Holman Christian Standard Bible (108 page)

29
 When Baasha became king, he struck down the entire house of Jeroboam. He did not leave Jeroboam any survivors but destroyed his family according to the word of the
Lord
He had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 
30
 This was because Jeroboam had provoked the
Lord
God of Israel by the sins he had committed and had caused Israel to commit. 

31
 The rest of the events of Nadab's reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. 
32
 There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 

Israel's King Baasha

33
 In the third year of Judah's King Asa, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel and reigned in Tirzah 24 years.
34
 He did what was evil in the
Lord
's sight and followed the example of Jeroboam and the sin he had caused Israel to commit. 

1 Kings

16
Now the word of the
Lord
came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha:
2
 “Because I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, but you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin, provoking Me with their sins,
3
 take note: I will sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat: 

5
 The rest of the events of Baasha's reign, along with all his accomplishments and might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. 
6
 Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place.
7
 Through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani the word of the
Lord
also came against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the
Lord
's sight, provoking Him with the work of his hands and being like the house of Jeroboam, and because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam. 

Israel's King Elah

8
 In the twenty-sixth year of Judah's King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel and reigned in Tirzah two years.

9
 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household at Tirzah.
10
 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah's King Asa, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place. 

11
 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male, including his kinsmen and his friends.
12
 So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the
Lord
He had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet. 
13
 This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, provoking the
Lord
God of Israel with their worthless idols. 

14
 The rest of the events of Elah's reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. 

Israel's King Zimri

15
 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah's King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines. 
16
 When these troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp.
17
 Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 
18
 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died
19
 because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the
Lord
's sight and by following the example of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit. 

20
 The rest of the events of Zimri's reign, along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.
21
 At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
22
 However, the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

Israel's King Omri

23
 In the thirty-first year of Judah's King Asa, Omri became king over Israel and reigned 12 years. He reigned six years in Tirzah, 
24
 then he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25
 Omri did what was evil in the
Lord
's sight; he did more evil than all who were before him. 
26
 He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the
Lord
God of Israel with their worthless idols. 
27
 The rest of the events of Omri's reign, along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.
28
 Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.

Israel's King Ahab

29
 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah's King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria 22 years.
30
 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the
Lord
's sight more than all who were before him. 
31
 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial matter, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve
•Baal
and worship him. 
32
 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria.
33
 Ahab also made an
•Asherah
pole. Ahab did more to provoke the
Lord
God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 

34
 During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he set up its gates, according to the word of the
Lord
He had spoken through Joshua son of Nun. 

1 Kings

Elijah Announces Famine

17
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the
Lord
God of Israel lives, I stand before Him, and there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command! ” 

2
 Then a revelation from the
Lord
came to him:
3
 “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide yourself at the
•Wadi
Cherith where it enters the Jordan.
4
 You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.”

5
 So he did what the
Lord
commanded. Elijah left and lived by the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.
6
 The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.
7
 After a while, the wadi dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

Elijah and the Widow

8
 Then the word of the
Lord
came to him:
9
 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.”
10
 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow woman gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 
11
 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

12
 But she said, “As the
Lord
your God lives, I don't have anything baked — only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” 

13
 Then Elijah said to her, “Don't be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son,
14
 for this is what the
Lord
God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the
Lord
sends rain on the surface of the land.” 

15
 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. 
16
 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the
Lord
He had spoken through Elijah.

The Widow's Son Raised

17
 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness became very severe until no breath remained in him. 
18
 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do we have in common? Have you come to remind me of my
•guilt
 and to kill my son? ”

19
 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
20
 Then he cried out to the
Lord
 and said, “My
Lord
God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son? ”
21
 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the
Lord
and said, “My
Lord
God, please let this boy's life return to him! ”

22
 So the
Lord
listened to Elijah's voice, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 
23
 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.”

24
 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the
Lord
's word from your mouth is true.” 

1 Kings

Elijah's Message to Ahab

18
After a long time, the word of the
Lord
 came to Elijah in the third year: “Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land.”
2
 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

The famine was severe in Samaria. 
3
 Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a man who greatly
•feared
the
Lord
 
4
 and took 100 prophets and hid them, 50 men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the
Lord
's prophets. 
5
 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring of water and to every
•wadi
. Perhaps we'll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.” 
6
 They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.

7
 While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell with his face to the ground and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah? ”

8
 “It is I,” he replied. “Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here! ' ”

9
 But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
10
 As the
Lord
your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,' he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you.

11
 “Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here! ” '
12
 But when I leave you, the Spirit of the
Lord
may carry you off to some place I don't know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the
Lord
from my youth.
13
 Wasn't it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the
Lord
's prophets? I hid 100 of the prophets of the
Lord
, 50 men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water.
14
 Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here! ” ' He will kill me! ”

15
 Then Elijah said, “As the
Lord
of
•Hosts
lives, before whom I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab.”

16
 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17
 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel? ” 

18
 He replied, “I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father's house have, because you have abandoned the
Lord
's commands and followed the
•Baals
. 
19
 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of
•Asherah
 who eat at Jezebel's table.”