 |
The 12th Chapter
And Rehoboam
went to Sichem: for all Israel were come to Sichem to make him king.
And when Rehoboam the son of Nabat heard of it being yet in Egypt:
for he fled to Egypt for fear of Salomon, and dwelt in Egypt. And
they sent and called him: and so Jeroboam and all the congregation
of Israel came and spake unto Rehoboam saying: thy father made our
yoke grievous, but now make thou the grievous service of thy father
and his sore yoke which he put on us, lighter, and so we will serve
thee. And he said unto them: depart yet for the space of three days,
and then come again to me. And the people departed.
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that stood
before Salomon his father, while he yet lived, and said: what
counsel give ye to answer this people withal? And they said unto
him: If thou shalt be a servant unto this people this day and serve
them and answer them and speak kind words to them: they will be thy
servants for ever. But he left the counsel that the old men had
given him, and counselled with the young men that were nourished up
with him and had waited on him.
And he said unto them: what counsel give ye, to answer this
people withal which have communed with me saying: make the yoke
which thy father did put upon us, lighter? And the young men that
were brought up with him, answered him saying, this people that have
said unto thee: thy father made our yoke heavy, make thou it us
lighter: thus answer them. My little finger shall be weightier than
my fathers loins. And now where my father put a grievous yoke upon
you, I will make it heavier. For where my father corrected you with
scourges, I will chastise you with scorpions. And when Jeroboam: and
all the people were come to Rehoboam the third day, as the king
appointed them, saying, come to me again this day three days: the
king answered the people churlishly and left the advice that old men
gave him: and spake to them after the counsel of the young men
saying. My father made your yoke grievous, but I will make it
grievouser. For where my father chastised you with whips, I will
chastise you with scorpions. And so the king hearkened not unto the
people: for the turning away was of the Lord, to perform his saying,
which the Lord said by Ahiah the Silonite unto Jeroboam the son of
Nabat.
And when all Israel saw that the king regarded them not, the
people answered the king again saying: we have no part in David, nor
inheritance in the son of Isai. To your tents therefore Israel, and
now see to thine own house David. And so Israel departed unto their
tents. How be it over the children of Israel which dwelt in the city
of Juda, did Rehoboam reign still. Then king Rehoboam sent Aduram
the receiver of the tribute. And all Israel stoned him to death with
stones. But king Rehoboam made speed and gat him up to his chariot
and fled to Jerusalem. And so Israel departed from the house of
David unto this day. And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
come again, they sent and called him unto the congregation and made
him king over Israel: so there followed the house of David, but the
tribe of Juda only. And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he
gathered all the house of Juda and the tribe of Beniamin an hundred
and four score thousands of chosen men and good warriors, to fight
against the house of Israel, and to bring the kingdom again to
Rehoboam the son of Salomon.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Semeiah the man of God
saying: speak unto Rehoboam the son of Salomon king of Juda, and
unto all the house of Juda and Benjamin, and the remnant of the
people and say. Thus saith the Lord: go not nor yet fight against
your brethren the children of Israel, but return every man to his
house, for this doing is of the Lord. And they obeyed the word of
the Lord and returned and departed according to the word of the
Lord. Then Jeroboam built Sichem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt
therein. And went from thence and built Phanuel.
And Jeroboam thought in his heart: now might the kingdom
return to the house of David again. For if this people shall go up
and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall
their hearts turn again unto their Lord Rehoboam king of Juda. And
so shall they kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Juda.
Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said
unto the people: ye shall not need to go any more to Jerusalem.
