19When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.H256H5046H348H452H6213H2026H5030H2719 2So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them."H348H7971H4397H452H559H430H6213H3254H7760H5315H5315H259H4279H6256 3Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.H7200H6965H3212H5315H935H884H3063H3240H5288 4Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died."H1980H3117H1870H4057H935H3427H259H7574H7592H5315H4191H559H7227H3068H3947H5315H2896H1 5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, "Get up and eat!"H7901H3462H259H7574H4397H5060H559H6965H398 6He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.H5027H5692H7529H6835H4325H4763H398H8354H7901H7725 7Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you."H4397H3068H7725H8145H5060H559H6965H398H1870H7227 8So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.H6965H398H8354H3212H3581H396H705H3117H705H3915H2722H2022H430 9There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the LORD said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"H935H4631H3885H1697H3068H559H452 10Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."H559H7065H7065H3068H430H6635H1121H3478H5800H1285H2040H4196H2026H5030H2719H3498H1245H5315H3947 11"Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.H559H3318H5975H2022H6440H3068H3068H5674H1419H2389H7307H6561H2022H7665H5553H6440H3068H3068H7307H310H7307H7494H3068H7494 12And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.H310H7494H784H3068H784H310H784H1827H1851H6963 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"H452H8085H3874H6440H155H3318H5975H6607H4631H6963H559H452 14He replied again, "I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."H559H7065H7065H3068H430H6635H1121H3478H5800H1285H2040H4196H2026H5030H2719H3498H1245H5315H3947 15Then the LORD told him, "Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram.H3068H559H3212H7725H1870H4057H1834H935H4886H2371H4428H758 16Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet.H3058H1121H5250H4886H4428H3478H477H1121H8202H65H4886H5030 17Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha!H4422H2719H2371H3058H4191H4422H2719H3058H477H4191 18Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!"H7604H7651H505H3478H1290H3766H1168H6310H5401 19So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away.H3212H4672H477H1121H8202H2790H8147H6240H6776H6440H8147H6240H452H5674H7993H155 20Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, "First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!" Elijah replied, "Go on back, but think about what I have done to you."H5800H1241H7323H310H452H559H5401H1H517H3212H310H559H3212H7725H6213 21So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.H7725H310H3947H6776H1241H2076H1310H1320H3627H1241H5414H5971H398H6965H3212H310H452H8334
20About that time King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his army, supported by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it.H1130H4428H758H6908H2428H6908H7970H8147H4428H5483H7393H5927H6696H8111H3898 2Ben-hadad sent messengers into the city to relay this message to King Ahab of Israel: "This is what Ben-hadad says.H7971H4397H256H4428H3478H5892H559H559H1130 3'Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!'"H3701H2091H802H1121H2896 4"All right, my lord the king," Israel's king replied. "All that I have is yours!"H4428H3478H6030H559H113H4428H1697 5Soon Ben-hadad's messengers returned again and said, "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I have already demanded that you give me your silver, gold, wives, and children.H4397H7725H559H559H1130H559H7971H559H5414H3701H2091H802H1121 6But about this time tomorrow I will send my officials to search your palace and the homes of your people. They will take away everything you consider valuable!'"H7971H5650H4279H6256H2664H1004H1004H5650H1961H4261H5869H7760H3027H3947 7Then Ahab summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, "Look how this man is stirring up trouble! I already agreed with his demand that I give him my wives and children and silver and gold."H4428H3478H7121H2205H776H559H3045H7200H1245H7451H7971H802H1121H3701H2091H4513 8"Don't give in to any more demands," all the elders and the people advised.H2205H5971H559H8085H14 9So Ahab told the messengers from Ben-hadad, "Say this to my lord the king: 'I will give you everything you asked for the first time, but I cannot accept this last demand of yours.'" So the messengers returned to Ben-hadad with that response.H559H4397H1130H559H113H4428H7971H5650H7223H6213H1697H3201H6213H4397H3212H7725H1697H7725 10Then Ben-hadad sent this message to Ahab: "May the gods strike me and even kill me if there remains enough dust from Samaria to provide even a handful for each of my soldiers."H1130H7971H559H430H6213H3254H6083H8111H5606H8168H5971H7272 11The king of Israel sent back this answer: "A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won."H4428H3478H6030H559H1696H2296H1984H6605 12Ahab's reply reached Ben-hadad and the other kings as they were drinking in their tents. "Prepare to attack!" Ben-hadad commanded his officers. So they prepared to attack the city.H8085H1697H8354H4428H5521H559H5650H7760H7760H5892 13Then a certain prophet came to see King Ahab of Israel and told him, "This is what the LORD says: Do you see all these enemy forces? Today I will hand them all over to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD."H5066H259H5030H256H4428H3478H559H559H3068H7200H1419H1995H5414H3027H3117H3045H3068 14Ahab asked, "How will he do it?" And the prophet replied, "This is what the LORD says: The troops of the provincial commanders will do it." "Should we attack first?" Ahab asked."Yes," the prophet answered.H256H559H559H559H3068H5288H8269H4082H559H631H4421H559 15So Ahab mustered the troops of the 232 provincial commanders. Then he called out the rest of the army of Israel, some 7,000 men.H6485H5288H8269H4082H8147H3967H7970H8147H310H6485H5971H1121H3478H7651H505 