Then there came a Prophet to the king of Israel, and said to him, "Go forth and play the man: be wise and take heed what thou doest. For when the year is about, the king of Syria will come against thee again."

Then said the servants of the kings of Syria to him, "The gods of the hills are their gods, and therefore they had the better of us. But let us fight with them in the plain, and for what ye will, we shall have the better of them.

And this do: take the kings away every man out of his place, and put dukes in their rooms.

And do thou number thee a host, like the host that thou hast lost, and horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and let us fight with them in the plain; and for a wager, we get the better of them." And the king hearkened unto their voice and did even so.

And they pitched one over against the other seven days, and the seventh day joined battle. And the children of Israel slew of the Syrians, a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

And Benhadad said, "The cities which my father took from thy father, I will restore again. And thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. And I will make a covenant with thee and send thee away." And so he made a covenant with him and sent him away.

And when the king came by, he cried unto him and said, "Thy servant went out in the midst of the battle. And see, there was one began to flee. And there came a man to me and said, 'Keep this man. And if he be missed thy life shall go for his, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.'

After these things were done, it chanced that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel hard by the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.

And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, "Let me have thy vineyard, to make me a garden of herbs thereof, because it lieth so nigh my house: and I will give thee a better vineyard for it: or if it please thee I will give thee, the worth of it in silver."

Then said Jezebel his wife unto him, "What a goodly kingdom were thou able to make in Israel? Up, and eat meat and set thine heart at rest, for I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

And she wrote a letter in Ahab's name and sealed it with his seal, and sent it unto the elders and chief men of his city that dwelt where Naboth dwelt.

And she wrote in the letter, saying, "Proclaim fasting and set Naboth on high among the people,

And the elders and nobles of his city, which dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letter which she had sent unto them.

They proclaimed fasting, and set Naboth on high among the people,

and there came in two unthrifty persons and sat before him. And the two unthrifty persons witnessed against Naboth before the people, saying, "Naboth did curse God and the king." And upon that they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones to death.

And when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Up, and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he denied to give thee for silver, for Naboth is not alive, but dead."

And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead. He stood up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

"Up, and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth: for he is gone down thither, to take possession of it.

And say unto him, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: thou hast killed and thereto gotten possession.' And say moreover unto him, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: in the place where dogs lapped the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lap even thy blood also.'"

And Ahab said to Elijah, "Hast thou found me thine enemy at any time?" And he said, "Yea, because thou art utterly given to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD.

Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will make clean riddance of thee, and will destroy unto Ahab all that pisseth against the wall, and if ought be prisoned or forsaken in Israel:

And he that dieth of Ahab in the town, him shall dogs eat: and he that dieth in the fields, him shall the fowls of the air eat."

For there was none at all like Ahab, that was so utterly given to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, and that because Jezebel his wife pricked him forward.

And therefore he did exceeding abominably, in following Idols, in all things like as did the Amorites which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

When Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes and put sackcloth about his flesh and fasted, and lay in sack and went comfortless.

"Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he so submitteth himself before me, I will not bring that evil in his days: but in his son's days, I will bring evil upon his house."

Then said the king of Israel unto his servants, "Know ye not that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we sit still and take it not out of the hands of the king of Syria?"

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle, to Ramoth in Gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "I will be as thou art, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine."

And then the king of Israel gathered of the Prophets together, upon a four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall I go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or be still?" And they said, "Go: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the king."

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one, by whom we may ask counsel of the LORD: one Micaiah the son of Imlah. But I hate him: for he never prophesieth good unto me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."

Then the king of Israel called unto one of his chamberlains and said, "Fetch Micaiah the son of Imlah hither at once."

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat either in his seat and their apparel on them, in a void place beside the entering of the gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophesying before them.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron and said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'With these horns thou shalt winnow the Syrians until thou have made an end of them."

And all the Prophets prophesied even so, saying, "Go to Ramoth in Gilead and prosper, for the LORD shall deliver it into the hands of the king."

And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, said unto him, "See, the words of the Prophets speak good unto the king with one voice: let thy words, I pray thee, be like the words of one of them, and speak that is good."

And Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, what the LORD putteth in my mouth, that will I speak."

And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or shall we be still?" And he said unto him, "Go and prosper, the LORD deliver it unto the hands of the king."

And the king said unto him, "How often shall I adjure thee, that thou tell me nothing but truth, in the name of the LORD?"

Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have no shepherds. And the LORD said, 'Those have no master; let them return, every man to his house in peace.'"

And Micaiah said, "Hear therefore the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sit on his seat and all his company of heaven standing about him, on his righthand and on his left.

And the LORD said, 'Who shall deceive Ahab that he may go and be slain at Ramoth in Gilead?' And one said on this manner and another on that.

And he said, 'I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all Prophets.' And the LORD said, 'Thou shalt deceive him and also prevail, go forth and do even so.'

Now therefore behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets: when in very deed the LORD hath spoken evil toward thee."

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "How is the spirit of the LORD gone from me, to speak in thee?"

