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Nadab King of Israel
25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel during the second year Asa was king of Judah. Nadab ·was king of [reigned over] Israel for two years, 26 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam had led the people of Israel to sin, and Nadab ·sinned in the same way as his father Jeroboam [L walked in the way/path of his father and in his sin].
27 Baasha son of Ahijah, from the ·tribe [L house] of Issachar, ·made plans to kill Nadab [plotted/conspired against him]. Nadab and all Israel were ·attacking [laying siege to] the Philistine town of Gibbethon, so Baasha killed Nadab there. 28 ·This happened [Baasha killed him] during Asa’s third year as king of Judah, and ·Baasha became the next king of Israel [reigned in his place].
Baasha King of Israel
29 As soon as Baasha became king, he killed all of Jeroboam’s ·family [L house], leaving no one in Jeroboam’s ·family [L house] alive. He destroyed them all ·as the Lord had said would happen [L according to the word which the Lord spoke] ·through [L by the hand of] his servant Ahijah from Shiloh. 30 All this was because King Jeroboam had sinned very much and had led the people of Israel to sin, ·provoking [arousing] the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger.
31 Everything else Nadab did ·is [L is it not…?]written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Israel. 32 There was war between Asa [C king of Judah] and Baasha king of Israel all ·the time they ruled [their days].
33 Baasha son of Ahijah became king of Israel during Asa’s third year as king of Judah. Baasha ruled in Tirzah for twenty-four years, 34 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam had led the people of Israel to sin, and Baasha ·sinned in the same way as [L walked in the way of] Jeroboam.
16 Jehu son of Hanani spoke the word of the Lord against King Baasha. 2 The Lord said, “·You were nothing, but I took you [L I raised/exalted you from the dust] and made you ·a leader [ruler] over my people Israel. But you have ·followed [L walked in] the ·ways [paths] of Jeroboam and have led my people Israel to sin. Their sins have ·made me angry [provoked/aroused me to anger], 3 so, Baasha, I will soon ·destroy [consume; wipe out] you and your ·family [L house]. I will do to you what I did to the ·family [L house] of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 4 Anyone ·from your family [L of Baasha] who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone from your ·family [L house] who dies in the ·fields [country] will be eaten by ·birds [vultures; L birds of the air/sky].”
5 Everything else Baasha did and all his victories ·are [L are they not…?] written down in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Israel. 6 So Baasha ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Tirzah, and his son Elah became king in his place.
7 The Lord spoke his word against Baasha and his ·family [L house] through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. Baasha had done ·many things the Lord said were wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], ·which made the Lord very angry [L provoking/arousing him to anger with the works of his hand]. He did the same evil deeds that Jeroboam’s ·family [L house] had done before him. ·The Lord also spoke against Baasha because he killed all of [And Baasha had also destroyed/struck] Jeroboam’s ·family [L house].
Elah King of Israel
8 Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel during Asa’s twenty-sixth year as king of Judah, and Elah ruled in Tirzah for two years.
9 Zimri, one of Elah’s ·officers [officials; L servants], commanded half of Elah’s chariots. Zimri ·made plans [plotted; conspired] against Elah while the king was in Tirzah, getting drunk at Arza’s home. (Arza was ·in charge of the palace [L over the household] at Tirzah.) 10 Zimri went into Arza’s house and ·killed [L struck down and killed] Elah during Asa’s twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Then Zimri became king of Israel in Elah’s place.
Zimri King of Israel
11 As soon as Zimri became king, he killed all of Baasha’s ·family [L house], not allowing ·any of Baasha’s family [L any male/one who urinates against the wall, of his relatives] or friends to live. 12 So Zimri destroyed all of Baasha’s ·family [L house] ·just as the Lord had said it would happen [L according to the word of the Lord as spoken] through the prophet Jehu. 13 Baasha and his son Elah sinned and led the people of Israel to sin, ·provoking [arousing] the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger because of their worthless idols.
14 Everything else Elah did ·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Israel.
15 So during Asa’s twenty-seventh year as king of Judah, Zimri became king of Israel and ruled in Tirzah seven days.
The ·army of Israel [people] was camped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town. 16 The men in the camp heard that Zimri had ·made secret plans [plotted; conspired] against King Elah and had killed him. So that day in the camp ·they [L all Israel] made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel. 17 So Omri and all the Israelite army left Gibbethon and ·attacked [besieged] Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the ·palace [L citadel of the king’s house] and set it on fire, burning the palace and himself with it. 19 So Zimri died because he had sinned by doing ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam had led the people of Israel to sin, and Zimri ·sinned in the same way as [L walked in the way/path of] Jeroboam.
20 Everything else Zimri did and ·the story of how he turned [his conspiracy] against King Elah ·are [L are they not…?] written down in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Israel.