Behold your Gods Israel which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
And he put the one in Bethel and the other in Dan. And that doing
was a cause of sin. And the people went before the one as far as
Dan. And he made houses of hill altars, and made of the lowest of
the people priests which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam
made a feast the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like unto the
feast that was in Juda, and offered on the altar. And so did he in
Bethel, to offer unto the calves that he had made. And he put in
Bethel the priests of the hillaltars, which he had made. And he
offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel, the fifteenth
day of the eighth month, which he had imagined of his own heart: and
made a solemn feast unto the children of Israel, and went up to the
altar to burn sacrifice.
|
 |
The 13th Chapter
And behold,
there came a man of God out of Juda with the word of God, to Bethel,
as Jeroboam stood by the altar to offer, and cried against the altar
at the commandment of the Lord and said: altar, altar, thus saith
the Lord. Behold a child shall be born of the house of David, Josiah
by name, which upon thee shall offer the priests of the hillaltars
that sacrifice upon thee, and shall burn mens bones upon thee. And
he gave them the same time a sign saying: this is the sign of that
the Lord hath promised.
Behold the altar shall rent and the ashes that are in it shall
fall out.
And when the king heard the saying of the man of God which he
cried against the altar in Bethel, he stretched out his hand from
the altar saying: hold him. And his hand which he put forth toward
him dried up, that he could not pull it in again to him and the
altar clave and the ashes ran out of the altar according to the
token which the man of God had given at the commandment of the Lord.
And the king answered and said unto the man of God: Oh pray unto the
Lord thy God and make intercession for me, that my hand may be
restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and his
hand came to him again as well as before.
Then said the king unto the man of God: come home with me and
refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. But the man of God
answered the king, if thou wouldest give me half thine house, I
would not go with thee neither would I eat meat or drink water in
this place. For so was it charged me, through the word of God and
said to me: eat no bread nor drink water nor turn again by the same
way thou wentest. And so he went another way and returned not by the
way he came to Bethel. And there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel,
whose sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had
done that day in Bethel, and the words which he spake unto the king
they told their father also. And their father said unto them: what
way went he? for his sons had seen what way the man of God went
which came from Juda. Then said he to his sons: saddle mine Ass. And
they saddled him an Ass. And he gat him up thereon and went after
the man of God, and found him sitting under an Oak and said unto
him: art thou the man of God that camest from Juda? And he said, yee.
Then he said to him: come home with me and eat bread. And the
other said again I may not return with thee, to go with thee,
neither may I eat bread or drink water with thee in this place. For
it was said to me by the commandment of the Lord, eat no bread nor
drink water in this place, nor turn again by the way thou wentest.
And the old prophet said unto him: I am a prophet as well as thou,
and an Angel spake unto me with the word of the Lord saying: bring
him again with thee to thine house, and let him eat bread and drink
water, and yet lied unto him. And so the other went again with him
and ate bread in his house and drank water.
And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came unto
the prophet that brought him again. And he cried unto the man of God
that came from Juda, saying: thus saith the Lord: because thou hast
disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment
which the Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back again and
hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place in which he bade that
thou shouldest eat no bread nor drink water: therefore thy carcass
shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
And when he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled an Ass for
the prophet which he had brought again. And as he journeyed a Lion
met him by the way and slew him, and his carcass lay along in the
way and the Ass stood thereby, and the Lion stood by the corpse
also. And men that passed by, saw the carcass cast along in the way
and the lion standing thereby, and went and told it in the town
where the old prophet dwelt. And when the prophet that brought him
back again from the way, heard thereof, he said: it is the man of
God which disobeyed the mouth of the Lord. And therefore the Lord
hath delivered him unto the Lion which hath rent him and slain him,
according to the word of the Lord, which he said to him. And he said
to his sons saddle me an Ass: so they did. And he went and found the
body cast along in the way and the Ass and the lion standing
thereby. And the Lion had not eaten the carcass nor hurt the Ass.
And he took up the body of the man of God and put it upon the Ass
and brought it again, and came to the city of the old prophet to
lament him, and to bury him. And he laid his body in his own grave
and lamented over him, Oh my brother. And when he had buried him, he
spake to his sons saying: when I am dead, see that ye bury me in the
sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried, and lay my bones by his.
For the saying which he cried at the bidding of the Lord against the
altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of hillaltars which are
in the cities of Samaria, shall come to pass.
