1 Kings 16:29-17:7

Good News Translation

King Ahab of Israel

²⁹In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for twenty-two years. ³⁰He sinned against the Lord more than any of his predecessors. ³¹It was not enough for him to sin like King Jeroboam; he went further and married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon, and worshiped Baal. ³²He built a temple to Baal in Samaria, made an altar for him, and put it in the temple. ³³He also put up an image of the goddess Asherah. He did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel before him. ³⁴^(A)During his reign Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. As the Lord had foretold through Joshua son of Nun, Hiel lost his oldest son Abiram when he laid the foundation of Jericho, and his youngest son Segub when he built the gates.

Elijah and the Drought

17 ^(B)A prophet named Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to King Ahab, “In the name of the Lord, the living God of Israel, whom I serve, I tell you that there will be no dew or rain for the next two or three years until I say so.”

²Then the Lord said to Elijah, ³“Leave this place and go east and hide yourself near Cherith Brook, east of the Jordan. ⁴The brook will supply you with water to drink, and I have commanded ravens to bring you food there.”

⁵Elijah obeyed the Lord's command, and went and stayed by Cherith Brook. ⁶He drank water from the brook, and ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening. ⁷After a while the brook dried up because of the lack of rain.