1Kings 16-18 - Prayer Tents

16This message from the LORD was delivered to King Baasha by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani.H1697H3068H3058H1121H2607H1201H559 2"I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of my people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked my anger by causing my people Israel to sin.H7311H6083H5414H5057H5971H3478H3212H1870H3379H5971H3478H2398H3707H2403 3So now I will destroy you and your family, just as I destroyed the descendants of Jeroboam son of Nebat.H1197H310H1201H310H1004H5414H1004H1004H3379H1121H5028 4The members of Baasha's family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures."H4191H1201H5892H3611H398H4191H7704H5775H8064H398 5The rest of the events in Baasha's reign and the extent of his power are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H1201H6213H1369H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478 6When Baasha died, he was buried in Tirzah. Then his son Elah became the next king.H1201H7901H1H6912H8656H425H1121H4427 7The message from the LORD against Baasha and his family came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. It was delivered because Baasha had done what was evil in the LORD's sight (just as the family of Jeroboam had done), and also because Baasha had destroyed the family of Jeroboam. The LORD's anger was provoked by Baasha's sins.H3027H5030H3058H1121H2607H1697H3068H1201H1004H7451H6213H5869H3068H3707H4639H3027H1004H3379H5221

Elah Rules in Israel

8Elah son of Baasha began to rule over Israel in the twenty-sixth year of King Asa's reign in Judah. He reigned in the city of Tirzah for two years.H6242H8141H8337H8141H609H4428H3063H425H1121H1201H4427H3478H8656H8141 9Then Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace.H5650H2174H8269H4276H7393H7194H8656H8354H7910H1004H777H1004H8656 10Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa's reign in Judah. Then Zimri became the next king.H2174H935H5221H4191H6242H7651H8141H609H4428H3063H4427 11Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha, leaving him not even a single male child. He even destroyed distant relatives and friends.H4427H3427H3678H5221H1004H1201H7604H8366H7023H1350H7453 12So Zimri destroyed the dynasty of Baasha as the LORD had promised through the prophet Jehu.H2174H8045H1004H1201H1697H3068H1696H1201H3027H3058H5030 13This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed, and because of the sins they led Israel to commit. They provoked the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.H2403H1201H2403H425H1121H2398H3478H2398H3068H430H3478H3707H1892 14The rest of the events in Elah's reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H425H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478

Zimri Rules in Israel

15Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa's reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon.H6242H8141H7651H8141H609H4428H3063H2174H4427H7651H3117H8656H5971H2583H1405H6430 16When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel.H5971H2583H8085H559H2174H7194H5221H4428H3478H6018H8269H6635H4427H3478H3117H4264 17So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel's capital.H6018H5927H1405H3478H6696H8656 18When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames.H2174H7200H5892H3920H935H759H4428H1004H8313H4428H1004H784H4191 19For he, too, had done what was evil in the LORD's sight. He followed the example of Jeroboam in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit.H2403H2398H6213H7451H5869H3068H3212H1870H3379H2403H6213H3478H2398 20The rest of the events in Zimri's reign and his conspiracy are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H2174H7195H7194H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478

Omri Rules in Israel

21But now the people of Israel were split into two factions. Half the people tried to make Tibni son of Ginath their king, while the other half supported Omri.H5971H3478H2505H2677H2677H5971H1961H310H8402H1121H1527H4427H2677H310H6018 22But Omri's supporters defeated the supporters of Tibni. So Tibni was killed, and Omri became the next king.H5971H310H6018H2388H854H5971H310H8402H1121H1527H8402H4191H6018H4427 23Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-first year of King Asa's reign in Judah. He reigned twelve years in all, six of them in Tirzah.H7970H8141H259H8141H609H4428H3063H6018H4427H3478H8147H6240H8141H8337H8141H4427H8656 24Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer.H7069H2022H8111H8106H3603H3701H1129H2022H7121H8034H5892H1129H8034H8106H113H2022H8111 25But Omri did what was evil in the LORD's sight, even more than any of the kings before him.H6018H6213H7451H5869H3068H7489H6440 26He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols.H3212H1870H3379H1121H5028H2403H3478H2398H3068H430H3478H3707H1892 27The rest of the events in Omri's reign, the extent of his power, and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H6018H6213H1369H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478 28When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king.H6018H7901H1H6912H8111H256H1121H4427

