X A 1-. Command. B -1. Promise of rain. Given. A 2-40. Obedience. B 41-46. Promise of rain fulfilled.
822 to 800 B.C.
18)
1 And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the Lord (Yehovah)
came to Elijah in the third year (i.e. the third or last full year towards the end of the 3 1/2 years), saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab;
and I will send rain upon the earth.
A C 2-6. Ahab and Obadiah. D 7-8-. Elijah. E -8-16-. Ahab. Elijah's message. C -16,17. Ahab and Elijah. D 18. Elijah. E 19-40. Ahab. Elijah's proposal.
2 And Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria (1 of 13 famines mentioned In Scripture. See Gen. 12:10. #13 = depravity and rebellion).
3 And Ahab called Obadiah (= servant of [Yah] the Lord), which [was] the governor over [his] house. {Now Obadiah revered (or loved) the Lord (Yehovah) greatly:
4 For it was [so], when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord (Yehovah) (the first record of using the civil power against the true religion [and by a woman]. See Judg.4:21), that Obadiah took a hundred prophets (#100 = God's election of grace...children of promise), and hid them by fifty men (#50 = Holy Spirit), and fed them with bread and water.}
5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go into (Sept. and Syr. read "Go and let us pass through") the land, to all fountains of water, and to all brooks: perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.”
6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, “[Are] you that my lord Elijah?” (= GOD [El] is JAH [or Yehovah])
8 And he answered him, “I [am]:
E c -8. Command to Obadiah. d 9-14. Expostulation of Obadiah. d 15. Assurance of Elijah. c 16-. Obedience to Obadiah.
go, tell thy lord, ‘Behold, Elijah [is here].’ ”
d e 9. Danger of Obadiah. f g 10. Ahab's search for Elijah (past). h 11. Command. Of Elijah. f g 12,13. Ahab's search for Elijah (future). h 14-. Command. Of Elijah. e -14. Danger of Obadiah.
9 And he said, “What have I sinned, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
10 [As] the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) lives, there is no nation or kingdom, to which place my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, ‘[He is] not [there];’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found you not.
11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah [is here].’ ’
12 And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord (Yehovah) shall carry you to which place I know not; and [so] when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant love Yehovah from my youth.
13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of Yehovah, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's (Yehovah's) prophets by fifty men, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah [is here]:’ ’
and he shall slay me.”
15 And Elijah said, “[As] the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Sabaioth) lives, before whom I stand (see 17:1), I will surely show myself to him today.”
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him:
and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “[Art] you he that troubles (cp. Josh.7:25 with 6:18, and 1 Chron.2:7) Israel?” (fig. put for Israelitish people)
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you all have forsaken the commandments of the Lord (Yehovah), and you have followed Baalim.
E i 19,20. Baal's prohets. Assembled. k 21-38. Conflict with prophets. k 39. Confessions of the People. i 40. Baal's prophets. Slain.
19 Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel (= fruitful place or park. 18 mile from Jezreel; 16 miles from the sea. The Kishon below, but now dry. At the foot a perennia spring, with a roofed resevoir, 8 feet deep. Carmel is still called "Mar-Elias"), and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred (= the ’Asherah. See Ex.34:1), which eat at Jezebel's table.
20 So Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to mount Carmel.
k F 21-24. The People. Elijah's appeal. G 25-29. Bullock of the prophets. F 30-. The People. Elijah's call. G -30-38. Bullock of Elijah.
21 And Elijah came to all the People, and said, “How long leap you all between two opinions? (cp. v.26) if the Lord (Yehovah) [be] God (Elohim), follow Him: but if Baal, [then] follow him.” And the People answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah to all the People, “I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the Lord (Yehovah); but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]:
24 And call you all on the name of your god (as in v.25. So R.V.), and I will call on the name of the Lord (Yehovah): and the God (Elohim) (= the Creator) that answers by fire (this was Yehovah's way of showing His acceptance of the offering. See Gen.4:4), let him be God (Elohim).” And all the People answered and said, “It is well spoken.”
G l 25. Elijah. m 26. The prophets of Baal. l 27. Elijah. m 28,29. The prophets of Baal.
25 And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for you all [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under].”
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us.” But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped over the altar which had been made (see v.21).
