And he said - Go forth to-morrow, and stand in the mountain, before Yahweh. And lo! Yahweh, passing by, and a great and strong wind - rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the crags, before Yahweh, Not, in the wind, was, Yahweh, - And, after the wind, an, earthquake, Not, in the earthquake, was, Yahweh;

And, after the earthquake, a, fire, Not, in the fire, was, Yahweh, - And, after the fire, the voice of a gentle whisper.

And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went forth, and stood at the entrance of the cave, - and lo! unto him, a voice; and it said - What doest thou here, Elijah?

And he said - Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets also, have they slain with the sword, - and, I alone, am left, and they rove sought my life, to take it.

And Yahweh said unto him, Go, return to thy way, towards the wilderness of Damascus, - and, when thou enterest, then shalt thou anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, - and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:

Then shall it come to pass, that - him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, - and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay;

Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, - all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him.

So he departed from thence, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, as he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, he being with the twelfth, - so Elijah crossed over unto him, and cast his mantle towards him;

and he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said - Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, that I may follow thee. And he said unto him, - Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee?

So he turned back from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and sacrificed them, and, with the implements of the oxen, boiled their flesh, and gave unto the people, and they did eat, - then he arose, and followed Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Now, Ben-hadad, king of Syria, had gathered together all his forces, and, thirty-two kings, were with him, and horses and chariots, - then came he up, and laid siege to Samaria, and made war against it.

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

Thy silver and thy gold, are, mine, and, thy wives and thy sons, the goodliest, are, mine.

Then responded the king of Israel, and said, According to thy word, my lord O king! thine, am I, and all that I have.

And the messengers came back again, and said, Thus, speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, - Because I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons, to me, shalt thou give,

Therefore, about this time to-morrow, will I send my servants unto thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, - and it shall be, that, all the delight of thine eyes, shall they put in their hand, and take away.

Then called the king of Israel, for all the elders of the land, and said - Mark, I pray you, and see, how this man is seeking, mischief, - for he had sent unto me, for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I refused him not.

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, - Do not thou hearken, neither do thou consent.

So he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad - Say ye to my lord the king, - All that thou didst send for, to thy servant at the first, will I do, but, this thing, I cannot do. And the messengers departed, and took him back word.

Then Ben-hadad sent unto him and said, - So, let the gods do to me, and, so, let them add, - if the dust of Samaria suffice by handfuls, for all the people who are at my feet.

And the king of Israel responded and said: Tell him, - Let not, him that girdeth, boast himself like him, that looseneth.

And it came to pass, when he heard this message, as, he, was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants - Make ready! So they made ready, against the city.

And lo! a certain prophet, drew near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, - Thus, saith Yahweh, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? Behold me! delivering it into thy hand, to-day, so shalt thou know that, I, am, Yahweh.

And Ahab said - By whom? And he said - Thus, saith Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then said he - Who shall begin the war? And he said - Thou!

Then numbered he the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were found to be, two hundred and thirty-two, - and, after them, he numbered all the people all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.

And they went forth at noon. Now, Ben-hadad, was drinking himself drunk, in the pavilions, he and the thirty-two kings helping him.

Then went forth the young men of the princes of the provinces, first, - and, when Ben-hadad sent, they told him, saying - Men, have come forth, out of Samaria.

And he said - If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, - or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them.

then smote they every one his man, and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, - but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on horse, with horsemen.

And the king of Israel went forth, and took the horses and the chariots, - and he went on smiting the Syrians, with a great smiting.

Then drew near the prophet, unto the king of Israel, and said unto him - Go strengthen thyself, and mark and see, what thou wilt do, - for, at the return of the year, is, the king of Syria, coming up against thee.

And, the servants of the king of Syria, said unto him, - Gods of the mountains, are their gods, for this cause, prevailed they against us, - but, only let us fight with them in the plain, and verily we shall prevail against them.