And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee."

and say, 'Thus sayeth the king. Put ye this fellow in the prison house and feed him with bread and water straightly, until I return in peace.'"

Then Micaiah said, "If thou come safe again, the LORD hath not spoken in me." And he said moreover, "Hearken to the people every one of you."

And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth in Gilead.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Change thee and get thee to war: but put on thine own apparel." And the king of Israel changed himself, and went to battle also.

And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he had been the king of Israel, and therefore turned to him to fight.

But Jehoshaphat cried out. And when the captains of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from him.

And the battle increased that day, and the king continued in his chariot before the Syrians, and died at evening. And the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.

And there went a proclamation throughout the host after the sun was down, saying, "Every man to his city and to his own country."

And when the king of Israel was dead, they came to Samaria and buried him there.

And while they washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood, and harlots washed him according to the word of the LORD which he spake.

The rest of the deeds of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and the cities that he built, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And when Ahab was laid to rest with his fathers, Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign upon Judah, the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel, and was thirty five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty five years in Jerusalem.

And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father and bowed not therefrom. But did that was right in the eyes of the LORD. Only he did not put the hill altars out of the way: for the people offered and burnt their sacrifices yet in the hill altars.

And the rest of the deeds of Jehoshaphat, and the might that he used, and how he warred, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

And the remnant of the stews of the males, which remained in the days of his father, he put clean out of the land.

There was then no king in Edom; the king was but a deputy.

And Jehoshaphat made ships in the sea to go to Ophir for gold, but they went not: for the ships brake at Eziongeber.

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

And Jehoshaphat laid him to sleep with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son reigned in his room.

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria, the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and was king over Israel two years,

and did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin.

And he served Baal and bowed himself to him and angered the LORD God of Israel, in all things, as did his father.

And Ahaziah fell through a lattice window out of an upper chamber that he had in Samaria, and fell sick. Then he sent messengers saying unto them, "Go and enquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease."

But the Angel of the LORD spake to Elijah the Tishbite, "Up, and go against the messengers of the king of Samaria and say unto them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to ask through Beelzebub the god of Ekron?

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD: thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die.'" And Elijah departed.

And they said unto him, "There came a man against us and said unto us, 'Go and turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him: Thus sayeth the LORD. Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire through Beelzebub the god of Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.'"

Then the king sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty. And when the captain was come to Elijah, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And the captain said unto him, "Man of God, the king biddeth thee come down."

And the king sent again the third captain over fifty. And when the third captain over fifty was come up to him, he fell on his knees before Elijah and besought him and said unto him, "Oh man of God, let my life and the life of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight.

Behold, there came fire down from heaven and burnt up the two fore captains over fifty with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in thy sight."

And he said unto the king, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Forasmuch as thou sentest messengers to ask through Beelzebub the god of Ekron - as though there had been no God in Israel to ask through his word - therefore thou shalt not come off the bed on which thou art ascended, but shalt surely die.'"

And so he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah spake, and Jehoram was made king in his stead, the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, because he had no son.

The rest of the deeds of Ahaziah which he did, are written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

And it chanced that the LORD was minded to take up Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elijah and Elisha were going from Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, "Tarry here, I pray thee, for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And when they came to Bethel,

And fifty men of the sons of the Prophets went and stood in sight afar off, as they two stood by Jordan.

And then Elijah took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the water, and it divided itself, part the one way and part the other, and they two went over on the dry land.

And as soon as they were over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee." And Elisha said, "Let me, I pray thee, have thy spirit double in me."

And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken away from thee, thou shalt have it so: if thou do not, it shall not be."

And as they went walking and talking, behold, there came a chariot of fire and horses of fire and put them asunder. And Elijah went up in the whirlwind to heaven.

And Elisha saw and cried, "O my father, O my father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof!" And saw him no more: and therefore took his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.

and took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the water and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah? Where is he?" And when he had smitten the water it divided part this way and part that way, and Elisha went over.

And the children of the Prophets of Jericho which saw from afar, said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha," and went against him and bowed to the earth unto him.

And they said unto him, "See, there be among thy servants fifty lusty men; let them go and seek thy master: haply the spirit of the LORD hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or in some valley." And he said, "Send not."

And he went unto the spring of the water and cast the salt in thither, and said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'I heal this water, there shall not come henceforth either death or barrenness.'"

And he went from thence up to Bethel. And as he was going up in the way, there came little lads out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, "Go up, thou bald head! Go up thou baldhead!"

And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came two bears out of the wood and tare forty two of the boys.

Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign upon Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and continued twelve years.

And he wrought that was evil in the sight of the LORD: but not like his father or his mother, for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

Nevertheless, he continued in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin, and shrank not therefrom.

And the king of Israel took his journey with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had compassed the way seven days, there was no water for the host nor for the cattle that they had with them.

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah."

And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye."

And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the LORD: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also.

And in the morning, about offering time, there came such a water that way from Edom that the country was filled with water.