One Year Bible.

Elijah Denounces Ahaziah

¹After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

²Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

³But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ ⁴Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’”

So Elijah departed.

⁵When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”

⁶They replied, “A man came up to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him that this is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’”

⁷The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”

⁸“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.”

“It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

⁹Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”

¹⁰Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

¹¹So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’”

¹²Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

¹³So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours please be precious in your sight. ¹⁴Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”

¹⁵Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.”

So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

¹⁶And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”

Jehoram Succeeds Ahaziah

¹⁷So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.

¹⁸As for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

¹Shortly before the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal, ²and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they went down to Bethel.

³Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”

⁴And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they went to Jericho.

⁵Then the sons of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”

⁶And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So the two of them went on.

⁷Then a company of fifty of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing Elijah and Elisha as the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?”

“Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

¹⁰“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.”

¹¹As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.

¹²As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.

¹³Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked.

And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

¹⁵When the sons of the prophets who were watching him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.

¹⁶“Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.”

“Do not send them,” Elisha replied.

¹⁷But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.”

And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah.

¹⁸When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Elisha Heals the Waters of Jericho

¹⁹Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”

²⁰“Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.”

So they brought it to him, ²¹and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’”

²²And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.

Elisha Mocked

²³From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

²⁴Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD.

Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.

²⁵And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Moab’s Rebellion

¹In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years. ²And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

³Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

⁴Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. ⁵But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. ⁶So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. ⁷And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”

“I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” ⁸Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?”

“By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.

⁹So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.

¹⁰“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”

¹¹But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.”

And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

¹²Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

¹³Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!”

“No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

¹⁴Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. ¹⁵But now, bring me a harpist.”

And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha ¹⁶and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ ¹⁷For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink— you and your cattle and your animals.’ ¹⁸This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. ¹⁹And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”

²⁰The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.

²¹Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. ²²When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.

²³“This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

²⁴But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites. ²⁵They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.

²⁶When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail. ²⁷So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall.

And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

⁸¹My soul faints for Your salvation;

I wait for Your word.

⁸²My eyes fail, looking for Your promise;

I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

⁸³Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke,

I do not forget Your statutes.

⁸⁴How many days must Your servant wait?

When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for me

in violation of Your law.

⁸⁶All Your commandments are faithful;

I am persecuted without cause— help me!

⁸⁷They almost wiped me from the earth,

but I have not forsaken Your precepts.

⁸⁸Revive me according to Your loving devotion,

that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth.

ל

LAMEDH

⁸⁹Your word, O LORD, is everlasting;

it is firmly fixed in the heavens.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues through all generations;

You established the earth, and it endures.

⁹¹Your ordinances stand to this day,

for all things are servants to You.

⁹²If Your law had not been my delight,

then I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget Your precepts,

for by them You have revived me.

⁹⁴I am Yours; save me,

for I have sought Your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked wait to destroy me,

but I will ponder Your testimonies.

⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but Your commandment is without limit.

מ

MEM

⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law!

All day long it is my meditation.

⁹⁸Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

for they are always with me.

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,

for Your testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰I discern more than the elders,

for I obey Your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path,

that I may keep Your word.

¹⁰²I have not departed from Your ordinances,

for You Yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are Your words to my taste—

sweeter than honey in my mouth!

¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from Your precepts;

therefore I hate every false way.

נ

NUN

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn and confirmed

that I will keep Your righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted, O LORD;

revive me through Your word.

¹⁰⁸Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,

and teach me Your judgments.

¹⁰⁹I constantly take my life in my hands,

yet I do not forget Your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me,

but I have not strayed from Your precepts.

¹¹¹Your testimonies are my heritage forever,

for they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes,

even to the very end.

ס

SAMEKH

¹¹³The double-minded I despise,

but Your law I love.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield;

I put my hope in Your word.

¹¹⁵Depart from me, you evildoers,

that I may obey the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Sustain me as You promised, that I may live;

let me not be ashamed of my hope.

¹¹⁷Uphold me, and I will be saved,

that I may always regard Your statutes.

¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from Your statutes,

for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹All the wicked on earth You discard like dross;

therefore I love Your testimonies.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles in awe of You;

I stand in fear of Your judgments.

ע

AYIN

¹²¹I have done what is just and right;

do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Ensure Your servant’s well-being;

do not let the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation,

and for Your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion,

and teach me Your statutes.

¹²⁵I am Your servant; give me understanding,

that I may know Your testimonies.

¹²⁶It is time for the LORD to act,

for they have broken Your law.

¹²⁷Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,

even the purest gold.

¹²⁸Therefore I admire all Your precepts

and hate every false way.

פ

PE

¹²⁹Wonderful are Your testimonies;

therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of Your words gives light;

it informs the simple.

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,

longing for Your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and show me mercy,

as You do to those who love Your name.

¹³³Order my steps in Your word;

let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from the oppression of man,

that I may keep Your precepts.

¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant,

and teach me Your statutes.

¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tears

because Your law is not obeyed.

צ

TZADE

¹³⁷Righteous are You, O LORD,

and upright are Your judgments.

¹³⁸The testimonies You have laid down are righteous

and altogether faithful.

¹³⁹My zeal has consumed me

because my foes forget Your words.

¹⁴⁰Your promise is completely pure;

therefore Your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹I am lowly and despised,

but I do not forget Your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlasting

and Your law is true.

¹⁴³Trouble and distress have found me,

but Your commandments are my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever.

Give me understanding, that I may live.

ק

KOPH

¹⁴⁵I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!

I will obey Your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I call to You; save me,

that I may keep Your testimonies.

¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;

in Your word I have put my hope.

¹⁴⁸My eyes anticipate the watches of night,

that I may meditate on Your word.

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice, O LORD, according to Your loving devotion;

give me life according to Your justice.

¹⁵⁰Those who follow after wickedness draw near;

they are far from Your law.

¹⁵¹You are near, O LORD,

and all Your commandments are true.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from Your testimonies

that You have established them forever.

ר

RESH

¹⁵³Look upon my affliction and rescue me,

for I have not forgotten Your law.

¹⁵⁴Defend my cause and redeem me;

revive me according to Your word.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked

because they do not seek Your statutes.

¹⁵⁶Great are Your mercies, O LORD;

revive me according to Your ordinances.

¹⁵⁷Though my persecutors and foes are many,

I have not turned from Your testimonies.

¹⁵⁸I look on the faithless with loathing

because they do not keep Your word.

¹⁵⁹Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD;

give me life according to Your loving devotion.

¹⁶⁰The entirety of Your word is truth,

and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.

ש

SIN and SHIN

¹⁶¹Rulers persecute me without cause,

but my heart fears only Your word.

¹⁶²I rejoice in Your promise

like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,

but Your law I love.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise You

for Your righteous judgments.

¹⁶⁵Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law;

nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I wait for Your salvation, O LORD,

and I carry out Your commandments.

¹⁶⁷I obey Your testimonies

and love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸I obey Your precepts and Your testimonies,

for all my ways are before You.

ת

TAW

¹⁶⁹May my cry come before You, O LORD;

give me understanding according to Your word.

¹⁷⁰May my plea come before You;

rescue me according to Your promise.

¹⁷¹My lips pour forth praise,

for You teach me Your statutes.

¹⁷²My tongue sings of Your word,

for all Your commandments are righteous.

¹⁷³May Your hand be ready to help me,

for I have chosen Your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for Your salvation, O LORD,

and Your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let me live to praise You;

may Your judgments sustain me.

¹⁷⁶I have strayed like a lost sheep;

seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.