2 Kings 2

2 Kings 2:1 The time had come for Yahveh to take Elijah up to the sky in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal,

2 Kings 2:2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; Yahveh is sending me on to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As Yahveh lives and as your throat lives, I will not leave you.” So, they went down to Bethel.

2 Kings 2:3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that Yahveh will take your lord[1] away from you today?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

2 Kings 2:4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; Yahveh is sending me to Jericho.” But Elisha said, “As Yahveh lives and as your throat lives, I will not leave you.” So, they went to Jericho.

2 Kings 2:5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that Yahveh will take your lord away from you today?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

2 Kings 2:6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; Yahveh is sending me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As Yahveh lives and as your throat lives, I will not leave you.” So, the two of them went on.

2 Kings 2:7 Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood observing them at a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

2 Kings 2:8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.” So, Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your breath.”[2]

2 Kings 2:10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

2 Kings 2:11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into the sky in the whirlwind.

2 Kings 2:12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” When he could see him no longer, he held strongly to[3] his clothes, tore them in two,

2 Kings 2:13 picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

2 Kings 2:14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is  Yahveh God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.

2 Kings 2:15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were observing saw him, they said, “The breath of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.

2 Kings 2:16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are fifty strong men here with your slaves, please let them go and search for your lord. Maybe the Breath of Yahveh has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” He answered, “Don’t send them.”

2 Kings 2:17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment, so he said, “Send them.” They sent fifty men, who looked for three days but did not find him.

2 Kings 2:18 When they returned to him in Jericho, where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

2 Kings 2:19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad, and the land[4] unfruitful.”

2 Kings 2:20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” After they had brought him one,

2 Kings 2:21 Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what  Yahveh says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.'”

2 Kings 2:22 Therefore, the water remains healthy today according to the word that Elisha spoke.

2 Kings 2:23 From there, Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys[5] came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”

2 Kings 2:24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of Yahveh. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the children.

2 Kings 2:25 From there, Elisha went to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria.

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[1] אָדוֹן = lord. 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 16, 19; 4:16, 28; 5:1, 3, 4, 18, 20, 22, 25; 6:5, 12, 15, 22, 23, 26, 32; 8:5, 12, 14; 9:7, 11, 31; 10:2, 3, 6, 9; 18:23, 24, 27; 19:4, 6.

[2]רוּחַ = breath, wind. 2 Kings 2:9, 15, 16; 3:17; 19:7.

[3]חָזַק = be strong, hold strongly to, make strong. 2 Kings 2:12; 3:26; 4:8, 27; 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14; 14:5; 15:19; 22:5, 6; 25:3.

[4] אֶרֶץ = land. 2 Kings 2:19; 3:19, 24, 25, 27; 4:38; 5:2, 4; 6:23; 8:1, 2, 3, 6; 10:33; 11:3, 14, 18, 19, 20; 13:20; 15:5, 19, 20, 29; 16:15; 17:5, 7, 23, 26, 27, 36; 18:25, 32, 33, 35; 19:7, 37; 21:8, 24; 23:24, 30, 33, 35; 24:7, 14, 15; 25:3, 12, 19, 21, 22, 24; Matthew 2:6, 20, 21; 4:15, 16; 9:26, 31; 10:15; 11:24; 14:24, 34; 23:15; 27:45; Mark 4:1; 6:47, 53; 15:33; Luke 4:25, 26; 5:3, 11; 8:27; 12:16; 14:18; 21:23; 23:44; John 3:22; 6:21; 21:8, 9, 11; Acts 4:34, 37; 5:3, 8; 7:3, 4, 6, 29, 36, 40; 10:39; 13:17, 19; 20:13; 27:14, 27, 39, 43, 44; Hebrews 8:9; 11:9, 29; Jude 1:5; Revelation 10:2, 5, 8

[5] נָעַר =boy (young man, servant). 2 Kings 2:23; 4:12, 19, 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 38; 5:14, 20, 22, 23; 6:15, 17; 8:4; 9:4; 19:6.

links:

debugging Luke 23-43
Elijah gets out of the way – Devotions
getting out of the way
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, October 12, 2023

The 2 KINGS shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Kings 1

2 Kings 1:1 After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.

2 Kings 1:2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upstairs room in Samaria and was injured. So, he sent agents,[1] instructing them, “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

2 Kings 1:3 But the agent of Yahveh[2] said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the agents of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?

