by Septuagint
[32] 33 And in the third year of Asa king of Juda, Baasa the son of Achia begins to reign over Israel in Thersa, twenty and four years. [34] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and in his sins, as he caused Israel to sin.
Chapter 16
[1] And the word of the Lord came by the hand of Ju son of Anani to Baasa, saying, [2] Forasmuch as I lifted thee up from the earth, and made thee ruler over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast caused my people Israel to sin, to provoke me with their vanities; [3] Behold, I raise up enemies after Baasa, and after his house; and I will make thy house as the house of Jeroboam son of Nabat. [4] Him the dies of Baasa in the city the dogs shall devour, and him that dies of his in the field the birds of the sky shall devour.
[5] Now the rest of the history of Baasa, and all that he did, and his mighty acts, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? [6] And Baasa slept with his fathers, and they bury him in Thersa; and Ela his son reigns in his stead.
[7] And the Lord spoke by Ju the son of Anani against Baasa, and against his house, even all the evil which he wrought before the Lord to provoke him to anger by the works of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he smote him.
[8] And Ela son of Baasa reigned over Israel two years in Thersa. [9] And Zambri, captain of half his cavalry, conspired against him, while he was in Thersa, drinking himself drunk in the house of Osa the steward at Thersa. [10] And Zambri went in and smote him and slew him, and reigned in his stead. [11] And it came to pass when he reigned, when he sat upon his throne, [12] that he smote all the house of Baasa, according to the word which the Lord spoke against the house of Baasa, and to Ju the prophet, [13] for all the sins of Baasa and Ela his son, as he led Israel astray to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel with their vanities. [14] And the rest of the deeds of Ela which he did, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[15] And Zambri reigned in Thersa seven days: and the army of Israel was encamped against Gabathon of the Philistines. [16] And the people heard in the army, saying, Zambri has conspired and smitten the king: and the people of Israel made Ambri the captain of the host king in that day in the camp over Israel. [17] And Ambri went up, and all Israel with him, out of Gabathon; and they besieged Thersa. [18] And it came to pass when Zambri saw that his city was taken, that he goes into the inner chamber of the house of the king, and burnt the king’s house over him, and died. [19] Because of his sins which he committed, doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, so as to walk in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and in his sins wherein he caused Israel to sin. [20] And the rest of the history of Zambri, and his conspiracies wherein he conspired, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[21] Then the people of Israel divides; half the people goes after Thamni the son of Gonath to make him king; and half the people goes after Ambri. [22] The people that followed Ambri overpowered the people that followed Thamni son of Gonath; and Thamni died and Joram his brother at that time, and Ambri reigned after Thamni.
[23] In the thirty-first year of king Asa, Ambri begins to reign over Israel twelve years: he reigns six years in Thersa. [24] And Ambri bought the mount Semeron of Semer the lord of the mountain for two talents of silver; and he built upon the mountain, and they called the name of the mountain on which he built, after the name of Semer the lord of the mount, Semeron. [25] And Ambri did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and wrought wickedly beyond all that were before him. [26] And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and in his sins wherewith he caused Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel by their vanities. [27] And the rest of the acts of Ambri, and all that he did, and all his might, behold, are not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[28] And Ambri slept with his fathers, and is buried in Samaria; and Achaab his son reigns in his stead.
And in the eleventh year of Ambri Josaphat the son of Asa reigns, being thirty-five years old in the beginning of his reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Gazuba, daughter of Seli. And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not from it, even from doing right in the eyes of the Lord: only they removed not any of the high places; they sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places. Now the engagements which Josaphat made with the king of Israel, and all his mighty deeds which he performed, and the enemies whom he fought against, behold, are not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda? and the remains of the prostitution which they practiced in the days of Asa his father, he removed out of the land: and there was no king in Syria, but a deputy.
And king Josaphat made a ship at Tharsis to go to Sophir for gold: but it went not, for the ship was broken at Gasion Gaber. Then the king of Israel said to Josaphat, I will send forth thy servants and my servants in the ship: but Josaphat would not. And Josaphat slept with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Joram his son reigned in his stead.
[29] In the second year of Josaphat king of Juda, Achaab son of Ambri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. [30] And Achaab did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more wickedly than all that were before him. [31] And it was not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, but he took to wife, Jezabel the daughter of Jethebaal king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal, and worshiped him. [32] And he set up an alter to Baal, in the house of his abominations, which he built in Samaria. [33] And Achaab made a grove; and Achaab did yet more abominably, to provoke the Lord God of Israel, and to sin against his own life so that he should be destroyed: he did evil above all the kings of Israel that were before him.
