Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Elijah » Prophecies of » The destruction of ahab and his house
Then said he unto Bidkar his officer, Take him up, and cast him forth, into the field-portion of Naboth the Jezreelite, - for remember, when I and thou were riding as a couple together after Ahab his father, that, Yahweh, laid upon him this doom: Surely, the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, have I lately seen, declareth Yahweh, therefore will I requite thee in this portion, declareth Yahweh. Now, therefore, take him up, and cast him forth into the portion, according to the word of Yahweh. And, Ahaziah king of Judah, saw it, and fled by the way of the garden house, - and Jehu pursued him, and said - Him also! smite him in the chariot! It was in the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Mepidgo, and died there. read more.
And his servants conveyed him in a chariot and brought him into Jerusalem, - and buried him in his sepulchre, with his fathers, in the city of David. Now it was, in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, that Ahaziah began to reign over Judah. Now, when Jehu entered Jezreel and, Jezebel, heard of it, she set her eyes in stibium, and ornamented her head, and looked forth through the lattice. So, when, Jehu, had entered in at the gate, she said, Was it peace, when Zimri slew his lord? And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs. And he said - Hurl her down. And they hurled her down, - and there was sprinkled of her blood - upon the wall, and upon the horses, and they trode upon her. And, when he had entered and eaten and drunk, he said - Look, I pray you, after this accursed woman, and bury her, for the daughter of a king, she is. So they went to bury her, - but found not of her - save the skull, and the feet, and the palms of the hands. Then came they back, and told him, and he said - The word of Yahweh, it is, which he spake by the hand of his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, saying - In the town-land of Jezreel, shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel! So shall the carcass of Jezebel become like heaps of dung on the face of the field, in the town-land of Jezreel: So that they cannot say, This, is Jezebel!
And his servants conveyed him in a chariot and brought him into Jerusalem, - and buried him in his sepulchre, with his fathers, in the city of David. Now it was, in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, that Ahaziah began to reign over Judah. Now, when Jehu entered Jezreel and, Jezebel, heard of it, she set her eyes in stibium, and ornamented her head, and looked forth through the lattice. So, when, Jehu, had entered in at the gate, she said, Was it peace, when Zimri slew his lord? And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs. And he said - Hurl her down. And they hurled her down, - and there was sprinkled of her blood - upon the wall, and upon the horses, and they trode upon her. And, when he had entered and eaten and drunk, he said - Look, I pray you, after this accursed woman, and bury her, for the daughter of a king, she is. So they went to bury her, - but found not of her - save the skull, and the feet, and the palms of the hands. Then came they back, and told him, and he said - The word of Yahweh, it is, which he spake by the hand of his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, saying - In the town-land of Jezreel, shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel! So shall the carcass of Jezebel become like heaps of dung on the face of the field, in the town-land of Jezreel: So that they cannot say, This, is Jezebel!
Then came the word of Yahweh unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Arise! go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, - lo! he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down, to take possession thereof. 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. read more.
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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.
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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.
Kings » Who reigned over israel » Ahab
Now, Ahab son of Omri, began to reign over Israel, in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, - and Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel, in Samaria, twenty-two years. And Ahab son of Omri did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - and did more wickedly than all that were before him. And it come to pass, as though it had been too light a thing that he should walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and bowed down to him. read more.
