we, but let us fight against them in the Plain, and we shall be stronger then they. And take the Kings away, every Man out of his place, and put Captains in

their room. 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 then they; and he did so.

And at the return of the year, Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. And the Children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the Children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids, but the Syrians filled the Country. And there came a Man of God and spake to Ahab, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, the Lord is God of the Hills, but not of the Vallies, therefore will I deliver this great multitude into thy hand. And they pitched one over against another seven days; and on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the Children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

But the rest fled to Aphek into the City, and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the City, into an inner chamber. And his servants said, Behold now we have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings, let us put sack-cloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the King of Israel, peradventure he will save thy life. And they did so; and the King said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. And Benhadad came forth, and he caused him to come up into the Chariot, and Benhadad said, The Cities which my father took I will restore, and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus (the capital City of

M

Syria) as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this Covenant. But a certain man of the sons of the Prophets said unto Ahab, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shalt go for his life, and thy people for his people. And the King of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

CHAPTER 79.

THE WICKED JEZEBEL.

AND it came to pass that Naboth had a Vineyard in Jezreel, hard by the Palace of Ahab, King of Samaria. And Ahab spake to Naboth 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 a better Vineyard for it; or I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said, The Lord forbid it that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to thee.

And Ahab came unto his house heavy and displeased, and he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said, Dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel? Arise and be merry, I will give thee the Vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, to the Nobles in Naboth's City, saying, Set false witnesses against Naboth, that he did blaspheme God and the King; and stone him that he may die. And the Men of his City, the Elders and Nobles did as Jezebel had said, they proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the People, and there came in two men, Children of Belial, that wit

nessed against him, in the presence of the People, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King.And they carried him forth out of the City, and stoned him with stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead. And Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the Vineyard of Naboth, which he refused to give thee for money, for Naboth is not alive but dead.

And Ahab arose to go down and take possession of the Vineyard. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, and he went down to meet Ahab,-and Ahab, said, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And Elijah answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, behold I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and dogs shall lick thy blood; and of Jezebel also, spake the Lord saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 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. And it came to pass when Ahab heard these things he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth and fasted, and humbled himself, and God deferred the punishment of his house unto the days of Joram, his son.

CHAPTER 80.

THE DEATH OF AHAB.

and we

AND after three years peace, Jehoshaphat King of Judah went down to Ahab King of Israel, and Ahab said, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, be still, and take it not out of the hand of Syria. thou go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said, I am as thou art, my people and my

Wilt

horses as thine; but enquire at the word of the Lord to-day. Then Ahab gathered the Prophets together, four hundred men, and said, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the King. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a Prophet besides,—and Ahab said, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so. Then Ahab sent for Micaiah; and the King of Israel and the King of Judah sat each on his Throne, having put on their robes in a void place in the entrance of the Gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophesied before them saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, and Micaiah came and said also, Go up and prosper. And the King said, How many times shall I adjure thee to tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? And he said, I saw all Israe! scattered upon the hills as sheep that have not a shepherd; and the Lord said, These have no master, let them return every one to his house in peace. And the King of Israel said, Take this fellow, and carry him back to the Governor of the City, and say, Put him in prison and feed him with the bread of affliction until I come in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou come at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. So Ahab and Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth Gilead,—and Ahab said, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle, put thou on thy robes. But the King of Syria commanded his thirty and two Captains that had rule over his Chariots saying, Fight neither with small or great, save only the King of Israel; and when the Captains saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely it is the

King of Israel, and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out; and when they saw it was not the King of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the King of Israel between the joints of the harness, wherefore he said to the driver of his Chariot, turn thine hand, and carry me out of the Host, for I am wounded. And the battle increased,—and the King was stayed up in his Chariot, and died at even; and the blood ran into the Chariot, and there went a proclamation throughout the Host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his City, and to his own Country. So the King died, and was brought to Samaria, and one washed the Chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood. Sin and wickedness of every kind will God assuredly punish; sooner or later it is generally visited with evils in this life; torments of the mind and conscience it must produce; and a more dreadful and equally certain punishment await it hereafter..

CHAPTER 81.

ELIJAH TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN.

AND it came to pass when the Lord would take up Elijah into Heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha to Gilgal,-and Elijah said, Tarry here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said, As thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee; so they went to Bethel, and to Jericho, and the sons of the Prophets said to Elisha, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master this day? And he answered, Yea, I know, hold ye your peace,-and they