1 Raja-raja 12:25--22:52
Konteks12:25 1 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel. 12:26 Jeroboam then thought to himself: 2 “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. 3 12:27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, 4 their loyalty could shift to their former master, 5 King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” 12:28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, 6 he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, 7 “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 12:29 He put one in Bethel 8 and the other in Dan. 12:30 This caused Israel to sin; 9 the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves. 10
12:31 He built temples 11 on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. 12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, 12 like the festival celebrated in Judah. 13 On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. 14 In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.
12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) 15 Jeroboam 16 offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. 17 He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices. 13:1 Just then 18 a prophet 19 from Judah, sent by the Lord, arrived in Bethel, 20 as Jeroboam was standing near the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. 13:2 With the authority of the Lord 21 he cried out against the altar, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says, ‘Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” 22 13:3 That day he also announced 23 a sign, “This is the sign the Lord has predetermined: 24 The altar will be split open and the ashes 25 on it will fall to the ground.” 26 13:4 When the king heard what the prophet 27 cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam, standing at the altar, extended his hand 28 and ordered, 29 “Seize him!” The hand he had extended shriveled up 30 and he could not pull it back. 13:5 The altar split open and the ashes 31 fell from the altar to the ground, 32 in fulfillment of the sign the prophet had announced with the Lord’s authority. 33 13:6 The king pled with 34 the prophet, 35 “Seek the favor of 36 the Lord your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored.” So the prophet sought the Lord’s favor 37 and the king’s hand was restored to its former condition. 38 13:7 The king then said to the prophet, “Come home with me and have something to eat. I’d like to give a present.” 13:8 But the prophet said to the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, 39 I could not go with you and eat and drink 40 in this place. 13:9 For the Lord gave me strict orders, 41 ‘Do not eat or drink 42 there and do not go home the way you came.’” 13:10 So he started back on another road; he did not travel back on the same road he had taken to Bethel.
13:11 Now there was an old prophet living in Bethel. 43 When his sons came home, they told their father 44 everything the prophet 45 had done in Bethel that day and all the words he had spoken to the king. 46 13:12 Their father asked them, “Which road did he take?” His sons showed him 47 the road the prophet 48 from Judah had taken. 13:13 He then told his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” When they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 13:14 and took off after the prophet, 49 whom he found sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, “Are you the prophet 50 from Judah?” He answered, “Yes, I am.” 13:15 He then said to him, “Come home with me and eat something.” 13:16 But he replied, “I can’t go back with you 51 or eat and drink 52 with you in this place. 13:17 For the Lord gave me strict orders, 53 ‘Do not eat or drink 54 there; do not go back the way you came.’” 13:18 The old prophet then said, 55 “I too am a prophet like you. An angel told me with the Lord’s authority, 56 ‘Bring him back with you to your house so he can eat and drink.’” 57 But he was lying to him. 58 13:19 So the prophet went back with him and ate and drank in his house. 59
13:20 While they were sitting at the table, the Lord spoke through the old prophet 60 13:21 and he cried out to the prophet from Judah, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You 61 have rebelled against the Lord 62 and have not obeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. 13:22 You went back and ate and drank in this place, even though he said to you, “Do not eat or drink there.” 63 Therefore 64 your corpse will not be buried in your ancestral tomb.’” 65
13:23 When the prophet from Judah finished his meal, 66 the old prophet saddled his visitor’s donkey for him. 67 13:24 As the prophet from Judah was traveling, a lion attacked him on the road and killed him. 68 His corpse was lying on the road, and the donkey and the lion just stood there beside it. 69 13:25 Some men came by 70 and saw the corpse lying in the road with the lion standing beside it. 71 They went and reported what they had seen 72 in the city where the old prophet lived. 13:26 When the old prophet who had invited him to his house heard the news, 73 he said, “It is the prophet 74 who rebelled against the Lord. 75 The Lord delivered him over to the lion and it ripped him up 76 and killed him, just as the Lord warned him.” 77 13:27 He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey,” and they did so. 78 13:28 He went and found the corpse lying in the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside it; 79 the lion had neither eaten the corpse nor attacked the donkey. 13:29 The old prophet 80 picked up the corpse of the prophet, 81 put it on the donkey, and brought it back. The old prophet then entered the city to mourn him and to bury him. 13:30 He put the corpse into his own tomb, and they 82 mourned over him, saying, “Ah, my brother!” 13:31 After he buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the tomb where the prophet 83 is buried; put my bones right beside his bones, 13:32 for the prophecy he announced with the Lord’s authority 84 against the altar in Bethel 85 and against all the temples on the high places in the cities of the north 86 will certainly be fulfilled.”
13:33 After this happened, Jeroboam still did not change his evil ways; 87 he continued to appoint common people 88 as priests at the high places. Anyone who wanted the job he consecrated as a priest. 89 13:34 This sin caused Jeroboam’s dynasty 90 to come to an end and to be destroyed from the face of the earth.
14:1 91 At that time Jeroboam’s son Abijah became sick. 14:2 Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise 92 yourself so that people cannot recognize you are Jeroboam’s wife. Then go to Shiloh; Ahijah the prophet, who told me I would rule over this nation, lives there. 93 14:3 Take 94 ten loaves of bread, some small cakes, and a container of honey and visit him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
14:4 Jeroboam’s wife did as she was told. She went to Shiloh and visited Ahijah. 95 Now Ahijah could not see; he had lost his eyesight in his old age. 96 14:5 But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Look, Jeroboam’s wife is coming to find out from you what will happen to her son, for he is sick. Tell her so-and-so. 97 When she comes, she will be in a disguise.” 14:6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, “Come on in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else? I have been commissioned to give you bad news. 98 14:7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up 99 from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. 14:8 I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve. 100 14:9 You have sinned more than all who came before you. You went and angered me by making other gods, formed out of metal; you have completely disregarded me. 101 14:10 So I am ready to bring disaster 102 on the dynasty 103 of Jeroboam. I will cut off every last male belonging to Jeroboam in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 104 I will burn up the dynasty of Jeroboam, just as one burns manure until it is completely consumed. 105 14:11 Dogs will eat the members of your family 106 who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”’ Indeed, the Lord has announced it!
14:12 “As for you, get up and go home. When you set foot in the city, the boy will die. 14:13 All Israel will mourn him and bury him. He is the only one in Jeroboam’s family 107 who will receive a decent burial, for he is the only one in whom the Lord God of Israel found anything good. 14:14 The Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will cut off Jeroboam’s dynasty. 108 It is ready to happen! 109 14:15 The Lord will attack Israel, making it like a reed that sways in the water. 110 He will remove Israel from this good land he gave to their ancestors 111 and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, 112 because they angered the Lord by making Asherah poles. 113 14:16 He will hand Israel over to their enemies 114 because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit.”
14:17 So Jeroboam’s wife got up and went back to 115 Tirzah. As she crossed the threshold of the house, the boy died. 14:18 All Israel buried him and mourned for him, just as the Lord had predicted 116 through his servant the prophet Ahijah.
14:19 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including the details of his battles and rule, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 117 14:20 Jeroboam ruled for twenty-two years; then he passed away. 118 His son Nadab replaced him as king.
14:21 Now Rehoboam son of Solomon ruled in Judah. He 119 was forty-one years old when he became king and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, 120 the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home. 121 His mother was an Ammonite woman 122 named Naamah.
