Category: Scripture

One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elijah. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings , as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.”

Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility” And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said.

Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a gropu of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. “Go away, baldy!” they chanted. “Go away, baldy!” Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them. (vv. 19-24, NLT)

Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched them from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided and the two of them went across on dry ground!

When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”

And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”

“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, you won’t.”

As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, dray by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father!I see the chariots and the charioteers of Israel!” As they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.

Elisha picked up Elijah’t cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan Rover. He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across. (vv. 7-14, NLT)

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel. The group of prophets from Bethel cam to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Of course I know, Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

Then Elijah said to Elisha, ” Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.”

But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went to Jericho together.

Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”

But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

“So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah.

“Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come to you because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight. So now the Lord says, ‘I will bring disaster on you and consume you. I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel! I am going to destroy Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have let Israel to sin.’ ”

“And regarding Jezebel, the lord says ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s body at the plot of land in Jezreel.'”

“‘The members of Ahab’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.'”

(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorite had done-the people whom the Lord had driven out from Israel ahead of the Israelites.”)

But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning.

Then another message from the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. I t will happen to his sons: I will destroy his dynasty.” (vv. 20-29, NLT)

So she [Jezebel] wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth live. In her letters, she commanded: “Call the citizens together for fasting and prayer, and give Natboth a place of honor. And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out an stone him to death.” (vv. 8-10, NLT)

So he [Naboth] was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell to you? Well, you can have it now. He’s dead!” So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.

But the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be a Naboth’s vineyard in Jezrell, claiming it for himself. Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says,: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this , dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!'” (vv. 15-19, NLT)

Now there was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”

But Naboth replied, “THe Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”

So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wasll and refused to eat!

“What’s the matter?” his wife Jezebel asked him. “What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?”

I asked Naboth to sell me his vinard or trade it, but he refused!” Ahab told her.

“Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!” (vv 1-7, NLT)

So Elijah went and found Elisha som of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elijah was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and this I will go with you!”

Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”

So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire and to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they. all ate. Then Elisha went with Elijah as his assistant. (vvl 19-21, NLT)

But the Lord said to Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with You, torn down Your altars, and killed every one of Your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

“Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, an a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, there was fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with You, torn down Your altars, and killed every one of Your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimishi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as My prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” (vv. 9b-18, NLT)

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he was a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” s she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

So she did what Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough, just at the Lord had promised though Elijah. (vv. 1-16, NLT)

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as teh Lord, the God of Israel, lives-the God I serve-there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word.”

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan River. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and each evening, and he drank from the brook. But after the brook dried up, there was no rainfall in the land. (vv. 1-7, NLT)