Ahab

29In Asa's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for twenty-two years.

And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

30Ahab son of Omri did evil in the LORD's sight. He was worse than every king before him.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

31Doing Jeroboam's sins was not enough for him. He also married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. Then Ahab served the god Baal and worshiped him.

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

NoteThe Sidonians lived in Sidon, a city by the sea north of Israel. Baal was the god they prayed to. They believed he sent rain to make crops grow.

32Ahab built a temple for Baal in Samaria. Inside it, he set up an altar for Baal.

And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

NoteAn altar is a stone table. People burned gifts on it for a god. The "house of Baal" means a temple, a building made for worshiping Baal.

33Ahab also set up a tall wooden pole for the goddess Asherah. Ahab made the LORD, the God of Israel, angrier than any king before him.

And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

NoteThe King James says Ahab "made a grove." It was really a tall wooden pole set up for a goddess named Asherah. People put these poles beside altars.

1Elijah came from Gilead. He was a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. He said to King Ahab, "The LORD, the God of Israel, is alive. I serve him. No rain or dew will fall for years, until I say so."

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

NoteAhab was the king of Israel, the country Elijah lived in. Dew is the tiny wet drops that sit on grass in the morning. In that land, rain fell only in certain months of the year. With no rain, no food could grow, and people went hungry. "Before whom I stand" means I am his servant. A servant stood near his master, ready to do what he asked.

2Then God spoke to Elijah. God said:

And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

3"Leave this place. Go east. Hide by the little stream called Cherith. It is east of the Jordan River.

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

NoteA brook is a small stream of water. The Jordan was the big river in that land. Elijah had to hide because the king would be angry at his words.

4You can drink water from the stream. I have told the ravens to bring you food there."

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

NoteRavens are big black birds. They look for scraps to eat. They do not usually carry food to a person.

5So Elijah did what God told him to do. He went and lived by the stream called Cherith.

So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6Every morning the ravens brought him bread and meat. Every evening they brought bread and meat again. He drank water from the stream.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7After some time, the stream dried up. No rain had fallen in the land.

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

1A long time passed. It was now the third year with no rain. God spoke to Elijah, a prophet who told people what God said. God told him, "Go and let King Ahab see you. Then I will send rain on the land."

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own name. It was the name the people of Israel used for God. Three years with no rain meant no crops could grow.

2So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was very little food in Samaria. People were hungry.

And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

NoteSamaria was the main city where King Ahab lived. When rain stops, the food runs out. That long hungry time is called a famine.

3King Ahab called for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was in charge of the king's house. Obadiah loved God and obeyed him.

And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

NoteObadiah ran the king's house. He was the boss of all the king's workers and servants.

4Earlier, Queen Jezebel had killed many prophets of the LORD. Obadiah had saved a hundred of them. He hid them in two caves, fifty men in each cave. He brought them bread and water.

For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

NoteJezebel was King Ahab's wife, the queen. She wanted people to pray to a god named Baal. Anyone who spoke for the LORD was in danger from her.

5Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go all over the land. Check every spring and every stream. Maybe we will find grass. Then our horses and mules can live. We will not lose all our animals."

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

NoteA mule is an animal, part horse and part donkey. People rode mules and used them to carry heavy loads.

6They split the land between them to search it. Ahab went one way alone. Obadiah went another way alone.

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7While Obadiah was walking, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was. He bowed with his face to the ground. He said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"

And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

NoteBowing with your face to the ground showed great respect. Calling someone "my lord" was a polite way to speak to an important person.

8Elijah said, "Yes, it is me. Go tell your master the king that Elijah is here."

And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9Obadiah said, "What have I done wrong? Why would you hand me over to Ahab? He will kill me."

And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10"I promise you, before the living LORD your God, the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent men to every nation and kingdom. When they said you were not there, he made them promise it was true."

As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

NoteMaking someone promise before God was very serious. People believed God heard every word they said.

11"And now you tell me to go say to my master, 'Elijah is here!'"

And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12"But as soon as I leave, God's Spirit may carry you away. I will not know where. Then I will tell Ahab, and he will not find you. He will kill me. Yet I have obeyed the LORD since I was young."

And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

NotePeople said God's Spirit, his own power, could move Elijah from place to place. Obadiah was afraid Elijah would be gone before Ahab arrived.

13"Did no one tell you what I did? When Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets, I hid a hundred of them. I put fifty in each of two caves. I brought them bread and water."

Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14"And now you tell me, 'Go say to your master, Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"

And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

15Elijah said, "I promise you, before the living LORD of heaven's armies, whom I serve. I will let Ahab see me today."

And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

Note"The LORD of hosts" means the LORD who leads heaven's armies. It was a way of saying God is very strong.

16So Obadiah went and told Ahab. Then Ahab went out to meet Elijah.

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, "Is that you? You are the man who brings trouble to Israel."

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

NoteIsrael was the name of the country and of its people. Ahab was blaming Elijah for the three dry years.

18Elijah answered, "I have not brought trouble to Israel. You have, and your father's family too. You have turned away from God's commands. You have followed the Baals, false gods."

And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

NoteBaal was a god that many people prayed to. They believed he sent the rain that made crops grow.

19"Now send word to all Israel. Have everyone meet me on Mount Carmel. Bring the 450 prophets of Baal. Bring the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

NoteMount Carmel is a tall hill near the sea. Asherah was a goddess people prayed to. Eating at the queen's table meant she paid for their food.

20So Ahab sent word to all the people of Israel. He gathered the prophets on Mount Carmel.

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21Elijah came to all the people and said, "How long will you go back and forth? If the LORD is God, follow him. If Baal is God, follow him." The people said nothing at all.

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only prophet of the LORD left here. But Baal has 450 prophets."

Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23"Bring us two bulls. Let them pick one bull for themselves. Let them cut it up and lay it on the wood. But they must not light a fire. I will get the other bull ready the same way. I will not light a fire either."

Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

NoteLong ago people gave God gifts of animals. The animal was laid on wood and burned up. A gift like that was called an offering.

24"Then you call on the name of your god. I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers with fire is the real God." All the people said, "That is a good plan."

And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25Elijah said to Baal's prophets, "You go first, since there are so many of you. Pick a bull and get it ready. Call on the name of your god. But do not light a fire."

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26They took the bull and got it ready. They called on Baal's name from morning until noon. They shouted, "Baal, answer us!" But no voice came. No one answered. They danced around the altar they had made.

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

NoteAn altar was a pile of stones built for offerings. People burned their gifts on top of it.

27At noon Elijah made fun of them. He said, "Shout louder! He is a god, after all. Maybe he is talking. Maybe he is busy or away on a trip. Maybe he is asleep and needs waking up."

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28So they shouted louder. They cut themselves with knives and spears, the way they always did. Blood ran down over them.

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

NoteBaal's prophets believed hurting themselves would make him notice. Cutting their skin was part of the way they prayed to him.

29Noon went by. They kept on speaking as prophets, wild and loud, until the time of the evening offering. But no voice came. No one answered. No one paid attention.

And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

NoteLate each afternoon, priests gave God a gift at his temple. People called that time the evening offering. The old words say they prophesied. That means they spoke and acted the way prophets do, but wild and loud.

30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come close to me." They all came close. He fixed the LORD's altar, which had been torn down.

And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

NoteAn altar for the LORD had stood here before. Someone had knocked it down, and Elijah put the stones back together.

31Elijah took twelve stones, one for each family group of Jacob's sons. God had spoken to Jacob and said, "Your name will be Israel."

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

NoteJacob had twelve sons. Their families grew into the twelve family groups of Israel. God gave Jacob a new name, Israel.

32He built an altar with those stones to honor the LORD. Then he dug a ditch around the altar. It was big enough to hold two measures of seed.

And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

NoteThe old words say the ditch could hold two measures of seed. That means it was a big ditch, wide and deep. A measure was a set amount of seed, about a big bucketful. Two measures meant the ditch was wide and deep.

33He laid the wood in order. He cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four big jars with water. Pour it on the offering and on the wood."

And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

NoteAfter three years with no rain, water was very hard to find. Pouring it on the wood gave away something precious.

34He said, "Do it again." They did it again. He said, "Do it a third time." They did it a third time.

And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35The water ran down all around the altar. It even filled the ditch.

And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came close. He prayed, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Show everyone today that you are God in Israel. Show them I am your servant. Show them I did all this because you told me to."

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

NoteAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived long before this. They were the fathers of the whole family of Israel.

37"Answer me, LORD. Answer me. Then these people will know that you are the LORD God. They will know you are turning their hearts back to you."

Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38Then fire from the LORD came down. It burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt. It even dried up the water in the ditch.

Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39When the people saw it, they bowed with their faces to the ground. They said, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!"

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

40Elijah said, "Grab the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them get away." So they grabbed them. Elijah took them down to the Kishon brook and killed them there.

And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

NoteThe Kishon is a stream at the bottom of Mount Carmel. Israel's law said that prophets who led people to other gods must die.

41Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up and eat and drink. I hear the sound of heavy rain coming."

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. He bent down low to the ground and put his face between his knees.

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

NoteBending low with his face between his knees was how Elijah prayed. It showed he was small before God.

43He said to his helper, "Go up and look toward the sea." The helper went and looked. He said, "There is nothing there." Elijah said, "Go and look again." He said this seven times.

And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44The seventh time the helper said, "I see a little cloud coming up from the sea. It is as small as a man's hand." Elijah said, "Go tell Ahab to hitch up his chariot and go down, so the rain cannot stop him."

And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

NoteA chariot was a small cart pulled by horses. Kings rode in them. Heavy rain turned dirt roads into deep mud.

45Soon the sky turned black with clouds and wind. Heavy rain began to fall. Ahab climbed into his chariot and rode to Jezreel.

And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

NoteJezreel was another city where King Ahab had a house. It was many miles from Mount Carmel.

46The LORD's power came on Elijah. He tucked his long robe into his belt. Then he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

NoteMen wore long robes that reached their feet. To run fast, they pulled the robe up and tucked it into their belt.

1Ben-hadad was the king of Syria. He gathered his whole army. Thirty-two other kings came with him, with horses and chariots. He marched to the city of Samaria, surrounded it, and attacked it.

And Benhadad the king of Syria 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.

NoteSyria was a country just north of Israel. Chariots were carts pulled by horses that soldiers fought from. Samaria was Israel's main city, where the king lived. An army "besieged" a city by circling it so no one could go in or out. Food inside would slowly run out.

2He sent messengers into the city to Ahab, the king of Israel. They gave Ahab this message from Ben-hadad:

And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,

3"Your silver and your gold belong to me. Your best wives and your children belong to me too."

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

NoteKings sometimes sent a demand like this before fighting. Handing over your silver and family meant giving up completely.

4The king of Israel answered, "It is just as you say, my lord the king. I am yours, and so is everything I own."

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

NoteSaying "I am yours" meant Ahab was giving in. He was promising to obey and pay whatever Ben-hadad asked.

5The messengers came back again. They said, "Ben-hadad says this: I already told you to hand over your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.

And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6But tomorrow, about this time, I will send my servants to you. They will search your palace and your servants' houses. They will take away anything you love."

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 in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

7Then the king of Israel called all the leaders of the land together. He said, "Look at how this man is looking for trouble. He asked me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I said yes."

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.

NoteThe leaders, called "elders" in the King James, were the older men of the towns. People trusted them to help decide hard things.

8All the leaders and all the people told him, "Do not listen to him. Do not agree."

And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9So Ahab told Ben-hadad's messengers, "Tell my lord the king this. I will do everything you asked the first time. But this new thing I cannot do." The messengers went back and told Ben-hadad.

Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, 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.

10Then Ben-hadad sent Ahab another message. He said, "May the gods punish me if there is enough dust left of Samaria for each of my men to grab a handful."

And Benhadad 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.

NoteBen-hadad is making a promise the way people did then. He is saying his army is so huge that they could carry the whole city away, one handful of dirt each.

11The king of Israel answered, "Tell him this. A man putting on his armor should not brag like a man taking it off."

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.

Note"Him that girdeth on his harness" means a man strapping on his armor. Armor is the hard covering soldiers wore to keep from getting hurt. Ahab is saying, do not brag before the fight. Brag after you win, when you take the armor off.

12Ben-hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents. He told his servants, "Get ready to attack." So they got in place around the city.

And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, 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.

NoteThe King James word is "pavilions." These were big cloth tents where kings stayed while their army camped.

13Then a prophet came to Ahab, king of Israel. He said, "The LORD says this. Do you see that huge army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own name. The Israelites felt that name was too holy to say out loud. A prophet was someone who told people what God said.

14Ahab asked, "Who will do it?" The prophet said, "The LORD says this. The young officers who serve the leaders of the districts will do it." Ahab asked, "Who should start the battle?" The prophet answered, "You will."

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.

NoteThe land was split into parts called districts. Each one had a leader, and young men worked for him. They were not the main army.