14:22 Judah did evil in the sight of 123 the Lord. They made him more jealous by their sins than their ancestors had done. 124 14:23 They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 14:24 There were also male cultic prostitutes 125 in the land. They committed the same horrible sins as the nations 126 that the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.
14:25 In King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 14:26 He took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden shields that Solomon had made. 14:27 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard 127 who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 14:28 Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guard carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.
14:29 The rest of the events of Rehoboam’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the
Kings of Judah. 128 14:30 Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other. 14:31 Rehoboam passed away 129 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. His son Abijah 130 replaced him as king.
15:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah 131 became king over Judah. 15:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. 132 His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 133 15:3 He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 134 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty 135 in Jerusalem by giving him a son 136 to succeed him 137 and by protecting Jerusalem. 138 15:5 He did this 139 because David had done what he approved 140 and had not disregarded any of his commandments 141 his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 15:6 Rehoboam 142 and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah’s 143 lifetime. 15:7 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 144 Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 15:8 Abijah passed away 145 and was buried 146 in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.
15:9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. 15:10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. 147 His grandmother 148 was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 15:11 Asa did what the Lord approved 149 like his ancestor 150 David had done. 15:12 He removed the male cultic prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the disgusting idols 151 his ancestors 152 had made. 15:13 He also removed Maacah his grandmother 153 from her position as queen because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 15:14 The high places were not eliminated, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. 154 15:15 He brought the holy items that he and his father had made into the Lord’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles. 155
15:16 Now Asa and King Baasha of Israel were continually at war with each other. 156 15:17 King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 157 15:18 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and handed it to his servants. He then told them to deliver it 158 to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 15:19 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. 159 See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” 160 15:20 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. 161 They conquered 162 Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the territory of Naphtali, including the region of Kinnereth. 163 15:21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying 164 Ramah and settled down in Tirzah. 15:22 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. 165 King Asa used the materials to build up 166 Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah.
15:23 The rest of the events of Asa’s reign, including all his successes and accomplishments, as well as a record of the cities he built, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 167 Yet when he was very old he developed a foot disease. 168 15:24 Asa passed away 169 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king.
15:25 In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years. 15:26 He did evil in the sight of 170 the Lord. He followed in his father’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin. 171
15:27 Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, conspired against Nadab 172 and assassinated him in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. This happened while Nadab and all the Israelite army were besieging Gibbethon. 15:28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah and replaced him as king. 15:29 When he became king, he executed Jeroboam’s entire family. He wiped out everyone who breathed, 173 just as the Lord had predicted 174 through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 15:30 This happened because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit. These sins angered the Lord God of Israel. 175
15:31 The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 176 15:32 Asa and King Nadab of Israel were continually at war with each other.
15:33 In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah; he ruled for twenty-four years. 15:34 He did evil in the sight of 177 the Lord; he followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin. 178
16:1 Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord this message predicting Baasha’s downfall: 179 16:2 “I raised you up 180 from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps 181 and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry. 182 16:3 So I am ready to burn up 183 Baasha and his family, and make your family 184 like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16:4 Dogs will eat the members of Baasha’s family 185 who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”
16:5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 186 16:6 Baasha passed away 187 and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah replaced him as king. 16:7 The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the Lord. 188 His actions angered the Lord (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam’s. 189
16:8 In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha’s son Elah became king over Israel; he ruled in Tirzah for two years. 16:9 His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily 190 at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah, 16:10 Zimri came in and struck him dead. (This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah.) Zimri replaced Elah as king. 191 16:11 When he became king and occupied the throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He did not spare any male belonging to him; he killed his relatives and his friends. 192 16:12 Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, just as the Lord had predicted to Baasha 193 through Jehu the prophet. 16:13 This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols. 194
16:14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 195
16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri became king over Israel; he ruled for seven days in Tirzah. Zimri’s revolt took place while the army was deployed 196 in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. 16:16 While deployed there, the army received this report: 197 “Zimri has conspired against the king and assassinated him.” 198 So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp. 16:17 Omri and all Israel went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 16:18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the fortified area of the royal palace. He set the palace on fire and died in the flames. 199 16:19 This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of 200 the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning. 201
16:20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, including the details of his revolt, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 202
16:21 At that time the people of Israel were divided in their loyalties. Half the people supported Tibni son of Ginath and wanted to make him king; the other half supported Omri. 16:22 Omri’s supporters were stronger than those who supported Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died; Omri became king.
16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 16:24 He purchased the hill of Samaria 203 from Shemer for two talents 204 of silver. He launched a construction project there 205 and named the city he built after Shemer, the former owner of the hill of Samaria. 16:25 Omri did more evil in the sight of 206 the Lord than all who were before him. 16:26 He followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat and encouraged Israel to sin; 207 they angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols. 208
16:27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 209 16:28 Omri passed away 210 and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab replaced him as king. 211
16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri’s son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria. 212 16:30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of 213 the Lord than all who were before him. 16:31 As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal. 214 16:32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria. 16:33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole; he 215 did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
16:34 During Ahab’s reign, 216 Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. 217 Abiram, his firstborn son, died when he laid the foundation; 218 Segub, his youngest son, died when he erected its gates, 219 just as the Lord had warned 220 through Joshua son of Nun. 221
17:1 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), 222 there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” 223 17:2 The Lord told him: 224 17:3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:4 Drink from the stream; I have already told 225 the ravens to bring you food 226 there.” 17:5 So he did 227 as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
17:7 After a while, 228 the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 17:8 The Lord told him, 229 17:9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told 230 a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 17:10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup 231 of water, so I can take a drink.” 17:11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” 232 17:12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” 233 17:13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. 234 But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 17:14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 17:15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 235 17:16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised 236 through Elijah.
17:17 After this 237 the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 17:18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come 238 to me to confront me with 239 my sin and kill my son?” 17:19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 17:20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 17:21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 17:22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 17:23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 17:24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord really does speak through you.” 240
18:1 Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, 241 “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 18:2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 242 18:3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. 243 18:4 When Jezebel was killing 244 the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 18:5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas 245 so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill 246 some of the animals.” 18:6 They divided up the land between them; Ahab went 247 one way and Obadiah went the other.
18:7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. 248 When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 18:8 He replied, “Yes, 249 go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” 250 18:9 Obadiah 251 said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? 252 18:10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them 253 swear an oath that they could not find you. 18:11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’ 254 18:12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. 255 If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. 256 That would not be fair, 257 because your servant has been a loyal follower of 258 the Lord from my youth. 18:13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did 259 when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 18:14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’ 260 but he will kill me.” 18:15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all 261 lives (whom I serve), 262 I will make an appearance before him today.”
18:16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah. 263 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he 264 said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster 265 on Israel?” 18:18 Elijah 266 replied, “I have not brought disaster 267 on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 18:19 Now send out messengers 268 and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports. 269
18:20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 18:21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? 270 If the Lord is the true God, 271 then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 18:22 Elijah said to them: 272 “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 18:23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 18:24 Then you 273 will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” 274 All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.” 275
18:25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” 276 18:26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested, 277 and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped 278 around on the altar they had made. 279 18:27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” 280 18:28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, 281 mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. 282 18:29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, 283 but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. 284
18:30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 285 18:31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new 286 name.” 287 18:32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. 288 Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs 289 of seed. 18:33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. 18:34 Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, 290 he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 18:35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 18:36 When it was time for the evening offering, 291 Elijah the prophet approached the altar 292 and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove 293 today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 18:37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God 294 and that you are winning back their allegiance.” 295 18:38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. 296 It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 18:39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! 297 The Lord is the true God!” 18:40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed 298 them there.
