Old/New Testament

16 Then God gave a message to Hanani's son Jehu about punishment for King Baasha. ² This was the message: ‘Even though you were not an important person, I made you the leader of my people, the Israelites. But then you did all the bad things that Jeroboam did! Also, you caused my people the Israelites to do bad things. Their sins have caused me to become very angry. ³ So now I am ready to destroy you and your family. I will remove your family as I did to the family of Nebat's son Jeroboam. ⁴ If people of your family die in the city, dogs will eat their bodies. If they die in the country, vultures will eat them.’

⁵ The other things that happened while Baasha was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about all the things that Baasha did and about his power. ⁶ Baasha died and they buried him in Tirzah. His son Elah became king after him.

⁷ Hanani's son Jehu, the prophet, had received a message from the Lord about Baasha and his family. Baasha had done many things that the Lord said were evil, in the same way that Jeroboam had done. Baasha had even destroyed Jeroboam's whole family. These bad things made the Lord very angry.

Elah, king of Israel

⁸ When Asa had been king of Judah for 26 years, Baasha's son Elah became king of Israel. He ruled as king in Tirzah for two years.

⁹ Zimri was one of Elah's officers. He had authority over half of Elah's chariots. Zimri decided to kill King Elah. One day, Elah was in the home of a man called Arza, an officer who had authority over the king's palace in Tirzah. Elah was drinking too much wine and he became drunk. ¹⁰ Zimri came in to Arza's house. He hit Elah and he killed him. When this happened, Asa had been king of Judah for 27 years. Zimri made himself king instead of Elah.

¹¹ When Zimri began to rule Israel as king, he killed everybody in Baasha's family. He did not leave any of Baasha's male relatives alive. He even killed Baasha's friends. ¹² Zimri killed everybody in Baasha's family, as the Lord had said it would happen. The prophet Jehu had spoken the Lord's message against Baasha. ¹³ This happened because of all the sins that Baasha and his son Elah had done. They had also caused the Israelites to do bad things. The useless idols that they worshipped had made the Lord, Israel's God, very angry.

¹⁴ The other things that happened while Elah was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about all the things that Elah did.

Zimri, king of Israel

¹⁵ When Asa had been king of Judah for 27 years, Zimri became king of Israel. He ruled as king in Tirzah for seven days.

When Zimri killed King Elah, Israel's army was attacking a Philistine town called Gibbethon. ¹⁶ The army received this message: ‘Zimri has turned against the king and he has killed King Elah.’ Omri was the officer who led Israel's army. That day, Omri's soldiers decided to make Omri the king of Israel, while they were in their camp at Gibbethon. ¹⁷ So Omri and all Israel's army left Gibbethon and they went to attack Tirzah. ¹⁸ Zimri saw that Omri had taken power over the city. So he went into the strong buildings of the king's palace. He lit a fire to burn the palace all around him. Zimri himself died in the fire. ¹⁹ This happened because of the sins that he had done. He did things that the Lord says are evil. He did the same bad things that Jeroboam had done. He also caused the Israelites to continue doing bad things.

²⁰ The other things that happened while Zimri was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about how he killed King Elah, as well as the other things that he did.

Omri, king of Israel

²¹ At that time, half of the Israelite people wanted Omri to be their king. But half of the people wanted Ginath's son Tibni to be their king. The two groups of people could not agree together. ²² But the group who wanted Omri to be king was stronger than the other group. As a result, Tibni died. Then Omri became the king of Israel.^[a]

²³ Omri became king of Israel when Asa had been king of Judah for 31 years. Omri ruled Israel as king for 12 years. He lived in Tirzah for the first six years. ²⁴ Then Omri bought a hill from a man called Shemer. He paid Shemer 70 kilograms of silver for it. He built a city on the hill and he called the city Samaria. That was because the hill had belonged to Shemer.^[b]

²⁵ But Omri did many things that the Lord said were evil. He did more evil things than all the kings of Israel who lived before him. ²⁶ He did the same bad things that Nebat's son Jeroboam had done and that he caused the Israelites to do. The useless idols that they worshipped caused the Lord, Israel's God, to be very angry.

²⁷ The other things that happened while Omri was king are written in a book. The book is called ‘The history of Israel's kings’. It tells about the things that he did and the power that he had. ²⁸ Omri died and they buried him in Samaria. His son Ahab became king of Israel after him.

Ahab, king of Israel

²⁹ Omri's son Ahab became king of Israel when Asa had been king of Judah for 38 years. Ahab ruled Israel as king in Samaria for 22 years.

