Ahab Becomes King of Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did moret evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also marriedu Jezebel daughterv of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baalw and worship him. 32 He set up an altarx for Baal in the templey of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah polez and did morea to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

34 In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.b

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

17 Now Elijahc the Tishbite, from Tishbea in Gilead,d said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor raine in the next few years except at my word.”