Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and hung onto the horns of the altar.
Solomon was told, âBehold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold, he is hanging onto the horns of the altar, saying, âLet king Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.ââ
This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didnât follow Absalom. Joab fled to Yahwehâs Tent, and held onto the horns of the altar.
All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
âIf there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;
that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.
hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.
Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt,
The young men who had grown up with him said to him, âTell these people who spoke to you, saying, âYour father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;â tell them, âMy little finger is thicker than my fatherâs waist.
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
Jeroboam said in his heart, âNow the kingdom will return to Davidâs house.
If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahwehâs house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.â
So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, âIt is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!â
Jeroboam said to his wife, âPlease get up and disguise yourself, so that you wonât be recognized as Jeroboamâs wife. Go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said that that I would be king over this people.
In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem,
Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah.
Elijah said to her, âDonât be afraid. Go and do as you have said; but make me a little cake from it first, and bring it out to me, and afterward make some for you and for your son.
She said to Elijah, âWhat have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!â
Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.
Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;
Ahab said to Obadiah, âGo through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.â
As Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, âIs it you, my lord Elijah?â
He said, âHow have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
Now you say, âGo, tell your lord, âBehold, Elijah is here.ââ
It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that Yahwehâs Spirit will carry you I donât know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he canât find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth.
Wasnât it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahwehâs prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahwehâs prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
Now you say, âGo, tell your lord, âBehold, Elijah is hereâ.â He will kill me.â
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, âIs that you, you troubler of Israel?â
Then Elijah said to the people, âI, even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh; but Baalâs prophets are four hundred fifty men.
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, âSo let the gods do to me, and more also, if I donât make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!â
When he saw that, he arose, and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
But he himself went a dayâs journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, âIt is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.â
He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, Yahwehâs word came to him, and he said to him, âWhat are you doing here, Elijah?â
He said, âI have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.â
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, âWhat are you doing here, Elijah?â
Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and chariots. He went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
He sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, âThus says Ben Hadad,
but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house, and the houses of your servants; whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they will put it in their hand, and take it away.âââ
Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, âThe gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough for handfuls for all the people who follow me.â
When Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, he said to his servants, âPrepare to attack!â They prepared to attack the city.
They each killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.
Muster an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than them.â He listened to their voice, and did so.
At the return of the year, Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
The children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and went against them. The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats; but the Syrians filled the country.
His servants said to him, âSee now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life.â
Naboth said to Ahab, âMay Yahweh forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!â
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, âThere is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.â Jehoshaphat said, âDonât let the king say so.â
The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, âSee now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.â
Micaiah said, âAs Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak.â
The king of Israel said, âTake Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the kingâs son.
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, âI will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.â The king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, âSurely that is the king of Israel!â and they came over to fight against him. Jehoshaphat cried out.
When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, âTurn your hand, and carry me out of the battle; for I am severely wounded.â
A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, âEvery man to his city, and every man to his country!â
Again he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He answered him, âMan of God, the king has said, âCome down quickly!ââ
Elijah answered them, âIf I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!â Then Godâs fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, âMan of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty of your servants, be precious in your sight.
Yahwehâs angel said to Elijah, âGo down with him. Donât be afraid of him.â Then he arose, and went down with him to the king.
The king of Israel said, âAlas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.â
Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, young and old, and stood on the border.
When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, âYour servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.â
So they poured out for the men to eat. As they were eating some of the stew, they cried out, and said, âMan of God, there is death in the pot!â And they could not eat it.
The king of Syriaâs heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, âWonât you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?â
He said, âGo and see where he is, that I may send and get him.â He was told, âBehold, he is in Dothan.â
Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night, and surrounded the city.
When the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, âAlas, my master! What shall we do?â
He answered, âDonât be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.â
The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, âMy father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?â
After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, âDo you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isnât the sound of his masterâs feet behind him?â
While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, âBehold, this evil is from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?â
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, âWhy do we sit here until we die?
If we say, âWe will enter into the city,â then the famine is in the city, and we will die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die.â
They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they had come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, no man was there.
For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and they said to one another, âBehold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us.â
Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
So they came and called to the city gatekeepers; and they told them, âWe came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, not even a manâs voice, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were.â
The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, âI will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, âWhen they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.ââ
They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the path was full of garments and equipment which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.
The watchman said, âHe came to them, and isnât coming back. The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.â
Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, âThis is treason, Ahaziah!â
He lifted up his face to the window, and said, âWho is on my side? Who?â Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, âBehold, the two kings didnât stand before him! How then shall we stand?â
When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into Yahwehâs house:
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?ââ
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, âI am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.â
It was so because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didnât fear Yahweh. Therefore Yahweh sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, âThe nations which you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria donât know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they donât know the law of the god of the land.â












