Zimri exccuteth Jehu's prophecy.

CHAP. XVII.

Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of
Arza, steward of his house in Tirzah.

Jericho rebuilt 33 And Ahab made a grove, and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than 10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and kill- all the kings of Israel that were before him. ed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa 34 ¶ In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jeking of Judah, and reigned in his stead. richo: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram 11 ¶ And it came to pass, when he began to his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he youngest son Segub, according to the word of the slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his CHAP. XVII. kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

15 ¶ In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,

19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

Elijah fed by ravens, and by a widow. AND Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the in habitants of Gilead, said into Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, bui according to my word.

2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,because there had been norain in the land. 8 T And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, treason that he wrought, are they not written in a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to 21 Then were the people of Israel divided her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni bread in thy hand.

the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, followed Omri. I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a bar22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed rel, and a little oil in a cruse: and behold, I am against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 23 1 In the thirty and first year of Åsa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The called the name of the city which he built, after barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria. cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD send25 ¶ But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the eth rain upon the earth.

LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. 15 And she went and did according to the say26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam ing of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he did eat many days. made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written 17 And it came to pass after these things, that in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, 28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. was no breath left in him.

29 T And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa 18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I te king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come over Israel and Ahab the son of Omri reigned unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. slay my son?

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the 19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And sight of the LORD above all that were before him. he took him out of her bosom, and carried him 31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the his own bed. son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the 20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the wid ow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD

Elijah by prayer obtaineth rain.

CHAP. XIX, XX.

Elisha followeth Elijak. eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance the LORD God of hosts: because the children of of rain.

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he himself down upon the earth, and put his between his knees,

Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down And thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the cast sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they face seek ny life, to take it away.

43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out to be prophet in thy room. of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that es up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get capeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and thee down, that the rain stop thee not. Thim that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

CHAP. XIX.

Elijah threatened by Jezebel.

AND Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.

3 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.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a

juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die: and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head: and he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

said, he left the oxen, and ran after Erjall

and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. CHAP. XX.

Ben-haded besiegeth Samaria AND Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Sainaria, and warred against it.

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

3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. 4 Ard the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee. 5 And the messengers came again, and said, 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I in the strength of that meat forty days and forty have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver nights unto Horeb the mount of God. me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged thy children; there; and behold, the word of the LORD came 6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-morto him, and he said unto him, What doest thou row about this time, and they shall search thy here, Elijah? house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shal'

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Is-shall put it in their hand, and take it away. rael have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down 7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before he LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for

the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how
this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me
for my wives, and for my children, and for my
silver, and for my gold, and I denied him not.
8 And all the elders and all the people said unto
him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of
Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou
didst send for to thy servant at the first, I will do:
but this thing I may not do. And the messengers
departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off. 12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard

The Syrians are slain.

I. KINGS.

Judgment against Akab. this message as he was drinking, he and the kings and came into the city, into an inner chamber. in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, 31 ¶ And his servants said unto him, Behold Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves now, we have heard that the kings of the house in array against the city. of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee,

13 T And behold, there came a prophet unto put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradLORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? venture he will save thy life. behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. put ropes on their heads, and came to the king 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who alive? he is my brother.

shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 33 Now the men did diligently observe whether 15 Then he numbered the young men of the any thing would come from him, and did hastily princes of the provinces, and they were two catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. hundred and thirty-two: and after them he num- Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben bered all the people, even all the children of Is-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him ael, being seven thousand. to come up into the chariot.

16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad wasdrinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. 17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

35 ¶ And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man

19 So these young men of the princes of the pro-refused to smite him.
vinces came out of the city, and the army which
followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 ¶ And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turn23 And the servants of the king of Syria said ed aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; there- Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, fore they were stronger than we; but let us fight then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou against them in the plain, and surely we shall shalt pay a talent of silver.

be stronger than they. 40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, 24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto every man out of his place, and put captains in him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast detheir rooms: cided it. 25 And number thee an army, like the army that 41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for from his face; and the king of Israel discerned chariot: and we will fight against them in the him that he was of the prophets. plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. 26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them and the children of Israel pitched before them Eke two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria. CHAP. XXI.

Ahab coveteth Naboth's vineyard.

AND it came to pass after these things, that 28 And there came a man of God, and spake Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD of Samaria.

is God of the hills, but he is not God of the val- 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give leys, therefore will I deliver all this great multi-me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden tude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and the LORD. I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; 29 And they pitched une over against the other or if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh worth of it in money.

day the battle was joined: and the children of 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it Israel slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand me, that I should give the inheritance of my footmen in one day. fathers unto thee.

30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and 4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand displeased, because of the word which Naboth of the men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said,

Jezebel hath Naboth stoned

CHAP. XXI. Ahab is seduced by false prophets I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. did sell himself to work wickedness in the sigh And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up away his face, and would eat no bread. 26 And he did very abominably in following idols, 5 T But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said according to all things as did the Amorites, whom unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. eatest no bread? 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackNaboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give cloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackme thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please cloth, and went softly. thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and 28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijahı he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. the Tishbite, saying, 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.