17:1 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), 1 there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” 2 17:2 The Lord told him: 3 17:3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:4 Drink from the stream; I have already told 4 the ravens to bring you food 5 there.” 17:5 So he did 6 as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
17:7 After a while, 7 the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 17:8 The Lord told him, 8 17:9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told 9 a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 17:10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup 10 of water, so I can take a drink.” 17:11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” 11 17:12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” 12 17:13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. 13 But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 17:14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 17:15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 14 17:16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised 15 through Elijah.
17:17 After this 16 the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 17:18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come 17 to me to confront me with 18 my sin and kill my son?” 17:19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 17:20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 17:21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 17:22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 17:23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 17:24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord really does speak through you.” 19
18:1 Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, 20 “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 18:2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 21 18:3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. 22 18:4 When Jezebel was killing 23 the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 18:5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas 24 so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill 25 some of the animals.” 18:6 They divided up the land between them; Ahab went 26 one way and Obadiah went the other.
18:7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. 27 When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 18:8 He replied, “Yes, 28 go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” 29 18:9 Obadiah 30 said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? 31 18:10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them 32 swear an oath that they could not find you. 18:11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’ 33 18:12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. 34 If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. 35 That would not be fair, 36 because your servant has been a loyal follower of 37 the Lord from my youth. 18:13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did 38 when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 18:14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’ 39 but he will kill me.” 18:15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all 40 lives (whom I serve), 41 I will make an appearance before him today.”
18:16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah. 42 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he 43 said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster 44 on Israel?” 18:18 Elijah 45 replied, “I have not brought disaster 46 on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 18:19 Now send out messengers 47 and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports. 48
18:20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 18:21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? 49 If the Lord is the true God, 50 then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 18:22 Elijah said to them: 51 “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 18:23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 18:24 Then you 52 will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” 53 All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.” 54
18:25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” 55 18:26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested, 56 and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped 57 around on the altar they had made. 58 18:27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” 59 18:28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, 60 mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. 61 18:29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, 62 but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. 63
18:30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 64 18:31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new 65 name.” 66 18:32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. 67 Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs 68 of seed. 18:33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. 18:34 Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, 69 he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 18:35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 18:36 When it was time for the evening offering, 70 Elijah the prophet approached the altar 71 and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove 72 today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 18:37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God 73 and that you are winning back their allegiance.” 74 18:38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. 75 It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 18:39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! 76 The Lord is the true God!” 18:40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed 77 them there.
18:41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.” 78 18:42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 18:43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” 79 Seven times Elijah sent him to look. 80 18:44 The seventh time the servant 81 said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah 82 then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” 83 18:45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward 84 Jezreel. 18:46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; 85 he tucked his robe into his belt 86 and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 19:2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, 87 “May the gods judge me severely 88 if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!” 89
19:3 Elijah was afraid, 90 so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 19:4 while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub 91 and asked the Lord to take his life: 92 “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” 93 19:5 He stretched out 94 and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger 95 touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 19:6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. 96 19:7 The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.” 97 19:8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
19:9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal 98 to the Lord, the sovereign God, 99 even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, 100 torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 101 19:11 The Lord 102 said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, 103 but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 19:12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. 104 19:13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden 105 a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal 106 to the Lord, the sovereign God, 107 even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, 108 torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 109 19:15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 19:16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 19:17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 19:18 I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” 110
19:19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. 19:20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah 111 said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” 19:21 Elisha 112 went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. 113 He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.
20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria 114 and besieged and attacked it. 115 20:2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. 116 20:3 He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
20:5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 20:6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.” 117 20:7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders 118 of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. 119 Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 20:8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” 120 20:9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’” 121 So the messengers went back and gave their report.
20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely 122 if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” 123 20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” 124 20:12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, 125 he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. 126 He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
20:13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? 127 Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 20:14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” 128 He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab 129 asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
20:15 So Ahab 130 assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 131 20:16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily 132 in their quarters. 133 20:17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 134 20:18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.” 135 20:19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20:20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; 136 the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 20:21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated 137 Syria.
