But the prophetwhospeaksa wordpresumptuouslyin My namewhichI have not commandedhim to speak,or whichhe speaksin the nameof othergods,that prophetshall die.'
So he wentbackwith him, and atebreadin his houseand drankwater.
"Nowthen send[and] gatherto me allIsraelat MountCarmel,[together] with 450prophetsof Baaland 400prophetsof the Asherah,who eatat Jezebel'stable."
It cameabout at noon,that Elijahmockedthem and said,"Callout with a loudvoice,for he is a god;eitherhe is occupiedor goneaside,or is on a journey,or perhapshe is asleepand needs to be awakened."
Then Elijahsaidto them, "Seizethe prophetsof Baal;do not let oneof them escape."So they seizedthem; and Elijahbroughtthem downto the brookKishon,and slewthem there.
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
"Thereforebehold,I am againstthe prophets,"declaresthe LORD,"who stealMy wordsfrom eachother.
"Behold,I am againstthe prophets,"declaresthe LORD,"who usetheir tonguesand declare,'[The Lord] declares.'
Then the priestsand the prophetsspoketo the officialsand to allthe people,saying,"A deathsentencefor thisman!For he has prophesiedagainstthiscityas you have heardin your hearing."
for I have not sentthem," declaresthe LORD,"but they prophesyfalselyin My name,in orderthat I may driveyou out and that you may perish,you and the prophetswho prophesyto you."
"They seefalsehoodand lyingdivinationwho are saying,'The LORDdeclares,'when the LORDhas not sentthem; yet they hopefor the fulfillmentof [their] word.
"It will comeabout in that day,"declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I will cutoffthe namesof the idolsfrom the land,and they will nolongerbe remembered;and I will alsoremovethe prophetsand the uncleanspiritfrom the land.
"And ifanyonestillprophesies,then his fatherand motherwho gavebirthto him will sayto him, 'You shall not live,for you have spokenfalselyin the nameof the LORD;and his fatherand motherwho gavebirthto him will piercehim throughwhen he prophesies.
"Bewareof the false prophets,whocometo you in sheep'sclothing,but inwardlyare ravenouswolves.
"Ifyour brother,your mother'sson,oryour sonordaughter,orthe wifeyou cherish,oryour friendwhois as your own soul,enticeyou secretly,saying,Let us goand serveothergods(whomneitheryou noryour fathershave known,
"The manwhoactspresumptuouslyby not listeningto the priestwho standsthereto servethe LORDyour God,norto the judge,that manshall die;thus you shall purgethe evilfrom Israel.
"You may sayin your heart,'Howwill we knowthe wordwhichthe LORDhas not spoken?'
"Whena prophetspeaksin the nameof the LORD,if the thingdoes not comeabout or cometrue, that is the thingwhichthe LORDhas not spoken.The prophethas spokenit presumptuously;you shall not be afraidof him.
But these,likeunreasoninganimals,bornas creatures of instinctto be capturedand killed,revilingwherethey have no knowledge,will in the destructionof thosecreatures alsobe destroyed,
And the beastwas seized,and with him the false prophetwho performedthe signsin his presence,by whichhe deceivedthosewho had receivedthe markof the beastand thosewho worshipedhis image;thesetwowere thrownaliveinto the lakeof firewhich burnswith brimstone.
Whereverthey went,the handof the LORDwas against them for evil,as the LORDhad spokenand as the LORDhad swornto them, so that they were severelydistressed.
