1 Kings 16:29-34

New International Version

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

²⁹In 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. ³⁰Ahab son of Omri did more^(A) evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. ³¹He 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. ³²He set up an altar^(E) for Baal in the temple^(F) of Baal that he built in Samaria. ³³Ahab 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.

³⁴In 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)

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1 Kings 18:1-6

New International Version

Elijah and Obadiah

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

Now the famine was severe^(D) in Samaria, ³and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator.^(E) (Obadiah was a devout believer^(F) in the Lord. ⁴While Jezebel^(G) was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden^(H) them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied^(I) them with food and water.) ⁵Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs^(J) and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.”^(K) ⁶So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.