[34] And in his days Achiel the Baethelite built Jericho: he laid the foundation of it in Abiron his first-born, and he set up the doors of it in Segub his younger son, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by Joshua the son of Naue.
Chapter 17
[1] And Eliu the prophet, the Thesbite of Thesbae of Galaad, said to Achaab, As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew nor rain, except by the word of my mouth.
[2] And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, [3] Depart hence eastward, and hide thee by the brook of Chorrath, that is before Jordan. [4] And it shall be that thou shalt drink water of the brook, and I will charge the ravens to feed thee there. [5] And Eliu did according to the word of the Lord, and he sat by the brook of Chorrath before Jordan. [6] And the ravens brought him loaves in the morning, and flesh in the evening and he drank water of the brook. [7] And it came to pass after some time, that the brook was dried up, because there had been no rain upon the earth.
[8] And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, [9] Arise, and go to Sarepta of the Sidonian land: behold, I have there commanded a widow-woman to maintain thee. [10] And he arose and went to Sarepta, and came to the gate of the city: and, behold, a widow-woman was there gathering sticks; and Eliu cried after her, and said to her, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. [11] And she went to fetch it; and Eliu cried after her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of the bread that is in thy hand. [12] And the woman said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall eat it and die.
[13] And Eliu said to her, Be of good courage, go in and do according to thy word: but make me thereof a little cake, and thou shalt bring it out to me first, and thou shalt make some for thyself and thy children last. [14] For thus saith the Lord, The pitcher of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not diminish, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth. [
15] And the woman went and did so, and did eat, she, and he, and her children. [16] And the pitcher of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Eliu.
[17] And it came to pass afterward, that the son of the woman the mistress of the house was sick; and his sickness was very severe, until there was no breath left in him. [18] And she said to Eliu, What have I to do with thee, O man of God? hast thou come in to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to slay my son?
[19] And Eliu said to the woman, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and took him up to the chamber in which he himself lodged, and laid him on the bed. [20] And Eliu cried aloud, and said, Alas, O Lord, the witness of the widow with whom I sojourn, thou hast wrought evil for her in slaying her son. [21] And he breathed on the child thrice, and called on the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, let, I pray thee, the soul of this child return to him. [22] And it was so, and the child cried out, [23] and he brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; and Eliu said, See, thy son lives. [24] And the woman said to Eliu, Behold, I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.
Chapter 18
[1] And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Eliu in the third year, saying, Go, and appear before Achaab, and I will bring rain upon the face of the earth. [2] And Eliu went to appear before Achaab: and the famine was severe in Samaria.
[3] And Achaab called Abdiu the steward. Now Abdiu feared the Lord greatly. [4] And it came to pass when Jezabel smote the prophets of the Lord, that Abdiu took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. [5] And Achaab said to Abdiu, Come, and let us go through the land, and to the fountains of water, and to the brooks, if by any means we may find grass, and may save the horses and mules, and so they will not perish from the tents. [6] And they made a division of the way between them to pass through it: Achaab went one way, and Abdiu went by another way alone. [7] And Abdiu was alone in the way; and Eliu came alone to meet him: and Abdiu hasted, and fell upon his face, and said, My lord Eliu, art thou indeed he? [8] And Eliu said to him, I am: go say to thy master, Behold, Eliu is here. [9] And Abdiu said, What sin have I committed, that thou givest thy servant into the hand of Achaab to slay me? [10] As the Lord thy God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom, whither my lord has not sent to seek thee; and if they said, He is not here, then has he set fire to the kingdom and its territories, because he has not found thee. [11] And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Eliu is here. [12] And it shall come to pass when I shall have departed from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee to a land which I know not, and I shall go in to tell the matter to Achaab, and he will not find thee and will slay me: yet thy servant fears the Lord from his youth. [13] Has it not been told to thee my lord, what I did when Jezabel slew the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? [14] And now thou sayest to me, Go, say to thy master, Behold, Eliu is here: and he shall slay me. [15] And Eliu said, As the Lord of Hosts before whom I stand lives, to-day I will appear before him.
[16] And Abdiu went to meet Achaab, and told him: and Achaab hasted forth, and went to meet Eliu. [17] And it came to pass when Achaab saw Eliu, that Achaab said to Eliu, Art thou he that perverts Israel? [18] And Eliu said, I do not pervert Israel; but it is thou and thy father’s house, in that ye forsake the Lord your God, and thou hast gone after Baalim. [19] And now send, gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and the prophets of shame four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, that eat at Jezabel’s table.
[20] And Achaab sent to all Israel, and gathered all the prophets to mount Carmel.