But, this thing, do, - set aside the kings, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;

and, thou, must number thee a force, like the force which thou hast lost, both horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and, if we fight with them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

And so it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, - and came up to Aphek, to fight with Israel;

and, the sons of Israel, were numbered, and provisioned, and went to meet them, - and the sons of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, whereas, the Syrians, filled the land.

Then approached the man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said - Thus, saith Yahweh - Because the Syrians have said - A god of the mountains, is Yahweh, but, not a god of the vales, is he, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude, into thy hand, so shalt thou know, that, I, am Yahweh.

So they encamped, these, over against, those, seven days, - and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel smote the Syrians, a hundred thousand footmen, in one day.

And they who were left fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who were left, - and, Ben-hadad, fled, and came into the city, into a chamber within a chamber.

And his servants said unto him, Lo! we pray thee, we have heard, of the kings of the house of Israel, that, kings known for lovingkindness, they are. Let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes about our head, and let us go forth unto the king of Israel, peradventure he will save alive thy soul.

So they girded sackcloth upon their loins, and put ropes about their heads, and came in unto the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant, Ben-hadad, saith, - Let my soul live, I pray thee. And he said, - Is he yet alive? My brother, he is.

Now, the men, could divine, so they hastened to let him confirm the word of his own accord, and they said, - Thy brother, is Ben-hadad! He said therefore, - Go fetch him. So Ben-hadad came forth unto him, and he made him come up unto him on his chariot.

And he said unto him - The cities which my father took from thy father, will I restore, and, bazaars, shalt thou make thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. So then, I, with this covenant, will let thee go. So he solemnised with him a covenant, and let him go.

And, a certain man of the sons of the prophets, said unto his neighbour, by the word of Yahweh - Smite me, I pray thee. But the man refused to smite him.

So he said to him - Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh, lo! when thou art departing from me, there shall smite thee a lion. And when he departed from beside him, a lion found him, and smote him.

Then found he another man, and said, - Smite me, I pray thee. So the man smote him - kept on smiting and wounding.

Then the prophet departed, and waited for the king, by the way, - and disguised himself with his turban over his eyes.

And so it was, when, the king, was passing, he, cried out unto the king, - and said - Thy servant, went out in the midst of the battle, and lo! a man, turned aside and brought unto me a man, and said - Keep this man, if he be, missing, then shall, thy life, go for, his life, or, a talent of silver, shalt thou weigh out.

And so it was, as thy servant was busy here and there, that, he, was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him - Such, is thy judgment, thou thyself, hast decided it.

Then hastened he, and removed the turban from over his eyes, - and the king of Israel knew him, that, of the prophets, was, he.

And he said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, Because thou hast let go the man whom I had devoted, out of thy hand, therefore shall, thy life, be instead of, his life, and, thy people, instead of, his people.

And the king of Israel departed unto his house, sullen and disturbed, - and entered Samaria.

And it came to pass, after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had, a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, - hard by the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.

Ahab, therefore, spake unto Naboth, saying - Come! give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, for, the same, is near by my house, and let me give thee, instead thereof, a vineyard better than it, - if it be good in thine eyes, I will give thee silver to the value of this.

And Naboth said unto Ahab, - Far be it from me, of Yahweh! that I should give up the inheritance of my fathers, unto thee!

So Ahab came into his house, sullen and disturbed, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken unto him, that he should have said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. So he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and did eat no food.

Then came unto him Jezebel his wife, - and said unto him - Why is it, that thy spirit is sullen, that thou art, not eating food?

And he said unto her - Because I spake unto Naboth, the Jezreelite, and said unto him - Come! give me thy vineyard for silver, or, if thou wouldst prefer, I will give thee a vineyard, in its stead; and he said - I will not give thee my vineyard.

Then Jezebel his wife said unto him: Art, thou, still, going to carry on the kingdom over Israel? Rise! eat food, and let thy heart be merry, I, will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite!

So she wrote letters, in the name of Ahab, and sealed them with his signet-ring, - and sent the letters unto the elders, and unto the nobles who were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

Now she wrote in the letters, saying, - Proclaim ye a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people;

then let two reckless men take their seats before him, that they may bear witness against him, saying, Thou hast reviled God and king! then shall ye carry him forth and stone him, that he die.

