When Solomon died, Rehoboam his son ruled after him. As soon as
Jeroboam, who was still in Egypt, heard that Solomon had died, he
returned at once to his home town, Zeredah in Mount Ephraim.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had come to Shechem to
make him ruler. But they said to Rehoboam, "Your father laid a heavy
yoke upon us. Now make the hard service of your father and the heavy
yoke that he laid upon us lighter, and we will serve you." He said to
them, "Go away for three days; then come again to me." So the people
went away.
Then Rehoboam asked advice from the old men who had been in the service
of Solomon his father during his lifetime and inquired, "What answer do
you advise me to give this people?" They said to him, "If now you will
serve this people and give them a favorable answer, then they will be
your servants forever."
But he rejected the advice which the old men had given him and asked the
young men who had grown up with him and had been in his service. And he
said to them, "What answer do you advise that we give to this people
who have said to me, 'Make the yoke that your father laid upon us
lighter'?" The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Make
this answer to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's
loins! While my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will make your
yoke heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you
with scourges.'"
So when all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as he had
directed, he answered the people harshly and did not follow the advice
which the old men had given him, but spoke to them as the young men had
advised, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will make your
yoke still heavier; my father punished you with whips, but I will punish
you with scourges." So Rehoboam paid no attention to the demand of the
people.
When all Israel saw that he paid no attention to their demand they gave
him this answer: "What interest have we in David? We have nothing in
common with the son of Jesse! To your tents, O Israel! Now look out for
your house, O David!"
So the Israelites went to their homes.
Then Rehoboam sent to them Adoniram, who was over the men who did forced
labor. But when all the Israelites stoned him to death, Rehoboam quickly
mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. So Israel has refused to obey
the house of David to the present day.
As soon as all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and
called him to the assembly of the people and made him ruler over all
Israel. None remained loyal to the house of David except the tribe of
Judah.
ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON
When Asa had been ruler of Judah for thirty-one years Omri became ruler
over Israel, and he ruled twelve years. He bought the hill Samaria from
Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built a city on the hill and
named it Samaria, after Shemer, the owner of the hill.
When Omri died, Ahab his son ruled in his place. But Ahab displeased
Jehovah more than all the kings who had ruled before him. He married
Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and then began
to worship the Phoenician god Baal. He also built an altar for Baal
in the temple of Baal, which he built in Samaria.
Then Elijah from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, "As surely as Jehovah
the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there shall be no dew nor rain
for years except as I announce it."
Then this message from Jehovah came to Elijah: "Go from here and hide
yourself near the Brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. You shall
drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you
there."
So he obeyed the command of Jehovah and lived near the Brook Cherith.
The ravens brought him bread every morning and meat every evening, and
he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there
had been no rain in the land.
Then this message from Jehovah came to him, "Arise, go to Zarephath
which belongs to Sidon, and live there. I have commanded a widow there
to provide for you." So he went to Zarephath.
When he came to the gate of the city, a widow was there gathering
sticks. Calling to her, he said, "Bring me, I beg of you, a little water
in a vessel, that I may drink." As she was going to get it, he called
after her, "Bring also a bit of bread with you." She replied, "As surely
as Jehovah your God lives, I have nothing baked, and only one handful of
meal in the jar and a little oil in the jug. Now I am gathering a few
sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we
may eat it and die." Elijah said to her, "Fear not; go and do as you
have said, but first bake for me a little dough and bring it to me.
Afterward make some for yourself and your son. For Jehovah the God of
Israel declares: 'The jar of meal shall not be empty, nor the jug of oil
fail, until Jehovah sends rain upon the earth.'"
So she did as Elijah directed; and she and her child, as well as Elijah,
had food to eat. From that day the jar of meal was never empty and the
jug of oil did not fail, as Jehovah had said through Elijah.
Now after this the woman's son fell sick; and his sickness was so severe
that he stopped breathing. So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do
with you, O man of God? You have come to me to remind me of my sin by
taking the life of my son!" He said to her, "Give me your son." So he
took him out of her arms and carried him up into the upper room where he
was staying and laid him on his own bed. Then he prayed earnestly to
Jehovah and said, "O Jehovah, my God, hast thou also brought misfortune
upon this widow, with whom I am staying, by taking the life of her son?"
And he stretched himself upon the child three times and prayed to
Jehovah and said, "O Jehovah, my God, I pray thee, give back this
child's life to him again."
So Jehovah listened to Elijah's prayer; and the life of the child came
back to him, and he sat up. Then Elijah took the child and brought him
down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and
said, "See, your son lives!" The woman said to him, "Now I know that you
are a man of God and that the message of Jehovah that you speak is
true."