[21] And Eliu drew near to them all: and Eliu said to them, How long wilt ye halt on both feet? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him. And the people answered not a word. [22] And Eliu said to the people, I am left, the only one prophet of the Lord; and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of the groves four hundred. [23] Let them give us two oxen, and let them choose one for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire on the wood: and I will dress the other bullock, and put on no fire. [24] And do ye call loudly on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord my God, and it shall come to pass that the God who shall answer by fire, he is God. And all the people answered and said, The word which thou hast spoken is good.
[25] And Eliu said to the prophets of shame, Choose to yourselves one calf, and dress it first, for ye are many; and call ye on the name of your god; but apply no fire. [26] And they took the calf and drest it, and called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, and said, hear us, O Baal, hear us. And there was no voice, neither was there hearing, and they ran up and down on the alter which they had made. [27] And it was noon, and Eliu the Thesbite mocked them, and said, Call with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating, or else perhaps he is engaged in business, or perhaps he is asleep, and is to be awaked. [28] And they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves according to their custom with knives and lancets until the blood gushed out upon them. [29] And they prophesied until the evening came; and it came to pass as it was the time of the offering of the sacrifice, that Eliu the Thesbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations, saying, Stand by for the present, and I will offer my sacrifice. And they stood aside and departed.
[30] And Eliu said to the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. [31] And Eliu took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, as the Lord spoke to him, saying, Israel shall be thy name. [32] And he built up the stones in the name of the Lord, and repaired the altar that had been broken down; and he made a trench that would hold two measures of seed round about the altar. [33] And he piled the cleft wood on the altar which he had made, and divided the whole-burnt-offering, and laid it on the wood, and laid it in order on the altar, and said, Fetch me four pitchers of water, and pour it on the whole-burnt-offering, and on the wood. And they did so. [34] And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. [35] And the water ran round about the altar, and they filled the trench with water.
[36] And Eliu cried aloud to the heaven, and said, Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, answer me, O Lord, answer me this day by fire, and let all this people know that thou art the Lord, the God of Israel, and I am thy servant, and for thy sake I have wrought these works. [37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and let this people know that thou art the Lord God, and thou hast turned back the heart of this people. [38] Then fire fell from the Lord out of heaven, and devoured the whole-burnt-offerings, and the wood and the water that was in the trench, and the fire licked up the stones and the earth.
[39] And all the people fell upon their faces, and said, Truly the Lord is God; he is God. [40] And Eliu said to the people, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Eliu brings them down to the brook Kisson, and he slew them there.
[41] And Eliu said to Achaab, Go up, and eat and drink, for there is a sound of the coming of rain. [42] And Achaab went up to eat and to drink; and Eliu went up to Carmel, and stooped to the ground, and put his face between his knees, [43] and said to his servant, Go up, and look toward the sea. And the servant looked, and said, There is nothing: and Eliu said, Do thou then go again seven times. [44] And the servant went again seven times: and it came to pass at the seventh time, that, behold, a little cloud like the sole of a man’s foot brought water; and he said, Go up, and say to Achaab, make ready thy chariot, and go down, lest the rain overtake thee. [45] And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Achaab wept, and went to Jezrael. [46] And the hand of the Lord was upon Eliu, and he girt up his loins,
and ran before Achaab to Jezrael.
Chapter 19
[1] And Achaab told Jezabel his wife all that Eliu had done, and how he had slain the prophets with the sword. [2] And Jezabel sent to Eliu, and said, If thou art Eliu and I am Jezabel, God do so to me, and more also, if I do not make thy life by this time to-morrow as the life of one of them. [3] And Eliu feared, and rose, and departed for his life: and he comes to Bersabee to the land of Juda, and he left his servant there.
[4] And he himself went a day’s journey in the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree; and asked concerning his life that he might die, and said, Let it be enough now, O Lord, take, I pray thee, my life from me; for I am no better than my fathers. [5] And he lay down and slept there under a tree; and behold, some one touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat. [6] And Eliu looked, and, behold, at his head there was a cake of meal and a cruse of water; and he arose, and ate and drank, and returned and lay down. [7] And the angel of the Lord returned again, and touched him, and said to him, Arise, and eat, for the journey is far from thee. [8] And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights to mount Choreb.
[9] And he entered there into a cave, and rested there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said, What doest thou here, Eliu? [10] And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have forsaken thee: they have digged down thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword; and I only am left alone, and they seek my life to take it. [11] And he said, Thou shalt go forth to-morrow, and shalt stand before the Lord in the mount; behold, the Lord will pass by. And, behold, a great and strong wind rending the mountains, and crushing the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: [12] and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire the voice of a gentle breeze.