15So Ahab called the young officers who served the district leaders. There were 232 of them. Then he called the rest of the men of Israel. There were 7,000.

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.

16They marched out at noon. At that time Ben-hadad was in his tent getting drunk. The thirty-two kings who helped him were drinking too.

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

17The young officers marched out first. Ben-hadad had sent out men to watch. They reported to him, "Men are coming out of Samaria."

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

18He said, "If they are coming to talk peace, take them alive. If they are coming to fight, take them alive."

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

19So the young officers marched out of the city. The army came out behind them.

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

20Each man struck down the enemy in front of him. The Syrians ran away, and Israel chased them. Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, got away on a horse with some of his riders.

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

21Then the king of Israel marched out. He attacked the horses and chariots. Many, many Syrians were killed that day.

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

22Later the prophet came to the king of Israel. He said, "Go and make your army stronger. Think carefully about what you must do. Next spring the king of Syria will come to attack you again."

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

NoteThe King James says "at the return of the year." That means next spring. Armies waited for spring because the winter rains made roads muddy.

23Meanwhile the servants of the king of Syria talked to him. They said, "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they beat us. Let us fight them on flat land instead. Then we will surely be stronger.

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.

NoteMany people back then thought a god ruled only one kind of land. The Syrians thought Israel's God was strong on hills but weak on flat ground.

24Do this too. Take the kings out of their commands. Put army captains in their places.

And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

NoteThe thirty-two kings were partners, not soldiers. The advice is to put trained army leaders in charge instead.

25Then build an army as big as the one you lost. Get a horse for every horse and a chariot for every chariot. We will fight them on flat land, and we will surely win." The king listened to them and did what they said.

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.

26In the spring, Ben-hadad counted his Syrian soldiers. He marched to a town called Aphek to fight Israel.

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

NoteAphek was a town out on flat, open land. The Syrians picked it on purpose, because flat land is good for chariots.

27The men of Israel were counted too. They gathered supplies and marched out to meet the Syrians. Israel's camp looked like two small flocks of goats. The Syrians spread out over the whole countryside.

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.

NoteThe King James says Israel looked "like two little flocks of kids." Kids means baby goats. It is a way of saying the army looked small and easy to hurt.

28Then a man of God came to the king of Israel. He said, "The LORD says this. The Syrians say the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So I will hand this huge army over to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

29The two armies camped across from each other for seven days. On the seventh day the fighting began. That day Israel killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers.

And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

NoteFoot soldiers were men who walked and fought on the ground. They had no horse and no chariot.

30The rest ran into the city of Aphek. There a wall fell on 27,000 of the men who were left. Ben-hadad also ran into the city and hid in a back room.

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.

NoteAn "inner chamber" is a small room deep inside a house. It was the best place to hide.

31His servants said to him, "We have heard that the kings of Israel are kind kings. Let us go to the king of Israel wearing rough cloth and ropes. Maybe he will let you live."

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

NoteSackcloth was rough, scratchy cloth, like an old sack. People wore it to show they were very sad or very sorry. Putting ropes on their heads showed they were giving up. It was like saying, you may tie us up if you want.

32So they tied rough cloth around their waists and ropes around their heads. They went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, Please let me live." Ahab said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

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

NoteKings who were friends called each other "brother." By saying it, Ahab was treating Ben-hadad as a friend, not an enemy.

33The men were watching for any sign of hope. They quickly took hold of that word. They said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Ahab said, "Go and bring him here." When Ben-hadad came out, Ahab had him ride up into his chariot.

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 Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

NoteRiding in the king's own chariot was a great honor. It showed everyone that Ahab was not going to hurt him.

34Ben-hadad said, "I will give back the cities my father took from your father. You may set up your own markets in Damascus, like my father did in Samaria." Ahab said, "With this agreement I will let you go." So he made an agreement with him and sent him away.

And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took 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.

NoteDamascus was the big city where the king of Syria lived. Having your own markets there meant your traders could sell things and make money. It was part of the deal between the two kings.

35One of the young prophets spoke to a friend. The LORD had told him what to say. He said, "Please hit me." But the man would not hit him.

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.

NoteThe King James calls him one of "the sons of the prophets." That was a group of men who lived and learned together, training to speak for God.

36So the prophet said, "You did not obey the LORD. As soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you." The man left, and a lion found him and killed him.

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.

