n See ch. 17.1. o 2 Kin. 2. 16. Ezek. 3. 12, 14 & 8. 3. Acts 8. 39. p ver. 4. qCp. ch. 21. Cp. Josh. 20. 7.25. : I. KINGS. unto all the brooks: peradventure 1 Or, and lose none of 2 Or, angiver bel's table. [CHAP. 18, V. 31. 17. 41. 2 Josh. 24. 15. 6.24. Cp. Matt. all the children of Israel, and gath 20 So Ahab sent unto ered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came How long "halt ye between two y Cp. 2 Kin. near unto all the people, and said, opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. jah unto the people, a I, even I only, a ch. 19. 22 Then said EliBaal's prophets are four hundred b ver. 19. am left a prophet of the LORD; but 10, 14. and fifty men. fore give us two bullocks; and let 23 Let them thereselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay them choose one bullock for themit on the wood, and put no fire bullock, and lay it on the wood, and under and I will dress the other put no fire under. 24 And call ye will call on the name of the LORD: on the name of your god, and I and the God that answereth by eSee ver. 38. fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you dress it first; for ye are many; and one bullock for yourselves, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under. : 26 And they took the bullock which was given 19. 28 But there was no voice, leaped about the altar which was nor any that answered. And they made. 27 And it came to pass at and said, Cry aloud: for he is a noon, that Elijah mocked them, god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is in a journey, must be awaked. 28 And they cried or peradventure he sleepeth, and aloud, and cut themselves after a Cp. Lev. lances, till the blood gushed out their manner with knives and upon them. 29 And it was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening oblation; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any 5 that regarded. 30 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 thrown down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, 3 Or, limped 4 Or, swords 354 & 35. 10. 2 Kin. 17. 34. Lev. 1. 7. 6. 20. j ver. 29. * See Ex. 3.6. Josh. 4.24. 1 Sam. 17. Cp. Num. 16.28. according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, 9 Gen. 32.28 saying, Israel shall be thy name. 32 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 A Gen. 22.9. measures of seed. 33" And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four bariCp. Judg. rels with water, and 'pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood, 34 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. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the of fering of the evening oblation, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, O LORD, the God of Abraham, of 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. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou, LORD, art God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38" Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and they said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God. 40 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. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of CarCp. James mel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. 43 And he 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 n ver. 24. See Lev. 9.24. over. 24. Judg. 4.7. 10. 25. 4. 17, 18. 12. 54. times. 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of Cp. Luke the sea, as small as a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, 8 Make ready thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45 And it came to pass in a little while, that the heaven grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 " And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of "Jezreel. v น 1 And Ahab told Jezebel Josh, 17. 16. u 2 Kin. 3. 15 Ezek. 1. 3 v Ex. 12. 11. 19 all that Elijah had done, and Josh. 17. 2 ch. 18. 40. 10. See Ruth 1. 17. 21. 31. a Cp. Num. n 3, 8. & Jonah 4. withal how he had slain all 16, the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the Cp. ch. 20. 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. 34And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which be- 2 See Gen. longeth 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 5 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. 5 And he lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 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. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty Ex. 24. 18 nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 9And 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 d ver. 13. doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous Num. 25. for the LORD, the God of hosts; 1 Or, a two-seak measure 2 Or, for thou didst turn their heart backward 3 Or, Yoke 4 According to some ancient authorities, And he was afraid, and arose. 5 Or, broom 6 Or, hot stones & 34. 28. Deut. 9. 9, 18. Matt. 4. 2. Mark 1. 13. Luke 4. 2. c Ex. 3. 1. 11, 13. Cited ch. 18. 4. ch. 18. 22. i Ex. 24. 12 & 34. 2. jEzek. 1.4. k Ezek. 37.7. 1 Job 4. 16 m Cp. Ex. 3. 6. n ver. 9. e Num. 25. 11, 13. m I. KINGS. for the children of Israel have forfch. 18.30. saken thy covenant, thrown down Rom. 11.3. 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. 11 And he said, Go forth, and 'stand upon the mount before the LORD. the LORD passed by, and a great And, behold, 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 k an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire 1a'still small voice. 13 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. behold, "there came a voice unto And, him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD, the 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. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way 2 to the wilderness of Damascus : and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: p See 2 Kin. 16 P and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Sha2 Kin. 2. phat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth from "the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him 8 See 2 Kin. that escapeth from the sword of Jehu'shall Elisha slay. will I leave me seven thousand in 18" Yet Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth Which hath not "kissed him. 