Study Desk

As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was, and fell on his face and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"

So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He got down on the ground and put his face between his knees.

And he said to his servant, "Go up now and look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." Seven times Elijah said, "Go again."

Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He pulled his clothing up under his belt and ran before Ahab to Jezreel.

Elijah was afraid. He got up and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba of Judah, he left his servant there.

Then Elijah looked and saw by his head a loaf of bread made ready on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

When Elijah heard it, he put his coat over his face, and went out and stood at the opening of the hole. Then a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

So Elijah left there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat. Elisha was plowing with twenty-four bulls, and was with the last two. Elijah passed by him and threw his coat on him.

So Elisha returned from following him. He took his two bulls and killed them. Then he boiled their flesh over a fire, burning the wood cross-pieces the bulls used to pull the load. And he gave the meat to the people, and they ate. Then Elisha got up and followed Elijah and served him.

Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and war-wagons. And he went up against Samaria in battle.

When Ben-hadad heard these words, he was drinking with the kings in the tents. He said to his servants, "Go to your places." So they went to their place of battle against the city.

Each one killed his man. The Syrians ran away, and Israel went after them. And Ben-hadad king of Syria got away on a horse with horsemen.

And do this. Take each of the kings from his place, and put captains in their places.

His servants said to him, "Now see, we have heard that the kings of the family of Israel are kings who show kindness. Let us dress in cloth made from hair and put ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. It might be that he will save your life."

Now the men were watching for something special to happen. They were quick to catch his word, and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then Ahab said, "Go and bring him." So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab took him up into the war-wagon.

So the man of God left, and waited for the king by the way. He tied a cloth over his eyes so no one would know him.

As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out to the battle. A soldier turned and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Keep this man. If he is missing for any reason, you will pay for his life with your own. Or else you must pay a man's weight in silver.'

In a hurry the man took the cloth away from his eyes. And the king of Israel saw that he was one of the men who speak for God.

The man said to him, "This is what the Lord says. ‘You have let the man go whom I had given to be destroyed. So you will pay for his life with your own. And your people will pay for his people.'"

Ahab went into his house sad and angry because of Naboth the Jezreelite saying to him, "I will not give you what I have received from my fathers." And Ahab lay down on his bed and turned his face away and would not eat.