37Then the prophet found another man. He said, "Please hit me." So the man hit him and hurt him.

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

38Then the prophet went and waited for the king beside the road. He covered his eyes with a cloth so no one would know him.

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

NoteHe put a cloth over his eyes so the king would not know his face. Sometimes it also covered a wound.

39As the king came by, the prophet called out to him. He said, "I went out into the middle of the battle. A man brought me a prisoner. He said, Guard this man. If he gets away, you will die in his place, or you will pay a talent of silver.

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 means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

NoteA talent of silver was a huge amount of silver, heavier than a small child. A worker would need many years to earn that much.

40But while I was busy with this and that, the man got away." The king of Israel told him, "That is your punishment, then. You have said it yourself."

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.

41Then the prophet quickly pulled the cloth off his eyes. The king of Israel saw that he was one of the prophets.

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

NoteNow the king could see his face. He knew this man was a prophet, one who spoke messages from God.

42The prophet said to him, "The LORD says this. You let go the man I had set apart to be destroyed. So your life will be taken in place of his life. Your people will be taken in place of his people."

And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because 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.

NoteThe King James says the man was "appointed to utter destruction." In wars back then, some enemies were set apart to be completely destroyed. Nothing was to be kept and no one was to be let go.

43The king of Israel went home to Samaria. He was upset and angry.

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

NoteThe King James says the king went home "heavy." Heavy here means sad and gloomy, not weighing a lot.

1Some time later, a man named Naboth owned a vineyard. It was in Jezreel, right beside the palace of Ahab, the king.

And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

NoteA vineyard is a field where grapes grow on vines. It takes years for new vines to grow well. A palace is the big house where a king lives.

2Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard. I want it for a vegetable garden. It is close to my house. I will give you a better vineyard instead. Or I will pay you silver for it, if you like."

And Ahab spake unto 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 for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

NotePeople did not have coins yet. They paid with pieces of silver, weighed on a scale.

3Naboth said, "No. May the LORD keep me from doing that. This land came to me from my family. I will not give it to you."

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

NoteIn Israel, land stayed in one family. It passed from parents to children to grandchildren. Selling it away to a stranger felt very wrong.

4Ahab went home angry and gloomy. He kept thinking about what Naboth said. Naboth had told him, "I will not give you my family's land." Ahab lay down on his bed. He turned his face away. He would not eat.

And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

5His wife Jezebel came in and asked him a question. "Why are you so gloomy? Why will you not eat?"

But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

6He said, "I talked to Naboth the Jezreelite. I said I would buy his vineyard with silver. I said I would trade him another vineyard instead. But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"

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.

7Jezebel said, "Are you not the king of Israel? Get up. Eat some food. Cheer up. I will get you Naboth's vineyard."

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.

NoteJezebel grew up in another country, near the sea. Kings there could simply take what they wanted. Kings of Israel were not supposed to do that.

8So Jezebel wrote letters and signed Ahab's name. She stamped them with his seal to show they came from the king. She sent them to the leaders and important men in Naboth's town.

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.

NoteA seal was a small stone with a carved picture on it. The king pressed it into soft wax or clay. That mark showed a letter really came from him. The elders were older men who made decisions for a town.

9This is what she wrote in the letters. "Tell everyone to hold a fast, a day when people go without food. Give Naboth a special seat where all can see him."

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

NoteA special seat in front was for the most important person there. Putting Naboth there made this look like a real town meeting.

10"Then put two bad men in front of him. Have them say, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take Naboth out of town and throw stones at him until he dies."

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 may die.

NoteThe King James calls these men "sons of Belial." That old phrase just means worthless, wicked men. In that time, two people had to say they saw a crime. Only then could a town punish someone. Throwing stones was how a whole town punished a very bad crime.

11The leaders and important men of Naboth's town did what Jezebel said. They followed the orders in her letters.

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.

12They told everyone to hold a fast. They gave Naboth a special seat where all could see him.

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

13Two bad men came in and sat across from Naboth. In front of everyone, they said, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So the people took Naboth outside the town. They threw stones at him until he died.

And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed 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.

14Then they sent word to Jezebel. They said, "Naboth has been stoned. He is dead."

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

15When Jezebel heard the news, she spoke to Ahab. "Get up. Go and take Naboth's vineyard. He would not sell it to you. But he is not alive now. He is dead."

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.

16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up. He went down to Naboth's vineyard to take it for himself.

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.