And he reared an altar unto Baal, - in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made the Sacred Stem, - and Ahab did yet more to provoke to anger Yahweh God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun. Then said Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, unto Ahab, By the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, before whom I stand, there shall not, these two years, be either dew or rain, - save at the bidding of my word. Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, - and hide thyself in the ravine of Cherith, which faceth the Jordan; and it shall be that, of the torrent, shalt thou drink, - and, the ravens, have I commanded to sustain thee, there. So he went and did, according to the word of Yahweh, - yea he went and dwelt in the ravine of Cherith, which faceth the Jordan. And, the ravens, used to bring him bread and flesh, in the morning, and bread and flesh, in the evening, - and, of the torrent, used he to drink. But it came to pass, at the end of certain days, that the torrent dried up, - because there had been no rain in the land. Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying - Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there, - Lo! I have commanded, there, a widow woman, to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath, and, when he came to the entrance of the city, lo! there, a widow woman gathering sticks, - and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And, as she went to fetch it, he called to her and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread, in thy hand. And she said - By the life of Yahweh, thy God, verily I have not a cake, only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse, - and lo! I have been gathering a couple of sticks, so I shall go in and make it ready for me and for my son, that we may eat it - and die! And Elijah said unto her - Do not fear, go in - make ready according to thy word, - howbeit, make me thereof a little cake, first, and bring it out to me, and, for thyself and thy son, make ready, afterwards. For, thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, The jar of meal, shall not waste, and, the cruse of oil, shall not fail, - until the day that Yahweh giveth rain upon the face of the ground. So she went and made ready, according to the word of Elijah, - and did eat, she, and he, and her house, certain days: The jar of meal, did not waste, - and, the cruse of oil, did not fail, - according to the word of Yahweh, which he spake through Elijah. And it came to pass, after these things, that the son of the woman, owner of the house, fell sick, - yea it came to pass that his sickness was very severe, until no, breath, was left in him. Then said she unto Elijah, What have I in common with thee, O man of God? Hast thou come unto me, to call to remembrance mine iniquity, and to cause the death of my son? And he said unto her - Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him unto the upper room, where, he, was staying, and laid him upon his own bed. Then cried he unto Yahweh, and said, - O Yahweh, my God! Even upon the widow with whom I am sojourning, hast thou brought misfortune by causing the death of her son? And he stretched himself out upon the boy, three times, and cried unto Yahweh, and said, - O Yahweh, my God! Let the life of this boy, I pray thee, come again within him. And Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of Elijah, - and the life of the boy came again within him, and he lived. Then Elijah took the boy, and carried him down out of the upper room, into the house, and gave him to his mother, - and Elijah said, See! thy son liveth. And the woman said unto Elijah, Now, then I know, that, a man of God, thou art, - and that, the word of Yahweh, is in thy mouth, of a truth. And it came to pass, after many days, that, the word of Yahweh, came unto Elijah, in the third year, saying, - Go, shew thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the face of the ground. And Elijah went, to show himself unto Ahab. Now, the famine, was severe in Samaria. And Ahab had called for Obadiah, who was over his house. Now, Obadiah, was one who revered Yahweh, exceedingly. And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water. So then Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go, and let us pass throughout the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the ravines, peradventure we may find grass, and save alive horse and mule, and not have more of the beasts cut off. So they divided to them the land, to pass through it, - Ahab, went one way, by himself, and, Obadiah, went another way, by himself. And so it was, as Obadiah was on the road, that lo! Elijah, met him, - and he recognised him, and fell upon his face, and said - Now art, thou, my lord Elijah? And he said to him - I, am! Go, say to thy lord: Here, is, Elijah! And he said - How have I sinned, - that, thou, art delivering thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death? By the life of Yahweh thy God, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee, and, when they have said - Nay! he hath taken an oath of the kingdom or the nation, that no one could find thee; and, now, thou, art saying, - Go say to thy lord, Here, is, Elijah; so shall it come to pass, as soon as, I, go from thee, that, the spirit of Yahweh, shall carry thee away - whither I know not, and so, when I go in to tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, then will he slay me, - and yet, thy servant, hath revered Yahweh, from my youth. Was it not told my lord, what I did when Jezebel was slaying the prophets of Yahweh, - how I hid, of the prophets of Yahweh, a hundred men - by fifties - in caves, and sustained them with bread and water? and yet, now, thou, art saying, Go, tell thy lord - Here, is, Elijah; and so he will slay me! Then said Elijah - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, to-day, will I show myself unto him. