1Kings 16
16The word of GOD came to Jehu son of Hanani with this message for Baasha:H1697H3068H3058H1121H2607H1201H5592"I took you from nothing—a complete nobody—and set you up as the leader of my people Israel, but you plodded along in the rut of Jeroboam, making my people Israel sin and making me seethe over their sin.H7311H6083H5414H5057H5971H3478H3212H1870H3379H5971H3478H2398H3707H24033And now the consequences—I will burn Baasha and his regime to cinders, the identical fate of Jeroboam son of Nebat.H1197H310H1201H310H1004H5414H1004H1004H3379H1121H50284Baasha's people who die in the city will be eaten by scavenger dogs; carrion crows will eat the ones who die in the country."H4191H1201H5892H3611H398H4191H7704H5775H8064H3985The rest of Baasha's life, the record of his regime, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H1201H6213H1369H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H34786Baasha died and was buried with his ancestors in Tirzah. His son Elah was king after him.H1201H7901H1H6912H8656H425H1121H44277That's the way it was with Baasha: Through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani, GOD's word came to him and his regime because of his life of open evil before GOD and his making GOD so angry—a chip off the block of Jeroboam, even though GOD had destroyed him.H3027H5030H3058H1121H2607H1697H3068H1201H1004H7451H6213H5869H3068H3707H4639H3027H1004H3379H52218In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began his rule. He was king in Tirzah only two years.H6242H8141H8337H8141H609H4428H3063H425H1121H1201H4427H3478H8656H81419One day when he was at the house of Arza the palace manager, drinking himself drunk, Zimri, captain of half his chariot-force, conspired against him.H5650H2174H8269H4276H7393H7194H8656H8354H7910H1004H777H1004H865610Zimri slipped in, knocked Elah to the ground, and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Zimri then became the king.H2174H935H5221H4191H6242H7651H8141H609H4428H3063H442711Zimri had no sooner become king than he killed everyone connected with Baasha, got rid of them all like so many stray dogs—relatives and friends alike.H4427H3427H3678H5221H1004H1201H7604H8366H7023H1350H745312Zimri totally wiped out the family of Baasha, just as GOD's word delivered by the prophet Jehu had said—H2174H8045H1004H1201H1697H3068H1696H1201H3027H3058H503013wages for the sins of Baasha and his son Elah; not only for their sins but for dragging Israel into their sins and making the GOD of Israel angry with their stupid idols.H2403H1201H2403H425H1121H2398H3478H2398H3068H430H3478H3707H189214The rest of Elah's life, what he said and did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H425H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H347815Zimri was king in Tirzah for all of seven days during the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Asa king of Judah. The Israelite army was on maneuvers near the Philistine town of Gibbethon at the time.H6242H8141H7651H8141H609H4428H3063H2174H4427H7651H3117H8656H5971H2583H1405H643016When they got the report, "Zimri has conspired against the king and killed him," right there in the camp they made Omri, commander of the army, king.H5971H2583H8085H559H2174H7194H5221H4428H3478H6018H8269H6635H4427H3478H3117H426417Omri and the army immediately left Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah.H6018H5927H1405H3478H6696H865618When Zimri saw that he was surrounded and as good as dead, he entered the palace citadel, set the place on fire, and died.H2174H7200H5892H3920H935H759H4428H1004H8313H4428H1004H784H419119It was a fit end for his sins, for living a flagrantly evil life before GOD, walking in the footsteps of Jeroboam, sinning and then dragging Israel into his sins.H2403H2398H6213H7451H5869H3068H3212H1870H3379H2403H6213H3478H239820As for the rest of Zimri's life, along with his infamous conspiracy, it's all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H2174H7195H7194H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H347821After that the people of Israel were split right down the middle: Half favored Tibni son of Ginath as king, and half wanted Omri.H5971H3478H2505H2677H2677H5971H1961H310H8402H1121H1527H4427H2677H310H601822Eventually the Omri side proved stronger than the Tibni side. Tibni ended up dead and Omri king.H5971H310H6018H2388H854H5971H310H8402H1121H1527H8402H4191H6018H442723Omri took over as king of Israel in the thirty-first year of the reign of Asa king of Judah. He ruled for twelve years, the first six in Tirzah.H7970H8141H259H8141H609H4428H3063H6018H4427H3478H8147H6240H8141H8337H8141H4427H865624He then bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He developed the hill and named the city that he built Samaria, after its original owner Shemer.H7069H2022H8111H8106H3603H3701H1129H2022H7121H8034H5892H1129H8034H8106H113H2022H811125But as far as GOD was concerned, Omri lived an evil life—set new records in evil.H6018H6213H7451H5869H3068H7489H644026He walked