How be it for all that, Jeroboam turned not from his wicked
way: but turned away and made of the lowest of the people priests of
the hillaltars. Whosoever would, he filled their hands, and they
became priests of the hillaltars. And this doing was sin unto the
house of Jeroboam, even to destroy it and to put it away from off
the face of the earth.
|
 |
The 14th Chapter
At that time Abiah the son of
Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said unto his wife: up a fellowship
and change thine apparel that thou be not known to be the wife of
Jeroboam, and get thee to Siloh. For there is Ahiah the Prophet
which told me that I should be king over this people. And take with
thee ten leaves and cracknels and a cruse of honey, and go to him:
for he will tell thee what shall come of the lad. And Jeroboams wife
did so: she arose and went to Siloh and came to the house of Ahiah.
But Ahiah could not see, for his eyes were waxen dim for age.
And the Lord said unto Ahiah: behold the wife of Jeroboam
cometh, to question with thee about her son which is sick. This wise
and this wise answer her. And when she came, she feigned herself to
be another woman. But when Ahiah heard the sound of her feet as she
came to the door he said: come in thou wife of Jeroboam, why
feignest thou thyself to be another? I am sent to thee a cruel
messenger.
Go and tell Jeroboam, thus saith the Lord God of Israel: for
as much as I exalted thee from among the common people and made thee
prince over my people Israel, and did rent the kingdom away from the
house of David and gave it thee: and thou hast not been as was my
servant David, which kept my commandments and followed me with all
his heart, to do that only which seemeth right in mine eyes: but
hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and
made the other Gods and images of metal, to provoke me, and hast
cast me behind thy back: therefore behold I will bring evil upon the
house of Jeroboam and will strike from Jeroboam all that pisseth
against the wall, and what soever is in prison or forsaken in
Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as
men take away a dung hill, till it be consumed. And whosoever of
Jeroboams house die in the town, him shall the dogs eat, and him
that dieth in the field, shall the fowls of the air eat: for the
Lord hath said it, up and get thee to thine house, and as soon as
thy foot enterest the city, the lad shall die. How be it all Israel
shall mourn him and bury him, for this only of all Jeroboam shall
come to the sepulcher, because in him there is found goodness toward
the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
Moreover the Lord shall stir him up a king over Israel which
shall destroy the house of Jeroboam in that day. And what is that,
that is now in hand? And the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed that
groweth in the water is shaken, and will weed Israel out of this
good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them
beyond Euphrates, because they have made them groves to anger the
Lord. And he will give Israel up, because of the sin of Jeroboam
wherewith he did sin and made Israel sin thereto.
And Jeroboams wife arose and departed and went to Therzah, and
by that she was come to the threshold of the door, the lad was dead.
And all Israel buried him and lamented him, according to the word of
the Lord which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahiah the
Prophet. And the rest of the deeds of Jeroboam, how he warred and
how he reigned, are written in the book of the stories of the kings
of Israel. And the days which Jeroboam reigned were twenty two
years. And then he rested with his fathers, and Nadab his son
reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam the son of Salomon reigned in Juda and was forty
one years old when he began to reign, and reigned seventeen years in
Jerusalem the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes
of Israel, to put his name there. His mothers name was Naamah an
Ammonite. And Juda wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord and
angered him above all that their fathers did, with their sin which
they sinned. For they also made them hillaltars and Images and
groves on every high hill and under every green tree. And thereto
there was a *stews of male children in the land, and they did
according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast
out before the children of Israel. And the fifth year of king
Rehoboam came Sesak king of Egypt up to Jerusalem, and took away the
treasure of the house of the Lord, and the treasure of the kings
house and all that was to be had. And he took away the shields of
gold which Salomon made. In whose stead king Rehoboam made brazen
shields and put them in the keeping of the captains of the guard
which waited at the door of the kings house. And as oft as the king
went in to the house of the Lord, they of his guard bare them, and
ever brought them again into the guard chamber.
The rest of the Acts of king Rehoboam and all he did, are
written in the book of Acts of the kings of Juda. And there was war
between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their lives. And Rehoboam laid him
to rest with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the
city of David. And his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonite. And
Abiam his son reigned in his room.
