1 Kings 16:8-34, 1 Kings 17:1-24, 1 Kings 18:1-15 NIRV

1 Kings 16:8-34

Elah King of Israel

Elah became king of Israel. It was in the 26th year that Asa was king of Judah. Elah ruled in Tirzah for two years. He was the son of Baasha.

Zimri was one of Elah’s officials. He commanded half of Elah’s chariot drivers. He made plans against Elah. Elah was in Tirzah at the time. He was getting drunk in the home of Arza. Arza was in charge of the palace at Tirzah. Zimri came in. He struck Elah down and killed him. It was in the 27th year of Asa, the king of Judah. Zimri became the next king after Elah.

As soon as Zimri was seated on the throne as king, he killed off Baasha’s whole family. He didn’t even spare one male. It didn’t matter whether it was a relative or a friend. So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha. That’s what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet. Baasha and his son Elah had committed all kinds of sin. They had also caused Israel to commit the same sins. So Israel made the Lord very angry. They did it by worshiping worthless statues of gods. The Lord is the God of Israel.

The other events of Elah’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

Zimri King of Israel

Zimri ruled in Tirzah for seven days. It was in the 27th year that Asa was king of Judah. The army of Israel had set up camp near Gibbethon. It was a Philistine town. The Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had made plans against King Elah. They also heard that Zimri had murdered him. So they announced that Omri was king over Israel. He was the commander of the army. They made him king that day in the camp. Then Omri and all his men pulled back from Gibbethon. They marched to Tirzah and surrounded it. They attacked it and captured it. Zimri saw that they had taken over the city. So he went into the safest place in the royal palace. He set the palace on fire all around him. He died there because of the sins he had committed. He had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He had lived the way Jeroboam had lived. He had committed the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

The other events of Zimri’s rule are written down. The way he turned against King Elah and killed him is written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

Omri King of Israel

The Israelites divided up into two groups. Half of them wanted Tibni to be king. He was the son of Ginath. The other half wanted Omri. But Omri’s followers were stronger than those of Tibni, the son of Ginath. So Tibni died. And Omri began to rule.

Omri became king of Israel. It was in the 31st year that Asa was king of Judah. Omri ruled for 12 years. He ruled in Tirzah for six of those years. He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer. He weighed out 150 pounds of silver for it. Then he built a city on the hill. He called it Samaria. He named it after Shemer. Shemer had owned the hill before him.

But Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He sinned more than all the kings who had ruled before him. He lived the way Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had lived. He committed the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Israel made the Lord very angry. They did it by worshiping worthless statues of gods. The Lord is the God of Israel.

The other events of Omri’s rule are written down. Everything he did and the things he accomplished are written in the official records of the kings of Israel. Omri joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in Samaria. Omri’s son Ahab became the next king after him.

Ahab King of Israel

Ahab became king of Israel. It was in the 38th year that Asa was king of Judah. Ahab ruled over Israel in Samaria for 22 years. He was the son of Omri. Ahab, the son of Omri, did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did more evil things than any of the kings who had ruled before him. He thought it was only a small thing to commit the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Ahab also married Jezebel. She was Ethbaal’s daughter. Ethbaal was king of the people of Sidon. Ahab began to serve the god named Baal and worship him. He set up an altar to honor Baal. He set it up in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. He made the Lord very angry. Ahab did more to make him angry than all the kings of Israel had done before him. The Lord is the God of Israel.

In Ahab’s time, Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son Abiram. When he set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son Segub. That’s what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken it through Joshua, the son of Nun.

Read More of 1 Kings 16

1 Kings 17:1-24

Elijah Announces No Dew or Rain

Elijah was from Tishbe in the land of Gilead. He said to Ahab, “I serve the Lord. He is the God of Israel. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that there won’t be any dew or rain on the whole land. There won’t be any during the next few years. It won’t come until I say so.”

Elijah Is Fed by Ravens

Then a message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, “Leave this place. Go east and hide in the Kerith Valley. It is east of the Jordan River. You will drink water from the brook. I have directed some ravens to supply you with food there.”

So Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do. He went to the Kerith Valley. It was east of the Jordan River. He stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning. They also brought him bread and meat in the evening. He drank water from the brook.

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

Some time later the brook dried up. It hadn’t rained in the land for quite a while. A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, “Go right away to Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So Elijah went to Zarephath. He came to the town gate. A widow was there gathering sticks. He called out to her. He asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar? I need a drink.” She went to get the water. Then he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread too.”

“I don’t have any bread,” she replied. “And that’s just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. All I have is a small amount of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I’m gathering a few sticks to take home. I’ll make one last meal for myself and my son. We’ll eat it. After that, we’ll die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home. Do what you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me. Make it out of what you have. Bring it to me. Then make some for yourself and your son. The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘The jar of flour will not be used up. The jug will always have oil in it. You will have flour and oil until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ”

She went away and did what Elijah had told her to do. So Elijah had food every day. There was also food for the woman and her family. The jar of flour wasn’t used up. The jug always had oil in it. That’s what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken that message through Elijah.

Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. He got worse and worse. Finally he stopped breathing. The woman said to Elijah, “You are a man of God. What do you have against me? Did you come to bring my sin out into the open? Did you come to kill my son?”

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms. He carried him to the upstairs room where he was staying. He put him down on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord. He said, “Lord my God, I’m staying with this widow. Have you brought pain and sorrow even to her? Have you caused her son to die?” Then he lay down on the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord. He said, “Lord my God, give this boy’s life back to him!”

The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer. He gave the boy’s life back to him. So the boy lived. Elijah picked up the boy. He carried him down from the upstairs room into the house. He gave him to his mother. He said, “Look! Your son is alive!”

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God. I know that the message you have brought from the Lord is true.”

Read More of 1 Kings 17

1 Kings 18:1-15

Elijah and Obadiah

It was now three years since it had rained. A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, “Go. Speak to Ahab. Then I will send rain on the land.” So Elijah went to speak to Ahab.

There wasn’t enough food in Samaria. The people there were very hungry. Ahab had sent for Obadiah. He was in charge of Ahab’s palace. Obadiah had great respect for the Lord. Ahab’s wife Jezebel had been killing off the Lord’s prophets. So Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in two caves. He had put 50 in each cave. He had supplied them with food and water. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land. Go to all the valleys and springs of water. Maybe we can find some grass there. It will keep the horses and mules alive. Then we won’t have to kill any of our animals.” So they decided where each of them would look. Ahab went in one direction. Obadiah went in another.

As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him. He bowed down to the ground. He said, “My master Elijah! Is it really you?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Go and tell your master Ahab, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”

“What have I done wrong?” asked Obadiah. “Why are you handing me over to Ahab to be put to death? My master has sent people to look for you everywhere. There isn’t a nation or kingdom where he hasn’t sent someone to look for you. Suppose a nation or kingdom would claim you weren’t there. Then Ahab would make them give their word that they couldn’t find you. And that’s just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. But now you are telling me to go to my master. You want me to say, ‘Elijah is here.’ But the Spirit of the Lord might carry you away when I leave you. Then I won’t know where you are. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he’ll kill me. But I’ve worshiped the Lord ever since I was young. My master, haven’t you heard what I did? Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. But I hid 100 of them in two caves. I put 50 in each cave. I supplied them with food and water. And now you are telling me to go to my master Ahab. You want me to say to him, ‘Elijah is here.’ Ahab will kill me!”

Elijah said, “I serve the Lord who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I will speak to Ahab today.”

Read More of 1 Kings 18