was a sore famine in Samaria. |
| And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of
his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: |
| For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of
the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty
in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) |
| And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto
all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find
grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the
beasts. |
| So they divided the land between them to pass
throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another
way by himself. |
| And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met
him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my
lord Elijah? |
| And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord,
Behold, Elijah is here. |
| And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest
deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? |
| As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or
kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said,
He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they
found thee not. |
| And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold,
Elijah is here. |
| And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from
thee, that the spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not;
and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay
me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. |
| Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew
the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's
prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? |
| And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold,
Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. |
| And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before
whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. |
| So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab
went to meet Elijah. |
| And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab
said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? |
| And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but
thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments
of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. |
| Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto
mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the
prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. |
| So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and
gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. |
| And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How
long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but
if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. |
| Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only,
remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and
fifty men. |
| Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let
them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it
on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and
lay it on wood, and put no fire under: |
| And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will
call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let
him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. |
| And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose
you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and
call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. |
| And they took the bullock which was given them, and
they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until
noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that
answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. |
| And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked
them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he
is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and
must be awaked. |
| And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their
manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. |
| And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they
prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that
there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. |
| And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto
me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of
the LORD that was broken down. |
| And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the
number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the
LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: |
| And with the stones he built an altar in the name of
the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would
contain two measures of seed. |
| And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in
pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with
water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. |
| And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it
the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the
third time. |
| And the water ran round about the altar; and he
filled the trench also with water. |
| And it came to pass at the time of the offering of
the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou
art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all
these things at thy word. |
| Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know
that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back
again. |
| Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the
burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked
up the water that was in the trench. |
| And when all the people saw it, they fell on their
faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. |
| And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of
Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought
them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. |
| And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and
drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. |
| So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went
up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and
put his face between his knees, |
| And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the
sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he
said, Go again seven times. |
| And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he
said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's
hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get
thee down, that the rain stop thee not. |
| And it came to pass in the mean while, that the
heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And
Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. |
| And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he
girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. |
| And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and
withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. |
| Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying,
So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the
life of one of them by to morrow about this time. |
| And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his
life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his
servant there. |
| But he himself went a day's journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested
for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take
away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. |
| And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,
behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. |
| And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken
on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and
drink, and laid him down again. |
| And the angel of the LORD came again the second
time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is
too great for thee. |
| And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the
strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount
of God. |
| And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there;
and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him,
What doest thou here, Elijah? |
| And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD
God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I,
even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. |
| And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount
before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong
wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but
the LORD was not in the earthquake: |
| And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was
not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. |
| And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of
the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest
thou here, Elijah? |
| And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD
God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I,
even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. |
| And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to
the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be
king over Syria: |
| And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be
king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt
thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. |
| And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth
the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the
sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. |
| Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the
knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not
kissed him. |
| So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of
Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he
with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon
him. |
| And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and
said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will
follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done
to thee? |
| And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of
oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the
oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and
went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. |
| And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host
together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and
chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. |
| And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into
the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad, |
| Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and
thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. |
| And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O
king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have. |
| And the messengers came again, and said, Thus
speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou
shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy
children; |
| Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow
about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of
thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine
eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. |
| Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the
land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief:
for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my
silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. |
| And all the elders and all the people said unto him,
Hearken not unto him, nor consent. |
| Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad,
Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at
the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers
departed, and brought him word again. |
| And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so
unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for
handfuls for all the people that follow me. |
| And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him,
Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth
it off. |
| And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this
message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he
said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves
in array against the city. |
| And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of
Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great
multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou
shalt know that I am the LORD. |
| And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the
LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he
said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. |
| Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the
provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he
numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven
thousand. |
| And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking
himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two
kings that helped him. |
| And the young men of the princes of the provinces
went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There
are men come out of Samaria. |
| And he said, Whether they be come out for peace,
take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. |
| So these young men of the princes of the provinces
came out of the city, and the army which followed them. |
| And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians
fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on
an horse with the horsemen. |
| And the king of Israel went out, and smote the
horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. |
| And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said
unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for
at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. |
| And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him,
Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we;
but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be
stronger than they. |
| And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man
out of his place, and put captains in their rooms: |
| And number thee an army, like the army that thou
hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight
against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. |
| And it came to pass at the return of the year, that
Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against
Israel. |
| And the children of Israel were numbered, and were
all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched
before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the
country. |
| And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king
of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said,
The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys,
therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and
ye shall know that I am the LORD. |
| And they pitched one over against the other seven
days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and
the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen
in one day. |
| But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there
a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left.