20:22 The prophet 138 visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses. 139 Determine 140 what you must do, for in the spring 141 the king of Syria will attack 142 you.” 20:23 Now the advisers 143 of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them. 20:24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. 20:25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots. 144 Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised. 145
20:26 In the spring 146 Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army 147 and marched to Aphek to fight Israel. 148 20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks 149 of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 20:28 The prophet 150 visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. 151 Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
20:29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 20:30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. 152 Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room. 153 20:31 His advisers 154 said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. 155 Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads 156 and surrender 157 to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 20:32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant 158 Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’” Ahab 159 replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 160 20:33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab 161 then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot. 20:34 Ben Hadad 162 said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets 163 in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” 164 Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” 165 So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
20:35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” 166 But the man refused to wound him. 20:36 So the prophet 167 said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him. 20:37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely. 168 20:38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 20:39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat 169 of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner. 170 He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason, 171 you will pay with your life or with a talent 172 of silver.’ 173 20:40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.” 174 20:41 The prophet 175 quickly removed the bandage from his eyes and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets. 20:42 The prophet 176 then said to him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will suffer instead of his people.’” 177 20:43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria 178 bitter and angry.
21:1 After this the following episode took place. 179 Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 180 21:2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, 181 I will pay you silver for it.” 182 21:3 But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.” 183
21:4 So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, 184 “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” 185 He lay down on his bed, pouted, 186 and would not eat. 21:5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 21:6 He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” 187 21:7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! 188 Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. 189 I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
21:8 She wrote out orders, 190 signed Ahab’s name to them, 191 and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders 192 to the leaders 193 and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 194 21:9 This is what she wrote: 195 “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 21:10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
21:11 The men of the 196 city, the leaders 197 and the nobles who lived there, 198 followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 199 21:12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 21:13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him 200 outside the city and stoned him to death. 201 21:14 Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.” 202
21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she 203 said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, 204 he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
21:17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: 205 21:18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 21:19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”
21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, 206 “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah 207 replied, “I have found you, because you are committed 208 to doing evil in the sight of 209 the Lord. 21:21 The Lord says, 210 ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster 211 on you. I will destroy you 212 and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 213 21:22 I will make your dynasty 214 like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ 215 21:23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall 216 of Jezreel.’ 21:24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones 217 who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 21:25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed 218 to doing evil in the sight of 219 the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 220 21:26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, 221 just like the Amorites 222 whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)
21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 21:28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, 223 21:29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse 224 before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.” 225
1 tn Heb “before whom I stand.”
2 tn Heb “except at the command of my word.”
3 tn Heb “and the word of the
4 tn Heb “commanded.”
5 tn Heb “to provide for you.”
6 tn Heb “So he went and did.”
7 tn Heb “And it came about at the end of days.”
8 tn Heb “And the word of the
9 tn Heb “Look, I have commanded.”
10 tn Heb “a little.”
11 tn The Hebrew text also includes the phrase “in your hand.”
12 tn Heb “Look, I am gathering two sticks and then I will go and make it for me and my son and we will eat it and we will die.”
13 tn Heb “according to your word.”
14 tn Heb “and she ate, she and he and her house [for] days.”
15 tn Heb “out, according to the word of the
16 tn Heb “after these things.”
17 tn Heb “What to me and to you, man of God, that you have come.”
18 tn Heb “to make me remember.”
19 tn Heb “you are a man of God and the word of the
20 tn Heb “the word of the
21 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
22 tn Heb “now Obadiah greatly feared the
23 tn Heb “cutting off.”
24 tn Heb “grass.”
25 tn Heb “to cut off.”
26 tn The Hebrew text has “alone” here and again in reference to Obadiah toward the end of the verse.
27 tn Heb “look, Elijah [came] to meet him.”