*stews (brothel)
|
 |
The 15th Chapter
The eighteenth year of Jeroboam
the son of Nabat, reigned king Abiam over Juda, and ruled three
years in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Maacah the daughter of
Abesalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father which he did
before him, and his heart was not whole with the Lord his God, as
the heart of David his father. Nevertheless for Davids sake did the
Lord his God give him a light in Jerusalem, that he set up his son
after him to continue Jerusalem. Because that David did which
pleased the Lord and turned from nothing that he commanded him all
the days of his life, save only in the matter of Urias the Hethite.
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam as long as he lived.
And the rest of the deeds of Abiam and all that he did, are written
in the book of the deeds that were done in the days of the kings of
Juda. And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam. And Abiam rested
with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa
his son reigned in his stead.
The twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Asa to
reign over Juda, and ruled in Jerusalem forty one years. And his
mothers name was Maacah the daughter of Abesalom. And Asa did that
seemed right in the eyes of the Lord, like David his father. And he
made the *stews of males depart the land, and put away all the Idols
that his fathers had made. And thereto he put down Maacah his mother
from bearing rule, because she had made an Idol in a grove. And Asa
destroyed her Idol and burnt it by the brook Cedron. But he put not
down the hill altars. Nevertheless Asas heart was whole with the
Lord all his days. And he brought in that his father had dedicated,
and the things dedicate unto the house of the Lord, silver, gold,
and Jewels. And there was war between Asa and Baasa king of Israel
all their days.
And Baasa king of Israel went up against Juda and built Ramah,
because that he would let none of Asas people king of Juda, go in or
out. Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the
treasure of the house of the Lord, and all the treasure of the kings
house and delivered it unto his servants, and sent them to Benhadad
the son of Tabremon the son of Hezion king of Siria that dwelt at
Damasco, saying: there is a bond between thee and me as was between
thy father and mine. Therefore I send thee both gold and silver for
a gift, that thou go and break the appointment between thee and
Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me. And Benhadad
hearkened unto king Asa and sent the captains of the hosts which he
had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ahion, Dan, Abel called
Beth Maacah and all Ceneroth with all the land of Nepthali. And when
Baasa heard that, he left building of Ramah and dwelt in Therzah.
Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Juda, that none
should be excused. And they took the stones of Ramah and the timber
wherewith Baasa had built, and king Asa built there with Gabaah in
Benjamin and Mazphah.
And the remnant of all the deeds of Asa and of all his might
and of all that he did, and the cities which he built, are written
in the chronicles of the acts done in the days of the kings of Juda.
Neverthelater in his old age he was diseased in his feet. And Asa
laid him to rest with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David his father. And Jehosophat his son reigned in
his room. And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign upon Israel
the second year of Asa king of Juda, and reigned upon Israel two
year. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way
of his father and in his sin wherewith he made Israel sin. But Baasa
the son of Ahiah of the house of Isacar conspired against him, and
slew him at Gebethon a city of the Philistines for Nadab and all
Israel lay at siege before Gebethon. And it was the third year of
Asa king of Juda, when Baasa slew him, and reigned in his stead. And
as soon as he was king, he slew all the house of Jeroboam and left
him naught that breathed, until he had put him clean out, agreeing
unto the saying of the Lord which he spake by his servant Ahiah the
Silonite, for the sin of Jeroboam wherewith he sinned and made
Israel sin, and for his angering wherewith he angered the Lord God
of Israel.
The rest of the deeds of Nadab, and all he did, are written in
the chronicles of the kings of Israel. And there was war between Asa
and Baasa king of Israel all their days.
And the third year of Asa king of Juda, Baasa the son of Ahiah
began to reign over all Israel in Therzah, and continued twenty four
years. And he did that which displeased the Lord, for he walked in
the way of Jeroboam and in his sin wherewith he made Israel sin.
