Elijah Announces Famine

17 Now Elijah^(A) the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers,^[a](B) said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives,^(C) in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” ^(D)

² Then the word of the Lord came to him: ³ “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide^(E) at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. ⁴ You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens^(F) to provide for you there.”

⁵ So he proceeded to do what the Lord commanded. Elijah left and lived at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. ⁶ The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening,^(G) and he would drink from the wadi. ⁷ After a while, the wadi dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

Elijah and the Widow

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him: ⁹ “Get up, go to Zarephath^(H) that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” ¹⁰ So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.”^{(I) 11} As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

¹² But she said, “As the Lord your God lives,^(J) I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil^(K) in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”^(L)

¹³ Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, ¹⁴ for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’”^(M)

¹⁵ So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days.^{(N) 16} The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through^[b] Elijah.

The Widow’s Son Raised

¹⁷ After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing.^{(O) 18} She said to Elijah, “Man of God,^(P) what do you have against me?^(Q) Have you come to call attention to my iniquity^(R) so that my son is put to death?”

¹⁹ But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room^(S) where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰ Then he cried out to the Lord^(T) and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times.^(U) He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!”

²² So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.^{(V) 23} Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother.^(W) Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.”

²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God^(X) and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”^(Y)

Elijah’s Message to Ahab

18 After a long time, the word of the Lord^(Z) came to Elijah in the third year:^(AA) “Go and present yourself to Ahab.^(AB) I will send rain on the surface of the land.” ² So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

The famine was severe in Samaria.^{(AC) 3} Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace.^(AD) Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the Lord^{(AE) 4} and took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel^(AF) slaughtered the Lord’s prophets.^{(AG) 5} Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and to every wadi. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.”^{(AH) 6} They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.

⁷ While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him.^(AI) When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”

⁸ “It is I,” he replied. “Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here!’” ^[c]

⁹ But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed,^(AJ) that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? ¹⁰ As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you.

¹¹ “Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!”’ ¹² But when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord may carry you off^(AK) to some place I don’t know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth. ¹³ Wasn’t it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets? I hid a hundred of the prophets of the Lord, fifty men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water. ¹⁴ Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!”’ He will kill me!”

¹⁵ Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of Armies lives,^(AL) in whose presence I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab.”

¹⁶ Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one ruining Israel?” ^(AM)

¹⁸ He replied, “I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands^(AN) and followed the Baals.^{(AO) 19} Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,^(AP) along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah^(AQ) who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah at Mount Carmel

²⁰ So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. ²¹ Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions?^[d](AR) If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.”^(AS) But the people didn’t answer him a word.

²² Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord,^(AT) but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. ²³ Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. ²⁴ Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord.^(AU) The God who answers with fire, he is God.”

All the people answered, “That’s fine.”

²⁵ Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.”

²⁶ So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound;^(AV) no one answered. Then they danced^[e] around the altar they had made.

²⁷ At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away;^[f] or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!” ^{(AW) 28} They shouted loudly, and cut themselves^(AX) with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. ²⁹ All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice,^(AY) but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.^(AZ)

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down:^{(BA) 31} Elijah took twelve stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”^(BB)— ³² and he built an altar^(BC) with the stones in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.^{[g][h] 33} Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.” ³⁴ Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time. ³⁵ So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.

³⁶ At the time for offering the evening sacrifice,^(BD) the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,^(BE) today let it be known^(BF) that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things. ³⁷ Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God^(BG) and that you have turned their hearts back.”

³⁸ Then the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ When all the people saw it, they fell facedown^(BH) and said, “The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!” ^(BI)

⁴⁰ Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal!^(BJ) Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon^(BK) and slaughtered them there.^{(BL) 41} Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”^(BM)

⁴² So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.^(BN) He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees.^{(BO) 43} Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.”

So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.”

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

⁴⁴ On the seventh^(BP) time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming up from the sea.”

Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’”

⁴⁵ In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.^{(BQ) 46} The power of the Lord^(BR) was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt^(BS) and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Elijah’s Journey to Horeb

19 Ahab told Jezebel^(BT) everything that Elijah had done^(BU) and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.^{(BV) 2} So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely^(BW) if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”

³ Then Elijah became afraid^[i](BX) and immediately ran for his life.^(BY) When he came to Beer-sheba^(BZ) that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,^{(CA) 4} but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree^(CB) and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life,^(CC) for I’m no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

Suddenly, an angel touched him.^(CD) The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.^(CE) So he ate and drank and lay down again. ⁷ Then the angel of the Lord^(CF) returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights^(CG) to Horeb, the mountain of God.^{(CH) 9} He entered a cave^(CI) there and spent the night.

Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord

Suddenly, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ^(CJ)

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous^(CK) for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant,^(CL) torn down your altars,^(CM) and killed your prophets^(CN) with the sword. I alone am left,^(CO) and they are looking for me to take my life.”^(CP)

¹¹ Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.”^(CQ)

At that moment, the Lord passed by.^(CR) A great and mighty wind^(CS) was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,^(CT) but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake there was a fire,^(CU) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.^{(CV) 13} When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle^(CW) and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁴ “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”^(CX)

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael^(CY) as king over Aram. ¹⁶ You are to anoint Jehu^(CZ) son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha^(DA) son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. ¹⁷ Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael,^(DB) and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.^{(DC) 18} But I will leave seven thousand in Israel^(DD)—every knee that has not bowed to Baal^(DE) and every mouth that has not kissed him.”^(DF)

Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Successor

¹⁹ Elijah left there and found Elisha^(DG) son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him.^{(DH) 20} Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”^(DI)

“Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?”

²¹ So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered^[j] them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow,^(DJ) he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.^(DK)

Victory over Ben-hadad

20 Now King Ben-hadad^(DL) of Aram assembled his entire army. Thirty-two kings,^(DM) along with horses and chariots, were with him. He marched up, besieged Samaria,^(DN) and fought against it. ² He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel and said to him, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ³ ‘Your silver and your gold are mine! And your best wives and children are mine as well!’” ^(DO)

⁴ Then the king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”

⁵ The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying, “You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.” ⁶ But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you,^[k](DP) and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.’”

⁷ Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, “Recognize^[l] that this one is only looking for trouble,^(DQ) for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”

⁸ All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen or agree.”

⁹ So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Say to my lord the king, ‘Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers left and took word back to him.

¹⁰ Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said, “May the gods punish me and do so severely^(DR) if Samaria’s dust^(DS) amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.”

¹¹ The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast^(DT) like the one who takes it off.’”

¹² When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking^(DU) in their quarters,^[m] he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.

¹³ A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the Lord.’”^(DV)

¹⁴ Ahab asked, “By whom?”

And the prophet said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘By the young men of the provincial leaders.’”

Then he asked, “Who is to start the battle?” ^(DW)

He said, “You.”

¹⁵ So Ahab mobilized the young men of the provincial leaders, and there were 232. After them he mobilized all the Israelite troops: 7,000.^{(DX) 16} They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings^(DY) who were helping him were getting drunk in their quarters. ¹⁷ The young men of the provincial leaders marched out first. Then Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”^(DZ)

¹⁸ So he said, “If they have marched out in peace,^(EA) take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”

¹⁹ The young men of the provincial leaders and the army behind them marched out from the city, ²⁰ and each one struck down his opponent.^(EB) So the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them,^(EC) but King Ben-hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry. ²¹ Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a severe slaughter on Aram.

²² The prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go and strengthen yourself, then consider carefully^[n] what you should do, for in the spring^(ED) the king of Aram will attack you.”

²³ Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country.^(EE) That’s why they were stronger than we were. Instead, we should fight with them on the plain; then we will certainly be stronger than they are. ²⁴ Also do this: remove each king from his position and appoint captains in their place. ²⁵ Raise another army for yourself like the army you lost—horse for horse, chariot for chariot—and let’s fight with them on the plain; and we will certainly be stronger than they are.” The king listened to them and did it.

²⁶ In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek^(EF) to battle Israel. ²⁷ The Israelites mobilized, gathered supplies, and went to fight them. The Israelites camped in front of them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the landscape.^(EG)

²⁸ Then the man of God^(EH) approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,”^(EI) I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”^(EJ)

²⁹ They camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day,^(EK) the battle took place, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—one hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day. ³⁰ The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men.

Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner room^(EL) in the city. ³¹ His servants said to him, “Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So let’s put sackcloth around our waists^(EM) and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

³² So they dressed with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’”

So he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

³³ Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, so they quickly picked up on this^[o] and responded, “Yes, it is your brother Ben-hadad.”

Then he said, “Go and bring him.”

So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him come up into the chariot. ³⁴ Then Ben-hadad said to him, “I restore to you the cities that my father took from your father,^(EN) and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, like my father set up in Samaria.”^(EO)

Ahab responded, “On the basis of this treaty, I release you.” So he made a treaty with him and released him.

Ahab Rebuked by the Lord

³⁵ One of the sons of the prophets^(EP) said to his fellow prophet by the word of the Lord, “Strike me!” But the man refused to strike him.

³⁶ He told him, “Because you did not listen to the Lord, mark my words: When you leave me, a lion will kill you.”^(EQ) When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.

³⁷ The prophet found another man and said to him, “Strike me!” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. ³⁸ Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguised^(ER) himself with a bandage over his eyes. ³⁹ As the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your life in place of his life,^(ES) or you will weigh out seventy-five pounds^[p] of silver.’ ⁴⁰ But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.”

The king of Israel said to him, “That will be your sentence; you yourself have decided it.”^(ET)

⁴¹ He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets. ⁴² The prophet said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you released from your hand the man I had set apart for destruction,^(EU) it will be your life in place of his life and your people in place of his people.’” ⁴³ The king of Israel left for home resentful and angry,^(EV) and he entered Samaria.

Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard

21 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel^(EW) next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.^{(EX) 2} So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard^(EY) so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

³ But Naboth said to Ahab, “As the Lord is my witness, I will never give my ancestors’ inheritance^(EZ) to you.”