Omri King of Israel
21 The people of Israel were divided into two ·groups [factions; parts]. Half of the people ·wanted [followed; supported] Tibni son of Ginath to be king, while the other half ·wanted [followed; supported] Omri. 22 Omri’s followers ·were stronger than [prevailed over; overcame] the followers of Tibni son of Ginath, so Tibni died, and Omri became king.
23 Omri became king of Israel during the thirty-first year Asa was king of Judah. Omri ruled Israel for twelve years, six of those years in the city of Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for ·about one hundred fifty pounds [L two talents] of silver. Omri built a ·city [fortified city] on that hill and called it Samaria after the name of its earlier owner, Shemer.
25 But Omri did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]; he did more evil than all the kings who came before him. 26 Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to sin, and Omri ·sinned in the same way as [L walked in the way/path of] Jeroboam. The Israelites ·provoked [aroused] the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger ·because they worshiped [with their] worthless idols.
27 Everything else Omri did and all his successes ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 14:19] of the kings of Israel. 28 So Omri ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria, and his son Ahab became king in his place.
Ahab King of Israel
29 Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel during Asa’s thirty-eighth year as king of Judah, and Ahab ·ruled [reigned over] Israel in the city of Samaria for twenty-two years. 30 More than any king before him, Ahab son of Omri did ·many things the Lord said were wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. 31 He ·sinned in the same ways as [L walked in the ways/paths of] Jeroboam son of Nebat, ·but he did even worse things [L as though it were a light/trivial thing]. He married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal, the king of Sidon. Then Ahab began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He built a ·temple [L house] in Samaria for worshiping Baal and put an altar there for Baal. 33 Ahab also ·made an idol for worshiping Asherah [set up an Asherah pole; 14:15]. He did more things to ·provoke [arouse] the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the other kings before him.
34 During the time of Ahab, Hiel from Bethel rebuilt the city of Jericho. ·It cost Hiel the life of Abiram, his oldest son, to begin work on the city [L With Abiram, his firstborn, he laid its foundation], and ·it cost the life of Segub, his youngest son, to build [L with Segub, his youngest, he set up] the city gates. This happened ·just as the Lord, speaking [L according to the word of the Lord spoken] ·through [L by the hand of] Joshua son of Nun [Josh. 6:26].
Elijah Stops the Rain
17 Now Elijah the Tishbite was a prophet from the settlers in Gilead. “I ·serve [L stand before] the Lord, the God of Israel,” Elijah said to Ahab. “As surely as the Lord lives, no dew or rain will fall during the next few years ·unless I command it [except by my word; C the people were worshiping the false god Baal whom they believed brought rain].”
2 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [word of the Lord came] to Elijah: 3 “Leave this place and go east and hide near Kerith ·Ravine [Brook; Wadi] east of the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the stream, and I have ·commanded [ordered] ravens to bring you food there.” 5 So Elijah did ·what the Lord said [L according to the word of the Lord]; he went to Kerith ·Ravine [Brook; Wadi], east of the Jordan, and lived there. 6 The ·birds [ravens] brought Elijah bread and meat every morning and evening, and he drank water from the stream.
7 After a while the stream dried up because there was no rain in the land. 8 Then the ·Lord spoke his word to Elijah [L word of the Lord came to him], 9 “Go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to ·take care of [provide for; feed] you.”
10 So Elijah went to Zarephath. When he reached the town gate, he saw a widow gathering ·wood for a fire [sticks]. Elijah asked her, “·Would you [Please] bring me a little water in a ·cup [jar; pitcher] so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get his water, Elijah said, “Please bring me a ·piece [scrap] of bread [L in your hand].”
12 The woman answered, “As surely as the Lord your God lives, I have no bread. I have only a handful of flour in a ·jar [bowl] and only a little olive oil in a jug. I came here to gather some wood so I could go home and cook our last meal. My son and I will eat it and then die [C of hunger].”
13 “Don’t ·worry [be afraid],” Elijah said to her. “Go home and cook your food as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread from the flour you have, and bring it to me. Then cook something for yourself and your son. 14 The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘That jar of flour will never be ·empty [spent; used up], and the jug will ·always have oil in it [not run dry/fail/be empty], until the day the Lord sends rain to the land.’”
15 So the woman went home and did what Elijah told her to do. And the woman and her ·son and Elijah [family; L household] had enough food ·every day [L for many days]. 16 The ·jar [bowl] of flour and the jug of oil were never empty, ·just as the Lord, through Elijah, had promised [L according to the word of the Lord, spoken through Elijah].
