Furthermore, I am giving<n id="1" /> you what you did not request &#8211; riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> your people Israel are defeated by an enemy<n id="2" /> because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="3" /> and pray for your help<n id="4" /> in this temple,

Forgive all the rebellious acts of your sinful people and cause their captors to have mercy on them.<n id="1" />

Take<n id="1" /> ten loaves of bread, some small cakes, and a container of honey and visit him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.&#8221;p>

You have sinned more than all who came before you. You went and angered me by making other gods, formed out of metal; you have completely disregarded me.<n id="1" />

&#8220;Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told<n id="1" /> a widow who lives there to provide for you.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the <sc>Lordsc> spoke to him, &#8220;Why are you here, Elijah?&#8221;

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<n id="1" /> a voice asked him, &#8220;Why are you here, Elijah?&#8221;

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.

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.

Ahab said to Naboth, &#8220;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,<n id="1" /> I will pay you silver for it.&#8221;<n id="2" />

I will keep<n id="1" /> today the oath I swore to you by the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel: &#8216;Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.&#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>

When King Solomon heard<n id="1" /> that Joab had run to the tent of the <sc>Lordsc> and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Go, strike him down.&#8221;

So now order some cedars of Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants. I will pay your servants whatever you say is appropriate, for you know that we have no one among us who knows how to cut down trees like the Sidonians.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when<n id="1" /> the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people<n id="2" /> sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,<n id="3" /> and turn away from their sin because you punish<n id="4" /> them,

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The time will come when your people<n id="1" /> will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry with them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their own land,<n id="2" /> whether far away or close by.

After all,<n id="1" /> you picked them out of all the nations of the earth to be your special possession,<n id="2" /> just as you, O sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, announced through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.&#8221;p>

Then I will allow your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently,<n id="1" /> just as I promised your father David, &#8216;You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

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" />