18:41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.” 299 18:42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 18:43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” 300 Seven times Elijah sent him to look. 301 18:44 The seventh time the servant 302 said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah 303 then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” 304 18:45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward 305 Jezreel. 18:46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; 306 he tucked his robe into his belt 307 and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 19:2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, 308 “May the gods judge me severely 309 if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!” 310
19:3 Elijah was afraid, 311 so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 19:4 while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub 312 and asked the Lord to take his life: 313 “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” 314 19:5 He stretched out 315 and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger 316 touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 19:6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. 317 19:7 The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.” 318 19:8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
19:9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal 319 to the Lord, the sovereign God, 320 even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, 321 torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 322 19:11 The Lord 323 said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, 324 but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 19:12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. 325 19:13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden 326 a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal 327 to the Lord, the sovereign God, 328 even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, 329 torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 330 19:15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 19:16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 19:17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 19:18 I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” 331
19:19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. 19:20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah 332 said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” 19:21 Elisha 333 went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. 334 He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.
20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria 335 and besieged and attacked it. 336 20:2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. 337 20:3 He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
20:5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 20:6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.” 338 20:7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders 339 of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. 340 Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 20:8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” 341 20:9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’” 342 So the messengers went back and gave their report.
20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely 343 if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” 344 20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” 345 20:12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, 346 he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. 347 He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
20:13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? 348 Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 20:14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” 349 He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab 350 asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
20:15 So Ahab 351 assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 352 20:16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily 353 in their quarters. 354 20:17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 355 20:18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.” 356 20:19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20:20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; 357 the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 20:21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated 358 Syria.
20:22 The prophet 359 visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses. 360 Determine 361 what you must do, for in the spring 362 the king of Syria will attack 363 you.” 20:23 Now the advisers 364 of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them. 20:24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. 20:25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots. 365 Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised. 366
20:26 In the spring 367 Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army 368 and marched to Aphek to fight Israel. 369 20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks 370 of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 20:28 The prophet 371 visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. 372 Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
20:29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 20:30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. 373 Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room. 374 20:31 His advisers 375 said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. 376 Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads 377 and surrender 378 to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 20:32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant 379 Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’” Ahab 380 replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 381 20:33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab 382 then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot. 20:34 Ben Hadad 383 said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets 384 in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” 385 Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” 386 So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
20:35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” 387 But the man refused to wound him. 20:36 So the prophet 388 said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him. 20:37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely. 389 20:38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 20:39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat 390 of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner. 391 He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason, 392 you will pay with your life or with a talent 393 of silver.’ 394 20:40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.” 395 20:41 The prophet 396 quickly removed the bandage from his eyes and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets. 20:42 The prophet 397 then said to him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will suffer instead of his people.’” 398 20:43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria 399 bitter and angry.
21:1 After this the following episode took place. 400 Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 401 21:2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, 402 I will pay you silver for it.” 403 21:3 But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.” 404
21:4 So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, 405 “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” 406 He lay down on his bed, pouted, 407 and would not eat. 21:5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 21:6 He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” 408 21:7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! 409 Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. 410 I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
21:8 She wrote out orders, 411 signed Ahab’s name to them, 412 and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders 413 to the leaders 414 and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 415 21:9 This is what she wrote: 416 “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 21:10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
21:11 The men of the 417 city, the leaders 418 and the nobles who lived there, 419 followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 420 21:12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 21:13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him 421 outside the city and stoned him to death. 422 21:14 Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.” 423
21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she 424 said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, 425 he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
21:17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: 426 21:18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 21:19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”
21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, 427 “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah 428 replied, “I have found you, because you are committed 429 to doing evil in the sight of 430 the Lord. 21:21 The Lord says, 431 ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster 432 on you. I will destroy you 433 and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 434 21:22 I will make your dynasty 435 like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ 436 21:23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall 437 of Jezreel.’ 21:24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones 438 who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 21:25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed 439 to doing evil in the sight of 440 the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 441 21:26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, 442 just like the Amorites 443 whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)
21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 21:28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, 444 21:29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse 445 before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.” 446
22:1 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. 447 22:2 In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit 448 the king of Israel. 22:3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.” 449 22:4 Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.” 450 22:5 Then Jehoshaphat added, 451 “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” 452 22:6 So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” 453 They said, “Attack! The sovereign one 454 will hand it over to the king.” 22:7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 22:8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. 455 But I despise 456 him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. 457 Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.” 22:9 The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
22:10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, 458 dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. 459 All the prophets were prophesying before them. 22:11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” 22:12 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 22:13 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. 460 Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.” 461 22:14 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”
22:15 When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 462 22:16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in 463 the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 22:17 Micaiah 464 said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 22:18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 22:19 Micaiah 465 said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. 22:20 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die 466 there?’ One said this and another that. 22:21 Then a spirit 467 stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 22:22 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord 468 said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. 469 Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 22:23 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 22:24 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 22:25 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 22:26 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 22:27 Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water 470 until I safely return.”’” 471 22:28 Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note, 472 all you people.”
22:29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 22:30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter 473 into the battle; but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. 22:31 Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers; 474 fight only the king of Israel.” 22:32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 22:33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 22:34 Now an archer shot an arrow at random, 475 and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king 476 ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, 477 because I’m wounded.” 22:35 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. 22:36 As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.” 22:37 So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. 478 22:38 They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria (this was where the prostitutes bathed); 479 dogs licked his blood, just as the Lord had said would happen. 480
22:39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 481 22:40 Ahab passed away. 482 His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
22:41 In the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. 22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. 483 His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 22:43 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. 484 (22:44) 485 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 22:44 (22:45) Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
22:45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 486 22:46 He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. 487 22:47 There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. 22:48 Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships 488 to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. 22:49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,” 489 but Jehoshaphat refused.
22:50 Jehoshaphat passed away 490 and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor 491 David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.
22:51 In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. 492 He ruled for two years over Israel. 22:52 He did evil in the sight of 493 the Lord and followed in the footsteps 494 of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin. 495
[12:25] 1 tc The Old Greek translation has here a lengthy section consisting of twenty-three verses that are not found in the MT.
[12:26] 2 tn Heb “said in his heart.”
[12:26] 3 tn Heb “Now the kingdom could return to the house of David.” The imperfect verbal form translated “could return” is understood as having a potential force here. Perhaps this is not strong enough; another option is “will return.”
[12:27] 4 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:27] 5 tn Heb “the heart of these people could return to their master.”
[12:28] 6 tn The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[12:28] 7 tn Heb “to them,” although this may be a corruption of “to the people.” Cf. the Old Greek translation.
[12:29] 8 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[12:30] 9 tn Heb “and this thing became a sin.”
[12:30] 10 tc The MT reads “and the people went before the one to Dan.” It is likely that some words have been accidentally omitted and that the text originally said, “and the people went before the one at Bethel and before the one at Dan.”
