While in Egypt Hadad heard that David had passed away<n id="1" /> and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead. So Hadad asked Pharaoh, &#8220;Give me permission to leave<n id="2" /> so I can return to my homeland.&#8221;

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" />

&#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> says this: &#8220;Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> They obeyed the <sc>Lordsc> and went home as the <sc>Lordsc> had ordered them to do.<n id="2" />p>

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.

Jeroboam told his wife, &#8220;Disguise<n id="1" /> yourself so that people cannot recognize you are Jeroboam&#8217;s wife. Then go to Shiloh; Ahijah the prophet, who told me I would rule over this nation, lives there.<n id="2" />

I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.<n id="1" />

&#8220;I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made.<n id="1" /> See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.&#8221;<n id="2" />

&#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" />

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, &#8220;Please give me a cup<n id="1" /> of water, so I can take a drink.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the <sc>Lordsc> told Elijah,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.&#8221;

Ahab told Obadiah, &#8220;Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas<n id="1" /> so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill<n id="2" /> some of the animals.&#8221;

But when I leave you, the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit will carry you away so I can&#8217;t find you.<n id="1" /> If I go tell Ahab I&#8217;ve seen you, he won&#8217;t be able to find you and he will kill me.<n id="2" /> That would not be fair,<n id="3" /> because your servant has been a loyal follower of<n id="4" /> the <sc>Lordsc> from my youth.

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" />

<p class="bodytext">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.

Elisha<n id="1" /> 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.<n id="2" /> He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.p>

So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, &#8220;Say this to my master, the king, &#8216;I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> So the messengers went back and gave their report.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The prophet<n id="1" /> visited the king of Israel and instructed him, &#8220;Go, fortify your defenses.<n id="2" /> Determine<n id="3" /> what you must do, for in the spring<n id="4" /> the king of Syria will attack<n id="5" /> you.&#8221;

Then he said to Jehoshaphat, &#8220;Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?&#8221; Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, &#8220;I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.&#8221;<n id="1" />

So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, &#8220;Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?&#8221;<n id="1" /> They said, &#8220;Attack! The sovereign one<n id="2" /> will hand it over to the king.&#8221;

Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, &#8220;Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.<n id="1" /> Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.&#8221;<n id="2" />