So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did just as Jezebel had sent unto them, - as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them:

they proclaimed a fast, - and caused Naboth to sit at the head of the people.

Then came in the two reckless men, and sat before him, and the men bare witness against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, Naboth hath reviled God and king! So they carried him forth, outside the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

Then sent they unto Jezebel, saying, - Naboth is stoned and is dead.

And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said unto Ahab - Rise! take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for silver, for Naboth is not alive, but dead!

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab arose, to go down unto the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession thereof.

Then came the word of Yahweh unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying:

Then shalt thou speak unto him, saying - Thus, saith Yahweh, Hast thou committed murder, and also taken possession? Then shalt thou speak unto him, saying: Thus, saith Yahweh, In the place where the dogs have lapped up the blood of Naboth, shall the dogs lap up thy blood, even thine.

Then said Ahab unto Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he said: I have found thee ! Because thou hast sold thyself to do the thing that is wicked in the eyes of Yahweh,

Behold me! saith he bringing in upon thee, calamity, and I will consume after thee, - and cut off of Ahab, even the meanest, whether shut up or left at large in Israel;

and will deliver up thy house - Like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, - for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked, and caused, Israel, to sin.

Him that dieth, of Ahab, in the city, shall, the dogs, eat, - and, him that dieth in the field, shall, the birds of heaven, eat.

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard these words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, - and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

And there continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

But it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down unto the king of Israel.

And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that, ours, is Ramoth-gilead, - yet, we, are too idle to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to make war upon Ramoth-gilead?

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people are us thy people, my horses as thy horses.

Then said Jehoshaphat unto the king of Israel, - Seek, I pray thee, at once, the word of Yahweh. So the king of Israel gathered together the prophets, 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, that the Lord may deliver it into the hand of the king.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Besides, is a certain man, by whom we might seek Yahweh, but, I, hate him, for he is never moved to prophesy concerning me anything good, only evil, Micaiah, son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Then the king of Israel called a certain courtier, - and said, Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.

Now, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, were sitting - each man upon his throne, having put on robes, in a level place, at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, - and, all the prophets, were being moved to prophesy before them;

when Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, - and said - Thus, saith Yahweh, - With these, shalt thou push down the Syrians, until thou hast consumed them.

And, all the prophets, were being moved to prophesy, in like manner, saying, - Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and thou shelf prosper, and Yahweh will deliver it, into the hand of the king.

Now, the messenger who went to call Micaiah, spake unto him, saying, Behold, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good, as touching the king, let thy word, I pray thee, be as the word of one of them, so wilt thou speak that which is good.

And Micaiah said, - By the life of Yahweh, what Yahweh saith unto me, that, will I, speak.

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

And the king said unto him, How many times must, I, adjure thee, - that thou speak unto me nothing but truth, in the name of Yahweh?

And he said - I saw all Israel, scattered among the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd, - so Yahweh said, These have, no masters, let them return every man unto his own house, in peace.

Then said the king of Israel, unto Jehoshaphat, - Did I not say unto thee, He will not be moved to prophesy concerning me anything good, only calamity.

Then he said, Therefore, hear thou the word of Yahweh, - I saw Yahweh, sitting upon his throne, and all the host of the heavens, standing by him, on his right hand, and on his left.

And Yahweh said, Who will persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall, at Ramoth-gilead? And, one, said in this manner, and, another, said in that manner.

Then came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said - I, will persuade him.

And Yahweh said unto him - Wherewith? And he said - I will go forth, and become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets, - So he said, - Thou mayest persuade, yea and prevail, go forth, and do so.

Now, therefore, lo! Yahweh hath suffered a spirit of falsehood to be put into the mouth of all these thy prophets. But, Yahweh himself, hath spoken concerning thee, calamity.

Then drew near Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, - and said - Where then passed the Spirit of Yahweh, from me, to speak unto thee?

And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon captain of the city, - and unto Joash son of the king;