[12:31] 11 tn The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural is preferable here (see 1 Kgs 13:32). The Old Greek translation and the Vulgate have the plural.
[12:32] 12 sn The eighth month would correspond to October-November in modern reckoning.
[12:32] 13 sn The festival he celebrated in Judah probably refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., Booths or Temporary Shelters), held in the seventh month (September-October). See also 1 Kgs 8:2.
[12:32] 14 tn Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”
[12:33] 15 tn Heb “which he had chosen by himself.”
[12:33] 16 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:33] 17 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[13:1] 18 tn Heb “Look.” The Hebrew particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) is a rhetorical device by which the author invites the reader to visualize the scene for dramatic effect.
[13:1] 19 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:1] 20 tn Heb “came by the word of the
[13:2] 21 tn Heb “by the word of the
[13:2] 22 sn ‘Look…you.’ For the fulfillment of this prophecy see 2 Kgs 23:15-20.
[13:3] 25 tn Heb “the fat.” Reference is made to burnt wood mixed with fat. See HALOT 234 s.v. דשׁן.
[13:3] 26 tn Heb “will be poured out.”
[13:4] 27 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:4] 28 tn Heb “Jeroboam extended his hand from the altar.”
[13:4] 30 tn Heb “dried up” or “withered.” TEV and NLT interpret this as “became paralyzed.”
[13:5] 31 tn Heb “the fat.” Reference is made to burnt wood mixed with fat. See HALOT 234 s.v. דשׁן.
[13:5] 32 tn Heb “were poured out from the altar.”
[13:5] 33 tn Heb “according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the
[13:6] 34 tn Heb “The king answered and said to.”
[13:6] 35 tn Heb “the man of God” (a second time later in this verse, and once in v. 7 and v. 8).
[13:6] 36 tn Heb “appease the face of.”
[13:6] 37 tn Heb “appeased the face of the
[13:6] 38 tn Heb “and it was as in the beginning.”
[13:8] 40 tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”
[13:9] 41 tn Heb “for this he commanded me by the word of the
[13:9] 42 tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”
[13:11] 43 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[13:11] 44 tn Heb “and his son came and told him.” The MT has the singular here, but several other textual witnesses have the plural, which is more consistent with the second half of the verse and with vv. 12-13.
[13:11] 45 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:11] 46 tn Heb “all the actions which the man of God performed that day in Bethel, the words which he spoke to the king, and they told them to their father.”
[13:12] 47 tn The Hebrew text has “and his sons saw” (וַיִּרְאוּ [vayyir’u], Qal from רָאָה [ra’ah]). In this case the verbal construction (vav consecutive + prefixed verbal form) would have to be understood as pluperfect, “his sons had seen.” Such uses of this construction are rare at best. Consequently many, following the lead of the ancient versions, prefer to emend the verbal form to a Hiphil with pronominal suffix (וַיַּרְאֻהוּ [vayyar’uhu], “and they showed him”).
[13:12] 48 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:14] 49 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:14] 50 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:16] 51 tn Heb “I am unable to return with you or to go with you.”
[13:16] 52 tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”
[13:17] 53 tn Heb “for a word to me by the word of the
[13:17] 54 tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”
[13:18] 55 tn Heb “and he said to him.”
[13:18] 56 tn Heb “by the word of the
[13:18] 57 tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”
[13:18] 58 tn Or “deceiving him.”
[13:18] sn He was lying to him. The motives and actions of the old prophet are difficult to understand. The old man’s response to the prophet’s death (see vv. 26-32) suggests he did not trick him with malicious intent. The old prophet probably wanted the honor of entertaining such a celebrity, or perhaps simply desired some social interaction with a fellow prophet.
[13:19] 59 tn Heb “and he returned with him and ate food in his house and drank water.”
[13:20] 60 tn Heb “and the word of the
[13:21] 61 tn The Hebrew text has “because” at the beginning of the sentence. In the Hebrew text vv. 21-22 are one long sentence comprised of a causal clause giving the reason for divine punishment (vv. 21-22a) and the main clause announcing the punishment (v. 22b). The translation divides this lengthy sentence for stylistic reasons.
[13:21] 62 tn Heb “the mouth [i.e., command] of the
[13:22] 63 tn Heb “and you returned and ate food and drank water in the place about which he said to you, ‘do not eat food and do not drink water.’”
[13:22] 64 tn “Therefore” is added for stylistic reasons. See the note at 1 Kgs 13:21 pertaining to the grammatical structure of vv. 21-22.
[13:22] 65 tn Heb “will not go to the tomb of your fathers.”
[13:23] 66 tn Heb “and after he had eaten food and after he had drunk.”
[13:23] 67 tn Heb “and he saddled for him the donkey, for the prophet whom he had brought back.”
[13:24] 68 tn Heb “and he went and a lion met him in the road and killed him.”
[13:24] 69 tn Heb “and his corpse fell on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it, and the lion was standing beside the corpse.”
[13:25] 70 tn Heb “Look, men were passing by.”
[13:25] 71 tn Heb “the corpse.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“it”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:25] 72 tn The words “what they had seen” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[13:26] 73 tn Heb “and the prophet who had brought him back from the road heard.”
[13:26] 74 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:26] 75 tn Heb “the mouth of the
[13:26] 76 tn Heb “broke him,” or “crushed him.”
[13:26] 77 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[13:27] 78 tn Heb “and they saddled [it].”
[13:28] 79 tn Heb “the corpse.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“it”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:29] 80 tn Heb “the prophet.” The word “old” has been supplied in the translation to distinguish this individual from the other prophet.
[13:29] 81 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:30] 82 tn “They” is the reading of the Hebrew text here; perhaps this is meant to include not only the old prophet but his sons (cf. v. 31).
[13:31] 83 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[13:32] 84 tn Heb “for the word which he cried out by the word of the
[13:32] 85 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[13:32] 86 tn Heb “Samaria.” The name of Israel’s capital city here stands for the northern kingdom as a whole. Actually Samaria was not built and named until several years after this (see 1 Kgs 16:24), so it is likely that the author of Kings, writing at a later time, is here adapting the old prophet’s original statement.
[13:33] 87 tn Heb “did not turn from his evil way.”
[13:33] 88 sn The expression common people refers to people who were not Levites. See 1 Kgs 12:31.
[13:33] 89 tn Heb “and one who had the desire he was filling his hand so that he became [one of] the priests of the high places.”
[14:1] 91 tc Some
[14:2] 92 tn Heb “Get up, change yourself.”
[14:2] 93 tn Heb “look, Ahijah the prophet is there, he told me [I would be] king over this nation.”
[14:3] 94 tn Heb “take in your hand.”
[14:4] 95 tn Heb “and the wife of Jeroboam did so; she arose and went to Shiloh and entered the house of Ahijah.”
[14:4] 96 tn Heb “his eyes were set because of his old age.”
[14:5] 97 sn Tell her so-and-so. Certainly the
[14:6] 98 tn Heb “I am sent to you [with] a hard [message].”
[14:7] 99 tn The Hebrew text has “because” at the beginning of the sentence. In the Hebrew text vv. 7-11 are one long sentence comprised of a causal clause giving the reason for divine punishment (vv. 7-9) and the main clause announcing the punishment (vv. 10-11). The translation divides this lengthy sentence for stylistic reasons.