*stews (brothel)
|
 |
The 16th Chapter
Then came the
word of the Lord to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasa saying: for
as much as I exalted thee out of dust and made thee captain over my
people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam and hast
made my people Israel sin, to anger me with their sin: therefore I
will make clean riddance of Baasa and of all his house, and will
make his house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat. And he
that dieth of Baasa in the city, him shall dogs eat: and him that
dieth in the fields, shall the fowls of the air eat.
The rest of the deeds of Baasa, and what he did and his power,
are written in the book of the histories of the kings of Israel. And
Baasa fell on sleep with his fathers and was buried in Therzah. And
Elah his son reigned in his stead. And thereto through the Prophet
Jehu the son of Hanani, the word of the Lord came against Baasa and
against his house, because of all the wickedness that he did in the
sight of the Lord, in angering him with the works of his hands, that
he should be like the house of Jeroboam, because he had killed Nabat.
The twenty sixth year of Asa king of Juda began Elah the son
of Baasa to reign over Israel in Therzah, and continued two years.
And his servant Zamri captain of half his chariots, conspired
against him, as he was in Therzah drinking of strong drink, in the
house of Arza steward of his house in Therzah. And Zamri came and
smote him and killed him the twenty seventh year of Asa king of Juda,
and reigned in his stead. And as soon as he was king and sat his
seat, he slew all the house of Baasa and left not a pisser against a
wall.
And thereto he slew all his kin and friends, and so Zamri
destroyed all the house of Baasa, according to the word of the Lord
which he spake to Baasa through Jehu the Prophet, for all the sins
of Baasa and sins of Elah his son, wherewith they sinned and made
Israel sin, to anger the Lord of Israel with their vanities. The
rest of the deeds of Elah and all he did, are written in the
chronicles of the kings of Israel.
The twenty seventh year of Asa king of Juda, Zamri reigned
seven days in Therzah, the people besieging Gebethon a city of the
Philistines. And when the people that lay in the siege, heard say
how Zamri had conspired, and how he had slain the king also: then
all Israel made Amri the captain of the men of war king the same day
over Israel even in the host. And Amri departed from Gebethon and
all Israel with him, and besieged Therzah. And when Zamri saw that
the city must needs be taken, he went into the palace of the kings
house, and set the kings house afire upon himself and there died,
for his sins which he sinned in doing wickedness in the sight of the
Lord, and for walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sins which
he did and made Israel sin.
The rest of the Acts of Zamri and the treason that he wrought,
are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Moreover that same season was Israel divided in twain, for half the
people followed Thebni the son of Gineth, to make him king. And the
other half followed Amri. But the people that followed Amri
prevailed against them that followed Thebni the son of Gineth. And
so Thebni died and Amri reigned.
The thirty first year of Asa king of Juda, began Amri to reign
over Israel twelve years and he ruled six years in Therzah. And he
bought the hill of Samaria of one Semar for two hundred talents of
silver, and built in the hill, and called the name of the city which
he had built Samaria after the name of Semar the Lord of the hill.
And this Amri wrought wickedness in the eyes of the Lord worse than
all that were before him, and walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the
son of Nabat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel sin, to anger
the Lord God of Israel with their vanities. The rest of the acts of
Amri which he did, and his power that he used, are written in the
chronicles of the kings of Israel. And Amri laid him to rest with
his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in
his stead.
The thirty eighth year of Asa king of Juda, began Ahab the son
of Amri to reign over Israel, and reigned in Samaria twenty two
years. And he displeased the Lord above all that were before him.
For it seemed him a light thing to walk in the sin of Jeroboam. But
took Jezabel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonites to wife,
and went and served Baal and bowed unto him. And he reared an altar
to Baal in the house of Baal which he had made in Samaria. And Ahab
made a grove, and proceeded further in angering the Lord God of
Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. And it cost him
Amran his eldest son when he laid the foundation, and his youngest
son when he set up the gates, agreeing unto the word of the Lord
which he spake by Josua the son of Nun.
|
 |
The 17th Chapter
And Eliah the
Thesbite which was of the inhabiters of Galaad, said unto Ahab: as
truly as the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there
shall be neither dew nor rain these years, save as I appoint it.
