He ordered, &#8220;Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, &#8220;As certainly as the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel lives (whom I serve),<n id="1" /> there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.&#8221;<n id="2" />

She said, &#8220;As certainly as the <sc>Lordsc> 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&#8217;m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.&#8221;<n id="1" />

Solomon said, &#8220;If he is a loyal subject,<n id="1" /> not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,<n id="2" /> he will die.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Haggith&#8217;s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon&#8217;s mother. She asked, &#8220;Do you come in peace?&#8221; He answered, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;<n id="1" />

But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.&#8217;<n id="1" />

You must serve me with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations.<n id="1" />

Elijah<n id="1" /> replied, &#8220;I have not brought disaster<n id="2" /> on Israel. But you and your father&#8217;s dynasty have, by abandoning the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s commandments and following the Baals.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, &#8220;Didn&#8217;t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?&#8221;

Micaiah said, &#8220;If you really do safely return, then the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken through me.&#8221; Then he added, &#8220;Take note,<n id="1" /> all you people.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon&#8217;s mother, &#8220;Has it been reported to you<n id="1" /> that Haggith&#8217;s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David&#8217;s back?<n id="2" />

Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants<n id="1" /> who should succeed my master the king on his throne?&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Solomon was told, &#8220;Look, Adonijah fears you;<n id="1" /> see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, &#8216;May King Solomon solemnly promise<n id="2" /> me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.&#8217;&#8221;

and the <sc>Lordsc> will fulfill his promise to me,<n id="1" /> &#8216;If your descendants watch their step<n id="2" /> and live faithfully in my presence<n id="3" /> with all their heart and being,<n id="4" /> then,&#8217; he promised,<n id="5" /> &#8216;you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.&#8217;<n id="6" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim,<n id="1" /> who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim.<n id="2" /> He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised<n id="3" /> him by the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8216;I will not strike you down<n id="4" /> with the sword.&#8217;

&#8220;As for this temple you are building, if you follow<n id="1" /> my rules, observe<n id="2" /> my regulations, and obey all my commandments,<n id="3" /> I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if you or your sons ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep,<n id="1" /> and decide to serve and worship other gods,<n id="2" />

They said to him, &#8220;Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.&#8221;<n id="1" />

If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> their loyalty could shift to their former master,<n id="2" /> King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.&#8221;

But the prophet said to the king, &#8220;Even if you were to give me half your possessions,<n id="1" /> I could not go with you and eat and drink<n id="2" /> in this place.