Jezebel

29And 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.

In 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.

30And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

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

31And 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.

Doing 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.

32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

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

33And 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.

Ahab 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.

1And 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.

A 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."

2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

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

3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

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

4For 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.)

Earlier, 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.

5And 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.

Ahab 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."

6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

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

7And 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?

While 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?"

8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

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

9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

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

10As 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.

"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."

11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

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

12And 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.

"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."

13Was 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?

"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."

14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

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

15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

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

16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

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

17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

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

18And 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.

Elijah 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."

19Now 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.

"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."

1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

King Ahab told his wife Jezebel everything Elijah had done. He also told her that Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with a sword.

2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. She said, "May the gods punish me if I fail. By this time tomorrow, I will kill you, just like you killed them."

3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

Elijah was afraid, so he ran away to save his life. He came to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and left his servant there.

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Elijah walked one more day into the empty desert. He sat down under a small bush and asked to die. He said, "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life. I am no better than my family before me."

5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

He lay down under the bush and fell asleep. Then an angel, a messenger from God, touched him. The angel said, "Get up and eat."

6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

Elijah looked around. Near his head was bread baked on hot coals and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and then he lay down again.

7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him. The angel said, "Get up and eat. The trip ahead is too long and hard for you."

8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

So Elijah got up and ate and drank. That food made him strong. He walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

1And 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.

Some time later, a man named Naboth owned a vineyard. A vineyard is a field where grapes grow. It was in Jezreel, right beside the palace of Ahab, the king.

2And 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.

Ahab 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."

3And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

Naboth 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."

4And 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.

Ahab 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 to the wall. He would not eat.

5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

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

6And 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.

He 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.'"

7And 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.

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

8So 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.

So 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.

9And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

This 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."

10And 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.

"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."

11And 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.

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

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

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

13And 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.

Two 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.

14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

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

15And 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.

When 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."

16And 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.

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

17And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

Then the LORD spoke to Elijah, a prophet from Tishbe. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says.

18Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

God said, "Get up and go meet Ahab, the king of Israel. He lives in Samaria. Right now he is in Naboth's vineyard. He went there to take it."

19And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

"Tell him this is what the LORD says. 'You killed a man and took his land.' Then tell him this too. 'Dogs licked up Naboth's blood in that place. In that same place, dogs will lick up your blood.'"

20And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy." Elijah answered, "I have found you. You have given yourself over to doing evil in the LORD's sight."

21Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

"The LORD says, 'I will bring trouble on you. I will end your family line. Every male in Ahab's family will be cut off from Israel, rich or poor.'"

22And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

"'I will do to your family what I did to two other families. I did this to the family of Jeroboam and the family of Baasha. You made me angry, and you led Israel to sin.'"

23And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

The LORD also spoke about Jezebel. He said, "Dogs will eat Jezebel beside the wall of Jezreel."

24Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

"Anyone in Ahab's family who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs. Anyone who dies out in the fields will be eaten by birds."

25But 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.

No king was ever like Ahab. He gave himself over to doing evil in the LORD's sight. His wife Jezebel pushed him to do it.

26And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

He did very shameful things. He worshiped idols, which are statues people pray to. He acted just like the Amorites. The LORD had driven them out before the people of Israel.

27And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes to show his sorrow. He put on rough cloth called sackcloth. He went without food. He slept in the sackcloth. He walked around quietly and sadly.

28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

Then the LORD spoke to Elijah the Tishbite again.

29Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

God said, "Do you see how Ahab has made himself low before me? Because he has done that, I will wait. I will not send the trouble while he is alive. I will send it on his family when his son is king."

1And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

Elisha was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He called one of the young men training to be prophets. Elisha said, "Tuck your robe into your belt so you can run. Take this small jar of oil. Go to the town of Ramoth-gilead."

2And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

"When you get there, look for Jehu. He is the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and get him away from the other men. Take him into a back room by himself."

3Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

"Then pour the oil from the jar on his head. Pouring oil on someone's head showed that God had chosen him. Say, 'This is what the LORD says: I have chosen you to be king over Israel.' Then open the door and run. Do not wait!"

4So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead.

5And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

When he got there, the army commanders were sitting together. He said, "I have a message for you, commander." Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" The young man said, "For you, commander."

6And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

So Jehu got up and went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head. He said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have chosen you to be king over my people Israel."

7And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

"You must strike down the family of Ahab, your master. Ahab's wife Jezebel had God's prophets killed. She had many of the LORD's servants killed too. Now God will pay her back for their deaths."

8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

"Ahab's whole family will die. Every male in his family in Israel will be cut off. That includes servants and free men alike."

9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

"I will do to Ahab's family what I did to two other families. Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah were kings before. Their families were wiped out too."

10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

"Dogs will eat Jezebel's body on the land at Jezreel. No one will bury her." Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.

So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, made a secret plan against King Joram. Joram and all Israel's army had been guarding Ramoth-gilead. They were holding it against Hazael, the king of Aram.

15But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

But King Joram had gone back to Jezreel to get well. Soldiers from Aram had wounded him in the fight against their king Hazael. Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, let no one leave this city. No one must go and warn Jezreel."

16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

Then Jehu got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel. Joram was lying sick there. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had come to visit him.

17And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

A watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu and his men coming and called out, "I see a group of soldiers!" Joram said, "Send a rider out to meet them. Have him ask if they come in peace."

18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

So a man rode out on a horse to meet Jehu. He said, "The king asks, do you come in peace?" Jehu answered, "What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me." The watchman called out, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."

19Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

So the king sent out a second rider. He said, "The king asks, do you come in peace?" Jehu answered again, "What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me."

20And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

The watchman called out again. "He reached them, but he is not coming back either. The driver drives like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives like a wild man."

21And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Joram shouted, "Get my chariot ready!" So they got it ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out. Each man rode in his own chariot. They met Jehu on the land that had belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.

22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, "Do you come in peace, Jehu?" Jehu answered, "How can there be peace? Your mother Jezebel worships false gods. She uses magic, and she does it again and again."

23And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.

Joram turned his chariot around and fled. He shouted to Ahaziah, "It is a trap, Ahaziah!"

24And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

Jehu pulled his bow back with all his strength. He shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart. Joram slumped down in his chariot.

25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;

Jehu said to Bidkar, his officer, "Pick him up. Throw him on Naboth's field. Remember when you and I rode behind his father Ahab? The LORD spoke these hard words against Ahab that day."

26Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

"The LORD said, 'I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons. I will pay you back on this very piece of land.' So do what the LORD said. Pick Joram up and throw him on that land."

30And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard about it. She painted around her eyes and fixed her hair. Then she looked down from a window.

31And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

Jehu came in through the gate. Jezebel called down, "Do you come in peace, Zimri?" Zimri was a man long before who had killed his own king.

32And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

Jehu looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three palace servants looked down at him.

33And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

Jehu shouted, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down. Her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses. The horses trampled her.

34And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter.

Then Jehu went inside and ate and drank. He said, "Go and take care of that cursed woman. Bury her, because she was a king's daughter."

35And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

But when they went out to bury her, they found almost nothing. Only her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands were left.

36Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

They came back and told Jehu. He said, "This is what the LORD said. He spoke it through his servant Elijah from Tishbe. Dogs will eat Jezebel's body on the land at Jezreel."

37And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

"Her body will lie in that field like waste on the ground. No one will be able to say, 'This was Jezebel.'"