Ahab Rules in Israel

29Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years.H7970H8141H8083H8141H609H4428H3063H256H1121H6018H4427H3478H256H1121H6018H4427H3478H8111H6242H8147H8141 30But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the LORD's sight, even more than any of the kings before him.H256H1121H6018H6213H7451H5869H3068H6440 31And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal.H7043H3212H2403H3379H1121H5028H3947H802H348H1323H856H4428H6722H3212H5647H1168H7812 32First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria.H6965H4196H1168H1004H1168H1129H8111 33Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.H256H6213H842H256H6213H3254H3068H430H3478H3707H4428H3478H6440 34It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub. This all happened according to the message from the LORD concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.H3117H2419H1017H1129H3405H3245H48H1060H5324H1817H6810H7687H1697H3068H1696H3027H3091H1121H5126

Elijah Fed by Ravens

17Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, "As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!"H452H8664H8453H1568H559H256H3068H430H3478H2416H6440H5975H2919H4306H8141H6310H1697 2Then the LORD said to Elijah,H1697H3068H559 3"Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River.H3212H6437H6924H5641H5158H3747H6440H3383 4Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food."H8354H5158H6680H6158H3557 5So Elijah did as the LORD told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan.H3212H6213H1697H3068H3212H3427H5158H3747H6440H3383 6The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.H6158H935H3899H1320H1242H3899H1320H6153H8354H5158 7But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.H7093H3117H5158H3001H1653H776

The Widow at Zarephath

8Then the LORD said to Elijah,H1697H3068H559 9"Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you."H6965H3212H6886H6721H3427H6680H490H802H3557 10So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, "Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?"H6965H3212H6886H935H6607H5892H490H802H7197H6086H7121H559H3947H4592H4325H3627H8354 11As she was going to get it, he called to her, "Bring me a bite of bread, too."H3212H3947H7121H559H3947H6595H3899H3027 12But she said, "I swear by the LORD your God that I don't have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die."H559H3068H430H2416H3426H4580H4393H3709H7058H3537H4592H8081H6835H7197H8147H6086H935H6213H1121H398H4191 13But Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you've said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what's left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son.H452H559H3372H935H6213H1697H6213H8033H6996H5692H7223H3318H314H6213H1121 14For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the LORD sends rain and the crops grow again!"H559H3068H430H3478H3537H7058H3615H6835H8081H2637H3117H3068H5414H1653H6440H127 15So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days.H3212H6213H1697H452H1004H398H3117 16There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.H3537H7058H3615H6835H8081H2638H1697H3068H1696H3027H452 17Some time later the woman's son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died.H310H1697H1121H802H1172H1004H2470H2483H3966H2389H5397H3498 18Then she said to Elijah, "O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?"H559H452H376H430H935H2142H5771H2142H4191H1121 19But Elijah replied, "Give me your son." And he took the child's body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed.H559H5414H1121H3947H2436H5927H5944H3427H7901H4296 20Then Elijah cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?"H7121H3068H559H3068H430H7489H490H1481H4191H1121 21And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, please let this child's life return to him."H4058H3206H7969H6471H7121H3068H559H3068H430H3206H5315H7725H7130H7725 22The LORD heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived!H3068H8085H6963H452H5315H3206H7725H7130H7725H2421 23Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. "Look!" he said. "Your son is alive!"H452H3947H3206H3381H5944H1004H5414H517H452H559H7200H1121H2416 24Then the woman told Elijah, "Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the LORD truly speaks through you."H802H559H452H2088H3045H376H430H1697H3068H6310H571

