And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus says Ben-hadad,

And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to your saying, I am yours, and all that I have.

And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;

Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeks trouble: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

Therefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do: but this thing I will not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for a handful for each of the people that follow me.

And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girds on his armor boast himself as he that puts it off.

And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus says the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, You.

And he said, If they be come out for peace, take them alive; or if they be come out for war, take them alive.

And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen yourself, and consider, and see what you should do: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

And there came a man of God, and spoke unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus says the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: perhaps he will save your life.

So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, I pray you, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

Now the men did diligently observe whether any sign of mercy would come from him, and did quickly catch it: and they said, Your brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from your father, I will restore; and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send you away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor by the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray you. And the man refused to smite him.

Then said he unto him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray you. And the man struck him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.

And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall your judgment be; you have decided it.

And he said unto him, Thus says the LORD, Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.

And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto you.

And Ahab came into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid himself down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread?

And he said unto her, Because I spoke unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give you my vineyard.

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry: I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

And Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found me, O my enemy? And he answered, I have found you: because you have sold yourself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know you that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray you, at the word of the LORD today.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus says the LORD, With these shall you push the Syrians, until you have consumed them.

And Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD says unto me, that will I speak.

So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure you that you tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

And he said, Hear you therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

And the LORD said unto him, By what means? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, You shall persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto you?

And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see in that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

And Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put you on your robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

And a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor: therefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the battle; for I am wounded.

Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with your servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?

And when the messengers returned unto him, he said unto them, Why are you now returned ?

And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, return unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.

And he said unto them, What manner of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?

And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and wearing a belt of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spoke unto him, You man of God, the king has said, Come down.

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty men. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly.

And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty men. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray you, let my life, and the life of these fifty men your servants, be precious in your sight.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

And he said unto him, Thus says the LORD, Since you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore you shall not come down off that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Beth-el.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Know you that the LORD will take away your master from over you today? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Know you that the LORD will take away your master from over you today? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold your peace.

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray you, here; for the LORD has sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. And they both went on.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.

And he said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so unto you; but if not, it shall not be so.

And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had struck the waters, they parted to the one side and to the other: and Elisha went over.

And when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master: lest peradventure the spirit of the LORD has taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, You shall not send them.

And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send them. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the ground barren.

And he said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus says the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or barren land.

And he went up from there unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth youths out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head.

And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.

And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

And the king of Israel said, Alas! the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.

And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

And he said, Thus says the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for you? tell me, what have you in the house? And she said, Your handmaid has not anything in the house, except a pot of oil.

Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels outside of all your neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stopped flowing.

Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt, and live you and your children from the rest.

And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us continually.

And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.