16About noontime, as Ben-hadad and the thirty-two allied kings were still in their tents drinking themselves into a stupor,H3318H6672H1130H8354H7910H5521H4428H7970H8147H4428H5826 17the troops of the provincial commanders marched out of the city as the first contingent. As they approached, Ben-hadad's scouts reported to him, "Some troops are coming from Samaria."H5288H8269H4082H3318H7223H1130H7971H5046H559H582H3318H8111 18"Take them alive," Ben-hadad commanded, "whether they have come for peace or for war."H559H3318H7965H8610H2416H3318H4421H8610H2416 19But Ahab's provincial commanders and the entire army had now come out to fight.H5288H8269H4082H3318H5892H2428H310 20Each Israelite soldier killed his Aramean opponent, and suddenly the entire Aramean army panicked and fled. The Israelites chased them, but King Ben-hadad and a few of his charioteers escaped on horses.H5221H376H376H758H5127H3478H7291H1130H4428H758H4422H5483H6571 21However, the king of Israel destroyed the other horses and chariots and slaughtered the Arameans.H4428H3478H3318H5221H5483H7393H5221H758H1419H4347 22Afterward the prophet said to King Ahab, "Get ready for another attack. Begin making plans now, for the king of Aram will come back next spring."H5030H5066H4428H3478H559H3212H2388H3045H7200H6213H8666H8141H4428H758H5927 23After their defeat, Ben-hadad's officers said to him, "The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains.H5650H4428H758H559H430H430H2022H2388H199H3898H4334H3808H2388 24Only this time replace the kings with field commanders!H6213H1697H5493H4428H376H4725H7760H6346 25Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them on the plains. There's no doubt that we will beat them." So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested.H4487H2428H2428H5307H5483H5483H7393H7393H3898H854H4334H2388H8085H6963H6213 26The following spring he called up the Aramean army and marched out against Israel, this time at Aphek.H8666H8141H1130H6485H758H5927H663H4421H3478 27Israel then mustered its army, set up supply lines, and marched out for battle. But the Israelite army looked like two little flocks of goats in comparison to the vast Aramean forces that filled the countryside!H1121H3478H6485H3557H3212H7125H1121H3478H2583H8147H2835H5795H758H4390H776 28Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: The Arameans have said, 'The LORD is a god of the hills and not of the plains.' So I will defeat this vast army for you. Then you will know that I am the LORD."H5066H376H430H559H4428H3478H559H559H3068H758H559H3068H430H2022H430H6010H5414H1419H1995H3027H3045H3068 29The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day.H2583H428H5227H428H7651H3117H7637H3117H4421H7126H1121H3478H5221H758H3967H505H7273H259H3117 30The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Ben-hadad fled into the town and hid in a secret room.H3498H5127H663H5892H2346H5307H6242H7651H505H376H3498H1130H5127H935H5892H2315H2315 31Ben-hadad's officers said to him, "Sir, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. So let's humble ourselves by wearing burlap around our waists and putting ropes on our heads, and surrender to the king of Israel. Then perhaps he will let you live."H5650H559H8085H4428H1004H3478H2617H4428H7760H8242H4975H2256H7218H3318H4428H3478H2421H5315 32So they put on burlap and ropes, and they went to the king of Israel and begged, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please let me live!'" The king of Israel responded, "Is he still alive? He is my brother!"H2296H8242H4975H2256H7218H935H4428H3478H559H5650H1130H559H2421H5315H559H2416H251 33The men took this as a good sign and quickly picked up on his words. "Yes," they said, "your brother Ben-hadad!" "Go and get him," the king of Israel told them. And when Ben-hadad arrived, Ahab invited him up into his chariot.H582H5172H4116H2480H559H251H1130H559H935H3947H1130H3318H5927H4818 34Ben-hadad told him, "I will give back the towns my father took from your father, and you may establish places of trade in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Then Ahab said, "I will release you under these conditions." So they made a new treaty, and Ben-hadad was set free.H559H5892H1H3947H1H7725H7760H2351H1834H1H7760H8111H7971H1285H3772H1285H7971 35Meanwhile, the LORD instructed one of the group of prophets to say to another man, "Hit me!" But the man refused to hit the prophet.H259H376H1121H5030H559H7453H1697H3068H5221H376H3985H5221 36Then the prophet told him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me." And when he had gone, a lion did attack and kill him.H559H8085H6963H3068H1980H738H5221H3212H681H738H4672H5221 37Then the prophet turned to another man and said, "Hit me!" So he struck the prophet and wounded him.H4672H312H376H559H5221H376H5221H5221H6481 38The prophet placed a bandage over his eyes to disguise himself and then waited beside the road for the king.H5030H3212H5975H4428H1870H2664H666H5869 39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, "Sir, I was in the thick of battle, and suddenly a man brought me a prisoner. He said, 'Guard this man; if for any reason he gets away, you will either die or pay a fine of seventy-five pounds of silver!'H4428H5674H6817H4428H559H5650H3318H7130H4421H376H5493H935H376H559H8104H376H6485H6485H5315H5315H8254H3603H3701 40But while I was busy doing something else, the prisoner disappeared!" "Well, it's your own fault," the king replied. "You have brought the judgment on yourself."H5650H6213H369H4428H3478H559H4941H2782 41Then the prophet quickly pulled the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.H4116H666H5493H5869H4428H3478H5234H5030 42The prophet said to him, "This is what the LORD says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people."H559H559H3068H7971H3027H376H2764H5315H5315H5971H5971 43So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen.H4428H3478H3212H1004H5620H2198H935H8111
Dublin, OH
, the mountain of God.H6965