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud: for he [is] a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, [or] perhaps he sleeps, and must be awaked.”
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances (Done by Dervishes to the present day), till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice (the usual meal offerng. There was also a morning meal offering as well [Num.28:8]. Cp. 2 Kings 16:15), that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said to all the People, “Come near to me.” And all the People came near to him.
G n¹ -30-32-. Altar. Its repairing. o¹ -32. The trench. n² 33-. Altar. Arrangement of wood. o² -33-35. The water. n³ 36,37. Altar. Time of offering. Prayer. o³ 38. The fire.
And he repaired the altar of the Lord (Yehovah) (Carmel had been a local altar for lay [individual] offerings, but had been broken down. Cp. 19:10. These lay altars had no horns) [that was] broken down (i.e. purposely).
31 And Elijah took twelve stones (= Governmental perfection, completeness), according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (some codices read "Israel", in harmony with v.36.), to whom the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came, saying, “Israel shall be your name” (see Gen.32:28):
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord (Yehovah):
and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed (about 2 pecks. Heb. se’ãh).
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood,
and said, “Fill four barrels with water (see v.19), and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.” (the Sept. adds "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 he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “The Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel (not Jacob. See Gen.32:28), let it be known this day that You [are] God (Elohim) in Israel, and [that] I [am] Your servant, and [that] I have done all these things at Your word.
37 Hear me, O Lord (Yehovah), hear me, that this People may know that You [are] the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim), and [that] You have turned their heart back again.”
38 Then the fire of the Lord (Yehovah) fell (Aram. and Sept. read "Then fire from Yehovah fell". See Gen.4:4. "Fire of Yehovah" occs. only here and Num.11:1,3), and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench.
39 And when all the People saw [it], they fell on their faces: and they said, “The Lord (Yehovah), He [is] the God (Elohim); The Lord (Yehovah), He [is] the God (Elohim).”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Take (seize, lay hold of) the prophets of Baal; let not a man of them escape.” And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon (= winding. Cp. Judg.4:13; 5:21), and slew them there (Hebrew idiom, causeed them to be slain).
B H r 41-. Command. To Ahab. s -41. Reason. J K t 42-. Obedience of Ahab. u -42. Elijah. Ascent of Carmel. L 43,44-. Rain. Expectation of. H r -44-. Command. To servant. s -44. Reason. J L 45-. Rain. Fall of. K t -45. Obedience of Ahab. u 46.Elijah. Run to Jezreel.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Get you up, eat and drink; for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain.”
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth (a rare word. Only here and 2 Kings 4:34,35 = Kneeling, and then placing forehead on the ground), and put his face between his knees,
43 And said to his young man, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up, and looked, and said, “[There is] nothing.” And he said, “Go again seven times.”
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare [your chariot], and get you down, that the rain stop you not.”
45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel (seed of God).
46 And the hand of the Lord (Yehovah) was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins (Girdles worn by all. Taken off when resting. Put on when preparing for work or sojourning. See Ex.12:11. 2 Kings 4:29; 9:1. Luke 12:37; 17:8. Acts 12:8), and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel (for over 20 miles Elijah acted as the royal "runner" across the great plain of Esdraelon. Posibly none at hand in the king's hasty departure.).
W M¹ 1,2. Jezebel's threat. N¹ v 3,4. Elijah. To the desert. w 5-7. Coming of Angel. v 8,9-. Elijah to Horeb. w -9. Coming of the word of Yehovah. M² 10. Jezebel's threat. N² x 11-. Elijah. Command. y -11,12. Yehovah. Manifestations. x 13-. Elijah. Awe. y -13. Yehovah. Inquiry. M³ 14. Jezebel's threat.
19)
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword (or, all about how he had slain).
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not your life (= soul) as the soul of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
3 And when he saw [that], he arose (some codices read "And he feared and rose"), and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongs] to Judah, and left his young man there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for his soul that he might die; and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord (Yehovah), take away my soul; for I [am] not better than my fathers.”
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an Angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise [and] eat.”
6 And he looked, and, behold, [there was] a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his pillow (Elijah miraculously fed 3 times. See 17:4,6). And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise [and] eat; because the journey [is] too great for you.”
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meal forty days and forty nights (the number of probation) to Horeb (about 150 miles) the mount of Elohim.