2 Kings 1:4 Therefore, this is what Yahveh says: You will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left.

2 Kings 1:5 The agents returned to the king, who asked them, “Why have you come back?”

2 Kings 1:6 They replied, “A man came to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and declare to him: This is what Yahveh says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you’re sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.'”

2 Kings 1:7 The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you?”

2 Kings 1:8 They replied, “A hairy man with a leather belt around his waist.” He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”

2 Kings 1:9 So King Ahaziah sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down! ‘”

2 Kings 1:10 Elijah responded to the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from the sky[3] and consume[4] you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty men.

2 Kings 1:11 So the king sent another captain with his fifty men to Elijah. He took in the situation and announced, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down immediately! ‘”

2 Kings 1:12 Elijah responded, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty men.” So, a divine fire came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty men.

2 Kings 1:13 Then the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. The third captain went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, “Man of God, please let my throat[5] and the throats of these fifty slaves[6] of yours be precious to you.

2 Kings 1:14 Already fire has come down from the sky and consumed the first two captains with their companies, but this time let my throat be precious to you.”

2 Kings 1:15 The agent of Yahveh said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So, he got up and went down with him to the king.

2 Kings 1:16 Then Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘Because you have sent agents to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron– is it because there is no God in Israel for you to inquire of his will? — you will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.'”

2 Kings 1:17 Ahaziah died according to the word of Yahveh that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram became king in his place. This happened in the second year of Judah’s King Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat.

2 Kings 1:18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah’s reign, along with his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

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[1] מַלְאָךְ = agent. 2 Kings 1:2, 3, 5, 15, 16; 5:10; 6:32, 33; 7:15; 9:18; 10:8; 14:8; 16:7; 17:4; 19:9, 14, 23, 35.

[2] יהוה = Yahveh. 2 Kings 1:3, 4, 6, 15, 16, 17; 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 16, 21, 24; 3:2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18; 4:1, 27, 30, 33, 43, 44; 5:1, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20; 6:17, 18, 20, 27, 33; 7:1, 2, 16, 19; 8:1, 8, 10, 13, 18, 19, 27; 9:3, 6, 7, 12, 25, 26, 36; 10:10, 16, 17, 23, 30, 31, 32; 11:3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19; 12:2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18; 13:2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 17, 23; 14:3, 6, 14, 24, 25, 26, 27; 15:3, 5, 9, 12, 18, 24, 28, 34, 35, 37; 16:2, 3, 8, 14, 18; 17:2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 41; 18:3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 15, 16, 22, 25, 30, 32, 35; 19:1, 4, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 32, 33, 35; 20:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17, 19; 21:2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 16, 20, 22; 22:2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19; 23:2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32, 37; 24:2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 19, 20; 25:9, 13, 16.

[3] שָׁמַיִם =  sky. 2 Kings 1:10, 12, 14; 2:1, 11; 7:2, 19; 14:27; 17:16; 19:15; 21:3, 5; 23:4, 5.

[4] אָכַל = consume. 2 Kings 1:10, 12, 14; 4:8, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44; 6:22, 23, 28, 29; 7:2, 8, 19; 9:10, 34, 36; 18:27, 31; 19:29; 23:9; 25:29.

[5] נֶפֶשׁ  = throat. 2 Kings 1:13, 14; 2:2, 4, 6; 4:27, 30; 7:7; 9:15; 10:24; 23:3, 25.

[6] עֶבֶד = slave. 2 Kings 1:13; 2:16; 3:11; 4:1; 5:6, 13, 15, 17, 18, 25, 26; 6:3, 8, 11, 12; 7:12, 13; 8:13, 19; 9:7, 11, 28, 36; 10:5, 10, 23; 12:20, 21; 14:5, 25; 16:7; 17:3, 13, 23; 18:12, 24, 26; 19:5, 34; 20:6; 21:8, 10, 23; 22:9, 12; 23:30; 24:1, 2, 10, 11, 12; 25:8, 24.

links:

a consuming fire
God will not be manipulated – Devotions
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, October 14, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, October 14, 2021

The 2 KINGS shelf in Jeff’s library

1 Kings 22

1 Kings 22:1 There was no battle for three years between Aram and Israel.

1 Kings 22:2 However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.

1 Kings 22:3 The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?”

1 Kings 22:4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

1 Kings 22:5 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what Yahveh’s desire is.”

1 Kings 22:6 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?” They replied, “March up, and Yahveh will hand it over to the king.”

