The <sc>Lordsc> said to him, &#8220;Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria.

Do the job the <sc>Lordsc> your God has assigned you<n id="1" /> by following his instructions<n id="2" /> and obeying<n id="3" /> his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,<n id="4" />

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>

then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly<n id="1" /> you will then teach them the right way to live<n id="2" /> and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.<n id="3" />p>

then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin,<n id="1" /> and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives.<n id="2" /> (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.)<n id="3" />

When they return to you with all their heart and being<n id="1" /> in the land where they are held prisoner,<n id="2" /> and direct their prayers to you toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,<n id="3" />

At that time, when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road; the two of them were alone in the open country. Ahijah<n id="1" /> was wearing a brand new robe,

I am taking the kingdom from him<n id="1" /> because they have<n id="2" /> abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions<n id="3" /> by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon&#8217;s father David did.<n id="4" />

For the <sc>Lordsc> gave me strict orders,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Do not eat or drink<n id="2" /> there; do not go back the way you came.&#8217;&#8221;

Some men came by<n id="1" /> and saw the corpse lying in the road with the lion standing beside it.<n id="2" /> They went and reported what they had seen<n id="3" /> in the city where the old prophet lived.

When the old prophet who had invited him to his house heard the news,<n id="1" /> he said, &#8220;It is the prophet<n id="2" /> who rebelled against the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" /> The <sc>Lordsc> delivered him over to the lion and it ripped him up<n id="4" /> and killed him, just as the <sc>Lordsc> warned him.&#8221;<n id="5" />

He went and found the corpse lying in the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside it;<n id="1" /> the lion had neither eaten the corpse nor attacked the donkey.

<t /><p class="bodytext">After this happened, Jeroboam still did not change his evil ways;<n id="1" /> he continued to appoint common people<n id="2" /> as priests at the high places. Anyone who wanted the job he consecrated as a priest.<n id="3" />

&#8220;I raised you up<n id="1" /> from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam&#8217;s footsteps<n id="2" /> and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry.<n id="3" />

At noon Elijah mocked them, &#8220;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.&#8221;<n id="1" />

while he went a day&#8217;s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub<n id="1" /> and asked the <sc>Lordsc> to take his life:<n id="2" /> &#8220;I&#8217;ve had enough! Now, O <sc>Lordsc>, take my life. After all, I&#8217;m no better than my ancestors.&#8221;<n id="3" />

He followed in his father Asa&#8217;s footsteps and was careful to do what the <sc>Lordsc> approved.<n id="1" /> <v id="(22:44)" /><n id="2" /> However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

Now, O <sc>Lord,sc> God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, &#8216;You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,<n id="1" /> provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.&#8217;<n id="2" />

You must obey<n id="1" /> all I command you to do, follow my instructions,<n id="2" /> do what I approve,<n id="3" /> and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David;<n id="4" /> I will give you Israel.