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him, - and, Ahab, went to meet, Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Now, art, thou, troubling Israel? And he said - I have not troubled Israel, but, thou and the house of thy father, - in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and followed Baal. Now, therefore, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto Mount Carmel, - and the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Sacred Stem, four hundred, who do eat at the table of Jezebel. So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel, - and gathered the prophets unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said - How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people - I, am left, Yahweh's, only, prophet, - but, the prophets of Baal, are four hundred and fifty men. Let there be given us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose for themselves one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon the wood, but, fire, shall they not put, - then, I, will make ready the other bullock, and place upon the wood, but, fire, will I not put. Then shall ye call on the name of your god, and, I, will call on the name of Yahweh, and it shall be, the God that respondeth by fire, he, is GOD. And all the people responded - Well spoken! Then said Elijah to the prophets of Baal - Choose for yourselves one bullock, and make ye ready, first, for, ye, are many, - and call ye on the name of your god, but, fire, shall ye not put. So they took the bullock which was given them, and made ready, and called on the name of Baal - from the morning even until the noon, saying - O Baal! answer us. But them was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about by the altar which had been made. And it came to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said - Cry with a loud voice, for, a god, he is, either he hath, a meditation, or an occasion to retire, or he hath, a journey, - peradventure, he, sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them. And so it was, when noon was passed, that although they prophesied until the offering up of the evening gift, yet was there no voice nor any that answered, nor any that hearkened. Then said Elijah unto all the people: Draw near unto, me. And all the people drew near unto, him. Then repaired he the broken-down altar of Yahweh; yea Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, - unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying - Israel, shall be thy name; and built, with the stones, an altar, in the name of Yahweh, - and he made a trench, as large as would contain two measures of seed, round about the altar; and he put in order the wood, - and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he - Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so. And he said - Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said - Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar, - moreover also, the trench, filled he with water. And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the gift, that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said, O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! To-day, let it be known - That, thou, art God in Israel, and that, I, am thy servant, - and that, by thy word, have I done all these things. Answer me, O Yahweh! answer me, That this people may know, that, thou - Yahweh, art GOD, - so shalt, thou thyself, have turned their heart back again. Then fell fire from Yahweh, and consumed the ascending-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, - even the water that was in the trench, it licked up. And, when all the people saw it, they fell upon their faces, - and said, Yahweh, he, is GOD, Yahweh, he, is GOD. And Elijah said unto them - Seize ye the prophets of Baal - let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there. Then said Elijah unto Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, - for there is a sound of a downpour of rain. So Ahab went up, to eat and to drink, - but, Elijah, went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself to the earth, and put his face between his knees. Then said he unto his young man - Go up, I pray thee, and look about in the direction of the sea. So he went up, and looked about, and said - There is, nothing whatever. Then said he - Go again, seven times. And it came to pass, at the seventh time, that he said, Lo! a little cloud, like a man's hand coming up from the sea. Then he said - Go up, say unto Ahab - Harness, and get thee down, lest the rain shut thee in. And it came to pass, meanwhile, that, the heavens, had enshrouded themselves with clouds and wind, and there came a great rain, and Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel; but, the hand of Yahweh, came upon Elijah, so he girded his loins, - and ran before Ahab, until thou enterest Jezreel. And Ahab told Jezebel, all that Elijah had done, - and withal, how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then sent Jezebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, - So, let the gods do, and, so, let them add, if, by this time to-morrow, I make not thy life as the life of one of them. And, when he saw that , he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, - and left his servant there. But, he himself, went into the wilderness a day's journey, and came and sat down under a certain shrub, - and asked for his life, that he might die, and said - Enough, now, O Yahweh! take away my life, for, no better, am, I, than, my fathers. And, as he lay, and slept, under a certain shrub, lo! a messenger, touching him, who said to him - Rise, eat. So he looked about, and lo! at his head, a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water, - and he did eat and drink, and then went back and lay down. And the messenger of Yahweh came again a second time, and touched him, and said - Rise, eat, - because, too much for thee, is the journey. So he arose, and did eat and drink, - and journeyed, in the strength of that eating, forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God - Horeb. And he entered, there, into a cave, and lodged there, - and lo! the word of Yahweh came unto him, and said to him, 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 have sought my life, to take it. 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. Now, when, these, had come forth out of the city, even the young men of the princes of the provinces, - with the force which was following 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: Arise! go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, - lo! he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down, to take possession thereof. 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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house. 