1 Kings 22:7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahveh here anymore? Let’s ask him.”

1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the voice of Yahvehahveh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

1 Kings 22:9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

1 Kings 22:10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

1 Kings 22:11 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'”

1 Kings 22:12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for Yahveh will hand it over to the king.”

1 Kings 22:13 The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs and speak favorably.”

1 Kings 22:14 But Micaiah said, “As Yahveh lives, I will say whatever Yahveh says to me.”

1 Kings 22:15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?” Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. Yahveh will hand it over to the king.”

1 Kings 22:16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahveh?”

1 Kings 22:17 So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And Yahveh said, “They have no lord; let everyone return home in peace.”

1 Kings 22:18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”

1 Kings 22:19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of Yahveh: I saw Yahveh sitting on his throne, and the whole sky army was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand.

1 Kings 22:20 And Yahveh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? ‘ So, one was saying this and another was saying that.

1 Kings 22:21 “Then a breath came forward, stood in Yahveh ‘s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

1 Kings 22:22 “Yahveh asked him, ‘How? ‘ “He said, ‘I will go and become a lying breath in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail. Go and do that.’

1 Kings 22:23 “You see, Yahveh has put a lying breath into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and Yahveh has pronounced disaster against you.”

1 Kings 22:24 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did the Breath of Yahveh leave me to speak to you?”

1 Kings 22:25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”

1 Kings 22:26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,

1 Kings 22:27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only a little bread and water until I come back safely.'”

1 Kings 22:28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, Yahveh has not spoken through me.” Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”

1 Kings 22:29 Then the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

1 Kings 22:30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So, the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

1 Kings 22:31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.”

1 Kings 22:32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So, they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

1 Kings 22:33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

1 Kings 22:34 But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So, he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

1 Kings 22:35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening, and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.

1 Kings 22:36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring: Each man to his own city, and each man to his own land!

1 Kings 22:37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.

1 Kings 22:38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of Yahveh that he had spoken.

1 Kings 22:39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

1 Kings 22:40 Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.

1 Kings 22:41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab.

1 Kings 22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

1 Kings 22:43 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them, but did what was right in Yahveh’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

1 Kings 22:44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

1 Kings 22:45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.

1 Kings 22:46 He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.

1 Kings 22:47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.

1 Kings 22:48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

1 Kings 22:49 At that time, Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing.

1 Kings 22:50 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.

1 Kings 22:51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned over Israel two years.

1 Kings 22:52 He did what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight. He walked in the ways of his father, in the ways of his mother, and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

1 Kings 22:53 He served Baal and bowed in worship to him. He angered Yahveh God of Israel just as his father had done.

links:

a legacy of peace
all about a Promise (part 2)
majority consensus – Devotions
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, October 13, 2021
theological consensus

The 1 KINGS shelf in Jeff’s library

1 Kings 21

1 Kings 21:1 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.

1 Kings 21:2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

1 Kings 21:3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “I will never give my fathers’ inheritance to you.”

1 Kings 21:4 So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my fathers’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and didn’t eat any food.

1 Kings 21:5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why is your breath so stubborn that you refuse to eat?”

1 Kings 21:6 “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him: Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place. But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard! ‘”

1 Kings 21:7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

1 Kings 21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

1 Kings 21:9 In the letters, she wrote: Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.

1 Kings 21:10 Then seat two wicked men opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!” Then take him out and stone him to death.

1 Kings 21:11 The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them.

1 Kings 21:12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.

1 Kings 21:13 The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.

1 Kings 21:14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

1 Kings 21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver, since Naboth isn’t alive, but dead.”

1 Kings 21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.

1 Kings 21:17 Then the word of Yahveh came to Elijah the Tishbite:

1 Kings 21:18 “Get up and go to meet King Ahab of Israel, who is in Samaria. He’s in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.

1 Kings 21:19 Tell him, ‘This is what Yahveh says: Have you murdered and taken possession? ‘ Then tell him, ‘This is what Yahveh says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood! ‘”

1 Kings 21:20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?” He replied, “I have found you because you devoted yourself to do what is evil in Yahveh ‘s sight.

1 Kings 21:21 This is what Yahveh says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants: I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel;

1 Kings 21:22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’

1 Kings 21:23 Yahveh also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel:

1 Kings 21:24 Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.'”

1 Kings 21:25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in Yahveh ‘s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.

1 Kings 21:26 He committed the most detestable acts by following idols as the Amorites had, whom Yahveh had dispossessed before the Israelites.