The Contest on Mount Carmel

18Later on, in the third year of the drought, the LORD said to Elijah, "Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!"H7227H3117H1697H3068H452H7992H8141H559H3212H7200H256H5414H4306H6440H127 2So Elijah went to appear before Ahab. Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria.H452H3212H7200H256H2389H7458H8111 3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the LORD.H256H7121H5662H1004H5662H3373H3068H3966 4Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 of them in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water.)H348H3772H5030H3068H5662H3947H3967H5030H2244H376H2572H4631H3557H3899H4325 5Ahab said to Obadiah, "We must check every spring and valley in the land to see if we can find enough grass to save at least some of my horses and mules."H256H559H5662H3212H776H4599H4325H5158H194H4672H2682H2421H5483H6505H2421H3772H929 6So they divided the land between them. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.H2505H776H5674H256H1980H259H1870H5662H1980H259H1870 7As Obadiah was walking along, he suddenly saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized him at once and bowed low to the ground before him. "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?" he asked.H5662H1870H452H7125H5234H5307H6440H559H113H452 8"Yes, it is," Elijah replied. "Now go and tell your master, 'Elijah is here.'"H559H3212H559H113H452 9"Oh, sir," Obadiah protested, "what harm have I done to you that you are sending me to my death at the hands of Ahab?H559H2398H5414H5650H3027H256H4191 10For I swear by the LORD your God that the king has searched every nation and kingdom on earth from end to end to find you. And each time he was told, 'Elijah isn't here,' King Ahab forced the king of that nation to swear to the truth of his claim.H3068H430H2416H3426H1471H4467H834H113H7971H1245H559H7650H4467H1471H4672 11And now you say, 'Go and tell your master, "Elijah is here."'H559H3212H559H113H452 12But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you away to who knows where. When Ahab comes and cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I have been a true servant of the LORD all my life.H3212H7307H3068H5375H3045H935H5046H256H4672H2026H5650H3372H3068H5271 13Has no one told you, my lord, about the time when Jezebel was trying to kill the LORD's prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and supplied them with food and water.H5046H113H6213H348H2026H5030H3068H2244H3967H376H3068H5030H2572H4631H3557H3899H4325 14And now you say, 'Go and tell your master, "Elijah is here."' Sir, if I do that, Ahab will certainly kill me."H559H3212H559H113H452H2026 15But Elijah said, "I swear by the LORD Almighty, in whose presence I stand, that I will present myself to Ahab this very day."H452H559H3068H6635H2416H6440H5975H7200H3117 16So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah.H5662H3212H7125H256H5046H256H3212H7125H452 17When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, "So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?"H256H7200H452H256H559H5916H3478 18"I have made no trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the LORD and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.H559H5916H3478H1H1004H5800H4687H3068H3212H310H1168 19Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel."H7971H6908H3478H2022H3760H5030H1168H702H3967H2572H5030H842H702H3967H398H348H7979 20So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel.H256H7971H1121H3478H6908H5030H6908H2022H3760 21Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent.H452H5066H5971H559H5921H6452H8147H5587H3068H430H1168H3212H310H5971H6030H1697 22Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.H559H452H5971H3498H5030H3068H1168H5030H702H3967H2572H376 23Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it.H5414H8147H6499H977H259H6499H5408H7760H6086H7760H784H6213H259H6499H5414H6086H7760H784 24Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!" And all the people agreed.H7121H8034H430H7121H8034H3068H430H6030H784H430H5971H6030H559H2896H1697 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood."H452H559H5030H1168H977H259H6499H6213H7223H7227H7121H8034H430H7760H784 26So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.H3947H6499H5414H6213H7121H8034H1168H1242H6672H559H1168H6030H369H6963H6030H6452H4196H6213 27About noontime Elijah began mocking them. "You'll have to shout louder," he scoffed, "for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!"H6672H452H2048H559H7121H1419H6963H430H7879H7873H1870H194H3463H3364 28So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.H7121H6963H1419H1413H4941H2719H7420H1818H8210 29They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.H6672H5674H5012H5927H4503H6963H6030H7182 30Then Elijah called to the people, "Come over here!" They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.H452H559H5971H5066H5971H5066H7495H4196H3068H2040 31He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,H452H3947H8147H6240H68H4557H7626H1121H3290H1697H3068H559H3478H8034 32and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons.H68H1129H4196H8034H3068H6213H8585H5439H4196H1004H5429H2233 33He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood."H6186H6086H6186H5408H6499H7760H6086H559H4390H702H3537H4325H3332H5930H6086 34After they had done this, he said, "Do the same thing again!" And when they were finished, he said, "Now do it a third time!" So they did as he said,H559H8138H8138H559H8027H8027 35and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.H4325H3212H5439H4196H4390H8585H4325 36At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command.H5927H4503H452H5030H5066H559H3068H430H85H3327H3478H3045H3117H430H3478H5650H6213H1697 37O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself."H6030H3068H6030H5971H3045H3068H430H5437H3820H5437H322 38Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!H784H3068H5307H398H5930H6086H68H6083H3897H4325H8585 39And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, "The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!"H5971H7200H5307H6440H559H3068H430H3068H430 40Then Elijah commanded, "Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don't let a single one escape!" So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.H452H559H8610H5030H1168H376H4422H8610H452H3381H5158H7028H7819

Elijah Prays for Rain

41Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!"H452H559H256H5927H398H8354H6963H1995H1653 42So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.H256H5927H398H8354H452H5927H7218H3760H1457H776H7760H6440H1290 43Then he said to his servant, "Go and look out toward the sea." The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, "I didn't see anything." Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.H559H5288H5927H5027H1870H3220H5927H5027H559H3972H559H7725H7651H6471 44Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, "I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea." Then Elijah shouted, "Hurry to Ahab and tell him, 'Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry, the rain will stop you!'"H7637H559H5927H6996H5645H3220H376H3709H559H5927H559H256H631H3381H1653H6113 45And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.H3541H8064H6937H5645H7307H1419H1653H256H7392H3212H3157 46Then the LORD gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.H3027H3068H452H8151H4975H7323H6440H256H935H3157