Old/New Testament
Elijah Runs for His Life
19 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning,[a] “May the gods judge me severely[b] if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”[c]
3 Elijah was afraid,[d] so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 4 while he went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He went and sat down under a shrub[e] and asked the Lord to take his life:[f] “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.”[g] 5 He stretched out[h] and fell asleep under the shrub. Suddenly an angelic messenger[i] touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more.[j] 7 The angel of the Lord came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.”[k] 8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly the Lord’s message came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[l] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[m] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you,[n] torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[o] 11 The Lord[p] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides,[q] but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.[r] 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Suddenly[s] a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[t] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[u] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[v] 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the wilderness of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 18 I still have left in Israel 7,000 followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”[w]
19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah[x] said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” 21 Elisha[y] went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke.[z] He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.
Ben Hadad Invades Israel
20 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria and besieged and attacked it.[aa] 2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city.[ab] He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says: ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.’”[ac] 7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders[ad] of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble.[ae] Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.”[af] 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king: ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’”[ag] So the messengers went back and gave their report.
10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely[ah] if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for all my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.”[ai] 11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.”[aj] 12 When Ben Hadad received this reply,[ak] he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters.[al] He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
The Lord Delivers Israel
13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Do you see this huge army?[am] Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?”[an] He answered, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab[ao] asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
15 So Ahab[ap] assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were drinking heavily[aq] in their quarters.[ar] 17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.”[as] 19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier;[at] the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated[au] Syria.
The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory
22 The prophet[av] visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses.[aw] Determine[ax] what you must do, for in the spring[ay] the king of Syria will attack[az] you.” 23 Now the advisers[ba] of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them. 24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. 25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots.[bb] Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised.[bc]
26 In the spring[bd] Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army[be] and marched to Aphek to fight Israel.[bf] 27 When the Israelites had mustered and received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks[bg] of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 28 The prophet[bh] visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will deliver this entire huge army into to your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’
29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them.[bi] Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room.[bj] 31 His advisers[bk] said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind.[bl] Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads[bm] and surrender[bn] to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant[bo] Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’” Ahab[bp] replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”[bq] 33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab[br] then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot. 34 Ben Hadad[bs] said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets[bt] in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.”[bu] So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
A Prophet Denounces Ahab’s Actions
35 One of the members of the prophetic guild[bv] told his companion a message from the Lord, “Please wound me!” But the man refused to wound him. 36 So the prophet[bw] said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him. 37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely.[bx] 38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat[by] of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner.[bz] He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason,[ca] you will pay with your life or with a talent[cb] of silver.’[cc] 40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.”[cd] 41 The prophet[ce] quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets. 42 The prophet[cf] then said to him, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life, and your people will suffer instead of his people.’”[cg] 43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
23 Then[a] the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus[b] before Pilate.[c] 2 They[d] began to accuse[e] him, saying, “We found this man subverting[f] our nation, forbidding[g] us to pay the tribute tax[h] to Caesar[i] and claiming that he himself is Christ,[j] a king.” 3 So[k] Pilate asked Jesus,[l] “Are you the king[m] of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.”[n] 4 Then[o] Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation[p] against this man.” 5 But they persisted[q] in saying, “He incites[r] the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!”[s]
Jesus Brought Before Herod
6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 When[t] he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction,[u] he sent him over to Herod,[v] who also happened to be in Jerusalem[w] at that time. 8 When[x] Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform[y] some miraculous sign.[z] 9 So[aa] Herod[ab] questioned him at considerable length; Jesus[ac] gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the experts in the law[ad] were there, vehemently accusing him.[ae] 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,[af] dressing him in elegant clothes,[ag] Herod[ah] sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other,[ai] for prior to this they had been enemies.[aj]
Jesus Brought Before the Crowd
13 Then[ak] Pilate called together the chief priests, the[al] leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading[am] the people. When I examined him before you, I[an] did not find this man guilty[ao] of anything you accused him of doing. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing[ap] deserving death.[aq] 16 I will therefore have him flogged[ar] and release him.”[as]
18 But they all shouted out together,[at] “Take this man[au] away! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This[av] was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection[aw] started in the city, and for murder.)[ax] 20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted[ay] to release Jesus. 21 But they kept on shouting,[az] “Crucify, crucify[ba] him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty[bb] of no crime deserving death.[bc] I will therefore flog[bd] him and release him.” 23 But they were insistent,[be] demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. 24 So[bf] Pilate[bg] decided[bh] that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over[bi] to their will.[bj]
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