Study Desk

Because the Lord loved David, the Lord gave him a kingdom in Jerusalem and allowed him to have a son to be king after him. The Lord also kept Jerusalem safe.

The Lord spoke his word against Baasha and his family through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani. Baasha had done many things the Lord said were wrong, which made the Lord very angry. He did the same evil deeds that Jeroboam's family had done before him. The Lord also spoke against Baasha because he killed all of Jeroboam's family.

Baasha and his son Elah sinned and led the people of Israel to sin, and they made the Lord , the God of Israel, angry because of their worthless idols.

So Zimri died because he had sinned by doing what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam had led the people of Israel to sin, and Zimri sinned in the same way as Jeroboam.

Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to sin, and Omri sinned in the same way as Jeroboam. The Israelites made the Lord , the God of Israel, very angry because they worshiped worthless idols.

After a while the stream dried up because there was no rain.

Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming."

One prophet from one of the groups of prophets told another, "Hit me!" He said this because the Lord had commanded it, but the other man refused.

Ahab went home angry and upset, because he did not like what Naboth from Jezreel had said. (Naboth had said, "I will not give you my family's land.") Ahab lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.

Your family will be like the family of King Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of King Baasha son of Ahijah. I will destroy you, because you have made me angry and have led the people of Israel to sin.'

There was no one like Ahab who had chosen so often to do what the Lord said was wrong, because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil.

Ahab called about four hundred prophets together and asked them, "Should I go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?" They answered, "Go, because the Lord will hand them over to you."

All the other prophets said the same thing. "Attack Ramoth in Gilead and win, because the Lord will hand the Arameans over to you."

By chance, a soldier shot an arrow, but he hit Ahab king of Israel between the pieces of his armor. King Ahab said to his chariot driver, "Turn around and get me out of the battle, because I am hurt!"

But the Lord 's angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers sent by the king of Samaria. Ask them, ‘Why are you going to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel?'

They said, "A man came to meet us. He said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him what the Lord says: "Why do you send messengers to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel? You will never get up from the bed you are lying on; you will die."'"

Elijah told Ahaziah, "This is what the Lord says: ‘You have sent messengers to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron. Is it because you think there is no God in Israel to ask? Because of this, you will never get up from your bed; you will die.'"

So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord , through Elijah, had said he would. Joram became king in Ahaziah's place during the second year Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Joram ruled because Ahaziah had no son to take his place.

Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha, because the Lord has sent me to Jericho." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you live, I won't leave you." So they went to Jericho.

Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was honored by his master, and he had much respect because the Lord used him to give victory to Aram. He was a mighty and brave man, but he had a skin disease.