THE PROPHET OF FIRE
In the third year of the famine this command came from Jehovah to
Elijah: "Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the
earth." So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab.
The famine was so severe in Samaria that Ahab had called Obadiah, the
overseer of the palace. Obadiah was very loyal to Jehovah; for when
Jezebel tried to kill the prophets of Jehovah, he took a hundred and hid
them in a cave and kept them supplied with bread and water. Ahab said to
Obadiah, "Come, let us go through the land to all the springs and to all
the brooks, in the hope that we may find grass, so that we can save the
horses and mules and not lose all of them." So they divided the land
between them, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.
While Obadiah was on the way, Elijah suddenly met him. As soon as
Obadiah knew him, he fell on his face and said, "Is it you, my lord
Elijah?" He answered, "It is; go, tell your master: 'Elijah is here.'"
But Obadiah said, "What sin have I done, that you would give your
servant over to Ahab to kill me? As surely as Jehovah your God lives,
there is no nation nor kingdom where my lord has not sent to find you;
and when they said, 'He is not here,' he made each of the kingdoms and
nations take an oath, that no one had found you. Now you say, 'Go, tell
your lord, Elijah is here!' As soon as I have left you the spirit of
Jehovah will carry you to a place unknown to me, so that when I come and
tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will put me to death, although I,
your servant, have been loyal to Jehovah from my youth! Have you not
been told what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Jehovah, how I
hid a hundred by fifties in a cave and fed them continually with bread
and water?" Elijah answered, "As surely as Jehovah of hosts lives,
before whom I stand, I will show myself to Ahab to-day."
So Obadiah went to Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. As
soon as Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is it you, you who have
brought trouble to Israel?" He answered, "I have not brought trouble on
Israel, but you and your father's house have; because you have failed to
follow the commands of Jehovah and have run after the Phoenician gods.
Now therefore call together to me at Mount Carmel all the Israelites and
the four hundred and fifty prophets of the god Baal who eat at Jezebel's
table."
So Ahab sent for all the Israelites and gathered the prophets together
at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah came to the people and said, "How long are
you going to falter between worshipping Jehovah or Baal? If Jehovah is
the true God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him." But the people
were silent. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left as
a prophet of Jehovah, but there are four hundred and fifty prophets of
Baal. Let us take two oxen; let them choose one ox for themselves and
cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, without lighting any fire, and
I will dress the other ox and lay it on wood, without lighting any fire.
Then you call on your god and I will call on Jehovah. The god who
answers by fire is the true God." All the people answered and said, "It
is a fair offer."
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the oxen for
yourselves and dress it first, for you are many, and call on your god,
without lighting any fire." So they took the ox which he gave them and
dressed it, and called on their god from morning until noon, saying, "O
Baal, hear us." But there was no voice nor answer, although they leaped
about the altar which they had built.
When it was noon, Elijah mocked them, saying, "Call loudly, for he is a
god; either he is thinking, or he has gone out, or he is on a journey,
or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!" Then they called loudly
and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and lances until
the blood gushed out upon them. When noon was past, they cried out in
frenzy until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but
there was neither voice nor answer nor was any attention paid to their
cry.
Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the
people drew near to him, and he rebuilt the altar of Jehovah which had
been thrown down. Then around the altar he made a ditch that would hold
about two bushels of seed. When he had placed the pieces of wood in
order, he cut up the ox and laid it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill
four jars with water and pour it on the burnt-offering and on the pieces
of wood." And he said, "Do it the second time"; and they did it the
second time. He said, "Do it the third time"; and they did it the third
time, so that the water ran round the altar. And he also filled the
ditch with water.
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came
near and said, "O Jehovah, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let
it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, that I am thy servant,
and that I have done all these things at thy command. Hear me, O
Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, art God,
and that thou mayst win their hearts."
Then the fire of Jehovah fell and burned up the burnt-offering and the
wood, the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the
trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and cried,
"Jehovah, he is God; Jehovah, he is God." But Elijah commanded them,
"Take the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape!" So they took
them down to the Brook Kishon and there put them to death.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink; for there are signs of a
heavy rain." So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the
top of Carmel and crouched down upon the earth, with his face between
his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea."
So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." But seven times
he said, "Go again." So the servant went back seven times, but the
seventh time he said, "There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising
out of the sea." Then Elijah said, "Go, say to Ahab, 'Make ready your
chariot; go down, that the rain may not stop you.'" In a little while
the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.
And as Ahab rode toward Jezreel, Elijah was given divine strength, so
that he tightened his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance to
Jezreel.