And the word of God came to him saying: get thee hence and
turn thee eastward, and hide thyself in the brook Karith that lieth
before Jordan: drink of the river for I have commanded the ravens to
feed thee there. And he went and did according unto the word of the
Lord: he went and dwelt by the brook Karith that lieth before
Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh every morning and
every evening, and he drank of the brook. And it chanced after a
while that the brook dried up, because there fell no rain upon the
earth. Then came the word of the Lord unto him saying: up and get
thee to Sarephtha a city of Sidon, and dwell there. Behold I have
commanded a widow there to sustain thee. And he arose and went to
Sarephtha. And when he came to the gate of the city, there was a
widow there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said: fetch
me I pray thee a little water in a dish that I may drink. And as she
went to fetch it, he cried to her and said: bring me I pray thee, a
morsel of bread in thine hand. And she answered: as surely as the
Lord thy God liveth, I have no bread, but even an handful of Meal in
a pitcher, and a little Oil in a cruse. And see, I have gathered a
few sticks for to go and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat
it and then die.
And Eliah said unto her: fear not, but go and do as thou hast
said: but make me thereof a little cake first of all, and bring it
out to me: and afterward make for thee and thy son. For thus saith
the Lord God of Israel: the pitcher of Meal shall not be wasted
neither shall thy oil cruse be without oil, until the Lord have sent
rain upon the earth. And she went and did as Eliah bade. And she and
he and her house did eat a good space, and the pitcher of meal
wasted not neither was the oil cruse without oil according to the
word of the Lord which he spake through Eliah.
And after these things, it happened that the son of the wife
of the house fell sick. And his sickness was so sore, that there was
no breath left in him. Then said she unto Eliah what have I to do
with thee, O' thou man of God? art thou come unto me, that my sin
should be thought on and my son slain? And Eliah said unto her: give
me thy son. And he took him out of her lap and carried him up into a
loft where he lay, and laid him upon his own bed, and called unto
the Lord and said: O' Lord my God, hast thou been so evil unto the
widow with whom I sojourn, that thou hast slain her son? And he
stretched himself upon the lad three times, and called unto the Lord
and said: O' Lord my God, let the lads soul come into him again. And
the Lord heard the voice of Eliah, and the soul of the lad came into
him again and he revived. And Eliah took the boy and brought him
down out of the chamber into the house and delivered him unto his
mother and said: see, thy son liveth. Then the wife said to Eliah:
now I know that thou art Gods man, and that the word of the Lord in
thy mouth, is truth.
|
|
 |
The 18th Chapter
And
at the last the word of the Lord came to Eliah the third year
saying: go show thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the
earth. And Eliah went to show himself unto Ahab, for there was a
great famishment in Samaria. Wherefore Ahab called Abdiah the
governor of his house: which Abdiah feared God greatly: insomuch
that when Jezabel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord, he took an
hundred of the Prophets and hid them, fifty in one cave and fifty in
another, and provided bread and water for them. And Ahab said unto
Abdiah: walk through the land, unto all fountains of water and unto
all brooks, to see whether any grass may be found that we may save
the horses and the Mules, that we destroy not the beasts. And they
divided the land between them to walk through it. Ahab went one way
by himself, and Abdiah went another by himself.
And it chanced as Abdiah went in the way, that Eliah met him.
And Abdiah knew him and fell on his face and said: art not thou my
Lord Eliah? And he said unto him: I am he. Go and tell Ahab that
Eliah is here. And the other answered: what have I sinned, that thou
wouldest deliver me unto the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As surely as
the Lord thy God liveth there is no nation or kingdom, whither my
Lord hath not sent, to seek thee. And when they said thou wast not
there, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, because he found
thee not. And now thou sayest: go tell thy Lord, Eliah is here. And
as soon as I am gone from thee, the spirit of the Lord shall carry
thee away whither I shall not know: and then when I have gone and
told Ahab, and then he cannot find thee, he shall slay me. And yet I
thy servant have feared the Lord from my young age. Was it not told
my lord, what I did, when Jezabel slew the Prophets of the Lord? how
I hid an hundred of the Lords Prophets, fifty in one cave and as
many in another, and provided them of bread and water? And yet now
thou sayest, go show thy Lord, that Eliah is here, that he should
slay me.
