Study Desk

His wife Jezebel came to him and said, "Why is your spirit so troubled that you are not eating food?"

Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now rule over Israel? Get up, eat food, and let your heart be filled with joy. I will give you the grape-field of Naboth the Jezreelite."

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and put the mark of his name on them. She sent letters to the leaders and the king's sons who were living with Naboth in his city.

When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down and take for his own the grape-field of Naboth the Jezreelite.

"Get ready and go down to Samaria to meet Ahab king of Israel. He is in Naboth's grape-field. He has gone down to take it for his own.

There was no one who sold himself to do what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord like Ahab did. His wife Jezebel moved him to do it.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and dressed in cloth made from hair, and would not eat. He lay dressed in cloth made from hair, and went about very sad.

"Do you see how Ahab has got rid of his pride before Me? Because he has gotten rid of his pride, I will not bring trouble to him while he is alive. But I will bring trouble upon his house in his son's days."

The king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramothgilead belongs to us? We are still doing nothing to take it from the king of Syria."

So Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel spread upon the mountains like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no owner. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'"

Micaiah said, "So hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne. All those in heaven were standing by Him on His right and on His left.

Now the king of Syria had told the thirty-two captains of his war-wagons, "Do not fight with the small or strong. But only fight with the king of Israel."

But a certain man happened to shoot an arrow and hit the king of Israel between the parts of his battle-clothes. So Ahab said to the driver of his war-wagon, "Turn around and take me out of the battle. For I am hurt."

The battle was hard that day, and the king was set up in his war-wagon in front of the Syrians. At evening he died. The blood from the cut flowed to the bottom of the war-wagon.

Then a cry went through to his country!

And they washed the war-wagon by the pool of Samaria. The dogs drank up his blood. (The women who sold the use of their bodies washed themselves there.) It happened as the word of the Lord said it would.

Ahab died and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.

Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places.

He destroyed from the land those who were left of the men who sold the use of their bodies in their religion during the days of his father Asa.