[14:8] 100 tn Heb “what was right in my eyes.”
[14:9] 101 tn Heb “you went and you made for yourself other gods, metal [ones], angering me, and you threw me behind your back.”
[14:10] 102 sn Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is from the same root as the expression “you have sinned” in v. 9 (וַתָּרַע [vattara’], from רָעַע, [ra’a’]). Jeroboam’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment.
[14:10] 104 tn Heb “and I will cut off from Jeroboam those who urinate against a wall (including both those who are) restrained and let free (or “abandoned”) in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur vÿ’azuv) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר 6 and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס [’efes], “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals.
[14:10] 105 tn The traditional view understands the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean “burn.” Manure was sometimes used as fuel (see Ezek 4:12, 15). However, an alternate view takes בָּעַר as a homonym meaning “sweep away” (HALOT 146 s.v. II בער). In this case one might translate, “I will sweep away the dynasty of Jeroboam, just as one sweeps away manure it is gone” (cf. ASV, NASB, TEV). Either metaphor emphasizes the thorough and destructive nature of the coming judgment.
[14:11] 106 tn The Hebrew text has “belonging to Jeroboam” here.
[14:14] 109 tn Heb “This is the day. What also now?” The precise meaning of the second half of the statement is uncertain.
[14:15] 110 tn The elliptical Hebrew text reads literally “and the
[14:15] 111 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 22, 31).
[14:15] 112 tn Heb “the River.” In biblical Hebrew this is a typical reference to the Euphrates River. The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:15] 113 tn Heb “because they made their Asherah poles that anger the
[14:15] sn Asherah was a leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles. These were to be burned or cut down (Deut 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
[14:16] 114 tn Heb “and he will give [up] Israel.”
[14:17] 115 tn Heb “went and entered.”
[14:18] 116 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[14:19] 117 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam, how he fought and how he ruled, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[14:20] 118 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[14:21] 119 tn Heb “Rehoboam.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[14:21] 120 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[14:21] 121 tn Heb “the city where the
[14:21] 122 tn Heb “an Ammonite”; the word “woman” is implied.
[14:22] 123 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[14:22] 124 tn Heb “and they made him jealous more than all which their fathers had done by their sins which they sinned.”
[14:24] 125 tc The Old Greek translation has “a conspiracy” rather than “male cultic prostitutes.”
[14:24] 126 tn Heb “they did according to all the abominable acts of the nations.”
[14:29] 128 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Rehoboam, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[14:31] 129 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[14:31] 130 tn In the Hebrew text the name is spelled “Abijam” here and in 1 Kgs 15:1-8.
[15:1] 131 tc The Old Greek also has the phrase “the son of Rehoboam.”
[15:2] 132 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:2] 133 sn Abishalom (also in v. 10) is a variant of the name Absalom (cf. 2 Chr 11:20). The more common form is used by TEV, NLT.
[15:3] 134 tn Heb “his heart was not complete with the
[15:4] 135 tn Heb “gave him a lamp.”
[15:4] 136 tc The Old Greek has the plural “his sons.”
[15:4] 137 tn Heb “by raising up his son after him.”
[15:4] 138 tn Heb “and by causing Jerusalem to stand firm.”
[15:5] 139 tn The words “he did this” are added for stylistic reasons.
[15:5] 140 tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the
[15:5] 141 tn Heb “and had not turned aside from all which he commanded him.”
[15:6] 142 tc Most Hebrew
[15:6] 143 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Abijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:7] 144 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Abijah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[15:8] 145 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.” The Old Greek also has these words: “in the twenty-eighth year of Jeroboam.”
[15:8] 146 tn Heb “and they buried him.”
[15:10] 147 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:10] 148 tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
[15:11] 149 tn Heb “what was right in the eyes of the
[15:11] 150 tn Heb “father,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
[15:12] 151 tn The word used here, גִלּוּלִים [gillulim], is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as “worthless things” (אֱלִילִים, ’elilim), “vanities” or “empty winds” (הֲבָלִים, havalim).
[15:12] 152 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 24).
[15:13] 153 tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses the terms “father” and “mother” for grandparents and more remote ancestors.
[15:14] 154 tn Heb “yet the heart of Asa was complete with the
[15:15] 155 tn Heb “and he brought the holy things of his father and his holy things (into) the house of the
[15:16] 156 tn Heb “There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.”
[15:17] 157 tn Heb “and he built up Ramah so as to not permit going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.”
[15:18] 158 tn Heb “King Asa sent it.”
[15:19] 159 tn Heb “[May there be] a covenant between me and you [as there was] between my father and your father.”
[15:19] 160 tn Heb “so he will go up from upon me.”
[15:20] 161 tn Heb “and Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of the armies which belonged to him against the cities of Israel.”
[15:20] 162 tn Heb “he struck down.”
[15:20] 163 tn Heb “and all Kinnereth together with all the land of Naphtali.”
[15:21] 164 tn Heb “building.”
[15:22] 165 tn Heb “and King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, there was no one exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its wood which Baasha had built.”
[15:22] 166 tn Heb “and King Asa built with them.”
[15:23] 167 tn Heb “As for the rest of all the events of Asa, and all his strength and all which he did and the cities which he built, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[15:23] 168 tn Heb “Yet in the time of his old age he became sick in his feet.”
[15:24] 169 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[15:26] 170 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:26] 171 tn Heb “and he walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
[15:27] 172 tn Heb “against him”; the referent (Nadab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:29] 173 tn Heb “and when he became king, he struck down all the house of Jeroboam; he did not leave any breath to Jeroboam until he destroyed him.”
[15:29] 174 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[15:30] 175 tn Heb “because of Jeroboam which he committed and which he made Israel commit, by his provocation by which he made the
[15:31] 176 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Nadab, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[15:34] 177 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[15:34] 178 tn Heb “and he walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
[16:1] 179 tn Heb “and the word of the
[16:2] 180 tn The Hebrew text has “because” at the beginning of the sentence. In the Hebrew text vv. 2-3 are one sentence comprised of a causal clause giving the reason for divine punishment (v. 2) and the main clause announcing the punishment (v. 3). The translation divides this sentence for stylistic reasons.
[16:2] 181 tn Heb “walked in the way of Jeroboam.”
[16:2] 182 tn Heb “angering me by their sins.”
[16:3] 183 tn The traditional view understands the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean “burn.” However, an alternate view takes בָּעַר (ba’ar) as a homonym meaning “sweep away” (HALOT 146 s.v. II בער). In this case one might translate, “I am ready to sweep away Baasha and his family.” Either metaphor emphasizes the thorough and destructive nature of the coming judgment.
[16:3] 184 tc The Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, and some
[16:4] 185 tn Heb “the ones belonging to Baasha.”
[16:5] 186 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Baasha, and that which he did and his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[16:6] 187 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[16:7] 188 tn Heb “and also through Jehu son of Hanani the word of the
[16:7] 189 tn Heb “angering him by the work of his hands, so that he was like the house of Jeroboam, and because of how he struck it down.”
[16:9] 190 tn Heb “while he was drinking and drunken.”
[16:10] 191 tn Heb “and he became king in his place.”
[16:11] 192 tn Heb “and he did not spare any belonging to him who urinate against a wall, [including] his kinsmen redeemers and his friends.”