Elijah Brings a Boy Back to Life
17 ·Some time later [L After these things] the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. He grew worse and worse and finally ·stopped breathing [died; L there remained no breath in him]. 18 The woman said to Elijah, “Man of God, what ·have you done to me [do you have against me; L to me and to you]? Did you come here to ·remind me of [reveal; point out] my sin and to kill my son?”
19 Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” Elijah took the boy from ·her [her arms/lap/L bosom], carried him upstairs, and laid him on the bed in the room where he was staying. 20 Then he prayed to the Lord: “Lord my God, this widow is letting me stay in her house. Why have you ·done this terrible thing [brought tragedy/calamity] to her and caused her son to die?” 21 Then Elijah ·lay on top of [stretched himself on] the boy three times. He prayed to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this ·boy live again [boy’s life/breath/soul return to him]!”
22 The Lord ·answered [heard] Elijah’s ·prayer [cry; L voice]; the ·boy began breathing again [boy’s life/breath/soul returned to him] and ·was alive [revived]. 23 Elijah carried the boy downstairs and gave him to his mother and said, “See! Your son is alive!”
24 “Now I know you really are a man from God,” the woman said to Elijah. “I know that the ·Lord truly speaks through you [L word of the Lord in your mouth is true]!”
24 On the following day they came to Caesarea [10:1]. Cornelius was ·waiting for [expecting] them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. 26 But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am only a ·human [mortal].” 27 As he talked with Cornelius, Peter went inside where he ·saw [L found] many people gathered. 28 He said, “You people understand that it is against our law for Jewish people to associate with or visit anyone who is a ·foreigner [Gentile]. But God has shown me that I should not call any person unholy [profane; common] or unclean [defiled]. 29 That is why I did not ·argue [object] when I was asked to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago [10:3], I was praying in my house at this same time—·three o’clock in the afternoon [L at the ninth hour]. Suddenly, there was a man standing before me wearing ·shining [dazzling] clothes. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and ·has seen that you give to the poor and remembers you [L your alms have been remembered by/before God]. 32 So send some men to Joppa and ask Simon [L who is called] Peter to come. Peter is staying [as a guest] in the house of a man, ·also named Simon, who is a tanner [or named Simon Byrseus; 9:43] and has a house beside the sea [see 10:5–6].’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was ·very good [kind] of you to come. Now we are all here ·before [in the presence of; or available to] God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34 Peter ·began to speak [L opened his mouth]: “I ·really [truly] understand now that ·to God every person is the same [God does not show favoritism/partiality]. 35 [L But] In every ·country [nation] God accepts anyone who ·worships [L fears] him and ·does what is right [practices righteousness]. 36 You know the ·message [word] that God has sent to the people of Israel ·is the Good News that peace [announcing/proclaiming the Gospel of peace that] has come through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all people [C both Jews and Gentiles]! 37 You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after John [C the Baptist] preached to the people about baptism [Luke 3]. 38 You know about Jesus from Nazareth, that God ·gave him [L anointed him with] the Holy Spirit and power. You know how Jesus went everywhere doing good and healing those who were ·ruled [oppressed] by the devil, because God was with him. 39 We ·saw [witnessed] what Jesus did in [L the region/country of] Judea and in Jerusalem, but ·the Jews in Jerusalem [L they] killed him by hanging him on a ·cross [L tree]. 40 Yet, on the third day, God raised Jesus ·to life [or from the dead] and caused him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but only by the witnesses God had already chosen. And we are those witnesses who ate and drank with him after he was raised from the dead. 42 He ·told [commanded] us to preach to the people and to ·tell them [testify; bear witness] that he is the one whom God ·chose [appointed; determined] to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets ·say it is true [witnessed; testified] that all who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins through Jesus’ name.”
44 While Peter was still saying ·this [L these words], the Holy Spirit ·came down [L fell] on all those who ·were listening [L heard the word/message]. 45 The ·Jewish [L circumcised] believers who came with Peter were ·amazed [astonished] that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been ·given [L poured out] even to the ·nations [Gentiles]. 46 [L For] ·These believers [L They] heard them speaking in different languages [L tongues; C either other languages or ecstatic utterance] and ·praising [magnifying] God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we did!” 48 So Peter ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Temple Guards, Praise the Lord
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
134 ·Praise [L Bless] the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who ·serve [L stand] at night in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.
2 Raise your hands in the ·Temple [L holy place]
and ·praise [bless] the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion [L the location of the Temple],
he who made heaven and earth [Gen. 1].
9 ·Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend [L One who seeks love conceals an offense],
but ·gossiping about the sin [repeating a thing] breaks up friendships.
10 A wise person will learn more from a ·warning [rebuke]
than a fool will learn from a hundred lashings.
11 Disobedient ·people look only for trouble [L seek only rebellion],
so a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
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