He said,"I have beenveryzealousfor the LORD,the Godof hosts;for the sonsof Israelhave forsakenYour covenant,torndownYour altarsand killedYour prophetswith the sword.And I aloneam left;and they seekmy life,to takeit away."
"As the LORDyour Godlives,thereis nonationor kingdomwheremy masterhas not sentto searchfor you; and when they said,'He is not [here],' he made the kingdomor nationswearthat they could not findyou.
When AhabsawElijah,Ahabsaidto him, "Is thisyou, you troublerof Israel?"
So Ahabsent[a message] among allthe sonsof Israeland broughtthe prophetstogetherat MountCarmel.
Then Elijahsaidto the people,"I aloneam lefta prophetof the LORD,but Baal'sprophetsare 450men.
Then Elijahsaidto allthe people,"Comenearto me." So allthe peoplecamenearto him. And he repairedthe altarof the LORDwhich had been torndown.
for when Jezebeldestroyedthe prophetsof the LORD,Obadiahtooka hundredprophetsand hidthem by fiftiesin a cave,and providedthem with breadand water.)
Then he said,"I have beenveryzealousfor the LORD,the Godof hosts;for the sonsof Israelhave forsakenYour covenant,torndownYour altarsand killedYour prophetswith the sword.And I aloneam left;and they seekmy life,to takeit away."
Then Jezebelsenta messengerto Elijah,saying,"Somay the godsdoto me and evenmore,ifI do not makeyour lifeas the lifeof oneof them by tomorrowabout this time."
Now behold,a prophetapproachedAhabkingof Israeland said,"Thussaysthe LORD,'Have you seenallthisgreatmultitude?Behold,I will deliverthem into your handtoday,and you shall knowthat I am the LORD.'"
Then the prophetcamenearto the kingof Israeland saidto him, "Go,strengthenyourself and observeand seewhatyou have to do;for at the turnof the yearthe kingof Aramwill comeup againstyou."
Now a certainmanof the sonsof the prophetssaidto anotherby the wordof the LORD,"Pleasestrikeme." But the manrefusedto strikehim.
The kingof Israelsaidto Jehoshaphat,"There is yetonemanby whom we may inquireof the LORD,but I hatehim, becausehe does not prophesygoodconcerningme, but evil.[He is] Micaiahsonof Imlah."But Jehoshaphatsaid,"Let not the kingsayso."
He said,"Comewith me and seemy zealfor the LORD."So he made him ridein his chariot.
"But they becamedisobedientand rebelledagainst You, And castYour lawbehindtheir backsAnd killedYour prophetswhohad admonishedthem So that they might returnto You, And they committedgreatblasphemies.
It is timefor the LORDto act,[For] they have brokenYour law.
My zealhas consumedme, Becausemy adversarieshave forgottenYour words.
I have toldof my ways,and You have answeredme; Teachme Your statutes.
For zealfor Your househas consumedme, And the reproachesof those who reproachYou have fallenon me.
For their heartwas not steadfasttowardHim, Norwere they faithfulin His covenant.
"You shall not worshipthem or servethem; for I, the LORDyour God,am a jealousGod,visitingthe iniquityof the fatherson the children,on the thirdand the fourthgenerations of those who hateMe,
for you shall not worshipanyothergod,for the LORD,whose nameis Jealous,is a jealousGod--
But I said,"I have toiledin vain,I have spentMy strengthfor nothingand vanity;Yet surelythe justice[due] to Me is with the LORD,And My rewardwith My God."
"In vainI have struckyour sons;They acceptednochastening.Your swordhas devouredyour prophetsLike a destroyinglion.
And the kingcommandedJerahmeelthe king'sson,Seraiahthe sonof Azriel,and Shelemiahthe sonof Abdeelto seizeBaruchthe scribeand Jeremiahthe prophet,but the LORDhidthem.
Ephraimis oppressed,crushedin judgment,Becausehe was determinedto follow[man's] command.
"The statutesof OmriAnd allthe worksof the houseof Ahabare observed;And in their devicesyou walk.ThereforeI will giveyou up for destructionAnd your inhabitantsfor derision,And you will bearthe reproachof My people."
The godlypersonhas perishedfrom the land,And thereis noupright[person] among men.Allof them liein waitfor bloodshed;Eachof them huntsthe otherwith a net.
"Phinehasthe sonof Eleazar,the sonof Aaronthe priest,has turnedawayMy wrathfrom the sonsof Israelin that he was jealouswith My jealousyamongthem, so that I did not destroythe sonsof Israelin My jealousy.
and it shall be for him and his descendantsafterhim, a covenantof a perpetualpriesthood,becausehe was jealousfor his Godand madeatonementfor the sonsof Israel.'"
His disciplesrememberedthat it was written,"ZEALFOR YOUR HOUSEWILL CONSUMEME."
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Behold,you are about to liedownwith your fathers;and thispeoplewill ariseand playthe harlotwith the strangegodsof the land,into the midstof whichthey are going,and will forsakeMe and breakMy covenantwhichI have madewith them.
They were stoned,they were sawn in two,they were tempted,they were put to deathwith the sword;they went aboutin sheepskins,in goatskins,being destitute,afflicted,ill-treated