[16:12] 193 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[16:13] 194 tn Heb “angering the
[16:14] 195 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Elah, and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[16:15] 196 tn Heb “Now the people were encamped.
[16:16] 197 tn Heb “and the people who were encamped heard.”
[16:16] 198 tn Heb “has conspired against and also has struck down the king.”
[16:18] 199 tn Heb “and he burned the house of the king over him with fire and he died.”
[16:19] 200 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[16:19] 201 tn Heb “walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he did to make Israel sin.”
[16:20] 202 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Zimri, and his conspiracy which he conspired, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[16:24] 203 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[16:24] 204 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 150 pounds of silver.
[16:24] 205 tn Heb “he built up the hill.”
[16:25] 206 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[16:26] 207 tn Heb “walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
[16:26] 208 tn Heb “angering the
[16:27] 209 tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his strength which he demonstrated, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[16:28] 210 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[16:28] 211 tc The Old Greek has eight additional verses here. Cf. 1 Kgs 22:41-44.
[16:29] 212 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[16:30] 213 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[16:31] 214 tn Heb “and he went and served Baal and bowed down to him.”
[16:31] sn The Canaanites worshiped Baal as a storm and fertility god.
[16:33] 215 tn Heb “Ahab”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[16:34] 216 tn Heb “in his days.”
[16:34] 217 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[16:34] 218 tn Heb “with Abiram, his firstborn, he founded it.”
[16:34] 219 tn Heb “with Segub, his youngest, he set up its gates.”
[16:34] 220 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[16:34] 221 sn Warned through Joshua son of Nun. For the background to this statement, see Josh 6:26, where Joshua pronounces a curse on the one who dares to rebuild Jericho. Here that curse is viewed as a prophecy spoken by God through Joshua.
[17:1] 222 tn Heb “before whom I stand.”
[17:1] 223 tn Heb “except at the command of my word.”
[17:2] 224 tn Heb “and the word of the
[17:4] 225 tn Heb “commanded.”
[17:4] 226 tn Heb “to provide for you.”
[17:5] 227 tn Heb “So he went and did.”
[17:7] 228 tn Heb “And it came about at the end of days.”
[17:8] 229 tn Heb “And the word of the
[17:9] 230 tn Heb “Look, I have commanded.”
[17:10] 231 tn Heb “a little.”
[17:11] 232 tn The Hebrew text also includes the phrase “in your hand.”
[17:12] 233 tn Heb “Look, I am gathering two sticks and then I will go and make it for me and my son and we will eat it and we will die.”
[17:13] 234 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[17:15] 235 tn Heb “and she ate, she and he and her house [for] days.”
[17:16] 236 tn Heb “out, according to the word of the
[17:17] 237 tn Heb “after these things.”
[17:18] 238 tn Heb “What to me and to you, man of God, that you have come.”
[17:18] 239 tn Heb “to make me remember.”
[17:24] 240 tn Heb “you are a man of God and the word of the
[17:24] sn This episode is especially significant in light of Ahab’s decision to promote Baal worship in Israel. In Canaanite mythology the drought that swept over the region (v. 1) would signal that Baal, a fertility god responsible for providing food for his subjects, had been defeated by the god of death and was imprisoned in the underworld. While Baal was overcome by death and unable to function like a king, Israel’s God demonstrated his sovereignty and superiority to death by providing food for a widow and restoring life to her son. And he did it all in Sidonian territory, Baal’s back yard, as it were. The episode demonstrates that Israel’s God, not Baal, is the true king who provides food and controls life and death. This polemic against Baalism reaches its climax in the next chapter, when the
[18:1] 241 tn Heb “the word of the
[18:2] 242 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[18:3] 243 tn Heb “now Obadiah greatly feared the
[18:4] 244 tn Heb “cutting off.”
[18:5] 246 tn Heb “to cut off.”
[18:6] 247 tn The Hebrew text has “alone” here and again in reference to Obadiah toward the end of the verse.
[18:7] 248 tn Heb “look, Elijah [came] to meet him.”
[18:8] 249 tn Heb “[It is] I.”
[18:8] 250 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
[18:9] 251 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Obadiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:9] 252 tn Heb “to kill me.”
[18:10] 253 tn Heb “he makes the kingdom or the nation swear an oath.”
[18:11] 254 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
[18:12] 255 tn Heb “to [a place] which I do not know.”
[18:12] 256 tn Heb “and I will go to inform Ahab and he will not find you and he will kill me.”
[18:12] 257 tn The words “that would not be fair” are added to clarify the logic of Obadiah’s argument.
[18:12] 258 tn Heb “has feared the
[18:13] 259 tn Heb “Has it not been told to my master what I did…?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “Of course it has!”
[18:14] 260 tn Heb “Look, Elijah”; or “Elijah is here.”
[18:15] 261 tn Traditionally, “the
[18:15] 262 tn Heb “(before whom I stand).”
[18:16] 263 tn Heb “Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.”
[18:18] 266 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:19] 268 tn The word “messengers” is supplied in the translation both here and in v. 20 for clarification.
[18:19] 269 tn Heb “who eat at the table of Jezebel.”
[18:21] 270 tn Heb “How long are you going to limp around on two crutches?” (see HALOT 762 s.v. סְעִפִּים). In context this idiomatic expression refers to indecision rather than physical disability.
[18:22] 272 tn Heb “to the people.”
[18:24] 273 tn Elijah now directly addresses the prophets.
[18:24] 275 tn Heb “The matter [i.e., proposal] is good [i.e., acceptable].”
[18:25] 276 tc The last sentence of v. 25 is absent in the Syriac Peshitta.
[18:26] 277 tn Heb “and they took the bull which he allowed them.”
[18:26] 278 tn Heb “limped” (the same verb is used in v. 21).
[18:26] 279 tc The MT has “which he made,” but some medieval Hebrew
[18:27] 280 sn Elijah’s sarcastic proposals would have been especially offensive and irritating to Baal’s prophets, for they believed Baal was imprisoned in the underworld as death’s captive during this time of drought. Elijah’s apparent ignorance of their theology is probably designed for dramatic effect; indeed the suggestion that Baal is away on a trip or deep in sleep comes precariously close to the truth as viewed by the prophets.
[18:28] 281 tn Or “as was their custom.”
[18:28] 282 tn Heb “until blood poured out on them.”
[18:28] sn mutilated…covered with blood. This self-mutilation was a mourning rite designed to facilitate Baal’s return from the underworld.
[18:29] 283 tn Heb “when noon passed they prophesied until the offering up of the offering.”
[18:29] 284 tc The Old Greek translation and Syriac Peshitta include the following words here: “When it was time to offer the sacrifice, Elijah the Tishbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations: ‘Stand aside for the time being, and I will offer my burnt offering.’ So they stood aside and departed.”
[18:29] sn In 2 Kgs 4:31 the words “there was no sound and there was no response” are used to describe a dead boy. Similar words are used here to describe the god Baal as dead and therefore unresponsive.
[18:30] 285 sn Torn down. The condition of the altar symbolizes the spiritual state of the people.
[18:31] 286 tn The word “new” is implied but not actually present in the Hebrew text.
[18:31] 287 sn Israel will be your new name. See Gen 32:28; 35:10.
[18:32] 288 tn Heb “and he built the stones into an altar in the name of the
[18:32] 289 tn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about seven quarts.