And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber. |
| And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have
heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us,
I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and
go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. |
| So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put
ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy
servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet
alive? he is my brother. |
| Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing
would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy
brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came
forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. |
| And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my
father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets
for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I
will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him,
and sent him away. |
| And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said
unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And
the man refused to smite him. |
| Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed
the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a
lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion
found him, and slew him. |
| Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I
pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. |
| So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by
the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. |
| And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king:
and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and,
behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep
this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his
life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. |
| And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was
gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be;
thyself hast decided it. |
| And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his
face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. |
| And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because
thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter
destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people
for his people. |
| And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and
displeased, and came to Samaria. |
| And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth
the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace
of Ahab king of Samaria. |
| And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy
vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near
unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it;
or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. |
| And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that
I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. |
| And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased
because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for
he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he
laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no
bread. |
| But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him,
Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? |
| And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth
the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or
else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and
he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. |
| And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now
govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart
be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. |
| So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them
with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles
that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. |
| And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a
fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: |
| And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear
witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And
then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. |
| And the men of his city, even the elders and the
nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent
unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto
them. |
| They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among
the people. |
| And there came in two men, children of Belial, and
sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even
against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did
blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city,
and stoned him with stones, that he died. |
| Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned,
and is dead. |
| And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth
was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take
possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to
give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. |
| And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was
dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the
Jezreelite, to take possession of it. |
| And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, |
| Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is
in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone
down to possess it. |
| And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith
the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs
licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. |
| And Ahab said to Elijah, hast thou found me, O mine
enemy? And he answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold
thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. |
| Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take
away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against
the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, |
| And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for
the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made
Israel to sin. |
| And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs
shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. |
| Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall
eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. |
| But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell
himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his
wife stirred up. |
| And he did very abominably in following idols,
according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out
before the children of Israel. |
| And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words,
that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted,
and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. |
| And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, |
| Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?
because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his
days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house. |
| And they continued three years without war between
Syria and Israel. |
| And it came to pass in the third year, that
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. |
| And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know
ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out
of the hand of the king of Syria? |
| And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me
to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I
am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. |
| And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel,
Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. |
| Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets
together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against
Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for
the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. |
| And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of
the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him? |
| And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There
is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the
LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but
evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. |
| Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said,
Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. |
| And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place
in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied
before them. |
| And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of
iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the
Syrians, until thou have consumed them. |
| And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to
Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's
hand. |
| And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah
spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare
good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like
the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. |
| And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD
saith unto me, that will I speak. |
| So he came to the king. And the king said unto him,
Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we
forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall
deliver it into the hand of the king. |
| And the king said unto him, How many times shall I
adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name
of the LORD? |
| And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the
hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have
no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. |
| And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I
not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? |
| And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the
LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven
standing by him on his right hand and on his left. |
| And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he
may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and
another said on that manner. |
| And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the
LORD, and said, I will persuade him. |
| And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said,
I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his
prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go
forth, and do so. |
| Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying
spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken
evil concerning thee. |
| But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and
smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the spirit of the
LORD from me to speak unto thee? |
| And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that
day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. |
| And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry
him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's
son; |
| And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the
prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of
affliction, until I come in peace. |
| And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace,
the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every
one of you. |
| So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah went up to Ramothgilead. |
| And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will
disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes.
And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. |
| But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two
captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with
small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. |
| And it came to pass, when the captains of the
chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of
Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat
cried out. |
| And it came to pass, when the captains of the
chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned
back from pursuing him. |
| And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote
the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said
unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the
host; for I am wounded. |
| And the battle increased that day: and the king was
stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the
blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. |
| And there went a proclamation throughout the host
about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and
every man to his own country. |
| So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and
they buried the king in Samaria. |
| And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria;
and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according
unto the word of the LORD which he spake. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he
did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he
built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel? |
| So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son
reigned in his stead. |
| And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over
Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. |
| Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he
began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And
his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. |
| And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he
turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the
LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people
offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. |
| And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his
might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? |
| And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in
the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land. |
| There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king. |
| Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir
for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber. |
| Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat,
Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would
not. |
| And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his
son reigned in his stead. |
| Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel
in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and
reigned two years over Israel. |
| And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked
in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: |
| For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked
to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had
done. |
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