28 tn Heb “[It is] I.”
29 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Obadiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Heb “to kill me.”
32 tn Heb “he makes the kingdom or the nation swear an oath.”
33 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
34 tn Heb “to [a place] which I do not know.”
35 tn Heb “and I will go to inform Ahab and he will not find you and he will kill me.”
36 tn The words “that would not be fair” are added to clarify the logic of Obadiah’s argument.
37 tn Heb “has feared the
38 tn Heb “Has it not been told to my master what I did…?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “Of course it has!”
39 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
40 tn Traditionally, “the
41 tn Heb “(before whom I stand).”
42 tn Heb “Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.”
43 tn Heb “Ahab.”
44 tn Or “trouble.”
45 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46 tn Or “trouble.”
47 tn The word “messengers” is supplied in the translation both here and in v. 20 for clarification.
48 tn Heb “who eat at the table of Jezebel.”
49 tn Heb “How long are you going to limp around on two crutches?” (see HALOT 762 s.v. סְעִפִּים). In context this idiomatic expression refers to indecision rather than physical disability.
50 tn Heb “the God.”
51 tn Heb “to the people.”
52 tn Elijah now directly addresses the prophets.
53 tn Heb “the God.”
54 tn Heb “The matter [i.e., proposal] is good [i.e., acceptable].”
55 tc The last sentence of v. 25 is absent in the Syriac Peshitta.
56 tn Heb “and they took the bull which he allowed them.”
57 tn Heb “limped” (the same verb is used in v. 21).
58 tc The MT has “which he made,” but some medieval Hebrew
59 sn Elijah’s sarcastic proposals would have been especially offensive and irritating to Baal’s prophets, for they believed Baal was imprisoned in the underworld as death’s captive during this time of drought. Elijah’s apparent ignorance of their theology is probably designed for dramatic effect; indeed the suggestion that Baal is away on a trip or deep in sleep comes precariously close to the truth as viewed by the prophets.
60 tn Or “as was their custom.”
61 tn Heb “until blood poured out on them.”
62 tn Heb “when noon passed they prophesied until the offering up of the offering.”
63 tc The Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta include the following words here: “When it was time to offer the sacrifice, Elijah the Tishbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations: ‘Stand aside for the time being, and I will offer my burnt offering.’ So they stood aside and departed.”
64 sn Torn down. The condition of the altar symbolizes the spiritual state of the people.
65 tn The word “new” is implied but not actually present in the Hebrew text.
66 sn Israel will be your new name. See Gen 32:28; 35:10.
67 tn Heb “and he built the stones into an altar in the name of the
68 tn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about seven quarts.
69 tn The words “when they had done so” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
70 tn Heb “at the offering up of the offering.”
71 tn The words “the altar” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
72 tn Heb “let it be known.”
73 tn Heb “the God.”
74 tn Heb “that you are turning their heart[s] back.”
75 tn The words “from the sky” are added for stylistic reasons.
76 tn Heb “the God” (the phrase occurs twice in this verse).
77 tn Or “slaughtered.”
78 tn Heb “for [there is] the sound of the roar of the rain.”
79 sn So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Several times in this chapter those addressed by Elijah obey his orders. In vv. 20 and 42 Ahab does as instructed, in vv. 26 and 28 the prophets follow Elijah’s advice, and in vv. 30, 34, 40 and 43 the people and servants do as they are told. By juxtaposing Elijah’s commands with accounts of those commands being obeyed, the narrator emphasizes the authority of the
80 tn Heb “He said, ‘Return,’ seven times.”
81 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
82 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
83 tn Heb “so that the rain won’t restrain you.”
84 tn Heb “rode and went to.”
85 tn Heb “and the hand of the
86 tn Heb “and girded up his loins.” The idea is that of gathering up the robes and tucking them into the sash or belt so that they do not get in the way of the legs when running (or working or fighting).
87 tn Heb “saying.”
88 tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”
89 tn Heb “I do not make your life like the life of one of them.”