Then Eliah said: as truly as the Lord of hosts liveth, before
whom I stand: I will show myself unto him this day. And thereupon
Abdiah went to Ahab and told him. And Ahab went against Eliah. And
when Ahab saw Eliah, he said unto him: art thou he that troubleth
Israel? And he said: it is not I that trouble Israel, but thou and
thy fathers house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the
Lord, and hast followed Baal. But now send and gather to me all
Israel unto mount Carmel and the Prophets of Baal four hundred and
fifty, and the Prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat of
Jezabels table. And Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and
gathered the Prophets unto mount Carmel.
And Eliah came unto all the people and said: why halt ye
between two opinions? If the Lord be very God, follow him: or if
Baal be he follow him. And the people answered him not one word.
Then said Eliah unto the people: I only remain of the Lords
Prophets, and Baals Prophets are four hundred and fifty. Let two
oxen be given us, and let them choose the one and cut him in pieces
and lay him on wood, and put no fire under. And I will dress the
other and put him on wood, and will put no fire under. And call ye
on the name of your God, and I will call on the name of the Lord.
And then the God that answereth by fire, he is the very God.
And all the people said: it is well spoken. Then said Eliah
unto the Prophets of Baal, choose you an ox and dress him first (for
ye are many) and call on the name of your God, but put no fire
under. And they took the ox that was given them and dressed it, and
called on the name of Baal from morning to noon saying: O Baal hear
us. But there was no voice nor answer. And they leapt about the
altar that they had made. And at noon Eliah mocked them and said:
call loud (for he is a God: but he is talking, or occupied, or in
the way, or haply he sleepeth) that he may awake. And they cried
loud, and cut themselves, as their manner was, with knives and
lances, till the blood flowed on them. And when midday was passed,
they prophesied until it was time to offer. But there was neither
voice nor answer nor any that regarded them.
Then Eliah said to all the folk: come to me. And all the
people came to him. And he mended the altar of the Lord that was
broken. And he took twelve stones according to the number of the
twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord
came saying: Israel shall be thy name. And with the stones he made
an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a gutter round about
the altar, able to receive two pecks of corn. And he put the wood in
order, and hewed the ox in pieces, and put him on the wood, and
said: fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the sacrifice and
on the wood. And he said: do so again. And they did so again. Then
he said: do it the third time. And they did so the third time. And
the water ran round about the altar, and the gutter was full of
water also.
And when offering time was come, Eliah the prophet went to and
said: Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known this
day, that thou art the God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and
that I do all these things at thy commandment. Hear me O' Lord, hear
me, that this people may know, that thou Lord, art the God, and that
thou hast turned their hearts backward. And there fell fire from the
Lord and consumed the sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the
dust, and licked up the water that was in the gutter. And when all
the people saw that, they fell on their faces and said: the Lord he
is God, the Lord he is God. Then said Eliah unto them, lay hands on
the Prophets of Baal, let not one of them escape. And when they had
taken them, Eliah brought them down unto the brook Kison, and slew
them there.
Then Eliah said unto Ahab, get thee up and eat and drink, for
there is a sound of much rain. And when Ahab went up to eat and to
drink, Eliah went up to the top of mount Carmel. And bowed himself
to the earth, and put his face between his knees, and said to his
servant: go up and look toward the sea. And he went up and looked,
and said: here is nothing. And he said go again seven times. And the
seventh time he said: behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of
the sea, like the palm of a mans hand. Then he said: go and say to
Ahab, put the horses in the chariot, and get thee down that the rain
stop thee not. And within a little while, heaven was black with
clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went
to Jezrahel. And the hand of the Lord was on Eliah, and he girded up
his loins and ran before Ahab, till they came to Jezrahel. |
Chapters 1-6
| 7-11
| 12-18
| 19-end |
Next
Book
|