[18:34] 290 tn The words “when they had done so” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[18:36] 291 tn Heb “at the offering up of the offering.”
[18:36] 292 tn The words “the altar” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[18:36] 293 tn Heb “let it be known.”
[18:37] 295 tn Heb “that you are turning their heart[s] back.”
[18:38] 296 tn The words “from the sky” are added for stylistic reasons.
[18:39] 297 tn Heb “the God” (the phrase occurs twice in this verse).
[18:40] 298 tn Or “slaughtered.”
[18:41] 299 tn Heb “for [there is] the sound of the roar of the rain.”
[18:43] 300 sn So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Several times in this chapter those addressed by Elijah obey his orders. In vv. 20 and 42 Ahab does as instructed, in vv. 26 and 28 the prophets follow Elijah’s advice, and in vv. 30, 34, 40 and 43 the people and servants do as they are told. By juxtaposing Elijah’s commands with accounts of those commands being obeyed, the narrator emphasizes the authority of the
[18:43] 301 tn Heb “He said, ‘Return,’ seven times.”
[18:44] 302 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:44] 303 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:44] 304 tn Heb “so that the rain won’t restrain you.”
[18:45] 305 tn Heb “rode and went to.”
[18:46] 306 tn Heb “and the hand of the
[18:46] 307 tn Heb “and girded up his loins.” The idea is that of gathering up the robes and tucking them into the sash or belt so that they do not get in the way of the legs when running (or working or fighting).
[19:2] 309 tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”
[19:2] 310 tn Heb “I do not make your life like the life of one of them.”
[19:3] 311 tc The MT has “and he saw,” but some medieval Hebrew
[19:4] 312 tn Or “broom tree” (also in v. 5).
[19:4] 313 tn Heb “and asked with respect to his life to die.”
[19:5] 316 tn Heb “Look, a messenger.”
[19:6] 317 tn Heb “and again lay down”
[19:7] 318 tn Heb “for the journey is too great for you.”
[19:10] 319 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
[19:10] 320 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
[19:10] 321 tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
[19:10] 322 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
[19:11] 323 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[19:11] 324 tn Heb “tearing away the mountains and breaking the cliffs” (or perhaps, “breaking the stones”).
[19:12] 325 tn Heb “a voice, calm, soft.”
[19:14] 327 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
[19:14] 328 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
[19:14] 329 tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
[19:14] 330 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
[19:18] 331 tn Heb “I have kept in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and all the mouths that have not kissed him.”
[19:20] 332 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:21] 333 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:21] 334 tn Heb “and with the equipment of the oxen he cooked them, the flesh.”
[20:1] 335 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[20:1] 336 tn Heb “and he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.”
[20:2] 337 tn Heb “to the city.”
[20:6] 338 tn Heb “all that is desirable to your eyes they will put in their hand and take.”
[20:7] 340 tn Heb “Know and see that this [man] is seeking trouble.”
[20:8] 341 tn Heb “Do not listen and do not be willing.”
[20:9] 342 tn Heb “all which you sent to your servant in the beginning I will do, but this thing I am unable to do.”
[20:10] 343 tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”
[20:10] 344 tn Heb “if the dirt of Samaria suffices for the handfuls of all the people who are at my feet.”
[20:11] 345 sn The point of the saying is that someone who is still preparing for a battle should not boast as if he has already won the battle. A modern parallel would be, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
[20:12] 346 tn Heb “When he heard this word.”
[20:12] 347 tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.
[20:13] 348 tn Heb “this great horde.”
[20:14] 349 tn The words “will this be accomplished” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[20:14] 350 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:15] 351 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:15] 352 tn Heb “after them he assembled all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.”
[20:16] 353 tn Heb “drinking and drunken.”
[20:16] 354 tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.
[20:17] 355 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[20:18] 356 tn Heb “if they come in peace, take them alive; if they come for battle, take them alive.”
[20:20] 357 tn Heb “each struck down his man.”
[20:21] 358 tn Heb “struck down Aram with a great striking down.”
[20:22] 359 tn The definite article indicates previous reference, that is, “the prophet mentioned earlier” (see v. 13).
[20:22] 360 tn Heb “strengthen yourself.”
[20:22] 361 tn Heb “know and see.”
[20:22] 362 tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”
[20:22] 363 tn Heb “go up against.”
[20:25] 365 tn Heb “And you, you muster an army like the one that fell from you, horse like horse and chariot like chariot.”
[20:25] 366 tn Heb “he listened to their voice and did so.”
[20:26] 367 tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”
[20:26] 368 tn Heb “mustered Aram.”
[20:26] 369 tn Heb “and went up to Aphek for battle with Israel.”
[20:27] 370 tn The noun translated “small flocks” occurs only here. The common interpretation derives the word from the verbal root חשׂף, “to strip off; to make bare.” In this case the noun refers to something “stripped off” or “made bare.” HALOT 359 s.v. II חשׂף derives the noun from a proposed homonymic verbal root (which occurs only in Ps 29:9) meaning “cause a premature birth.” In this case the derived noun could refer to goats that are undersized because they are born prematurely.
[20:28] 371 tn Heb “the man of God.”
[20:28] 372 tn Heb “I will place all this great horde in your hand.”
[20:30] 373 tn Heb “and the remaining ones fled to Aphek to the city and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men, the ones who remained.”
[20:30] 374 tn Heb “and Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, [into] an inner room in an inner room.”
[20:31] 376 tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.
[20:31] 377 sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.
[20:32] 379 sn Your servant. By referring to Ben Hadad as Ahab’s servant, they are suggesting that Ahab make him a subject in a vassal treaty arrangement.
[20:32] 380 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:32] 381 sn He is my brother. Ahab’s response indicates that he wants to make a parity treaty and treat Ben Hadad as an equal partner.
[20:33] 382 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:34] 383 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:34] 384 tn Heb “streets,” but this must refer to streets set up with stalls for merchants to sell their goods. See HALOT 299 s.v. חוּץ.
[20:34] 385 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[20:34] 386 tn Heb “I will send you away with a treaty.” The words “Ahab then said” are supplied in the translation. There is nothing in the Hebrew text to indicate that the speaker has changed from Ben Hadad to Ahab. Some suggest adding “and he said” before “I will send you away.” Others prefer to maintain Ben Hadad as the speaker and change the statement to, “Please send me away with a treaty.”
[20:35] 387 tn Heb “Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to his companion by the word of the
[20:36] 388 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:37] 389 tn Heb “and the man wounded him, wounding and bruising.”
[20:39] 391 tn Heb “man” (also a second time later in this verse).
[20:39] 392 tn Heb “if being missed, he is missed.” The emphatic infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form lends solemnity to the warning.
[20:39] 393 tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 75 pounds of silver.
[20:39] 394 tn Heb “your life will be in place of his life, or a unit of silver you will pay.”
[20:40] 395 tn Heb “so [i.e., in accordance with his testimony] is your judgment, you have determined [it].”
[20:41] 396 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:42] 397 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:42] 398 tn Heb “Because you sent away the man of my destruction [i.e., that I determined should be destroyed] from [my/your?] hand, your life will be in place of his life, and your people in place of his people.”
[20:43] 399 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[21:1] 400 tn Heb “after these things.” The words “the following episode took place” are added for stylistic reasons.
[21:1] 401 sn King Ahab of Samaria. Samaria, as the capital of the northern kingdom, here stands for the nation of Israel.