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oren before him, and he with the twelfth and Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, * Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and o Cp. Ecclus. 48. 8. 9. 1-6. q Cp. ver. 19-21 9, 15. r2 Kin. 8. 12 & 13, 3, 22. ch. 9. & 10. t Cp. Hos. 6.3. u Cited Rom. 11.4. v Cp. Hos. 13. 2. w2 Kin. 2.8. Cp. Matt. 8. 21, 22 & Luke 9. 61, 62. 8 [CHAP. 20, V. 10. my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again; for what have I done following him, and took the yoke to thee? 21 And he returned from of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of y Cp.2 Sam. and they did eat. Then he arose, the oxen, and gave unto the people, 24.22. and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. b Cp. 2 Kin. 24 18. 20 of Syria gathered all his host 38.7. 6. 15 (mg.). I And a Ben-hadad the king a2 Kin. 6. thirty and two kings with him, and b ch. 22. 31. together and there were Cp. ch. 15. horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and c ch. 16. 24. fought against it. messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, 2 And he sent Thus saith Ben-hadad, 3 Thy silver also and thy children, even the and thy gold is mine; thy wives goodliest, are mine. 4 And the king of Israel answered and said, It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king; I am thine, and all that I have. 5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 6 but 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 4d whatsoever is plea- d Ezek. 24. in their hand, and take it away. sant in thine eyes, they shall put it 7 Then the king of Israel called all Mark, I pray you, and see how the elders of the land, and said, this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and 8 And all the elders and all the peofor my gold; and I denied him not. ple said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent. he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All 9 Wherefore 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. 10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, "The gods do g ch. 19. 2. dust of Samaria shall suffice for so unto me, and more also, if the 3 Or, roasted 1 Heb. a sound of gentle stillness. * Cp. ch. 16. 9. jver. 28. 36. Judg. 4. 10 handfuls for all the people that (for mg.). 1 follow me. 11 And the king of IsCp. Ex. 11. 8. rael answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast himself as he that putteth it off. 12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as 'he was drinking, he and the kings, in the 2 pavilions, that he said unto his servants, 3Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city. 13 And, behold, a prophet came near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this * Cp. ch. 18. day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou. 15 Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the 2 pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. 17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out from Samaria. 18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. 19 So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20 And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. 22 And the prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for mat the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. I ver. 13. m 2 Sam. 11. 1. 6 17. 23 And the servants of the king 1 Heb. are at my feet. 2 Or, huts 3 Or, Place the engines. And they placed the engines 4 Or, 9 Or, from chamber to chamber 7 Or, governors See ch. 10. 15. 8 Or, the r ch. 22. 25. 2 Kin. 9. 2. 2 Chr. 18. 24. 3. 31. t ch. 15. 20. u Cp. ch. 11 24. v 2 Kin. 2. 3, 5, 7, 15. w ch. 13. 17, 18. 24. yl Sam. 28.8. said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. 33 Now the men observed diligently, and hasted 2to catch whether it were his mind; and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad 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. And I, said Ahab, will let thee go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go. 35 And a certain man of "the sons of the prophets said unto his fellow "by the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. 36 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 Cp. ch. 13. from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, smiting and wounding him. 38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes. 39 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 2 Cp. 2 Kin. be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. 40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgement be; thyself hast decided it. 41 And he hasted, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore *thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. 43 And the king of Israel went to his 10. 24. a ch. 21. 4. house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria. 4 And eCp. 1 Sam 8. 14. Lev. 25. 23. Num. 36.7. 18. Ezek. 46. e ch. 20. 43. 1 And it came to pass after 21 these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in 'Jezreel, hard by the bch. 18. 45, palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 46. 2 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. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, d that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 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. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 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. 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now gov ern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote 4 letters in Ahab's Cp. Esth. name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 and set two men, s sons of Belial, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, according as it was written in the letters which she 1 Or, took it as an omen (Heb. divined), and hasted 8 Heb. from him. 4 Or, a letter 5 Or, at the head of 2 Another reading is, to catch it from him. 6 That is, worthlessness. 7 Or, renounce 3. 12. g ch. 20. 7. Ruth 4.2. See Deut. 13. 13. Ex. 22. 28. Lev. 24.16. Cp. Acts 6. & 23. 5. |