³⁰ Omri's son Ahab did many things that the Lord said were evil. He did more evil things than all the kings of Israel who lived before him. ³¹ He did the same bad things that Nebat's son Jeroboam had done. He even did something that was even worse. He married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of Sidon. Ahab served Baal as his god and he worshipped him. ³² Ahab built a temple for Baal in Samaria. He made an altar for Baal in this temple. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole to worship. He did many bad things that made the Lord, Israel's God, angry. He did more bad things than all the kings of Israel who lived before him.

³⁴ While Ahab ruled as king, Hiel built Jericho city again. Hiel came from Bethel. Abiram, his firstborn son, died when Hiel built the city's foundation. Segub, his youngest son, died when he built the gates in the city's wall. The Lord had told Nun's son Joshua that this would happen.^[c]

Elijah and the widow

17 There was a prophet called Elijah who came from Tishbe in Gilead. He said to King Ahab, ‘I am a servant of the Lord, Israel's God. As surely as God lives, there will be no rain or dew for the next few years. Nothing will make the ground wet until I command it to happen.’

² Then the Lord told Elijah, ³ ‘Leave here! Go to the east. Hide in the Kerith valley, east of the Jordan River.^{[d] 4} You will drink water from the stream. I have also commanded the ravens to feed you there.’ ⁵ Elijah obeyed the Lord's message. He went to live in the Kerith valley, near the Jordan River. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat to eat, every morning and every evening. He drank water from the stream.

⁷ After some time the stream became dry, because there had been no rain in the whole land.

⁸ Then the Lord told Elijah, ⁹ ‘Go now to Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Go and live there. I have told a widow who lives there that she must give you food to eat.’

¹⁰ So Elijah went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the town gate, he met a widow.^[e] She was picking up some sticks. Elijah asked her, ‘Please bring me some water in a jar, so that I can drink it.’ ¹¹ While she went to get it, he said, ‘Please bring me a piece of bread too.’ ¹² She replied, ‘As surely as the Lord your God lives, I do not have any bread. I have only a small amount of flour in a bowl and some olive oil in a small jar. I am now picking up a few sticks to take home. Then I will cook a meal for myself and for my son. We will eat it. Then we will die because there is nothing else to eat.’

¹³ Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. Go home and do what you have said. But first, use some of your flour to make a small piece of bread for me. Then bring it to me. After that, you should make something for yourself and for your son. ¹⁴ This is what the Lord, Israel's God, says: “You will not use all the flour in your bowl. You will not use all the oil in your jar. They will not become empty until the day when the Lord causes rain to fall on the ground again.” ’

¹⁵ Then the widow went home. She did what Elijah had told her to do. After that, there was enough food every day for Elijah and for the widow and her family. ¹⁶ The flour in the bowl and the olive oil in the jar never finished. The Lord had promised Elijah that this would happen.

¹⁷ Some time after that, the widow's son became ill. He became very ill until he could no longer breathe. ¹⁸ The woman said to Elijah, ‘Servant of God, why have you come to hurt me like this? Did you come to kill my son so that I would remember all my sins?’ ¹⁹ Elijah replied, ‘Give your son to me.’ He took her son from her arms. He carried the boy upstairs, to the room where he was staying. He put the boy down to lie on his bed. ²⁰ Then Elijah prayed to the Lord, ‘Lord, my God! Why have you caused such bad trouble to happen to this kind widow? I came to stay with her and now you have killed her son!’ ²¹ Then Elijah lay with his body across the boy. He did that three times. He prayed to the Lord, ‘Lord, my God, please cause this boy's life to return to him!’ ²² The Lord answered Elijah's prayer. The boy started to breathe again. He was alive! ²³ Elijah picked up the boy. He carried him down from his room into the house. He gave the boy to his mother and he said, ‘Look! Your son is alive!’ ²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a servant of God. The words that you speak are truly a message from the Lord.’

Elijah and Obadiah

18 When there had been no rain for three years, the Lord told Elijah, ‘Go and meet King Ahab. After that, I will send rain to make the ground wet again.’ ² So Elijah went to meet Ahab.

At that time, the famine in Samaria was very bad. ³ King Ahab told his officer Obadiah to come and meet him. Obadiah had authority over the king's palace.

Obadiah obeyed the Lord very faithfully.^{[f] 4} At one time, Ahab's wife Jezebel was killing many of the Lord's prophets. While she was doing this, Obadiah had kept 100 prophets safe. He had hidden them in two caves, with 50 prophets in each cave. He had also given them food and water.

⁵ Now Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through all the land to where there are valleys and springs of water. See if we can find some grass to feed the horses and mules. Then we will not have to kill our animals.’ ⁶ So Ahab and Obadiah went to different parts of the country. Ahab went in one direction and Obadiah went in another direction.