in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who not only sinned but dragged Israel into his sins, making GOD angry—such an empty-headed, empty-hearted life!H3212H1870H3379H1121H5028H2403H3478H2398H3068H430H3478H3707H189227The rest of Omri's life, the mark he made on his times, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H6018H6213H1369H6213H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H347828Omri died and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab was the next king after him.H6018H7901H1H6912H8111H256H1121H442729Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah. Ahab son of Omri was king over Israel for twenty-two years. He ruled from Samaria.H7970H8141H8083H8141H609H4428H3063H256H1121H6018H4427H3478H256H1121H6018H4427H3478H8111H6242H8147H814130Ahab son of Omri did even more open evil before GOD than anyone yet—a new champion in evil!H256H1121H6018H6213H7451H5869H3068H644031It wasn't enough for him to copy the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat; no, he went all out, first by marrying Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then by serving and worshiping the god Baal.H7043H3212H2403H3379H1121H5028H3947H802H348H1323H856H4428H6722H3212H5647H1168H781232He built a temple for Baal in Samaria, and then furnished it with an altar for Baal.H6965H4196H1168H1004H1168H1129H811133Worse, he went on and built a shrine to the sacred whore Asherah. He made the GOD of Israel angrier than all the previous kings of Israel put together.H256H6213H842H256H6213H3254H3068H430H3478H3707H4428H3478H644034It was under Ahab's rule that Hiel of Bethel refortified Jericho, but at a terrible cost: He ritually sacrificed his firstborn son Abiram at the laying of the foundation, and his youngest son Segub at the setting up of the gates. This is exactly what Joshua son of Nun said would happen.H3117H2419H1017H1129H3405H3245H48H1060H5324H1817H6810H7687H1697H3068H1696H3027H3091H1121H5126
1Kings 17
17And then this happened: Elijah the Tishbite, from among the settlers of Gilead, confronted Ahab: "As surely as GOD lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise."H452H8664H8453H1568H559H256H3068H430H3478H2416H6440H5975H2919H4306H8141H6310H16972GOD then told Elijah,H1697H3068H5593"Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River.H3212H6437H6924H5641H5158H3747H6440H33834You can drink fresh water from the brook; I've ordered the ravens to feed you."H8354H5158H6680H6158H35575Elijah obeyed GOD's orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan.H3212H6213H1697H3068H3212H3427H5158H3747H6440H33836And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook.H6158H935H3899H1320H1242H3899H1320H6153H8354H51587Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought.H7093H3117H5158H3001H1653H7768Then GOD spoke to him:H1697H3068H5599"Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you."H6965H3212H6886H6721H3427H6680H490H802H355710So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, "Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink."H6965H3212H6886H935H6607H5892H490H802H7197H6086H7121H559H3947H4592H4325H3627H835411As she went to get it, he called out, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?"H3212H3947H7121H559H3947H6595H3899H302712She said, "I swear, as surely as your GOD lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die."H559H3068H430H2416H3426H4580H4393H3709H7058H3537H4592H8081H6835H7197H8147H6086H935H6213H1121H398H419113Elijah said to her, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what's left for you and your son.H452H559H3372H935H6213H1697H6213H8033H6996H5692H7223H3318H314H6213H112114This is the word of the GOD of Israel: 'The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before GOD sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'"H559H3068H430H3478H3537H7058H3615H6835H8081H2637H3117H3068H5414H1653H6440H12715And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family.H3212H6213H1697H452H1004H398H311716The jar of meal didn't run out and the bottle of oil didn't become empty: GOD's promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!H3537H7058H3615H6835H8081H2638H1697H3068H1696H3027H45217Later on the woman's son became sick. The sickness took a turn for the worse—and then he stopped breathing.H310H1697H1121H802H1172H1004H2470H2483H3966H2389H5397H349818The woman said to Elijah, "Why did you ever show up here in the first place—a holy man barging in, exposing my sins, and killing my son?"H559H452H376H430H935H2142H5771H2142H4191H112119Elijah said, "Hand me your son." He then took him from her bosom, carried him up to the loft where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.H559H5414H1121H3947H2436H5927H5944H3427H7901H429620Then he prayed, "O GOD, my God, why have you brought this terrible thing on this widow who has opened her home to me? Why have you killed her son?"H7121H3068H559H3068H430H7489H490H1481H4191H112121Three times he stretched himself out full-length on the boy, praying with all his might, "GOD, my God, put breath back into this boy's body!"H4058H3206H7969H6471H7121H3068H559H3068H430H3206H5315H7725H7130H772522GOD listened to Elijah's prayer and put breath back into his body—he was alive!H3068H8085H6963H452H5315H3206H7725H7130H7725H242123Elijah picked the boy up, carried him downstairs from the loft, and gave him to his mother. "Here's your son," said Elijah, "alive!"H452H3947H3206H3381H5944H1004H5414H517H452H559H7200H1121H241624The woman said to Elijah, "I see it all now—you are a holy man. When you speak, GOD speaks—a true word!"H802H559H452H2088H3045H376H430H1697H3068H6310H571