90 tc The MT has “and he saw,” but some medieval Hebrew
91 tn Or “broom tree” (also in v. 5).
92 tn Heb “and asked with respect to his life to die.”
93 tn Heb “fathers.”
94 tn Or “lay down.”
95 tn Heb “Look, a messenger.”
96 tn Heb “and again lay down”
97 tn Heb “for the journey is too great for you.”
98 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
99 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
100 tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
101 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
102 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
103 tn Heb “tearing away the mountains and breaking the cliffs” (or perhaps, “breaking the stones”).
104 tn Heb “a voice, calm, soft.”
105 tn Heb “look.”
106 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
107 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
108 tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
109 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
110 tn Heb “I have kept in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and all the mouths that have not kissed him.”
111 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
112 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
113 tn Heb “and with the equipment of the oxen he cooked them, the flesh.”
114 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
115 tn Heb “and he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.”
116 tn Heb “to the city.”
117 tn Heb “all that is desirable to your eyes they will put in their hand and take.”
118 tn Heb “elders.”
119 tn Heb “Know and see that this [man] is seeking trouble.”
120 tn Heb “Do not listen and do not be willing.”
121 tn Heb “all which you sent to your servant in the beginning I will do, but this thing I am unable to do.”
122 tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”
123 tn Heb “if the dirt of Samaria suffices for the handfuls of all the people who are at my feet.”
124 sn The point of the saying is that someone who is still preparing for a battle should not boast as if he has already won the battle. A modern parallel would be, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
125 tn Heb “When he heard this word.”
126 tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.
127 tn Heb “this great horde.”
128 tn The words “will this be accomplished” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
129 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
130 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
131 tn Heb “after them he assembled all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.”
132 tn Heb “drinking and drunken.”
133 tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.
134 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
135 tn Heb “if they come in peace, take them alive; if they come for battle, take them alive.”
136 tn Heb “each struck down his man.”
137 tn Heb “struck down Aram with a great striking down.”
138 tn The definite article indicates previous reference, that is, “the prophet mentioned earlier” (see v. 13).
139 tn Heb “strengthen yourself.”
140 tn Heb “know and see.”
141 tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”
142 tn Heb “go up against.”
143 tn Or “servants.”
144 tn Heb “And you, you muster an army like the one that fell from you, horse like horse and chariot like chariot.”
145 tn Heb “he listened to their voice and did so.”
146 tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”
147 tn Heb “mustered Aram.”
148 tn Heb “and went up to Aphek for battle with Israel.”
149 tn The noun translated “small flocks” occurs only here. The common interpretation derives the word from the verbal root חשׂף, “to strip off; to make bare.” In this case the noun refers to something “stripped off” or “made bare.” HALOT 359 s.v. II חשׂף derives the noun from a proposed homonymic verbal root (which occurs only in Ps 29:9) meaning “cause a premature birth.” In this case the derived noun could refer to goats that are undersized because they are born prematurely.
150 tn Heb “the man of God.”
151 tn Heb “I will place all this great horde in your hand.”
152 tn Heb “and the remaining ones fled to Aphek to the city and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men, the ones who remained.”
153 tn Heb “and Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, [into] an inner room in an inner room.”
154 tn Or “servants.”
155 tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.
156 sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.
157 tn Heb “go out.”
158 sn Your servant. By referring to Ben Hadad as Ahab’s servant, they are suggesting that Ahab make him a subject in a vassal treaty arrangement.
159 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
160 sn He is my brother. Ahab’s response indicates that he wants to make a parity treaty and treat Ben Hadad as an equal partner.
161 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
162 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
163 tn Heb “streets,” but this must refer to streets set up with stalls for merchants to sell their goods. See HALOT 299 s.v. חוּץ.
164 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
165 tn Heb “I will send you away with a treaty.” The words “Ahab then said” are supplied in the translation. There is nothing in the Hebrew text to indicate that the speaker has changed from Ben Hadad to Ahab. Some suggest adding “and he said” before “I will send you away.” Others prefer to maintain Ben Hadad as the speaker and change the statement to, “Please send me away with a treaty.”
