Chapter 19

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and 1ahow he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “aSo may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your 1life as the 1life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

3 And he 1was afraid and arose and ran for his 2life and came to aBeersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a 1juniper tree; and ahe requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my 2life, for I am not better than my fathers.”

5 He lay down and slept under a 1juniper tree; and behold, there was aan angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.”

6 Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food aforty days and forty nights to bHoreb, the mountain of God.

Elijah at Horeb

9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, athe word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He said, “aI have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, btorn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And cI alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

11 So He said, “aGo forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And ba great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking 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.

12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire aa sound of a gentle blowing.

13 When Elijah heard it, ahe wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, ba voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 Then he said, “aI have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, ayou shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;

16 and aJehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and bElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

17 “It shall come about, the aone who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu bshall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.

18 “aYet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not bkissed him.”

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw ahis mantle on him.

20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please alet me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and aboiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.

Chapter 20

War with Aram

1 Now aBen-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, band there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and cbesieged Samaria and fought against it.

2 Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad,

3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’ ”

4 The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.”

5 Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says 1Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,”

6 but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and 1whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will 2take in their hand and carry away.’ ”

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and asee how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”

8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”

9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ” And the messengers departed and brought him word again.

10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May athe gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who 1follow me.”

11 Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘aLet not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’ ”

12 When Ben-hadad heard this message, as ahe was drinking 1with the kings in the 2temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Ahab Victorious

13 Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, aI will deliver them into your hand today, and byou shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

14 Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall 1begin the battle?” And he 2answered, “You.”

15 Then he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7,000.

16 They went out at noon, while aBen-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the 1temporary shelters 2with the thirty-two kings who helped him.

17 The young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.”

18 aThen he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19 So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them.

20 They 1killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen.

21 The king of Israel went out and 1struck the horses and chariots, and 1killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

22 Then athe prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for bat the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “aTheir gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

24 “Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place,

25 and 1muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

Another Aramean War

26 aAt the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to bAphek to fight against Israel.

27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, abut the Arameans filled the country.

28 Then aa man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “bThe Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore cI will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

29 So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel 1killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.

30 But the rest fled to aAphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city binto an inner chamber.

31 aHis servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us bput sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your 1life.”

32 So athey girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “bYour servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

33 Now the men 1took this as an omen, and quickly 2catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he 3took him up into the chariot.

34 Ben-hadad said to him, “aThe cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

35 Now a certain man of athe sons of the prophets said to 1another bby the word of the Lord, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him.

36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, aa lion will 1kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and 2killed him.

37 Then he found another man and said, “Please 1strike me.” And the man 2struck him, 3wounding him.

38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and adisguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

39 As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, athen your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

40 “While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”

41 Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets.

42 He said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore ayour 1life shall go for his 1life, and your people for his people.’ ”

43 So athe king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.

Chapter 21

Ahab Covets Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in aJezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “aGive me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if 1you like, I will give you the price of 2it in money.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me athat I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

4 aSo Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no 1food.

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating 1food?”

6 So he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”

7 Jezebel his wife said to him, “aDo you now 1reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 aSo she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to bthe elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city.

9 Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people;

10 and seat two aworthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘bYou cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and cstone him 1to death.”

Jezebel’s Plot

11 So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them.

12 They aproclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.

13 Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” aSo they took him outside the city and stoned him 1to death with stones.

14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.”

16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, awho is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it.

19 “You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “aHave you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “bIn the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.” ’ ”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “aHave you found me, O my enemy?” And he 1answered, “I have found you, bbecause you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.

21 “Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and awill utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

22 and aI will make your house blike the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you chave made Israel sin.

23 “Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, ‘aThe dogs will eat Jezebel in the 1district of Jezreel.’

24 “aThe one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat.”

25 aSurely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, 1because Jezebel his wife incited him.

26 aHe acted very abominably in following idols, baccording to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel.

27 It came about when Ahab heard these words, that ahe tore his clothes and put 1on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about 2despondently.

28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house ain his son’s days.”