The Berean Pursuit
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!"
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself traveled on a day's journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep.
Suddenly an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."
And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, "Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you."
So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
"I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts," he replied, "but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well."
Then the LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by."
And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a still, small voice. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
"I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts," he replied, "but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well."
Then the LORD said to him, "Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."
So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you."
"Go on back," Elijah replied, "for what have I done to you?"
So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen's equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it. Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!'"
And the king of Israel replied, "Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have."
The messengers came back and said, "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children. But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.'"
Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, "Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him."
And the elders and the people all said, "Do not listen to him or consent to his terms."
So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, "Tell my lord the king, 'All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.'"
So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.
Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: "May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful."
And the king of Israel replied, "Tell him: 'The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.'"
Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, "Take your positions." So they stationed themselves against the city.
Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.'"
"By whom?" Ahab asked.
And the prophet replied, "This is what the LORD says: 'By the young officers of the district governors.'"
"Who will start the battle?" asked Ahab.
"You will," answered the prophet.
So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.
They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. And the young officers of the district governors marched out first.
Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, "Men are marching out of Samaria."
"If they have marched out in peace," he said, "take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive."
Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.
Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, "Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you."
Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail. So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers. And you must raise an army like the one you have lost-horse for horse and chariot for chariot-so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail."
And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.
In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them.
The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"
For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans-a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.
The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, "Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life."
So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please spare my life.'"
And the king answered, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."
Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad."
"Go and get him!" said the king.
Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
Ben-hadad said to him, "I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria."
"By this treaty I release you," Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.
Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, "Strike me, please!"
But the man refused to strike him.
Then the prophet said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you depart from me a lion will kill you."
And when he left, a lion found him and killed him.
Then the prophet found another man and said, "Strike me, please!"
So the man struck him and wounded him, and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: "Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, 'Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.' But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared."
And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself."
Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
And the prophet said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.'"
Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
Some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite happened to own a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place-or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver."
But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.
Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, "Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?"
Ahab answered, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, 'Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' And he replied, 'I will not give you my vineyard!'"
But his wife Jezebel said to him, "Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the letters she wrote:
"Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, 'You have cursed both God and the king!' Then take him out and stone him to death."
So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed both God and the king!"
So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned to death."
When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead."
And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, "Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, of which he has gone to take possession.
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: 'Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?'
Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: 'In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood-yes, yours!'"
When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, "So you have found me out, my enemy."
He replied, "I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. This is what the LORD says:
'I will bring calamity on you
and consume your descendants;
I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel,
both slave and free.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat
and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah,
because you have provoked My anger
and caused Israel to sin.'
And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel:
'The dogs will devour Jezebel
by the wall of Jezreel.'
Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city
will be eaten by dogs,
and anyone who dies in the field
will be eaten by the birds of the air."
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son."
Asa's son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel. He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals, but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel. So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor. And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah, accompanied by certain Levites-Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah-along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.
And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah and kept vast supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors in Jerusalem who were mighty men of valor. These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers:
From Judah, the commanders of thousands:
Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;
next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;
and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.
From Benjamin:
Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;
and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle.
These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
A song of ascents.
Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth-
let Israel now declare-
many a time they have persecuted me from my youth,
but they have not prevailed against me.
The plowmen plowed over my back;
they made their furrows long.
The LORD is righteous;
He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
be turned back in shame.
May they be like grass on the rooftops,
which withers before it can grow,
unable to fill the hands of the reaper,
or the arms of the binder of sheaves.
May none who pass by say to them,
"The blessing of the LORD be on you;
we bless you in the name of the LORD."
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
and Hezron the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
and Nahshon the father of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David the king.
Next:
David was the father of Solomon by Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
and Abijah the father of Asa.
Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
and Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah was the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers
at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
and Eliakim the father of Azor.
Azor was the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Achim,
and Achim the father of Eliud.
Eliud was the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
"Behold, the virgin will be with child
and will give birth to a son,
and they will call Him Immanuel"
(which means, "God with us").
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.