Ben-hadad besieges Samaria. I. KINGS.

The Syrians are slain

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king even all the children of Israel, being seven of Israel into the city, and said unto him, thousand.

Thus saith Ben-hadad,

16 And they went out at noon. But 3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in wives also and thy children, even the the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty goodliest, are mine. and two kings that helped him.

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, 5 And the messengers came again, and There are men come out of Samaria. said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, 18 And he said, Whether they be come Although I have sent unto thee, saying, out for peace, take them alive; or whether Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy they be come out for war, take them alive. gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy 20 And they slew every one his man: servants and it shall be, that whatsoever and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria in their hand, and take it away. escaped on a horse with the horsemen. 7 Then the king of Israel called all 21 And the king of Israel went out, and the elders of the land, and said, Mark, Ismote the horses and chariots, and slew pray you, and see how this man seeketh the Syrians with a great slaughter. mischief: for he sent unto me for my 22 And the prophet came to the king wives, and for my children, and for my of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen silver, and for my gold, and I denied thyself, and mark, and see what thou dohim not. est: for at the return of the year the king 8 And all the elders and all the people of Syria will come up against thee. said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the 9 Wherefore he said unto the messen-hills; therefore they were stronger than gers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, we; but let us fight against them in the All that thou didst send for to thy servant plain, and surely we shall be stronger than at the first, I will do: but this thing I may they. not do. And the messengers departed, 24 And do this thing, Take the kings and brought him word again. away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. 11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

26 And it came to pass at the return of 12 And it came to pass, when Ben-ha- the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the dad heard this message as he was drink- Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight ing, he and the kings in the pavilions, that against Israel.

he said unto his servants, Set yourselves 27 And the children of Israel were in array. And they set themselves in ar-numbered, and were all present, and went ray against the city. against them: and the children of Israel 13 And behold, there came a prophet pitched before them like two little flocks unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this 28 And there came a man of God, great multitude? behold, I will deliver it and spake unto the king of Israel, and into thine hand this day; and thou shalt said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the know that I am the LORD. Syrians have said, The LORD is God of 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the therefore will I deliver all this great mulyoung men of the princes of the provinces. titude into thine hand, and ye shall know Then he said, Who shall order the battle? that I am the LORD. And he answered, Thou.

29 And they pitched one over against

15 Then he numbered the young men the other seven days. And so it was, that in of the princes of the provinces, and they the seventh day the battle was joined: and were two hundred and thirty-two: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians after them he numbered all the people, a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

A prophet reproves Ahab.

CHAP. XXI.

The conduct of Jezebel.

CHAP. XXI.

ND it came to pass after these things,

*30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of city; and there a wall fell upon twenty thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter and seven thousand of the men that were destruction, therefore thy life shall go for left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into his life, and thy people for his people. the city, into an inner chamber. 43 And the king of Israel went to his 31 And his servants said unto him, house heavy and displeased, and came to Behold now, we have heard that the kings Samaria. of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our A loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he yard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the will save thy life. palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, loins, and put ropes on their heads, and Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy for a garden of herbs, because it is near servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let unto my house: and I will give thee for it a me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he better vineyard than it; or if it seem good is my brother. to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: 34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The for he had said, I will not give thee the incities, which my father took from thy fa- heritance of my fathers. And he laid him ther, I will restore; and thou shalt make down upon his bed, and turned away his streets for thee in Damascus, as my father face, and would eat no bread.

made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will 5 T But Jezebel his wife came to him, send thee away with this covenant. So and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, he made a covenant with him, and sent that thou eatest no bread?

him away.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee ano ther vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, bewent out into the midst of the battle; and fore him,to bear witness against him, saybehold, a man turned aside, and brought a ing, Thou didst blaspheme God and the man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if king. And then carry him out, and stone by any means he be missing, then shall thy him, that he may die. life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a 11 And the men of his city, even the eltalent of silver. ders and the nobles who were the inhabit40 And as thy servant was busy here and ants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent there, he was gone. And the king of Israel unto them, and as it was written in the letsaid unto him, So shall thy judgment be; ters which she had sent unto them. thyself hast decided it. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Na

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes both on high among the people. away from his face; and the king of Israel 13 And there came in two men, children discerned him that he was of the prophets. of Belial, and sat before him: and the men 42 And he said unto him, Thus saith of Belial witnessed against him, even

Ahab humbles himself.

'I. KINGS.

He is seduced by false prophets. against Naboth, in the presence of the 28 And the word of the LORD came to people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

and the king. Then they carried him 29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himforth out of the city, and stoned him with self before me? because he humbleth himstones, that he died. self before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house. CHAP. XXII.

14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was

dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise AND they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. take possession of the vineyard of Naboth 2 And it came to pass in the third year, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came thee for money for Naboth is not alive, down to the king of Israel. but dead. 3 And the king of Israel said unto his

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab is ours, and we be still, and take it not out rose up to go down to the vineyard of of the hand of the king of Syria? Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt of it. thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

I

5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to-day.

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, say- 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the ing, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou kill-prophets together, about four hundred men, ed, and also taken possession? And thou and said unto them, Shall I go against Rashalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith moth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? the LORD, In the place where dogs licked And they said, Goup; for the LORD shall the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy deliver it into the hand of the king. blood, even thine.

