1 KINGS XV.

9 his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: 10 therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, 11 as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the 12 air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it. Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine 13 own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD 14 God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but 15 what? even now. For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their 16 groves, provoking the LORD to anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

17 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she 18 came to the threshold of the door, the child died; and they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.

And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had 23 done. For they also built them high places, and 2 images, and groves, on every 24 high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king 26 of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: and he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away 27 all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the 3 guard, which kept the door of the king's house. 28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.

Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not 30 written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was 31 war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. And Rehoboam slept. with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

NOW IN THE eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned 15 Abijam over Judah. Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's 2,3 name was 5 Maachah, the daughter of 6 Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect 4 with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a 7 lamp in Jerusalem, to set up 5 his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: because David did that which was

1 Heb. lay down.

2 Or, standing images, or,

statues,

3 Heb. runners.
4 2 Chron. xii. 16, Abijah.
Matt. i. 7, Abia.

P4

5 2 Chron. xiii. 2, Michaia the daughter of Uriel. 62 Chron. xi. 21, Absalon. 7 Or, candle.

right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the 6 Hittite. And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of

67

his life.

Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war 8 between Abijam and Jeroboam. And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over 10 Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's 11 name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did that which was 12 right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa 2 destroyed her idol, and burnt it by 14 the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's 15 heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. And he brought in the 3 things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

4

20 So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel21 beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.

222

22

23

23

Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his 24 feet. And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and 6 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

25

AND Nadab the son of Jeroboam 7 began to reign over Israel in the second 26 year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; 28 for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. Even in the third year of 29 Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite : 30 because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in 32 the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

1 That is, grandmother's,

ver. 2.

2 Heb. cut off.

3 Heb. holy.

4 Heb. go up.

5 Heb free.

6 Matt. i. 8, called, Josaphat.
7 Heb. reigned.

B.C. 953-925.

1 KINGS XVI.

33 IN the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to 34 reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, 16 saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince 2 over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast 3 made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and 4 will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they 6 not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in

7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.

8

And his servant Zimri, IN the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of 9 Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drink10 ing himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah. And And it came to pass, when he Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year 11 of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead. began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, 2 neither of his kins12 folks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha 3 by Jehu 13 the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God 14 of Israel to anger with their vanities. Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

15

IN the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which 16 belonged to the Philistines. And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel.made 17 Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged 18 Tirzah. And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him 19 with fire, and died, for his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to 20 make Israel to sin. Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

IN the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over 24 Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, 25 4 Samaria. But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse 26 than all that were before him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the 27 LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. Now the rest of the acts of

2 Or, both his kinsmen and his friends.

ין

Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the 28 book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

29

AND in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel 30 in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the 31 sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zido32 nians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an 33 altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Åhab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

34

17

2, 3

In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Ábiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

AND 2 Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the 5 ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread 7 and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass 3 after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8,9

And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to 4 Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have com10 manded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, 11 I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread 12 in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, Í am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that 13 we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, 14 and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil 15 fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her 16 house, did eat 6 many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake 7 by Elijah.

17

And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no 18 breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have Í to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and 19 to slay my son? And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him 20 upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying 21 her son? And he & stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come

1 Heb. was it a light thing, &c.
2 Heb. Elijahu. Luke
and iv. 25, he is called Elias.

3 Heb. at the end of days.

4 Luke iv. 26, called Sarepta.
5 Heb. giveth.

6 Or, a full year.
7 Heb. by the hand of
8 Heb. measured.

B.C. cir. 906.

1 KINGS XVIII.

22 into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the 23 child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto 24 his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

18

3

AND it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send 2 rain upon the earth. And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

And Ahab called 2 Obadiah, which was 3 the governor of his house. (Now 4 Obadiah feared the LORD greatly for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by 5 fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, 5 that we 6 lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7

And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, 8 and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? And he answered 9 him, I am go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay And now 10 me? As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he 11 took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. 12 thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry pass, as soon as thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. 13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, And Elijah said, As the LORD 14 and fed them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, 15 Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day. den nog

16

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet 17 Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, 18 Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; Now therefore send, and gather to but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of 19 the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between Then said Elijah unto the people, two 6 opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. 22 And the people answered him not a word. 1, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four 23 hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and 24 put no fire under: and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, 7 It is well spoken.

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your 26 gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them,

1 Heb. into his inward parts.

2 Heb. Obadiahu.

8 Heb. over his house.

4 Heb. Izebel.,

from the beasts.

6 Or, thoughts.

7 Heb. The word is good.

P 6