GOD'S LOW WHISPER
Now when Ahab told Jezebel that Elijah had put the prophets to death
with the sword, she sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "As surely as
you are Elijah and I am Jezebel, may the gods do to me what they will
and more too, if I do not make your life as the life of one of those
prophets by to-morrow about this time."
Then he was afraid and fled for his life. And he came to Beersheba,
which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he went on a
day's journey into the wilderness and sat down under a desert tree, and
he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take
my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
Then he lay down and slept under the desert tree, but an angel touched
him and said to him, "Rise, eat!" When he looked, he saw there at his
head a loaf, baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and
drank and lay down again. But the angel of Jehovah came again the second
time and touched him and said, "Rise, eat, or else the journey will be
too long for you." So he rose and ate and drank and went in the strength
of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mountain of God.
Then Jehovah passed by, and a very violent wind tore the mountain apart
and broke the rocks in pieces before Jehovah; but Jehovah was not in the
wind. And after the wind an earthquake; but Jehovah was not in the
earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not in the
fire. After the fire there was the sound of a low whisper. As soon as
Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and
stood at the entrance of the cave. Then he heard a voice saying, "What
are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very jealous for
Jehovah the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken thee, thrown
down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword, and I only am
left; and they seek to take my life."
Then Jehovah said to him, "On your way back go to the wilderness of
Damascus, and when you arrive there, anoint Hazael to rule over Aram,
Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to rule over Israel, and Elisha, the son of
Shaphat, to be prophet in your place. Then every one who escapes the
sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death; and every one who escapes the
sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. Yet I will spare seven
thousand in Israel--all who have not worshipped Baal and kissed his
image."
After he had left, Elijah found Elisha the son of Shaphat, as he was
ploughing with twelve pairs of oxen. When Elijah went up to him and
threw his mantle upon him, he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and
said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow
you." Elijah said to him, "Go back, for what have I done to you?" So
Elisha turned back and took one pair of oxen and offered them as a
sacrifice and, using the wooden ploughs and yokes as fuel, boiled their
flesh, and gave it to the people to eat. Then he arose and followed
Elijah and served him.
AHAB THE THIEF
Now Naboth, the Jezreelite, had a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace
of Ahab, who ruled at Samaria. So Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your
vineyard, that I may have it as a vegetable-garden, for it is near my
palace; and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it is more
pleasing to you, I will pay you its value in money." But Naboth answered
Ahab, "May Jehovah save me from the crime of giving you what has come
down to me from my fathers!"
So Ahab went into his house sullen and in bad humor because of what
Naboth had said to him. And he lay down on his bed and covered his face
and would eat no food.
But Jezebel his wife came to him and said, "Why are you in such bad
humor that you will not eat?" He replied, "Because I made this offer to
Naboth, 'Give me your vineyard for its value in money, or else, if it is
more pleasing to you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' But he
answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'" Then Jezebel his wife said
to him, "Are you not the one who now rules in Israel? Rise, eat, and set
your mind at rest. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth."
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal and
sent the letters to the leaders and officials who lived in Naboth's
city. In the letters she wrote, "Proclaim a fast and put Naboth in front
of the people. Then set up two base men before him and let them bring
this charge against him: 'You cursed God and the ruler of Israel.' Then
carry him out and stone him to death."
The leaders and officials of Naboth's city did as Jezebel commanded in
her letters to them. They proclaimed a fast and put Naboth in front of
the people. Then the two base men came in and sat before him, and the
scoundrels in the presence of the people said, "Naboth cursed God and
the ruler of Israel." Then they carried him out of the city and stoned
him to death. And they told Jezebel, "Naboth has been stoned to death."
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said
to Ahab, "Rise, take the vineyard of Naboth which he refused to sell
you, for Naboth is not alive but dead." As soon as Ahab heard that
Naboth was dead, he went down to the vineyard of Naboth to take it. But
this command came from Jehovah to Elijah, the Tishbite, "Rise, go down
to meet Ahab, the ruler of Israel, who lives in Samaria; he is just now
in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take it. Say to him,
'This is the message of Jehovah, "Have you killed and also taken his
vineyard? In the very place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth
there they shall also lick your blood."'" Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you
found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have. And Jehovah has declared:
'The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.'" When Ahab
heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh
and ate no food.
MICAIAH'S COURAGE IN TELLING THE TRUTH
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. But in the
third year, when Jehoshaphat the ruler of Judah came to visit the ruler
of Israel, Ahab said to his followers, "Do you not know that Ramoth in
Gilead belongs to us; yet we sit still instead of taking it from the
king of Aram?" Then he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack
Ramoth in Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied, "I am with you, my people are as
your people, my horses as your horses."