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. Then said Jehoshaphat, Is there not here a prophet of Yahweh, besides, - that we may seek, from him? 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? Then said Micaiah, Lo! thou art about to see, on that day, - when thou enterest a chamber within a chamber, to hide thyself. 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; and thou shalt say - Thus, saith the king, Put this man into the prison, - and let him eat the bread of oppression, with the water of oppression, until I enter in peace. Then said Micaiah, If thou, return, in peace, Yahweh hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you! So the king of Israel went up, with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, unto Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat - I am about to disguise myself, and enter into the battle, thou, therefore, put on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle. Now, the king of Syria, had commanded the captains of chariots which he had, thirty and two, saying, Ye shall not fight with small or great, - save with the king of Israel alone. And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw Jehoshaphat, that, they, said: Surely it is, the king of Israel! But, when they turned aside against him to fight, Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw that it was, not the king of Israel, that they turned back, from pursuing him. But, a certain man, drawing a bow in his innocence, smote the king of Israel, between the shoulder-joints and the coat of mail, - wherefore he said to his charioteer - Turn thy hand, and convey me out of the host, for I am sore wounded. But the battle increased that day, and, the king, was propped up in the chariot, before the Syrians, - and died in the evening, and so the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot. And a loud cry went through the host, at the going in of the sun, saying - Every man to his own city! and every man to his own land! So the king died, and was brought into Samaria, - and they buried the king, in Samaria. And, when the chariot was washed out at the pool of Samaria, the dogs lapped up his blood, also, the harlots, bathed there , - according to the word of Yahweh which he had spoken. Now, the rest of the story of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Ahab slept with his fathers, - and, Ahaziah his son, reigned, in his stead.
And he reared an altar unto Baal, - in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made the Sacred Stem, - and Ahab did yet more to provoke to anger Yahweh God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun. Then said Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, unto Ahab, By the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, before whom I stand, there shall not, these two years, be either dew or rain, - save at the bidding of my word. Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, - and hide thyself in the ravine of Cherith, which faceth the Jordan; and it shall be that, of the torrent, shalt thou drink, - and, the ravens, have I commanded to sustain thee, there. So he went and did, according to the word of Yahweh, - yea he went and dwelt in the ravine of Cherith, which faceth the Jordan. And, the ravens, used to bring him bread and flesh, in the morning, and bread and flesh, in the evening, - and, of the torrent, used he to drink. But it came to pass, at the end of certain days, that the torrent dried up, - because there had been no rain in the land. Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying - Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there, - Lo! I have commanded, there, a widow woman, to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath, and, when he came to the entrance of the city, lo! there, a widow woman gathering sticks, - and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And, as she went to fetch it, he called to her and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread, in thy hand. And she said - By the life of Yahweh, thy God, verily I have not a cake, only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse, - and lo! I have been gathering a couple of sticks, so I shall go in and make it ready for me and for my son, that we may eat it - and die! And Elijah said unto her - Do not fear, go in - make ready according to thy word, - howbeit, make me thereof a little cake, first, and bring it out to me, and, for thyself and thy son, make ready, afterwards. For, thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, The jar of meal, shall not waste, and, the cruse of oil, shall not fail, - until the day that Yahweh giveth rain upon the face of the ground. So she went and made ready, according to the word of Elijah, - and did eat, she, and he, and her house, certain days: The jar of meal, did not waste, - and, the cruse of oil, did not fail, - according to the word of Yahweh, which he spake through Elijah. And it came to pass, after these things, that the son of the woman, owner of the house, fell sick, - yea it came to pass that his sickness was very severe, until no, breath, was left in him. Then said she unto Elijah, What have I in common with thee, O man of God? Hast thou come unto me, to call to remembrance mine iniquity, and to cause the death of my son? And he said unto her - Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him unto the upper room, where, he, was staying, and laid him upon his own bed. Then cried he unto Yahweh, and said, - O Yahweh, my God! Even upon the widow with whom I am sojourning, hast thou brought misfortune by causing the death of her son? And he stretched himself out upon the boy, three times, and cried unto Yahweh, and said, - O Yahweh, my God! Let the life of this boy, I pray thee, come again within him. And Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of Elijah, - and the life of the boy came again within him, and he lived. Then Elijah took the boy, and carried him down out of the upper room, into the house, and gave him to his mother, - and Elijah said, See! thy son liveth. And the woman said unto Elijah, Now, then I know, that, a man of God, thou art, - and that, the word of Yahweh, is in thy mouth, of a truth. And it came to pass, after many days, that, the word of Yahweh, came unto Elijah, in the third year, saying, - Go, shew thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the face of the ground. And Elijah went, to show himself unto Ahab. Now, the famine, was severe in Samaria. And Ahab had called for Obadiah, who was over his house. Now, Obadiah, was one who revered Yahweh, exceedingly. And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water. So then Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go, and let us pass throughout the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the ravines, peradventure we may find grass, and save alive horse and mule, and not have more of the beasts cut off. So they divided to them the land, to pass through it, - Ahab, went one way, by himself, and, Obadiah, went another way, by himself. And so it was, as Obadiah was on the road, that lo! Elijah, met him, - and he recognised him, and fell upon his face, and said - Now art, thou, my lord Elijah? And he said to him - I, am! Go, say to thy lord: Here, is, Elijah! And he said - How have I sinned, - that, thou, art delivering thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death? By the life of Yahweh thy God, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee, and, when they have said - Nay! he hath taken an oath of the kingdom or the nation, that no one could find thee; and, now, thou, art saying, - Go say to thy lord, Here, is, Elijah; so shall it come to pass, as soon as, I, go from thee, that, the spirit of Yahweh, shall carry thee away - whither I know not, and so, when I go in to tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, then will he slay me, - and yet, thy servant, hath revered Yahweh, from my youth. Was it not told my lord, what I did when Jezebel was slaying the prophets of Yahweh, - how I hid, of the prophets of Yahweh, a hundred men - by fifties - in caves, and sustained them with bread and water? and yet, now, thou, art saying, Go, tell thy lord - Here, is, Elijah; and so he will slay me! Then said Elijah - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, to-day, will I show myself unto him. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him, - and, Ahab, went to meet, Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Now, art, thou, troubling Israel? And he said - I have not troubled Israel, but, thou and the house of thy father, - in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and followed Baal. Now, therefore, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto Mount Carmel, - and the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Sacred Stem, four hundred, who do eat at the table of Jezebel. So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel, - and gathered the prophets unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said - How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people - I, am left, Yahweh's, only, prophet, - but, the prophets of Baal, are four hundred and fifty men. Let there be given us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose for themselves one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon the wood, but, fire, shall they not put, - then, I, will make ready the other bullock, and place upon the wood, but, fire, will I not put. Then shall ye call on the name of your god, and, I, will call on the name of Yahweh, and it shall be, the God that respondeth by fire, he, is GOD. And all the people responded - Well spoken! Then said Elijah to the prophets of Baal - Choose for yourselves one bullock, and make ye ready, first, for, ye, are many, - and call ye on the name of your god, but, fire, shall ye not put. So they took the bullock which was given them, and made ready, and called on the name of Baal - from the morning even until the noon, saying - O Baal! answer us. But them was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about by the altar which had been made. And it came to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said - Cry with a loud voice, for, a god, he is, either he hath, a meditation, or an occasion to retire, or he hath, a journey, - peradventure, he, sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them. And so it was, when noon was passed, that although they prophesied until the offering up of the evening gift, yet was there no voice nor any that answered, nor any that hearkened. Then said Elijah unto all the people: Draw near unto, me. And all the people drew near unto, him. Then repaired he the broken-down altar of Yahweh; yea Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, - unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying - Israel, shall be thy name; and built, with the stones, an altar, in the name of Yahweh, - and he made a trench, as large as would contain two measures of seed, round about the altar; and he put in order the wood, - and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he - Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so. And he said - Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said - Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar, - moreover also, the trench, filled he with water. And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the gift, that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said, O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! To-day, let it be known - That, thou, art God in Israel, and that, I, am thy servant, - and that, by thy word, have I done all these things. Answer me, O Yahweh! answer me, That this people may know, that, thou - Yahweh, art GOD, - so shalt, thou thyself, have turned their heart back again. Then fell fire from Yahweh, and consumed the ascending-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, - even the water that was in the trench, it licked up. And, when all the people saw it, they fell upon their faces, - and said, Yahweh, he, is GOD, Yahweh, he, is GOD. And Elijah said unto them - Seize ye the prophets of Baal - let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there. Then said Elijah unto Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, - for there is a sound of a downpour of rain. So Ahab went up, to eat and to drink, - but, Elijah, went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself to the earth, and put his face between his knees. Then said he unto his young man - Go up, I pray thee, and look about in the direction of the sea. So he went up, and looked about, and said - There is, nothing whatever. Then said he - Go again, seven times. And