1Kings 18
18A long time passed. Then GOD's word came to Elijah. The drought was now in its third year. The message: "Go and present yourself to Ahab; I'm about to make it rain on the country."H7227H3117H1697H3068H452H7992H8141H559H3212H7200H256H5414H4306H6440H1272Elijah set out to present himself to Ahab. The drought in Samaria at the time was most severe.H452H3212H7200H256H2389H7458H81113Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah feared GOD—he was very devout.H256H7121H5662H1004H5662H3373H3068H39664Earlier, when Jezebel had tried to kill off all the prophets of GOD, Obadiah had hidden away a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in a cave, and then supplied them with food and water.H348H3772H5030H3068H5662H3947H3967H5030H2244H376H2572H4631H3557H3899H43255Ahab ordered Obadiah, "Go through the country; locate every spring and every stream. Let's see if we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules from dying."H256H559H5662H3212H776H4599H4325H5158H194H4672H2682H2421H5483H6505H2421H3772H9296So they divided the country between them for the search—Ahab went one way, Obadiah the other.H2505H776H5674H256H1980H259H1870H5662H1980H259H18707Obadiah went his way and suddenly there he was—Elijah! Obadiah fell on his knees, bowing in reverence, and exclaimed, "Is it really you—my master Elijah?"H5662H1870H452H7125H5234H5307H6440H559H113H4528"Yes," said Elijah, "the real me. Now go and tell your boss, 'I've seen Elijah.'"H559H3212H559H113H4529Obadiah said, "But what have I done to deserve this? Ahab will kill me.H559H2398H5414H5650H3027H256H419110As surely as your GOD lives, there isn't a country or kingdom where my master hasn't sent out search parties looking for you. And if they said, 'We can't find him; we've looked high and low,' he would make that country or kingdom swear that you were not to be found.H3068H430H2416H3426H1471H4467H834H113H7971H1245H559H7650H4467H1471H467211And now you're telling me, 'Go and tell your master Elijah's found!'H559H3212H559H113H45212The minute I leave you the Spirit of GOD will whisk you away to who knows where. Then when I report to Ahab, you'll have disappeared and Ahab will kill me. And I've served GOD devoutly since I was a boy!H3212H7307H3068H5375H3045H935H5046H256H4672H2026H5650H3372H3068H527113Hasn't anyone told you what I did when Jezebel was out to kill the prophets of GOD, how I risked my life by hiding a hundred of them, fifty to a cave, and made sure they got food and water?H5046H113H6213H348H2026H5030H3068H2244H3967H376H3068H5030H2572H4631H3557H3899H432514And now you're telling me to draw attention to myself by announcing to my master, 'Elijah's been found.' Why, he'll kill me for sure."H559H3212H559H113H452H202615Elijah said, "As surely as GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies lives, and before whom I take my stand, I'll meet with your master face to face this very day."H452H559H3068H6635H2416H6440H5975H7200H311716So Obadiah went straight to Ahab and told him. And Ahab went out to meet Elijah.H5662H3212H7125H256H5046H256H3212H7125H45217The moment Ahab saw Elijah he said, "So it's you, old troublemaker!"H256H7200H452H256H559H5916H347818"It's not I who has caused trouble in Israel," said Elijah, "but you and your government—you've dumped GOD's ways and commands and run off after the local gods, the Baals.H559H5916H3478H1H1004H5800H4687H3068H3212H310H116819Here's what I want you to do: Assemble everyone in Israel at Mount Carmel. And make sure that the special pets of Jezebel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of the local gods, the Baals, and the four hundred prophets of the whore goddess Asherah, are there."H7971H6908H3478H2022H3760H5030H1168H702H3967H2572H5030H842H702H3967H398H348H797920So Ahab summoned everyone in Israel, particularly the prophets, to Mount Carmel.H256H7971H1121H3478H6908H5030H6908H2022H376021Elijah challenged the people: "How long are you going to sit on the fence? If GOD is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!" Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.H452H5066H5971H559H5921H6452H8147H5587H3068H430H1168H3212H310H5971H6030H169722Then Elijah said, "I'm the only prophet of GOD left in Israel; and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.H559H452H5971H3498H5030H3068H1168H5030H702H3967H2572H37623Let the Baal prophets bring up two oxen; let them pick one, butcher it, and lay it out on an altar on firewood—but don't ignite it. I'll take the other ox, cut it up, and lay it on the wood. But neither will I light the fire.H5414H8147H6499H977H259H6499H5408H7760H6086H7760H784H6213H259H6499H5414H6086H7760H78424Then you pray to your gods and I'll pray to GOD. The god who answers with fire will prove to be, in fact, God." All the people agreed: "A good plan—do it!"H7121H8034H430H7121H8034H3068H430H6030H784H430H5971H6030H559H2896H169725Elijah told the Baal prophets, "Choose your ox and prepare it. You go first, you're the majority. Then pray to your god, but don't light the fire."H452H559H5030H1168H977H259H6499H6213H7223H7227H7121H8034H430H7760H78426So they took the ox he had given them, prepared it for the altar, then prayed to Baal. They prayed all morning long, "O Baal, answer us!" But nothing happened—not so much as a whisper of breeze. Desperate, they jumped and stomped on the altar they had made.H3947H6499H5414H6213H7121H8034H1168H1242H6672H559H1168H6030H369H6963H6030H6452H4196H621327By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, "Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he's off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he's gotten involved in a project, or maybe he's on vacation. You don't suppose he's overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?"H6672H452H2048H559H7121H1419H6963H430H7879H7873H1870H194H3463H336428They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood.H7121H6963H1419H1413H4941H2719H7420H1818H821029This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened—not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.H6672H5674H5012H5927H4503H6963H6030H718230Then Elijah told the people, "Enough of that—it's my turn. Gather around." And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins.H452H559H5971H5066H5971H5066H7495H4196H3068H204031Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom GOD had said, "From now on your name is Israel."H452H3947H8147H6240H68H4557H7626H1121H3290H1697H3068H559H3478H803432He built the stones into the altar in honor of GOD. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar.H68H1129H4196H8034H3068H6213H8585H5439H4196H1004H5429H223333He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, "Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood."H6186H6086H6186H5408H6499H7760H6086H559H4390H702H3537H4325H3332H5930H608634Then he said, "Do it again," and they did it. Then he said, "Do it a third time,"H559H8138H8138H559H8027H802735and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched and the trench was filled with water.H4325H3212H5439H4196H4390H8585H432536When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, "O GOD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I'm doing what I'm doing under your orders.H5927H4503H452H5030H5066H559H3068H430H85H3327H3478H3045H3117H430H3478H5650H6213H169737Answer me, GOD; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are GOD, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance."H6030H3068H6030H5971H3045H3068H430H5437H3820H5437H32238Immediately the fire of GOD fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.H784H3068H5307H398H5930H6086H68H6083H3897H4325H858539All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, "GOD is the true God! GOD is the true God!"H5971H7200H5307H6440H559H3068H430H3068H43040Elijah told them, "Grab the Baal prophets! Don't let one get away!" They grabbed them. Elijah had them taken down to the Brook Kishon and they massacred the lot.H452H559H8610H5030H1168H376H4422H8610H452H3381H5158H7028H781941Elijah said to Ahab, "Up on your feet! Eat and drink—celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming."H452H559H256H5927H398H8354H6963H1995H165342Ahab did it: got up and ate and drank. Meanwhile, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bowed deeply in prayer, his face between his knees.H256H5927H398H8354H452H5927H7218H3760H1457H776H7760H6440H129043Then he said to his young servant, "On your feet now! Look toward the sea." He went, looked, and reported back, "I don't see a thing." "Keep looking," said Elijah, "seven times if necessary."H559H5288H5927H5027H1870H3220H5927H5027H559H3972H559H7725H7651H647144And sure enough, the seventh time he said, "Oh yes, a cloud! But very small, no bigger than someone's hand, rising out of the sea." "Quickly then, on your way. Tell Ahab, 'Saddle up and get down from the mountain before the rain stops you.'"H7637H559H5927H6996H5645H3220H376H3709H559H5927H559H256H631H3381H1653H611345Things happened fast. The sky grew black with wind-driven clouds, and then a huge cloudburst of rain, with Ahab hightailing it in his chariot for Jezreel.H3541H8064H6937H5645H7307H1419H1653H256H7392H3212H315746And GOD strengthened Elijah mightily. Pulling up his robe and tying it around his waist, Elijah ran in front of Ahab's chariot until they reached Jezreel.H3027H3068H452H8151H4975H7323H6440H256H935H3157
Columbus, OH