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, of the LORD: but I hate him: for he doth and will take away thy posterity, and wilt not prophesy good concerning me, but cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the . the wall, and him that is shut up and left king say so.

in Israel,

9 Then the king of Israel called an offi22 And will make thine house like the cer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and son of Imlah.

like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, 10 And the king of Israel,and Jehoshafor the provocation wherewith thou hast phat the king of Judah,sat each on his throne, provoked me to anger, and made Israel tosin. having put on their robes, in a void place 23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the and all the prophets prophesied before wall of Jezreel. them.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat: and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets de-27 And it came to pass, when Ahab clare good unto the king with one mouth: heard those words, that he rent his clothes, let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, of one of them, and speak that which is good. and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD

CHAP. XXII.

Ahab is slain.

Ahab imprisons Micaiah. liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that 30 And the king of Israel said unto Jewill I speak. hoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and en15 So he came to the king. And the ter into the battle; but put thou on thy king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go robes. And the king of Israel disguised against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall himself, and went into the battle. we forbear? And he answered him, Go, 31 But the king of Syria commanded and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it his thirty and two captains that had rule into the hand of the king. over his chariots, saying, Fight neither 16 And the king said unto him, How with small nor great, save only with the many times shall adjure thee that thou king of Israel. tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was 18 And the king of Israel said unto Je-not the king of Israel, that they turned hoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would back from pursuing him.

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? 34 And a certain man drew a bow at a

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore venture, and smote the king of Israel bethe word of the LORD: I saw the LORD tween the joints of the harness: wheresitting on his throne, and all the host of fore he said unto the driver of his chariot, heaven standing by him on his right hand Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the and on his left. host; for I am wounded.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall per- 35 And the battle increased that day: suade Ahab, that he may go up and fall and the king was stayed up in his chariot at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this against the Syrians, and died at even: manner, and another said on that manner. and the blood ran out of the wound into 21 And there came forth a spirit, and the midst of the chariot. stood before the LORD, and said, I will 36 And there went a proclamation persuade him. throughout the host about the going down 22 And the LORD said unto him, of the sun, saying, Every man to his city Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and every man to his own country. and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth 37 So the king died, and was brought of all his prophets. And he said, Thou to Samaria; and they buried the king in shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go Samaria.

forth, and do so.

38 And one washed the chariot in the 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all his blood; and they washed his armour; these thy prophets, and the LORD hath according unto the word of the LORD spoken evil concerning thee. which he spake.

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and went near, and smote Micaiah on the all that he did, and the ivory house which cheek, and said, Which way went the he made, and all the cities that he built, Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto are they not written in the book of the thee? Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 T And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put reigned twenty and five years in Jerusa this fellow in the prison, and feed him with lem. And his mother's name was Azubread of affliction, and with water of afflic-bah the daughter of Shilhi.

tion, until I come in peace.

me.

43 And he walked in all the way ofAsa 28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at his father; he turned not aside from it, all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by doing that which was right in the eyes of And he said, Hearken, O people, the LORD: nevertheless the high places were every one of you. not taken away; for the people offered 29 So the king of Israel and Jehosha- and burnt incense yet in the high places. phat the king of Judah went up to Ra- 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with moth-gilead. the king of Israel.

303

Death of Jehoshaphat.

II. KINGS. Elijah brings fire from heaven.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehosha- 50 T And Jehoshaphat slept with his phat, and his might that he shewed, and fathers, and was buried with his fathers in how he warred, are they not written in the city of David his father: and Jehoram the book of the Chronicles of the kings of his son reigned in his stead.

Judah ?

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to

46 And the remnant of the sodomites, reign over Israel in Samaria the sevenwhich remained in the days of his father teenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Asa, he took out of the land. and reigned two years over Israel.

47 There was then no king in Edom: a

deputy was king.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish and in the way of his mother, and in the to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not: way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber. made Israel to sin:

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab 53 For he served Baal, and worshipped unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with him, and provoked to anger the LORD God thy servants in the ships. But Jehosha- of Israel, according to all that his father phat would not. had done.

¶ The Second Book of the KINGS, commonly called, The Fourth Book of the KINGS.

CHAP. I.

Tfter the death of Ahab.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the

HEN Moab rebelled against Israel captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and con2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lat-sume thee and thy fifty. And there came tice in his upper chamber that was in Sa- down fire from heaven, and consumed him maria, and was sick and he sent messen- and his fifty. gers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease.

11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he an swered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the 12 And Elijah answered and said unto messengers of the king of Samaria, and say them, If I be a man of God, let fire come unto them, Is it not because there is not a down from heaven, and consume thee and God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal- thy fifty. And the fire of God came down zebub the god of Ekron? from heaven, and consumed him and his

4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, fifty. Thou shalt not come down from that bed 13 T And he sent again a captain of the on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely third fifty with his fifty. And the third die. And Elijah departed. captain of fifty went up, and came and fell 5 ¶ And when the messengers turned on his knees before Elijah, and besought back unto him, he said unto them, Why him, and said unto him, O man of God, I are ye now turned back? pray thee, let my life, and the life of these 6 And they said unto him, There came fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, 14 Behold, there came fire down from turn again unto the king that sent you, and heaven, and burnt up the two captains of say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it the former fifties with their fifties: therenot because there is not a God in Israel, fore let my life now be precious in thy sight. that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub 15 And the angel of the LORD said unto the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid come down from that bed on which thou of him. And he arose, and went down art gone up, but shalt surely die. with him unto the king.

7 And he said unto them, What manner 16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the of man was he which came up to meet you, LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent mesand told you these words? sengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god 8 And they answered him, He was a of Ekron, (is it not because there is no God hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather in Israel to inquire of his word?)therefore about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah thou shalt not come down off that bed on the Tishbite. which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 9 Then the king sent unto him a captain 17 So he died according to the word of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. him and behold,he sat on the top of a And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaof God, the king hath said, Come down. phat king of Judah; because he had no son.