it came to pass, at the seventh time, that he said, Lo! a little cloud, like a man's hand coming up from the sea. Then he said - Go up, say unto Ahab - Harness, and get thee down, lest the rain shut thee in. And it came to pass, meanwhile, that, the heavens, had enshrouded themselves with clouds and wind, and there came a great rain, and Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel; but, the hand of Yahweh, came upon Elijah, so he girded his loins, - and ran before Ahab, until thou enterest Jezreel. And Ahab told Jezebel, all that Elijah had done, - and withal, how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then sent Jezebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, - So, let the gods do, and, so, let them add, if, by this time to-morrow, I make not thy life as the life of one of them. And, when he saw that , he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, - and left his servant there. But, he himself, went into the wilderness a day's journey, and came and sat down under a certain shrub, - and asked for his life, that he might die, and said - Enough, now, O Yahweh! take away my life, for, no better, am, I, than, my fathers. And, as he lay, and slept, under a certain shrub, lo! a messenger, touching him, who said to him - Rise, eat. So he looked about, and lo! at his head, a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water, - and he did eat and drink, and then went back and lay down. And the messenger of Yahweh came again a second time, and touched him, and said - Rise, eat, - because, too much for thee, is the journey. So he arose, and did eat and drink, - and journeyed, in the strength of that eating, forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God - Horeb. And he entered, there, into a cave, and lodged there, - and lo! the word of Yahweh came unto him, and said to him, 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 have sought my life, to take it. 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. Now, when, these, had come forth out of the city, even the young men of the princes of the provinces, - with the force which was following 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: Arise! go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, - lo! he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down, to take possession thereof. 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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house. 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. Then said Jehoshaphat, Is there not here a prophet of Yahweh, besides, - that we may seek, from him? 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? Then said Micaiah, Lo! thou art about to see, on that day, - when thou enterest a chamber within a chamber, to hide thyself. 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; and thou shalt say - Thus, saith the king, Put this man into the prison, - and let him eat the bread of oppression, with the water of oppression, until I enter in peace. Then said Micaiah, If thou, return, in peace, Yahweh hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you! So the king of Israel went up, with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, unto Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat - I am about to disguise myself, and enter into the battle, thou, therefore, put on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle. Now, the king of Syria, had commanded the captains of chariots which he had, thirty and two, saying, Ye shall not fight with small or great, - save with the king of Israel alone. And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw Jehoshaphat, that, they, said: Surely it is, the king of Israel! But, when they turned aside against him to fight, Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw that it was, not the king of Israel, that they turned back, from pursuing him. But, a certain man, drawing a bow in his innocence, smote the king of Israel, between the shoulder-joints and the coat of mail, - wherefore he said to his charioteer - Turn thy hand, and convey me out of the host, for I am sore wounded. But the battle increased that day, and, the king, was propped up in the chariot, before the Syrians, - and died in the evening, and so the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot. And a loud cry went through the host, at the going in of the sun, saying - Every man to his own city! and every man to his own land! So the king died, and was brought into Samaria, - and they buried the king, in Samaria. And, when the chariot was washed out at the pool of Samaria, the dogs lapped up his blood, also, the harlots, bathed there , - according to the word of Yahweh which he had spoken. Now, the rest of the story of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Ahab slept with his fathers, - and, Ahaziah his son, reigned, in his stead.
Prophecy » Respecting individuals, see under their names » the word of the lord came to," etc., To » Elijah
Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying -
Then came the word of Yahweh unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying:
Verse Concepts
Repentance » Instances of » Ahab, when reproved by elijah for ahab's idolatry
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.
Verse Concepts
Then came the word of Yahweh unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Arise! go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, - lo! he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down, to take possession thereof. 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. read more.
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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.
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. Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel: 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. But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - whom Jezebel his wife goaded on; so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, - according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons of Israel. 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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.
Repentance » False--exemplified » Ahab
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. Hast thou seen that Allah hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.