1 Kings 16:29-17:6

New International Version

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 more^(A) 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 married^(B) Jezebel daughter^(C) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal^(D) and worship him. ³² He set up an altar^(E) for Baal in the temple^(F) of Baal that he built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole^(G) and did more^(H) 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.^(I)

Elijah Announces a Great Drought

17 Now Elijah^(J) the Tishbite, from Tishbe^[a] in Gilead,^(K) said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain^(L) in the next few years except at my word.”

Elijah Fed by Ravens

² Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ³ “Leave here, turn eastward and hide^(M) in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. ⁴ You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens^(N) to supply you with food there.”

⁵ So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning^(O) and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.