Elijah meets with Ahab.

I. KINGS.

He slays the false prophets.

13 Was it not told my lord what I did peradventure he sleepeth, and must be when Jezebel slew the prophets of the awaked.

LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the 28 And they cried aloud, and cut themLORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed selves after their manner with knives and them with bread and water? lancets, till the blood gushed out upon

14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy them. lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he shall; 29 And it came to pass, when mid-day slay me. was past, and they prophesied until the 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to-day.

that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, told him and Ahab went to meet Elijah. Come near unto me. And all the people 17 And it came to pass when Ahab came near unto him. And he repaired saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art the altar of the LORD that was broken down. thou he that troubleth Israel? 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, ac

18 And he answered, I have not troubled cording to the number of the tribes of the Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the in that ye have forsaken the command- LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy ments of the LORD, and thou hast followed name: Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt-sacrifice, and on the wood.

21 And Elijah came unto all the peo- 34 And he said, Do it the second time. ple, and said, How long halt ye between And they did it the second time. And he two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow said, Do it the third time. And they did him but if Baal, then follow him. And it the third time. the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that 23 Let them therefore give us two bul- Elijah the prophet came near and said, locks; and let them choose one bullock LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Isfor themselves, and cut it in pieces, and rael, let it be known this day that thou lay it on wood, and put no fire under and art God in Israel, and that I am thy serI will dress the other bullock, and lay it vant, and that I have done all these things on wood, and put no fire under: at thy word.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and

24 And call ye on the name of your 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that gods, and I will call on the name of the this people may know that thou art the LORD: and the God that answereth by LORD God, and that thou hast turned their fire, let him be God. And all the people heart back again. answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of consumed the burnt-sacrifice, and the Baal, Choose you one bullock for your- wood, and the stones, and the dust, and selves, and dress it first; for ye are many; licked up the water that was in the trench. and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and God. called on the name of Baal from morning 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. the prophets of Baal; let not one of them But there was no voice, nor any that an- escape. And they took them: and Elijah swered. And they leaped upon the altar brought them down to the brook Kishon, which was made. and slew them there.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: thee up, eat and drink; for there is a for he is a god: either he is talking, or sound of abundance of rain. he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to

Elijah obtains rain.

CHAP. XIX, XX.

Elisha follows him drink. And Elijah went up to the top of I only, am left; and they seek my life, to Carmel; and he cast himself down upon take it away.

the earth, and put his face between his 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand knees,

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.

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 the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but hand. And he said, Go up, say unto the LORD was not in the fire: and after Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee the fire a still small voice. down, that the rain stop thee not.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, 45 And it came to pass in the mean that he wrapped his face in his mantle, while, that the heaven was black with and went out, and stood in the entering in clouds and wind, and there was a great of the cave. And behold, there came a rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. voice unto him, and said, What doest thou 46 And the hand of the LORD was on here, Elijah? Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

CHAP. XIX.

14 And he said, I have been very jea lous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy

AND Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah covenant, thrown down thine altars, and had done, and withal how he had slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, slain all the prophets with the sword. even I only, am left; and they seek my 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto life, to take it away. Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, 15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, and more also, if I make not thy life as the return on thy way to the wilderness of Dalife of one of them by to-morrow about mascus: and when thou comest, anoint this time. Hazael to be king over Syria:

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.

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 4 T But he himself went a day's jour- 17 And it shall come to pass, that him ney into the wilderness, and came and sat that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall down under a juniper-tree: and he re- Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from quested for himself that he might die: and the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in away my life; for I am not better than my Israel, all the knees which have not bowed fathers. unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched 19 So he departed thence, and found him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plough6 And he looked, and behold, there ing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed of water at his head and he did eat and by him, and cast his mantle upon him. drink, and laid him down again.

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.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, 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? 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, 21 And he returned back from him, and and went in the strength of that meat forty took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and days and forty nights unto Horeb the boiled their flesh with the instruments of mount of God. the oxen, and gave unto the people, and 9 T And he came thither unto a cave, they did eat. Then he arose, and went and lodged there; and behold, the word after Elijah, and ministered unto him. of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

CHAP. XX.

10 And he said, I have been very jea- AND Ben-hadad the king of Syria ga

thered all his host together: and lous for the LORD God of hosts: for the there were thirty and two kings with him, children of Israel have forsaken thy cove- and horses, and chariots: and he went nant, thrown down thine altars, and slain up and besieged Samaria, and warred thy prophets with the sword; and I, even against it

Ben-hadad besieges Samaria. I. KINGS.

The Syrians are slain.

16 And they went out at noon.

But

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king even all the children of Israel, being seven of Israel into the city, and said unto him, thousand. Thus saith Ben-hadad, 3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in wives also and thy children, even the the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty goodliest, are mine. and two kings that helped him.

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, 5 And the messengers came again, and There are men come out of Samaria. said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, 18 And he said, Whether they be come Although I have sent unto thee, saying, out for peace, take them alive; or whether Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy they be come out for war, take them alive. gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-morrow about this time, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces 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 Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen. 7 Then the king of Israel called all 21 And the king of Israel went out, and the elders of the land, and said, Mark, Ismote the horses and chariots, and slew pray you, and see how this man seeketh the Syrians with a great slaughter. inischief: for he sent unto me for my 22 ¶ And the prophet came to the king wives, and for my children, and for my of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen silver, and for my gold, and I denied thyself, and mark, and see what thou dohim not. est: for at the return of the year the king 8 And all the elders and all the people of Syria will come up against thee. said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the 9 Wherefore he said unto the messen-hills; therefore they were stronger than gers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, we; but let us fight against them in the All that thou didst send for to thy servant plain, and surely we shall be stronger than at the first, I will do: but this thing I may they.

not do. And the messengers departed, 24 And do this thing, Take the kings and brought him word again. away, every man out of his place, and put

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and captains in their rooms: said, The gods do so unto me, and more 25 And number thee an army, like the also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, handfuls for all the people that follow me. and chariot for chariot: and we will fight 11 And the king of Israel answered and against them in the plain, and surely we said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth shall be stronger than they. And he hearkon his harness boast himself as he that put- ened unto their voice, and did so. teth it off.

26 And it came to pass at the return of 12 And it came to pass, when Ben-ha- the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the dad heard this message as he was drink- Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight ing, he and the kings in the pavilions, that against Israel. he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel 13¶ And behold, there came a prophet pitched before them like two little flocks unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this 28 And there came a man of God, great multitude? behold, I will deliver it and spake unto the king of Israel, and into thy hand this day; and thou shalt said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the know that I am the LORD. Syrians have said, The LORD is God of

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the therefore will I deliver all this great mulyoung men of the princes of the provinces. titude into thy hand, and ye shall know Then he said, Who shall order the battle? that I am the LORD. And he answered, Thou.

29 And they pitched one over against

15 Then he numbered the young men the other seven days. And so it was, that in of the princes of the provinces, and they the seventh day the battle was joined: and were two hundred and thirty two: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians after them be numbered all the people, a hundred thousand footmen in one day.