1 Kings 21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around subdued.

1 Kings 21:28 Then the word of Yahveh came to Elijah the Tishbite:

1 Kings 21:29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”

links:

a simple desire – Devotions
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, October 11, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, October 11, 2023

The 1 KINGS shelf in Jeff’s library

1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20:1 Now King Ben-hadad of Aram assembled his entire army. Thirty-two kings, along with horses and chariots, were with him. He marched up, besieged Samaria, and fought against it.

1 Kings 20:2 He sent agents into the city to King Ahab of Israel and said to him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:

1 Kings 20:3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine! And your best wives and children are mine as well! ‘”

1 Kings 20:4 Then the king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”

1 Kings 20:5 The agents then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying: You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.

1 Kings 20:6 But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.'”

1 Kings 20:7 Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, “Recognize that this one is only looking for trouble, for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”

1 Kings 20:8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen or agree.”

1 Kings 20:9 So he said to Ben-hadad’s agents, “Say to my lord the king, ‘Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.'” So, the messengers left and took word back to him.

1 Kings 20:10 Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if Samaria’s dust amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.”

1 Kings 20:11 The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.'”

1 Kings 20:12 When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So, they took their positions against the city.

1 Kings 20:13 A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am Yahveh.'”

1 Kings 20:14 Ahab asked, “By whom?” And the prophet said, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘By the boys of the provincial leaders.'” Then he asked, “Who is to start the battle?” He said, “You.”

1 Kings 20:15 So Ahab mobilized the boys of the provincial leaders, and there were 232. After them he mobilized all the Israelite troops: 7,000.

1 Kings 20:16 They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings who were helping him were getting drunk in their quarters.

1 Kings 20:17 The boys of the provincial leaders marched out first. Then Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”

1 Kings 20:18 So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”

1 Kings 20:19 The boys of the provincial leaders and the army behind them marched out from the city,

1 Kings 20:20 and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, but King Ben-hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry.

1 Kings 20:21 Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a severe slaughter on Aram.

1 Kings 20:22 The prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go and make yourself strong, then consider carefully what you should do, for in the spring the king of Aram will attack you.”

1 Kings 20:23 Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country. That’s why they were stronger than we were. Instead, we should fight with them on the plain; then we will certainly be stronger than they are.

1 Kings 20:24 Also do this: remove each king from his position and appoint captains in their place.

1 Kings 20:25 Raise another army for yourself like the army you lost– horse for horse, chariot for chariot– and let’s fight with them on the plain; and we will certainly be stronger than they are.” The king listened to them and did it.

1 Kings 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to battle Israel.

1 Kings 20:27 The Israelites mobilized, gathered supplies, and went to fight them. The Israelites camped in front of them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the land.

1 Kings 20:28 Then the man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘Because the Arameans have said: Yahveh is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys, I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am Yahveh.'”

1 Kings 20:29 They camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day, the battle took place, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans– one hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.

1 Kings 20:30 The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner room in the city.

1 Kings 20:31 His servants said to him, “Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So, let’s put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your throat.”

1 Kings 20:32 So they dressed in sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.'” So, he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

1 Kings 20:33 Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, so they quickly picked up on this and responded, “Yes, it is your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go and bring him.” So, Ben-hadad came out to him and Ahab had him come up into the chariot.

1 Kings 20:34 Then Ben-hadad said to him, “I restore to you the cities that my father took from your father, and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, like my father set up in Samaria.” Ahab responded, “On the basis of this treaty, I release you.” So, he made a treaty with him and released him.

1 Kings 20:35 One of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow prophet by the word of Yahveh, “Strike me!” But the man refused to strike him.

1 Kings 20:36 He told him, “Because you did not listen to the voice of Yahveh, mark my words: When you leave me, a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.

1 Kings 20:37 The prophet found another man and said to him, “Strike me!” So, the man struck him, inflicting a wound.

1 Kings 20:38 Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

1 Kings 20:39 As the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your throat in place of his throat, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.’

1 Kings 20:40 But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “That will be your sentence; you yourself have decided it.”

1 Kings 20:41 He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.

1 Kings 20:42 The prophet said to him, “This is what Yahveh says: ‘Because you released from your hand the man I had set apart for destruction, it will be your throat in place of his throat and your people in place of his people.'”

1 Kings 20:43 The king of Israel left for home resentful and angry, and he entered Samaria.

links:

a simple desire – Devotions
false confidence – Devotions
set apart for destruction
the price of presumption

The 1 KINGS shelf in Jeff’s library