If you or your sons turn away from following me and do not keep my commands—my statutes that I have set before you—and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them,(A) I will cut off Israel from the land I gave them,(B) and I will reject[a] the temple I have sanctified for my name.(C) Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.(D) Though this temple is now exalted,[b] everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff.[c] They will say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?”(E) Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt. They held on to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, the Lord brought all this ruin on them.”(F)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 9:7 Lit send from my presence
  2. 9:8 Some ancient versions read temple will become a ruin
  3. 9:8 Lit hiss

“But if you[a] or your descendants turn away(A) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods(B) and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land(C) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(D) Israel will then become a byword(E) and an object of ridicule(F) among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(G) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(H) People will answer,(I) ‘Because they have forsaken(J) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(K) on them.’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all

18 He replied, “I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands(A) and followed the Baals.(B) 19 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,(C) along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah(D) who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah at Mount Carmel

20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions?[a](E) If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.”(F) But the people didn’t answer him a word.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 18:21 Lit you hobble on two crutches?

18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you(A) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned(B) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon(C) the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel.(D) And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”(E)

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.(F) 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver(G) between two opinions? If the Lord(H) is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

Read full chapter