⁷ While Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized Elijah. He bent his body down towards the ground in front of Elijah. Obadiah said, ‘Is it really you, my master, Elijah?’ ⁸ Elijah replied. ‘Yes! Now go and tell your master that Elijah is here again.’ ⁹ Obadiah said, ‘Why are you sending me to my death? What have I done to hurt you? Ahab will certainly kill me if I tell him you are here! ¹⁰ As surely as the Lord your God lives, my master, King Ahab, has sent people everywhere to look for you. He has looked in every nation and every kingdom. When they say, “Elijah is not here!” he makes them promise that they are speaking the truth. ¹¹ But now you are telling me to go to my master. You want me to say, “Elijah is here!” ¹² When I leave you, I do not know where the Lord's Spirit will take you. I may not be able to find you again. Then if I tell Ahab that I have seen you, he still will not find you. So he will kill me.

But I have served the Lord faithfully since I was a young man. ¹³ You know, sir, about what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets. I hid 100 prophets in two caves. I put 50 prophets in each cave. I gave them food and water. ¹⁴ But now you tell me to go to my master and say, “Elijah is here!” I know that he will kill me!’

¹⁵ Elijah said, ‘I serve the Lord Almighty. As surely as he lives, I promise that I will meet with King Ahab today.’

Elijah and Baal's prophets

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to Ahab. He told Ahab where Elijah was. So King Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, ‘Is that really you, the man who brings trouble to Israel?’ ¹⁸ Elijah replied, ‘I have not brought trouble to Israel. But you and your father's family have done that. You have refused to obey the Lord's commands. Instead, you have worshipped the false gods of Baal. ¹⁹ Now, tell people from all over Israel to come and meet me. They must meet me on Mount Carmel. Also, bring the 450 prophets who serve Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah that Jezebel provides with food.’

²⁰ So Ahab sent men to take that message to all the Israelites. He brought the prophets to meet together at Mount Carmel. ²¹ Elijah stood up in front of the people and he said, ‘You must now decide who to worship! If the Lord is the true God, worship him. But if Baal is God, worship him.’ But the people said nothing.

²² Then Elijah said to them, ‘I am the only prophet of the Lord who is still here. Baal has 450 prophets here.^{[g] 23} Now fetch two bulls for us. Baal's prophets can choose one bull for themselves. Then they must cut it into pieces. They must put the pieces on the wood on the altar. But they must not light the fire. After that, I will prepare the other bull and I will put it on the wood. But I will not light the fire. ²⁴ Then, you pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord. The god who answers and who sends fire to light the wood, he is the true God!’ All the people agreed that this was a good idea.

²⁵ Elijah said to Baal's prophets, ‘There are many of you, so choose one of the bulls and prepare it first. Pray to your god, but do not light the fire.’ ²⁶ So Baal's prophets took a bull as Elijah had told them. They prepared it and they put it on the altar that they had made. Then they prayed to Baal all the time, from morning until noon. They shouted, ‘Baal, answer us!’ But there was no voice that answered them. They jumped and they danced around the altar. ²⁷ At noon, Elijah began to laugh at them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘He is a god, isn't he? Maybe he is thinking about something else! Or has he left the room for a moment? Maybe he has gone away from home on a journey. Or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!’

²⁸ So Baal's prophets shouted louder. They cut themselves with swords and knives, as their customs taught them to do. Soon, there was blood all over them. ²⁹ They continued to shout and dance all the afternoon, until the time of the evening offering. But there was no voice to reply. There was no answer at all.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come nearer to me.’ When they came, Elijah mended the Lord's altar that had broken into pieces. ³¹ Elijah picked up 12 stones, one for each of the tribes that were Jacob's descendants. Jacob was the man that the Lord had given the new name ‘Israel’. ³² Elijah used the 12 stones to build an altar that would give honour to the Lord. He dug a hole in the ground all around it. The hole was big enough to contain 15 litres of seeds. ³³ Then he put wood on the altar. He cut the bull into pieces and he put the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said to the people, ‘Fill four large jars with water. Pour the water all over the offering and the wood.’ ³⁴ After they did that, Elijah told them, ‘Do it again!’ So they did it again. Then he told them, ‘Do it a third time!’ So they did it for the third time. ³⁵ The water poured down all the sides of the altar. It filled the hole that was around the altar.

³⁶ The time came for the evening offering. Then God's prophet Elijah came to the front of the altar. He prayed, ‘Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Show people clearly today that you are the God who rules over Israel. Show that I am your servant. Show that I have done all these things because you commanded me to do them. ³⁷ Please answer me, Lord! Answer me so that these people will know that you, Lord, are the true God. They will know that you have caused them to turn back to serve you again.’

