16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi 2 Kings 9. shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

r Luke 4.27, called Eliseus.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu 'shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, ' Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

3

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and 2 Sam. 24. slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

901.

CHAPTER XX.

1 Ben-hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besiegeth Samaria. 13 By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain. 22 As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians, trusting in the valleys, come against him in Aphek. 28 By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again. 31 The Syrians submitting themselves, Ahab sendeth Ben-hadad away with a covenant. 35 The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner, making Ahab to judge himself, denounceth God's judgment against him.

and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

BEFORE CHRIST 901.

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 servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant 2 Heb. in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

desirable.

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. 8 And all the elders and all the back from people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

3 Heb. I kept not him.

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, "The gods do so unto me, ch. 19.2. and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

4 Heb. are

at my feet. So Ex. 11. 8.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him Judg. 4. 10. that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

hadad heard this 'message, as he was 12 And it came to pass, when Bendrinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, 'Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel,

5 Hcb. word.

ver. 16.

6 Or, tents.

Or, Place gines: And

the en

they placed engines.

8 Heb. approached.

gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,

3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.

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.

5 And the messengers came again,

9

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

The Syrians are

BEFORE CHRIST 901.

d ver. 12. ch. 16. 9.

16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 ¶ And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and e2Sam.11.1. see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms: 25 And number thee an army, like 3 Heb. that 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.

was fallen.

twice defeated.

chamber to chamber.

8 Heb. into a chamber chamber. ch. 22. 25.

31 ¶ And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that within a the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, "put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes Gen.37.34. upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

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

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took ch.15.20. from thy father, I will restore; and

thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

2 Kings 2. 3,5,7, 15.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour 'in the word of the LORD, ch. 18. 17, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

18.

ing and

wounding.

disguised himself with ashes his face.

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any 2 Kings 10. means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt 2pay a talent of silver.

24.

2 Ileb. weigh.

3 Heb. he was not.

P ch. 22. 31 -37.

q ch. 21. 4.

899.

40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, PBecause thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

CHAPTER XXI.

1 Ahab being denied Naboth's vineyard is grieved. 5 Jezebel writing letters against Naboth, he is condemned of blasphemy. 15 Ahab taketh possession of the vineyard. 17 Elijah denounceth judgments against Ahab and Jezebel. 25 Wicked Ahab repenting,

God deferreth the judgment.

ND it came to pass after these

reelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, 1Sam.8.14. saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

4 Heb. be good in thine eyes.

3 Ånd Naboth said to Ahab, The Lev. 25.23. LORD forbid it me, that I should Ezek. 46.18. give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

Num. 36.7.

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 another 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:

10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he

die.

may

11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before

against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

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, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money for Naboth is not alive, but dead.'

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 And the word of the LORD & Ps. 9. 12. came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: h ch. 13. 32. behold, he is in the vineyard of Na

2 Chr. 22.9.

is slain

BEFORE CHRIST 897.

Matt.9.36.

b Is. 6.1. Dan.7.9.

I Job 1.6. & 2.1. Ps. 103. 20, 21.

Dan. 7. 10. Zech. 1. 10.

Heb 1.7,14.

15 ¶ So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? 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.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall Matt. 18.10.2 persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

2 Or.. deceive.

at Ramoth-gilead.

not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 2 I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel • disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

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 P cried out.

BEFORE CHRIST 897.

Or, when disguise himself, and the battle.

he was to

enter into

• 2 Chr. 35. 22.

p 2 Chr. 18. 31.

33 And it came to pass, when the Prov.13.20. captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

34 And a certain man drew a bow 3 at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am 5 wounded.

Heb. simplicity.

in his 2Sai.15.11. 4 Heb joints

and the

breastplate.

5 Heb. made sick. • Heb.

bosom.

35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in ascended. his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the 'midst of the chariot. Heb. 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

was

37 So the king died, and brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

8Пeb.came.

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word ach. 21. 19. of the LORD which he spake.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the Amos 3.15. ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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