166 tn Heb “Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to his companion by the word of the
167 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
168 tn Heb “and the man wounded him, wounding and bruising.”
169 tn Heb “middle.”
170 tn Heb “man” (also a second time later in this verse).
171 tn Heb “if being missed, he is missed.” The emphatic infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form lends solemnity to the warning.
172 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 75 pounds of silver.
173 tn Heb “your life will be in place of his life, or a unit of silver you will pay.”
174 tn Heb “so [i.e., in accordance with his testimony] is your judgment, you have determined [it].”
175 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
176 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
177 tn Heb “Because you sent away the man of my destruction [i.e., that I determined should be destroyed] from [my/your?] hand, your life will be in place of his life, and your people in place of his people.”
178 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
179 tn Heb “after these things.” The words “the following episode took place” are added for stylistic reasons.
180 sn King Ahab of Samaria. Samaria, as the capital of the northern kingdom, here stands for the nation of Israel.
181 tn Heb “if it is good in your eyes.”
182 tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And it will be mine as a garden of herbs.”
183 tn Heb “Far be it from me, by the
184 tn Heb “on account of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite spoke to him.”
185 tn Heb “I will not give to you the inheritance of my fathers.”
186 tn Heb “turned away his face.”
187 tn Heb “While I was talking…, I said…, he said….” Ahab’s explanation is one lengthy sentence in the Hebrew text, which is divided in the English translation for stylistic reasons.
188 tn Heb “You, now, you are exercising kingship over Israel.”
189 tn Heb “so your heart [i.e., disposition] might be well.”
190 tn Heb “scrolls.”
191 tn Heb “in the name of Ahab.”
192 tn Heb “scrolls.”
193 tn Heb “elders.”
194 tn Heb “to the nobles who were in his city, the ones who lived with Naboth.”
195 tn Heb “she wrote on the scrolls, saying.”
196 tn Heb “his.”
197 tn Heb “elders.”
198 tn Heb “and the nobles who were living in his city.”
199 tn Heb “did as Jezebel sent to them, just as was written in the scrolls which she sent to them.”
200 tn Heb “led him.”
201 tn Heb “and they stoned him with stones and he died.”
202 tn Heb “Naboth was stoned and he died.” So also in v. 15.
203 tn Heb “Jezebel”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
204 tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words here: “he tore his garments and put on sackcloth. After these things.”
205 tn Heb “the word of the
206 tn Heb “and Ahab said to Elijah.” The narrative is elliptical and streamlined. The words “when Elijah arrived” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
207 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
208 tn Heb “you have sold yourself.”
209 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
210 tn The introductory formula “the
211 sn Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is similar to the word translated “evil” (v. 20, הָרַע, hara’). Ahab’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment.
212 tn Heb “I will burn after you.” Some take the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean here “sweep away.” See the discussion of this verb in the notes at 14:10 and 16:3.
213 tn Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or “abandoned”] in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur vÿ’azuv, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס (’efes), “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals.
214 tn Heb “house.”
215 tn Heb “because of the provocation by which you angered [me], and you caused Israel to sin.”
216 tc A few Hebrew
217 tn “Dogs will eat the ones who belonging to Ahab who die in the city.”
218 tn Heb “who sold himself.”
219 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
220 tn Heb “like Ahab…whom his wife Jezebel incited.”
221 tn The Hebrew word used here, גִלּוּלִים (gillulim) is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless things”) and הֲבָלִים (havalim, “vanities” or “empty winds”).
222 tn Heb “He acted very abominably by walking after the disgusting idols, according to all which the Amorites had done.”
223 tn Heb “the word of the
224 tn Or “humbles himself.” The expression occurs a second time later in this verse.
225 tn Heb “I will not bring the disaster during his days, [but] in the days of his son I will bring the disaster on his house.”