Micaiah's prophecy. B. C. 897. + Heb. floor. I. KINGS. in a void place in the entrance of the 13 And the messenger that was gone 14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD Num. 22. 38. liveth, 'what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. z Matt. 9. 36. h Is. 6. 1. Dan. 7. 9. i Job 1. 6. & 2.1. Ps. 103. 20, 21. Dan. 7. 10. Zech. Matt. 1. 10. 18. 10. Heb. 1. 7, 14. ■ Or, deceive. k Judg. 9. 23. 1 Ez. 14. 9. 15 So he came to the king. And 16 And the king said unto him, How 18 And the king of Israel said unto 19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said, Who shall I persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do So. k 23 ' Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the The death of Ahab. LORD hath spoken evil concerning 24 But Zedekiah the son of Che- B. C. 897. m2 Chr. 18. 23. 25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou 26 And the king of Israel said, Take 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. chamber to 28 And Micaiah said, If thou return 29 So the king of Israel and Jehosh- Deut. 18. 20, 30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, Or, when he and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went 2 Chr. 35. 22. into the battle. 31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 32 And it came to pass, when the 33 And it came to pass, when the was to disguise himself, and enter into the battle. midst of thet Heb. bosom. 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. 361 Jehoshaphat's good reign. B. C. 897. + Heb. came. q ch. 21. 19. I Am. 3. 15. 914. I. KINGS. 37 So the king died, and † was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. r 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. 41 And Jehoshaphat the son of 2 Chr. 20. 31. Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless "the high places were not taken away; 2 Kings 12.3. for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. t 2 Chr. 17. 3. u ch. 14. 23. & 15. 14. 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he 362 Ahaziah's wicked reign. THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS, COMMONLY CALLED, THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE KINGS. B. C. about 896. a 2 Sam. 8. 2. b ch. 3. 5. CHAPTER I. Moab rebelleth. 2 Ahaziah sendeth to Baal-zebub, but is answered by Elijah. 5 Twice fire from heaven consumeth those sent to apprehend Elijah, 13 Those sent the third time are spared; and Elijah returneth with them. 17 Jehoram succeedeth Aha ziah. THERE HEN Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of e1 Sam. 5. 10. Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. Heb. The bed whither thou thou shalt not art gone up, come down from it. + Heb. What was the manner of the man. 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, + Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. 5 TAnd when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 7 And he said unto them, + What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8 And they answered him, He was 4 See Zech.13.4a hairy man, and girt with a girdle 4. Matt 3.4. of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. e 10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. B. C. about 896. • Luke 9. 54. 13 ¶ And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah,† Heb. bowed. and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, 'be precious in thy sight. 14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. 15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. 16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. Elijah divideth the waters. B. C. 896. a Gen. 5. 24. b 1 Kings 19. 21. e See Ruth 1. 15, 16. horam the son of Jehoshaphat king of be so unto thee; but if not, it shall Judah; because he had no son. not be so. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? CHAPTER II. Elijah divideth Jordan. 9 He granteth Elisha his request, and is taken up by a fiery chariot into heaven. 12 Elisha is acknowledged his successor. 16 The young prophets seek for Elijah in vain. 19 Elisha healeth the unwholesome waters at Jeri cho. 23 Bears destroy the children that mocked him. B. C. 896. 11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and 8 ch. 6. 17. horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Ps. 104. 4. 12 T And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of h ch. 13. 14. Israel, and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in 2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said d 1 Sam. 1. 26. unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. ver. 4, 6. ch. 4. 30. e 1 Kings 20. 35. ver. 5, 7, 15. ch. 4. 1, 38. & 9. 1. or, over against. e 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the + Heb.in sight, prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the So Ex. 14.21. waters, and 'they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jor-† Heb. lip. dan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted i ver. 8. hither and thither: and Elisha went over. i 15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho & ver. 7. saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: 'lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. Heb. one of And he said, Ye shall not send. 17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. 18 And when they came again to him, for he tarried at Jericho, he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? 19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth but the water is naught, and the ground + barren. 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and "cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. 23 ¶ And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up 18. 12. Ez. 8. 3. Acts 8. 39. the mountains. + Heb.causing to miscarry. m See Ex. 15. 25. ch. 4.41. & 6. 6. John 9. 6. II. KINGS. by the way, there came forth little CHAPTER III. Jehoram's reign. 4 The war with Moab. 9 The dis- Νο a [OW Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away Heb. statue. the † image of Baal that his father had made. b 1 Kings 16. 31, 32. c 1 Kings 12. 28, 31, 32. d See Is. 16.1. e ch. 1. 1. 895. b 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4 ¶ And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel a hundred thousand a lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool. e The Moabites defeated. we may inquire of the LORD by him? 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word i of 13 And Elisha said unto the king 14 And Elisha said, "As the LORD B. C. 895. h ch. 2. 25. 14. Ruth 1.15. 11 Kings 18. 19. So Judg. 10. iEz. 14. 3. m1 Kings 17.1. n See 1 Sam. 15 But now bring me "a minstrel. 16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, 18 And this is but a light thing in 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab 6 And king Jehoram went out of all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will f 1 Kings 22.4. go up: 'I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 14, 22. & 8. 1. P ch. 4. 3. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and † mar every good piece + Heb. grieve. of land with stones. 20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was of- Ex. 29.39,40. fered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country 21 ¶ And when all the Moabites heard was filled with water. that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the stroyed. + Heb. de 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled or they before them: but they went forward 365 smote in it even smiting. |