And Jehoshaphat said to the ruler of Israel, "Ask now what Jehovah has
to say." So Ahab gathered the prophets together (in all about four
hundred men), and asked them, "Shall I go to fight against Ramoth in
Gilead or shall I not?" They said, "Go up; for Jehovah will give it into
your hands." But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there any other prophet of
Jehovah, that we may ask him?" The ruler of Israel answered, "There is
another by whom we may ask of Jehovah, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, but I
hate him; for he prophesies for me nothing good, but only evil."
Jehoshaphat said, "Do not say so."
Then the ruler of Israel called a servant and said, "Bring quickly
Micaiah, the son of Imlah." The messenger who went to call Micaiah said
to him, "See, the prophets have all of them promised the ruler of Israel
success. Agree with them, and prophesy success." But Micaiah said, "As
surely as Jehovah lives, I will speak what he says to me."
When he came to Ahab, he said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth in
Gilead to fight, or shall we not?" He answered him, "Go up and conquer!
Jehovah will give it into your hands!" But Ahab said to him, "How many
times shall I warn you to speak nothing to me in the name of Jehovah but
the truth?" He said, "I saw all the Israelites scattered upon the
mountains as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, 'These have
no master; let each of them go home in peace!'"
The ruler of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he
would prophesy for me nothing good, but only evil?" Micaiah said, "Hear
then the message from Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne and
all the host of heaven standing about him. And Jehovah said, 'Who will
deceive Ahab, so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth in Gilead?' One
suggested one thing and another, another, until a spirit came out and
stood before Jehovah and said, 'I will deceive him.' Jehovah said to
him, 'By what means?' He said, 'I will go out and become a lying spirit
in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then Jehovah said, 'You shall succeed
in deceiving him. Go out and do so.' So Jehovah has now put a lying
spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, for he has decided
to bring evil upon you."
Then Zedekiah came near and struck Micaiah a blow on the cheek and said,
"How was it that the spirit of Jehovah went from me to speak to you?"
Micaiah replied, "Indeed, you shall see on the day when you shall go
from one hiding-place to another." Then the ruler of Israel said, "Take
Micaiah back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the
ruler's son, and say, 'This is the ruler's command: Put this fellow in
prison and feed him with a scanty fare of bread and water until I return
successful.'" Micaiah said, "If you indeed return successful, Jehovah
has not spoken by me."
Then Ahab, the ruler of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the ruler of Judah,
went up to Ramoth in Gilead. And the ruler of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat, "I will dress myself so that no one will know me, and go
into the battle, but you can put on your robes."
But a certain man shot an arrow, and by chance it struck the ruler of
Israel between the breastplate and the lower part of his armor. So Ahab
said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn about and carry me out of the
battle, for I am wounded." But the battle grew more intense, so that
Ahab stayed until evening propped up in his chariot in the sight of the
Arameans, and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the
chariot. And that evening he died.
About sunset the cry went out through the army, "Each to his town and
each to his land, for the ruler is dead!" So they went to Samaria and
buried Ahab there. And when they washed the chariot by the pool of
Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood just as Jehovah had said.
THE MANTLE OF ELIJAH
When Jehovah took up Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind, he was going with
Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, for Jehovah
has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As surely as Jehovah
lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to
Bethel.
Then the followers of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and
said, "Do you know that to-day Jehovah will take away your master from
you?" He said, "Yes, I know it; say no more." And Elijah said to him,
"Elisha, stay here, for Jehovah has sent me to Jericho." But he said,
"As surely as Jehovah lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So
they came to Jericho.
Then the followers of the prophets at Jericho came near to Elisha and
said, "Do you know that to-day Jehovah will take your master from you?"
He answered, "Yes, I know it; say no more." And Elijah said to him,
"Stay here, for Jehovah has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As
surely as Jehovah lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they
both went on.
Fifty followers of the prophets stood opposite them at a distance, while
they two stood by the Jordan. Then Elijah rolled up his mantle and with
it struck the waters; and they were divided, so that they two went over
on dry ground. When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what
I shall do for you before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Let a
double portion of your spirit be upon me." He replied, "You have asked
what is difficult; but if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall
come to you; but if you do not, it shall not come."
As they were going on their way talking, a fiery chariot with horses of
fire suddenly came and separated the two; and Elijah went up in a
whirlwind to heaven. When Elisha saw it, he cried, "My father, my
father! the chariots and the horsemen of Israel!" And he saw Elijah no
more, but he took hold of his own robes and tore them in two. Then he
took up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah.
ELISHA HEALING THE SICK BOY