A prophet reproves Ahab.

1 KINGS.-CHAP. XXI.

f a cham-
ber within
a cham-
ber,
c. 22.25.
or, from
chamber

to cham-
ber.

g Is. 16.5.

31 ¶ And his servants said unto him, Behold, now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, putsackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant, Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my bro-1 2 Ki.2.3, ther.

h Ge.37.34.

i 2K1.10.15.
Ac. 8.31.

c.15.20.
L.8.12.

5,&c.

18.

n Je. 27.2.
Eze. 4.3.

33 Now the men did diligently observe me.13.17, whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth top smiting. him and he caused him to come up into woundthe chariot.

o c. 13.24.

and

ing.

&c.

s 2Ki.10.24.

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, a 28.14.2 which my father took from thy father, I willr 28a 121, 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 him, and sent him away.

with

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 refused to smite him.

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.

t weigh.
a was not.

v 2 Sa. 12.5
..7.

w Job 15.6.
MaL 21.41

..43.
Lu. 19.22

x c.22.31..
37.

y c.21.4.

A. M. 3105.
B. C. 899.

Ahab coveteth Naboth's vineyard. me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite, had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

e

5 ¶ But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

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.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that a 1 Sa.8.14. he may die.

12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebe heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead Mat 26.59 that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take ° possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

..66.

Ac. 6.11.

k Le.24.14.

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 18.58.4. life, and thy people for his people.

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

1 Ahab being denied Naboth's vineyard is grieved. 5 Jezebel, writing letters against Naboth, he is condemned of blasphemy. 15 Ahab taketh possession of the vineyard. 17 Elijah denounceth judgments against Ahab and Jezebel. 27 Wicked Ahab repenting, God deferreth the Judgment.

AND it came to pass after these things, that

Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give

m Ex.20.16.
Ps. 27.12.
Pr. 25.18.
Mal.3.5.

n 2 Ki.9.26.
Ec. 4.1.
Ac.7.57..
59.

o Pr.1.10..
16; 4.17.

P P&.9.12.

9.13.32.

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and

also taken possession? And thou shalt speak | unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

V

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 22 And will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

He imprisons Micaiah M300 good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

B. C. 899.
rc 22.38.
PR. 7. 16.
Mat.7.2.

a c. 18.17.

t ver.25.
2 Ki. 17.17
18.50.1.

52.3.
Ro.7.14.

c.14.10.
Ex 20.5,6

2 Ki. 9.8. w c. 15.29.

x e. 16.3,11.

3.9.26,

z or, ditch.

ac. 16.30,31.

ver.20.

cited.

23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, say-bor, ining, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat: and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

с

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

© Jos. 23.12,
13.
Ec.7.26.

d Ge. 15. 16.

2 K21.11 Jo.2 12,13 Ja3.6.10.

g Ex. 10.3.

h Is.66.2.

i 2 Ki.20.19.

j 2 Ki. 9.25.

A. M. 3104..3107. B. C. 900..897.

a 2 Ch.18.2,
&c.

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and putsackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, De 4.43. and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, d Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

5 ¶ And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to-day.

Jos. 20.8.

© silent
from
Laking it.

10.

2 Co.6.14.
e 2 Ki. 3.7.

f Pr.3.6.
Je.21.2

g c.18.19.

h Je.5.31.

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a 1 void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria: and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and "prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is ° good.

14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth P what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehosha1 2 Ki.3.11. phat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-tor, gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy

de

ceive.

u Ju.9.23.

Job 12 16

Eze. 14 9.

2 Th.2.10
..12.

▼ Ac.23.2.

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also go forth, and do so.

25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an wor, from inner chamber to hide thyself.

chainber to chai ber.

I a cham-
ber in a
chamber.

2.20.30.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this

Ahab is slain.

A. M. 3104..3107.

Death of Jehoshaphat.

not written in the book of the chronicles of

1 KINGS.-CHAP. XXII. fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

b

B. C. 900..897.

y Je.38.6.
Ac.5.18
Re.2.10.

z De. 16.3.
Is.30.20.