9 And he came to that place to a cave, and passed the night there;
and, behold, the word of the Lord (Yehovah) [came] to him, and He said to him, “What do you here, Elijah?” (Fig. Anthropopatheia, as though He did not know)
10 And he said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts (= Yehovah Elohim zeb’ãõth. First occ. of this title. It occurs in 2 Sam.5:10, but in narrative, not address. "The Lord [Yehovah] God [Elohim] of hosts" occurs only here in Kings and Chronicles. Often in Psalms [59:5; 69:6; 80:4,19; 84:8; 89:8]. In Isa. 10:23,24; 22:5,12,14,15; 28:22. Jer.2:19; 5:14; 15:16; 35:17; 49:5; 50:25,31. Hos.12:5. Amos 5:15. After the return from captivity "Lord of hosts" occurs 14 times in Haggai; about 50 in Zechariah; and 25 in Malachi. But "Lord God of hosts" is not found in those Books): for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my soul, to take it away.” (Qouted in Romans 11:2,3. "Altars" - they were the lay altars [local] for customary individual offerings by laymen, as well as at Jerusalem. These had no horns)
11 And He said, “Go forth (Sept. adds "tomorrow"), and stand upon the mount before the Lord (Yehovah).”
And, behold, the Lord (Yehovah) passed by, and a great and strong wind (Her. ruach = invisible force) tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord (Yehovah); [but] the Lord (Yehovah) [was] not in the wind (He commanded it): and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the Lord (Yehovah) [was] not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the Lord (Yehovah) [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (= the sound of stillness. Cp. Job 4:16. Sept. = a gentle breeze, usually misqouted "the still", &c. It was the voice of God. He cares. See 1 Cor.2:4).
13 And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle (as Moses at the bush [Ex.3:6]), and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, [there came] a voice to him, and said, “What do you here, Elijah?”
14 And he said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts (Yehovah Elohim Sabaioth): because the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my soul, to take it away.”
X O z 15-. Return of Elijah. Commanded. a -15,16. Amoitings. Commanded. P b¹ 17. Prophect. b² 18. History. O z 19-. Return of Elijah. Effected. a -19-21. Anointings. Effected.
15 And the Lord (Yehovah) said to him, “Go, return to your way to the wilderness of Damascus (i.e. out of which he had deviated):
and when you come, anoint (i.e. cause to be anointed. Cp. 2 Kings 9:1-7) Hazael [to be] king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the grandson of Nimshi (see 2 Kings 9:2) shall you anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha (= El = my God is salvation) the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shall you anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapes the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay (fig. put for judgments inflicted by it. Cp. 2 Kings 9 and 10. The first prophecy given to Elijah): and him that escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18 Yet I have left [me] seven thousand in Israel (7 x 1000 = spiritual perfection x divine completeness and the Glory of God. See Rom.11:4), all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him (fig. put for woshipping. Cp. Hos.3:12. Also cp. Job 31:26,27).
19 So he departed from that place,
and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who [was] plowing [with] twelve yoke [of oxen] before him (seven seperate plows folowing each other. Often seen today), and he with the twelfth (#12 = governmental perfection or completeness): and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him (cp. Zech.13:4).
20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me, I pray you, kiss my father and my mother, and [then] I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again: for what have I done to you?” (or, "what is the meaning of what I did?")
21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen (cp. 2 Sam.24:22), and gave to the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
V³ c¹ 1. Syria. First invasion. d¹ 2-11. Israel. Negotiations. c² 12. Syria. Siege of Samaria. d¹ 13-21. Israel. Sortie by Ahab. c³ 22-26. Syria. Second invasion. d³ 27. Israel. Numbering of. c4 28-30. Syria. Defeat. d4 31-33-. Israel. hab's forebearance. c5 -33,34. Syria. Covenant with Ahab. d5 35-43. Israel. God reproves Ahab.
20)
1 And Ben-hadad (= son of the mighty. Perhaps sn of the Ben-hadad of 15:18) the king of Syria gathered all his force together: and [there were] thirty and two kings with him (#32 = covenant), and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria (= watch-mountain), and warred against it.
d¹ e¹ 2,3. Ben-hadad. First demand. f¹ 4. Ahab. Compliance. e² 5,6. Ben-hadad. Second demand. f² 7-9. Ahab. Refusal. e³ 10. Ben-hadad. Threatening. f³ 11. Ahab. Retort.
