Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness.

Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’ ¹ 

Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’ ¹  but he will kill me.”

He replied, “Yes, ¹  go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” ² 

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!”’”

and said ¹  this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because ²  today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’” ³ 

“Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people,

Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up ¹  from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel.

He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. ¹ 

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.”

Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” ¹  He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab ²  asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”

One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” ¹  But the man refused to wound him.

The prophet ¹  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.’” ² 

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’”

The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die ¹  there?’ One said this and another that.

Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water ¹  until I safely return.”’” ² 

Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,” ¹  but Jehoshaphat refused.

When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. ¹ 

So I have decided ¹  to build a temple to honor the Lord ²  my God, as the Lord instructed my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a temple to honor me.’ ³ 

They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! ¹  If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” ²  But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. ³