Today’s
Reading : 1Kings 20 – 21 and 1Corinthians
10 (KJV)
1Kings 20
1Ki
20:1 And Ben-hadad the
king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there
were thirty and two kings with him, and
horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against
it.
1Ki 20:2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel
into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,
1Ki 20:3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are
mine.
1Ki 20:4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My
lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am
thine, and all that I have.
1Ki 20:5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus
speaketh Ben-hadad, saying,
Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt
deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
1Ki 20:6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee
tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thine
house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it
in their hand, and take it away.
1Ki 20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders
of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief:
for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and
for my gold; and I denied him not.
1Ki 20:8 And all the elders and all the people said
unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
1Ki 20:9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for
to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the
messengers departed, and brought him word again.
1Ki 20:10 And Ben-hadad sent
unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of
Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
1Ki 20:11 And the king of Israel answered and said,
Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
1Ki 20:12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this
message, as he was drinking, he and the
kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in
array. And they set themselves in
array against the city.
1Ki 20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab
king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast
thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt
know that I am the LORD.
1Ki 20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even
by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order
the battle? And he answered, Thou.
1Ki 20:15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes
of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he
numbered all the people, even all the
children of Israel, being seven
thousand.
1Ki 20:16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking
himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that
helped him.
1Ki 20:17 And the young men of the princes of the
provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and
they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
1Ki 20:18 And he said, Whether they be come out for
peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
1Ki 20:19 So these young men of the princes of the
provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
1Ki 20:20 And they slew every one his man: and the
Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad
the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen.
1Ki 20:21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote
the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
1Ki 20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel,
and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest:
for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
1Ki 20:23 And the servants of the king of Syria said
unto him, Their gods are gods of the
hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in
the plain, and surely, we shall be stronger than they.
1Ki 20:24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every
man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
1Ki 20:25 And number thee an army, like the army that
thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight
against them in the plain, and surely we
shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
1Ki 20:26 And it came to pass at the return of the
year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went
up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
1Ki 20:27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and
were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched
before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
1Ki 20:28 And there came a man of God, and spoke unto
the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD,
Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is
God of the hills, but he is not God of
the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
1Ki 20:29 And they pitched one over against the other
seven days. And so it was, that in the
seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the
Syrians a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
1Ki 20:30 But the rest fled to Aphek,
into the city; and there a wall fell
upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that
were left. And Ben-hadad
fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
1Ki 20:31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now,
we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are
merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon
our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy
life.
1Ki 20:32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of
Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is
my brother.
1Ki 20:33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come
from him, and did hastily catch it: and
they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go
ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and
he caused him to come up into the chariot.
1Ki 20:34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father
took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt
make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab,
I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and
sent him away.
1Ki 20:35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets
said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the
man refused to smite him.
1Ki 20:36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not
obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a
lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found
him, and slew him.
1Ki 20:37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite
me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
1Ki 20:38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the
king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
1Ki 20:39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the
king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and,
behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man:
if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else
thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
1Ki 20:40 And as thy servant was busy here and there,
he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be;
thyself hast decided it.
1Ki 20:41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from
his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
1Ki 20:42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter
destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his
people.
1Ki 20:43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy
and displeased, and came to Samaria.
1Kings 21
1Ki
21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace
of Ahab king of Samaria.
1Ki 21:2 And Ahab spoke unto Naboth,
saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because
it is near unto my house: and I will
give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or,
if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
1Ki 21:3 And Naboth said to
Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers
unto thee.
1Ki 21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and
displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not
give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and
turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
1Ki 21:5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said
unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest
no bread?
1Ki 21:6 And he said unto her, Because I spoke unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said
unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will
give thee another vineyard for it: and
he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
1Ki 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou
now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and
eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give
thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
1Ki 21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and
sealed them with his seal, and sent the
letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were
in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
1Ki 21:9 And she wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the
people:
1Ki 21:10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him,
to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And
then carry him out, and stone him, that
he may die.
1Ki 21:11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the
inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was
written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
1Ki 21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
1Ki 21:13 And there came in two men, children of
Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in
the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did
blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and
stoned him with stones, that he died.
1Ki 21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
1Ki 21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab,
Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
1Ki 21:16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
to take possession of it.
1Ki 21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
1Ki 21:18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel,
which is in Samaria: behold, he is in
the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to
possess it.
1Ki 21:19 And thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast
thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the
place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall
dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
1Ki 21:20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me,
O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee:
because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
1Ki 21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will
take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left
in Israel,
1Ki 21:22 And will make thine
house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spoke the LORD, saying,
The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
1Ki 21:24 Him that dieth of
Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth
in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did
sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife
stirred up.
1Ki 21:26 And he did very abominably in following
idols, according to all things as did
the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
1Ki 21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those
words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted,
and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
1Ki 21:28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
1Ki 21:29 Seest thou how Ahab
humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in
his days: but in his son's days will I
bring the evil upon his house.
1Corinthians 10
1Co
10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all
passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud
and in the sea;
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was
Christ.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well
pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1Co 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the
intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people
sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1Co 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of
them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
1Co 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them
also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also
murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for
examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such
as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
1Co 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from
idolatry.
1Co 10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Christ?
1Co 10:17 For we being
many are one bread, and one body: for we
are all partakers of that one bread.
1Co 10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they
which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
1Co 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing,
or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the
cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of
devils.
1Co 10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we
stronger than he?
1Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things
are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1Co 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man
another's wealth.
1Co 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the meat market, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
1Co 10:26 For the earth is
the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.
1Co 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is
set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
1Co 10:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered
in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for
conscience sake: for the earth is the
Lord's, and the fullness thereof:
1Co 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine
own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
1Co 10:30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I
evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Co 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor
to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1Co 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things,
not seeking mine own profit, but the profit
of many, that they may be saved.