2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and they said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad,
3 ‘Your silver and your gold [is] mine; your wives also and your sons, [even] the goodliest, [are] mine.’ ”
4 And the king of Israel answered and said, “My lord, O king, according to your saying, I [am] your, and all that I have.”
5 And the messengers came again, and said, “Thus speaks Benhadad, saying, ‘Although I have sent to you, saying, ‘you shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your sons;
6 Yet I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house (as from the top; i.e. ransack), and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, [that] whatsoever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put [it] in their hand, and take [it] away.’ ’ ”
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Mark, I pray you, and see how this [man] seeks mischief: for he sent to me for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.”
8 And all the elders and all the People said to him, “Listen not [to him], nor consent.”
9 Wherefore he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do.’ ” And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10 And Ben-hadad sent to him, and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.”
11 And the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell [him], ‘Let not him that girds on [his harness] boast himself as he that puts it off.’ ”
12 And it came to pass, when [Ben-hadad] heard this word (Fig. put for the message contained), as he [was] drinking, he and the kings in the tents, that he said to his servants, “Set [yourselves in array].” And they set [themselves in array] against the city.
13 And, behold, there came a prophet to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I [am] the Lord (Yehovah).’ ”
14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), ‘[Even] by the young men (= the servants, or esquires) of the princes of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall order the battle?” And he answered, “You.”
15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the People, [even] all the sons of Israel, [being] seven thousand.
16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad [was] drinking himself drunk in the tents, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, “There are men come out of Samaria.”
18 And he said, “Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.”
19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.” (= the spring. Cp.2 Sam.11:1)
23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods [are] gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors (or pashas) in their rooms:
25 And number you an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, [and] surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice, and did so.
26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek (= strength. Probably east of the Sea of Galilee), to fight against Israel.
27 And the sons of Israel enrolled themselves, and were all present, and went against them: and the sons of Israel pitched before them like two little newborn kids (of goats); but the Syrians filled the country.
28 And there came a man of God (Elohim) (= a prophet), and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), ‘Because the Syrians have said, ‘The Lord (Yehovah) [is] God (Elohim) of the hills, but he [is] not God (Elohim) of the valleys,’ therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you all shall know that I [am] the Lord (Yehovah).’ ” (Sept. reads "so shall you know". Cp. v.13)
29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And [so] it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the sons of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and [there] a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men [that were] left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel [are] merciful kings: let us, I pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: perhaps he will save you soul.”
32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘I pray you, let my soul live.’ ” And he said, “[Is] he yet alive? he [is] my brother.” (i.e. brother-king)
33 Now the men did diligently observe (fig. = quickly divined) whether any thing would come from him (the italics are wrongly suplied, but knowing the 2 readings of E. and W. recensions, caused by a different division of words. The E. recension reads "and they pressed [to find out] whether it was from him and said". The W. recension reads "and they passed it out from him, and they said": i.e. they wanted to know whether he confirmed the word of his own accord), and did hastily catch [it]: and they said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.”
Then he said, “Go you all, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34 And [Benhadad] said to him, “The cities, which my father took from you father, I will restore; and you shall make streets (= broadways, or bizzars) for you in Damascus, according as my father made in Samaria.” Then [said Ahab], I will send you away with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
d5 g 35-38. Prophet disguesed. h 39,40-. Symbol used. i -40. Ahab's sentence. g 41. Prophet discovered. h 42. Symbol interpreted. i 43. Ahab's heaviness.
35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets (Josephus identifies him with Miciah [22:8]) said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord (Yehovah), “Smite me, I pray you.” And the man refused to smite him.
36 Then said he to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord (Yehovah), behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you.” And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
37 Then he found another man, and said, “Smite me, I pray you.” And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded [him].
38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face (= bandage).
39 And as the king passed by, he cried to the king: and he said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your soul be for his soul, or else you shall pay a talent of silver (*aprox 100 lbs).
40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.”
And the king of Israel said to him, “So [shall] your judgment [be]; yourself have decided [it].”
41 And he hasted, and took the bandages away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he [was] of the prophets.
42 And he said to him, “Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), ‘Because you have let go out of [your] hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”
43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.