[21:1] map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[21:2] 402 tn Heb “if it is good in your eyes.”
[21:2] 403 tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And it will be mine as a garden of herbs.”
[21:3] 404 tn Heb “Far be it from me, by the
[21:4] 405 tn Heb “on account of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite spoke to him.”
[21:4] 406 tn Heb “I will not give to you the inheritance of my fathers.”
[21:4] 407 tn Heb “turned away his face.”
[21:6] 408 tn Heb “While I was talking…, I said…, he said….” Ahab’s explanation is one lengthy sentence in the Hebrew text, which is divided in the English translation for stylistic reasons.
[21:7] 409 tn Heb “You, now, you are exercising kingship over Israel.”
[21:7] 410 tn Heb “so your heart [i.e., disposition] might be well.”
[21:8] 412 tn Heb “in the name of Ahab.”
[21:8] 415 tn Heb “to the nobles who were in his city, the ones who lived with Naboth.”
[21:9] 416 tn Heb “she wrote on the scrolls, saying.”
[21:11] 419 tn Heb “and the nobles who were living in his city.”
[21:11] 420 tn Heb “did as Jezebel sent to them, just as was written in the scrolls which she sent to them.”
[21:13] 422 tn Heb “and they stoned him with stones and he died.”
[21:14] 423 tn Heb “Naboth was stoned and he died.” So also in v. 15.
[21:15] 424 tn Heb “Jezebel”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[21:16] 425 tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words here: “he tore his garments and put on sackcloth. After these things.”
[21:17] 426 tn Heb “the word of the
[21:20] 427 tn Heb “and Ahab said to Elijah.” The narrative is elliptical and streamlined. The words “when Elijah arrived” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[21:20] 428 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:20] 429 tn Heb “you have sold yourself.”
[21:20] 430 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[21:21] 431 tn The introductory formula “the
[21:21] 432 sn Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is similar to the word translated “evil” (v. 20, הָרַע, hara’). Ahab’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment.
[21:21] 433 tn Heb “I will burn after you.” Some take the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean here “sweep away.” See the discussion of this verb in the notes at 14:10 and 16:3.
[21:21] 434 tn Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or “abandoned”] in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur vÿ’azuv, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס (’efes), “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals.
[21:22] 436 tn Heb “because of the provocation by which you angered [me], and you caused Israel to sin.”
[21:23] 437 tc A few Hebrew
[21:24] 438 tn “Dogs will eat the ones who belonging to Ahab who die in the city.”
[21:25] 439 tn Heb “who sold himself.”
[21:25] 440 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[21:25] 441 tn Heb “like Ahab…whom his wife Jezebel incited.”
[21:26] 442 tn The Hebrew word used here, גִלּוּלִים (gillulim) is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless things”) and הֲבָלִים (havalim, “vanities” or “empty winds”).
[21:26] 443 tn Heb “He acted very abominably by walking after the disgusting idols, according to all which the Amorites had done.”
[21:28] 444 tn Heb “the word of the
[21:29] 445 tn Or “humbles himself.” The expression occurs a second time later in this verse.
[21:29] 446 tn Heb “I will not bring the disaster during his days, [but] in the days of his son I will bring the disaster on his house.”
[22:1] 447 tn Heb “and they lived three years without war between Aram and Israel.”
[22:2] 448 tn The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[22:3] 449 tn Heb “Do you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, and we hesitate to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course, you must know!”
[22:4] 450 tn Heb “Like me, like you; like my people, like your people; like my horses; like your horses.”
[22:5] 451 tn Heb “and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel.”
[22:5] 452 tn Heb “the word of the
[22:6] 453 tn Heb “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”
[22:6] 454 tn Though Jehoshaphat requested an oracle from “the
[22:8] 455 tn Heb “to seek the
[22:8] 457 tn The words “his name is” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
[22:10] 458 tn Heb “were sitting, a man on his throne.”
[22:10] 459 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[22:13] 460 tn Heb “the words of the prophets are [with] one mouth good for the king.”
[22:13] 461 tn Heb “let your words be like the word of each of them and speak good.”
[22:15] 462 sn “Attack! You will succeed; the
[22:16] 463 tn Or “swear an oath by.”
[22:17] 464 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:19] 465 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:20] 466 tn Heb “and fall.”
[22:21] 467 tn Heb “the spirit.” The significance of the article prefixed to רוּחַ (ruakh) is uncertain, but it could contain a clue as to this spirit’s identity, especially when interpreted in light of v. 24. It is certainly possible, and probably even likely, that the article is used in a generic or dramatic sense and should be translated, “a spirit.” In the latter case it would show that this spirit was vivid and definite in the mind of Micaiah the storyteller. However, if one insists that the article indicates a well-known or universally known spirit, the following context provides a likely referent. Verse 24 tells how Zedekiah slapped Micaiah in the face and then asked sarcastically, “Which way did the spirit from the
[22:22] 468 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[22:22] 469 tn The Hebrew text has two imperfects connected by וְגַם (vÿgam). These verbs could be translated as specific futures, “you will deceive and also you will prevail,” in which case the
[22:27] 470 tn Heb “the bread of affliction and the water of affliction.”
[22:27] 471 tn Heb “come in peace.” So also in v. 28.
[22:30] 473 tn The Hebrew verbal forms could be imperatives (“Disguise yourself and enter”), but this would make no sense in light of the immediately following context. The forms are better interpreted as infinitives absolute functioning as cohortatives. See IBHS 594 §35.5.2a. Some prefer to emend the forms to imperfects.
[22:31] 474 tn Heb “small or great.”
[22:34] 475 tn Heb “now a man drew a bow in his innocence” (i.e., with no specific target in mind, or at least without realizing his target was the king of Israel).
[22:34] 476 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:37] 478 tn Heb “and the king died and he came to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.”
[22:38] 479 tn Heb “now the prostitutes bathed.”
[22:38] 480 tn Heb “according to the word of the
[22:39] 481 tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the house of ivory which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
[22:40] 482 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[22:42] 483 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[22:43] 484 tn Heb “he walked in all the way of Asa his father and did not turn from it, doing what is right in the eyes of the
[22:43] 485 sn Beginning with 22:43b, the verse numbers through 22:53 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), because 22:43b in the English Bible = 22:44 in the Hebrew text. The remaining verses in the chapter differ by one, with 22:44-53 ET = 22:45-54 HT.
[22:45] 486 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehoshaphat, and his strength that he demonstrated and how he fought, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”
[22:46] 487 tn Heb “and the rest of the male cultic prostitutes who were left in the days of Asa his father, he burned from the land.” Some understand the verb בִּעֵר (bi’er) to mean “sweep away” here rather than “burn.” See the note at 1 Kgs 14:10.
[22:46] sn Despite Asa’s opposition to these male cultic prostitutes (see 1 Kgs 15:12) some of them had managed to remain in the land. Jehoshaphat finished what his father had started.
[22:48] 488 tn Heb “a fleet of Tarshish [ships].” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
[22:49] 489 tn Heb “Let my servants go with your servants in the fleet.”
[22:50] 490 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[22:50] 491 tn Heb “with his fathers in the city of his father.”
[22:51] 492 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[22:52] 493 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[22:52] 495 tn Heb “and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who made Israel sin.”