⁴ So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry^(FA) because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my ancestors’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away,^(FB) and didn’t eat any food.^(FC)

⁵ Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat?”

⁶ “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard!’”

⁷ Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”^{(FD) 8} So she wrote letters^(FE) in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal.^(FF) She sent the letters to the elders^(FG) and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. ⁹ In the letters, she wrote:

Proclaim a fast^(FH) and seat Naboth at the head of the people. ¹⁰ Then seat two wicked men^(FI) opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!” ^(FJ) Then take him out and stone him to death.^(FK)

¹¹ The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them. ¹² They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. ¹³ The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. ¹⁴ Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”^(FL)

¹⁵ When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver,^(FM) since Naboth isn’t alive, but dead.” ¹⁶ When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.

The Lord’s Judgment on Ahab

¹⁷ Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:^{(FN) 18} “Get up and go to meet King Ahab of Israel,^(FO) who is in Samaria.^(FP) He’s in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. ¹⁹ Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered^(FQ) and also taken possession?’ ^(FR) Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood!’” ^(FS)

²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?” ^(FT)

He replied, “I have found you because you devoted^(FU) yourself to do what is evil in the Lord’s sight. ²¹ This is what the Lord says:^[q] ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants:

²² I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam^(FW) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha^(FX) son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’^{(FY) 23} The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land^[t] at Jezreel:^(FZ)

²⁵ Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.^{(GB) 26} He committed the most detestable acts by following idols^(GC) as the Amorites^(GD) had, whom the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.

²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth^(GE) and walked around subdued. ²⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹ “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,^(GF) because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”^(GG)

Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab

22 There was^(GH) a lull of three years^(GI) without war between Aram and Israel. ² However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat^(GJ) of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.^{(GK) 3} The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead^(GL) is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” ⁴ So^(GM) he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?” ^(GN)

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”^{(GO) 5} But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”^(GP)

⁶ So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men,^(GQ) and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”

They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”^(GR)

⁷ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore?^(GS) Let’s ask him.”

⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him^(GT) because he never prophesies good about me,^(GU) but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

⁹ So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

¹⁰ Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah,^(GV) clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor^(GW) at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. ¹¹ Then Zedekiah^(GX) son of Chenaanah made iron horns^(GY) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” ¹² And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead^(GZ) and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

Micaiah’s Message of Defeat

¹³ The messenger^(HA) who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

¹⁴ But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives,^(HB) I will say whatever the Lord says to me.”^(HC)

¹⁵ So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?”

Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. The Lord will hand it over to the king.”

¹⁶ But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

¹⁷ So Micaiah said:

¹⁸ So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”

¹⁹ Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne,^(HF) and the whole heavenly army^(HG) was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand. ²⁰ And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ ^(HH) So one was saying this and another was saying that.

²¹ “Then a spirit came forward, stood in the Lord’s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

²² “The Lord asked him, ‘How?’

“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit^(HI) in the mouth of all his prophets.’

“Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.^(HJ) Go and do that.’

²³ “You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah^(HK) son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did^[v] the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” ^(HL)

²⁵ Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”^(HM)

²⁶ Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,^{(HN) 27} and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison^(HO) and feed him only a little bread and water^[w] until I come back safely.’”

²⁸ But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.”^(HP) Then he said, “Listen, all you people!” ^[x](HQ)

Ahab’s Death

²⁹ Then^(HR) the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.^{(HS) 30} But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise^(HT) myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.^(HU)

³¹ Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders,^(HV) “Do not fight with anyone at all^[y] except the king of Israel.”^(HW)

³² When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³ When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

³⁴ But a man drew his bow^(HX) without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,^[z] for I am badly wounded!” ^{(HY) 35} The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,^(HZ) and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. ³⁶ Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:

³⁷ So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.^{(IB) 38} Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken.^(IC)

³⁹ The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace^(ID) he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(IE) 40} Ahab rested with his ancestors,^(IF) and his son Ahaziah^(IG) became king in his place.

Judah’s King Jehoshaphat

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat^(IH) son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab. ⁴² Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³ He walked in all the ways of his father Asa;^(II) he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away;^[aa] the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.^{(IJ) 44} Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.^(IK)

⁴⁵ The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^{(IL) 46} He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.^{(IM) 47} There was no king in Edom;^(IN) a deputy served as king. ⁴⁸ Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish^(IO) to go to Ophir^(IP) for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.^{(IQ) 49} At that time, Ahaziah^(IR) son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. ⁵⁰ Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David.^(IS) His son Jehoram^(IT) became king in his place.

Israel’s King Ahaziah

⁵¹ Ahaziah^(IU) son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria^(IV) in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat,^(IW) and he reigned over Israel two years. ⁵² He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.^(IX) He walked in the ways of his father,^(IY) in the ways of his mother,^(IZ) and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.^{(JA) 53} He served Baal and bowed in worship to him.^(JB) He angered the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.^(JC)