No.16.29.

De. 18.20,

22.

43.

when

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. b Mat.13.9, 30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehosha-cor, phat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle: but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

And

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host: for I am wounded.

he was to
disguise
himself.

d 2 Ch.35.22
e Pr.13.20.

f in his

simplicity
and the

2 Sa. 15.11.

breast-
plate.

h made
sick.

i ascended
j bosom.

k ver. 17,2
came.

m c.21.19.
A. M.

3086.3107.

B. C. 918..897.

35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the Ge.25 2. chariot.

36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria and they buried the king in Samaria.

2 Sa 8.14.
2 Ki.3.9.
8.20.

the kings of Israel?

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers: and Aha ziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign: and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

43 And Phe walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

50 ¶ And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reignten ships. ed in his stead.

u or had

v 2Ch.20.36,
&c.

w c.10.22.

x c.9.26.
A. M. 315

B. C. 889.

y 2 Ch.21.1.

A. M. 3107.

B. C. 897.

z ver.40.

a c. 16.30,

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he m 39¶ Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they | Ju.211.

n

spake.

&c.

b c.12.29..
33.

6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Thou shalt unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers down Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inIs it not because there is not a God in Israel, 42, quire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? there

not come

from it.

251

B. C. 896.

2 KINGS.-CHAP. II.
forethou shalt not come down from that bed | A. M. 3108.
on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
7 And he said unto them, " What manner of
man was he which came up to meet you, and
told you these words?

h

8 And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

g1Ch 10.13

Ps. 16.4.

h What was
the man-
ner of the
man?

Zec 13.4.

Mat.3.4.

Nu.16.35.

Lu.9.54.
He.12.29.

k1 KL. 18.24.
Da.3.25.

Ac.5.5,9.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the cap-
tain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire 12.24
J come down from heaven, and consume thee
and thy fifty. And there came down fire from
heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent unto him another cap-
tain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered
and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath
the king said, Come down quickly.

m bored.

n Is.66.2

o 1 Sa.26.
21.

PR. 72.14.
116.15.

p ver. 10,12

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them,
If I be a man of God, let fire come down from
heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And a ver.6.
the fire of God came down from heaven, and
consumed him and his fifty.

r the second
year that
Jehoram

was

Pro
eighteenth

and the

of Jeho-
shaphat.
c.3.1.

13 And he sent again a captain of the third
fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of
fifty went up, and came and
m fell on his
knees before Elijah, and besought him, and
said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let
my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, a Ge.5.24.
be precious in thy sight.

14 Behold, there came P fire down from hea-
ven, and burnt up the two captains of the
former fifties with their fifties: therefore let
my life now be precious in thy sight.

15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

b1 Ki.19.21.

c Je.4.2.

ver.4.6.

c.4.30.

He is taken up into heaven.

4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth,and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he an-/ swered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a i double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, 1 My fad1 Sa. 1.26.ther, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent ver 5,7,15. them in two pieces.

13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by them bank of Jordan;

14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the "waters, they parted hither and thither; and Elisha went over. 15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty P strong men; done hard let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

k c.6.17.
Ps. 104.4.

1 c. 13. 14.

ND it came to pass, when the LORD would
take up Elijah into heaven by a whirl-m lip.
wind, that Elijah went with Elisha from
Gilgal.

n ver.8.

2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I o ver.7.
pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-
el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD li-P
veth, and as d thy soul liveth, I will not leave
thee. So they went down to Beth-el.

e

strength.

q1 Ki. 18.12.
Ac.8.39.

17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water

3 And the sons of the prophets that were at
Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto one of the is naught, and the ground barren.

him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take
away thy master from thy head to-day? And
he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

mother: for he put away the image of Baal B. C. 895. they gathered all that were able to put on that his father had made.

23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the of Ki17.1. Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it Ex.29.39, and smote it.