³⁸ Then the Lord sent fire down from above. It burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the dirt. It made all the water in the hole around the altar disappear! ³⁹ When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down on the ground. They shouted, ‘The Lord is the true God! Yes, the Lord is God!’ ⁴⁰ Then Elijah said, ‘Take hold of Baal's prophets! Do not let any of them run away!’ So they caught them. Then Elijah took the prophets down to the Kishon Valley. There, he punished them with death.

Elijah waits for rain

⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go now and have some food to eat. Go quickly, because there is the sound of heavy rain that is coming.’ ⁴² So Ahab went away to eat and to drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. He bent low down towards the ground. He put his face between his knees. ⁴³ He said to his servant, ‘Go up and look towards the sea.’ So his servant did that. He said to Elijah, ‘There is nothing to see there.’ Elijah told his servant seven times, ‘Go back and look again.’ ⁴⁴ The seventh time, the servant said, ‘I can see a small cloud above the sea that is coming this way. It is only as big as a man's hand.’^[h] So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, “Prepare your chariot now! Go back down quickly before the rain stops you.” ’ ⁴⁵ As Elijah said this, the sky became very dark with black clouds. The wind started to blow and there was a heavy storm of rain.

King Ahab rode away towards Jezreel. ⁴⁶ Then the Lord gave Elijah special power. Elijah tied his robe into his belt and he ran all the way to Jezreel. Ahab followed him.

The soldiers catch Jesus

⁴⁷ While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd of people came towards him. Judas led the crowd to that place. He was one of the 12 apostles. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. ⁴⁸ Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, why do you want to kiss me, the Son of Man? You are helping my enemies to take hold of me!’

⁴⁹ The people near to Jesus saw what was happening. They asked him, ‘Lord, should we use our swords to fight?’ ⁵⁰ One of them hit the servant of the leader of the priests. He cut off the servant's right ear. ⁵¹ ‘That is enough!’ Jesus said. He then touched the man's ear and made him well again.

⁵² Then Jesus spoke to the people that had come to take hold of him. They were the leaders of the priests, and the leaders of the police in the temple. Other important Jews were also there. He said to them, ‘You have come here with swords and heavy sticks. Do you really think that I am leading people to fight against our country's rulers? ⁵³ No! But I was with you every day in the yard of the temple. You did not try to take hold of me then. But now really is the time and the place for you to work. Now it is a bad dark time, when the Devil has authority.’

Peter says that he does not know Jesus

⁵⁴ Then they took hold of Jesus. They took him away and they brought him to the house of the leader of the priests. Peter was following them, but he did not go near Jesus. ⁵⁵ People lit a fire in the yard of the house and they sat round it. Peter went and he sat with them. ⁵⁶ A girl who worked there then saw Peter in the light from the fire. She looked carefully at him and she said, ‘This man also was a friend of Jesus.’ ⁵⁷ Peter replied, ‘Woman, that is not true! I do not even know him.’

⁵⁸ After a short time, someone else looked at him. ‘You also are one of their group,’ he said. Peter replied, ‘Man, I am not one of them.’

⁵⁹ After about an hour, another man said, ‘I am sure that this man was a friend of Jesus. He also is from Galilee.’ ⁶⁰ Peter replied, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ While Peter was still speaking, a cockerel sang loudly. ⁶¹ Then the Lord Jesus turned round and he looked at Peter. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: ‘You will say tonight that you do not know me. You will say it three times before the cockerel sings in the morning.’

⁶² Then Peter went out of the yard and he wept a lot.

The soldiers laugh at Jesus and they hit him

⁶³ The men that were holding Jesus were laughing at him. They hit him many times. ⁶⁴ They covered his eyes with a cloth and they said to him, ‘Show us that you are a prophet. Tell us who hit you!’ ⁶⁵ And they said many other bad things against him.

The Jewish leaders ask Jesus questions

⁶⁶ When it became day, the Jewish leaders met together. The leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law were at the meeting. Then other men brought Jesus to stand in front of them. ⁶⁷ They asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah? If you are, tell us.’ Jesus replied, ‘If I do tell you, you will not believe me. ⁶⁸ I could also ask you a question. But if I do that, you will not answer me. ⁶⁹ But from now on, the Son of Man will be sitting in the most important place. He will be sitting at the right side of the Most Powerful God.’

⁷⁰ ‘So, are you the Son of God?’ they all said. Jesus replied, ‘You say that I am.’

⁷¹ Then they said, ‘We do not need anyone else to speak against this man. We ourselves have heard what he has said about himself.’