Study Desk

So the prophets took the bull that was given to them and prepared it. They started praying to Baal and prayed until noon. They said, "Baal, please answer us!" But there was no sound. No one answered. Then they began jumping around on the altar they had built.

The afternoon passed but the fire still had not started. The prophets were out of control and continued to act this way until the time came for the evening sacrifice. But nothing happened—there was no answer from Baal. There was no sound. There was no one listening.

Elijah answered, " Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you the best I can, but the Israelites have broken their agreement with you. They destroyed your altars and killed your prophets. I am the only prophet left alive, and now they are trying to kill me!"

Then the Lord said to Elijah, "Go, stand in front of me on the mountain. I, the Lord , will pass by you." Then a very strong wind blew. The wind caused the mountains to break apart. It broke large rocks in front of the Lord . But that wind was not the Lord . After that wind, there was an earthquake. But that earthquake was not the Lord .

After the earthquake, there was a fire. But that fire was not the Lord . After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle voice.

Elijah said, " Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you the best that I can, but the Israelites broke their agreement with you. They destroyed your altars and killed your prophets. I am the only prophet left alive, and now they are trying to kill me."

But the elders and all the people said, "Don't obey him or do what he says."

So Ahab sent a message to Ben-Hadad that said, "I will do what you said at first, but I cannot obey your second command." King Ben-Hadad's men carried the message to the king.

The young men of King Ahab were the first to come out, but the rest of the army of Israel was following them.

The Israelites also prepared for war and went to fight the army of Aram. They made their camp opposite the camp of Aram. The Aramean soldiers filled the land, but Israel's army looked like two small flocks of goats.

One of the prophets told another prophet, "Hit me!" He said that because the Lord had commanded it. But the other prophet refused to hit him.

Ahab answered, "I asked Naboth from Jezreel to give me his vineyard. I told him that I would pay him the full price. Or, if he preferred, I would give him another vineyard. But he refused to give it to me."

Jezebel answered, "But you are the king over Israel! Get out of bed and eat something, and you will feel better. I will get Naboth's vineyard for you."

But first let's ask the Lord for advice."

But Jehoshaphat said, "Doesn't the Lord have another prophet here? Let's ask him the same question."

King Ahab answered, "Yes, there is another prophet. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he will not say anything good about me when he speaks for the Lord . He always says things that I don't like." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say that!"

But Micaiah answered, "As surely as the Lord lives, I can say only what the Lord says."

But Ahab answered, "How many times do I have to tell you? Tell me the truth. What does the Lord say?"

But Micaiah said, "Listen to this message from the Lord : I saw the Lord sitting on his throne. All of heaven's army was standing around him, some on his left side and some on his right side.

Tell them to put Micaiah in prison. Give him nothing but bread and water to eat. Keep him there until I come home from the battle."