Ephraim[was] a watchmanwith my God,a prophet;[Yet] the snareof a birdcatcheris in allhis ways,[And] there is [only] hostilityin the houseof his God.
Now Elijahthe Tishbite,who was of the settlersof Gilead,saidto Ahab,"As the LORD,the Godof Israellives,beforewhomI stand,surelythere shall be neitherdewnor raintheseyears,exceptby my word."
Now it happened[after] manydaysthat the wordof the LORDcameto Elijahin the thirdyear,saying,"Go,showyourself to Ahab,and I will sendrainon the faceof the earth."
"Nowthen send[and] gatherto me allIsraelat MountCarmel,[together] with 450prophetsof Baaland 400prophetsof the Asherah,who eatat Jezebel'stable."
Then Zedekiahthe sonof Chenaanahmadehornsof ironfor himself and said,"Thussaysthe LORD,With theseyou will gorethe Arameansuntilthey are consumed.'"
"The LORDsaidto him, 'How?'And he said,'I will goout and be a deceivingspiritin the mouthof allhis prophets.'Then He said,'You are to entice[him] and alsoprevail.Goand doso.'
Micaiahsaid,"Ifyou indeedreturnsafelythe LORDhas not spokenby me." And he said,"Listen,allyou people."
Then the kingof Israelgatheredthe prophetstogether, about fourhundredmen,and saidto them, "Shall I goagainstRamoth-gileadto battleorshall I refrain?"And they said,"Goup, for the Lordwill give[it] into the handof the king."
As they were buryinga man,behold,they sawa maraudingband;and they castthe maninto the graveof Elisha.And when the mantouchedthe bonesof Elishahe revivedand stoodup on his feet.
He tookthe mantleof Elijahthat fellfrom him and struckthe watersand said,"Whereis the LORD,the Godof Elijah?"And when he alsohad struckthe waters,they were dividedhereand there;and Elishacrossedover.
He wentout to the springof waterand threwsaltin it and said,"Thussaysthe LORD,I have purifiedthesewaters;there shall not be from theredeathor unfruitfulnessanylonger.'"
But he said,"Now bringmeal."He threwit into the potand said,"Pour[it] out for the peoplethat they may eat."Then there was noharmin the pot.
His attendantsaid,"What,will I setthisbeforea hundredmen?"But he said,"Give[them] to the peoplethat they may eat,for thussaysthe LORD,'They shall eatand have [some] leftover.'"
So he wentdownand dipped[himself] seventimesin the Jordan,according to the wordof the manof God;and his fleshwas restoredlike the fleshof a littlechildand he was clean.
"Therefore, the leprosyof Naamanshall clingto you and to your descendantsforever."So he wentout from his presencea leper[as white] as snow.
Then the royalofficeransweredthe manof Godand said,"Now behold,if the LORDshould makewindowsin heaven,could sucha thingbe?" And he said,"Behold,you will seeit with your own eyes,but you will not eatof it."
The royalofficeron whosehandthe kingwas leaningansweredthe manof Godand said,"Behold,if the LORDshould makewindowsin heaven,could thisthingbe?" Then he said,"Behold,you will seeit with your own eyes,but you will not eatof it."
Our soulhas escapedas a birdout of the snareof the trapper;The snareis brokenand we have escaped.
Moreover,mandoes not knowhis time:like fishcaughtin a treacherousnetand birdstrappedin a snare,so the sonsof menare ensnaredat an eviltimewhen it suddenlyfallson them.
"The watchmenwho makethe roundsin the cityfoundme, [And I said], 'Have you seenhim whommy soulloves?'
On your walls,O Jerusalem,I have appointedwatchmen;Alldayand allnightthey will neverkeepsilent.You who remindthe LORD,take norestfor yourselves;
But I was like a gentlelambledto the slaughter;And I did not knowthat they had devisedplotsagainstme, [saying], "Let us destroythe treewith its fruit,And let us cuthim offfrom the landof the living,That his namebe rememberednomore."
But, "Ah,LordGOD!"I said,"Look,the prophetsare tellingthem, 'You will not seethe swordnorwill you havefamine,but I will giveyou lastingpeacein thisplace.'"
"Moreover, among the prophetsof SamariaI sawan offensivething:They prophesiedby Baaland ledMy peopleIsraelastray.
"For therewill be a daywhen watchmenOn the hillsof Ephraimcallout, 'Arise,and let us goup [to] Zion,To the LORDour God.'"
"They have healedthe brokennessof My peoplesuperficially,Saying,'Peace,peace,'But thereis nopeace.
"And I setwatchmenoveryou, [saying], 'Listento the soundof the trumpet!'But they said,'We will not listen.'
Your prophetshave seenfor you false and foolish[visions]; And they have not exposedyour iniquitySo as to restoreyou from captivity,But they have seenfor you false and misleadingoracles.
Becauseof the sinsof her prophets[And] the iniquitiesof her priests,Who have shedin her midstThe bloodof the righteous;
"Sonof man,I have appointedyou a watchmanto the houseof Israel;whenever you heara wordfrom My mouth,warnthem from Me.
"Now as for you, sonof man,I have appointedyou a watchmanfor the houseof Israel;so you will heara messagefrom My mouthand givethem warningfrom Me.
Hearthis,O priests!Giveheed,O houseof Israel!Listen,O houseof the king!For the judgmentapplies to you, For you have beena snareat MizpahAnd a netspreadout on Tabor.
The daysof punishmenthave come,The daysof retributionhave come;Let Israelknow[this]! The prophetis a fool,The inspiredmanis demented,Becauseof the grossnessof your iniquity,And [because] your hostilityis [so] great.
They have gonedeepin depravityAs in the daysof Gibeah;He will remembertheir iniquity,He will punishtheir sins.
The bestof them is like a briar,The most uprightlike a thornhedge.The daywhen you post your watchmen,Your punishmentwill come.Thentheir confusionwill occur.
"IfI had not doneamongthem the workswhichno oneelsedid,they would not havesin;but nowthey have bothseenand hatedMe and My Fatheras well.
But ifthroughmy liethe truthof Godaboundedto His glory,whyam I alsostillbeing judgedas a sinner?
Obeyyour leadersand submit[to them], for they keep watchoveryour soulsas those who will givean account.Let them dothiswith joyand not with grief,for thiswould be unprofitablefor you.
