Elijah was a prophet from the town of Tishbe in Gilead. Elijah said to King Ahab, “I serve the Lord God of Israel. By his power, I promise that no dew or rain will fall during the next few years. The rain will fall only if I command it to fall.”
Hosea 9:8 - Easy To Read Version God and the prophet are like guards watching over Ephraim. {\cf2\super [90]} But there are many traps along the way. And people hate the prophet, even in the house of his God. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Ephraim was [intended to be] a watchman with my God [and a prophet to the surrounding nations]; but he, that prophet, has become a fowler's snare in all his ways. There is enmity, hostility, and persecution in the house of his God. American Standard Version (1901) Ephraim was a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler’s snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God. Common English Bible The prophet is God’s watchman looking over Ephraim, yet a hunter’s trap is set, covering all his ways, and rejection is in his God’s house. Catholic Public Domain Version The watcher of Ephraim was with my God. The prophet has become a snare of ruin over all his ways; insanity is in the house of his God. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: the prophet is become a snare of ruin upon all his ways, madness is in the house of his God. |
Elijah was a prophet from the town of Tishbe in Gilead. Elijah said to King Ahab, “I serve the Lord God of Israel. By his power, I promise that no dew or rain will fall during the next few years. The rain will fall only if I command it to fall.”
During the third year that no rain fell, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon send rain.”
Now, tell all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. Also bring to that place the 450 prophets of Baal. [197] And bring the 400 prophets of the false goddess Asherah. [198] Queen Jezebel supports those prophets.” [199]
One of the prophets was named Zedekiah. He was the son of Kenaanah. Zedekiah made some iron horns. [229] Then he said to Ahab, “The Lord says, ‘You will use these iron horns to fight against the army of Aram. You will defeat them and destroy them.’”
The Lord answered, ‘How will you trick King Ahab?’ The angel answered, ‘I will confuse all of Ahab’s prophets. I will tell the prophets to speak lies to King Ahab. The messages from the prophets will be lies.’ So the Lord said, ‘Good! Go and trick King Ahab. You will succeed.’”
Micaiah said loudly, “All you people listen to what I say! King Ahab, if you come home alive from that fight, then the Lord has not spoken through me.”
So Ahab called a meeting of the prophets. There were about 400 prophets at that time. Ahab asked the prophets, “Should I go and fight against the army of Aram at Ramoth? Or should I wait for another time?”
Some Israelites were burying a dead man, and they saw that group of soldiers. The Israelites quickly threw the dead man into Elisha’s grave {and ran away}. As soon as the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, the dead man came back to life and stood up on his feet!
Just as Elisha hit the water, the water separated to the right and to the left! And Elisha crossed the river.
Then Elisha went out to the place where the water began flowing {from the ground}. Elisha threw the salt into the water. He said, “The Lord said, ‘I am making this water pure! From now on this water will not cause any more death or keep the land from growing crops.’”
But Elisha said, “Bring some flour.” {They brought flour to Elisha}, and he threw it into the pot. Then Elisha said, “Pour the soup for the people so they can eat.”
Elisha’s servant said, “What? There are 100 men here. How can I give this food to all those men?”
So Naaman did what the man of God [47] (Elisha) said. Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times. And Naaman became pure and clean! Naaman’s skin became soft like the skin of a baby.
Now, you and your children will catch Naaman’s disease. You will have leprosy [57] forever!”
But that officer had answered the man of God, “Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, this could not happen!” And Elisha had told {the officer,} “You will see it with your own eyes. But you will not eat any of that food.”
Then the officer that was close to the king [76] answered the man of God [77] (Elisha). The officer said, “Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, this could not happen!”
We are like a bird that was\par trapped in a net,\par and then escaped.\par The net broke, and we escaped!\par
A person never knows what will happen to him next. He is like a fish caught in a net—the fish does not know what will happen. He is like a bird caught in a trap—the bird does not know what will happen. In the same way, a person is trapped by the bad things that suddenly happen to him.
“Jerusalem, I put guards (prophets)\par on your walls.\par Those guards will not be silent.\par They will keep praying day and night.”\par
Before the Lord showed me that the people were against me, I was like a gentle lamb waiting to be butchered. I did not understand that they were against me. They were saying these things about me: “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit! Let us kill him! Then people will forget him.”
But I said to the Lord, “Lord, my Master, the prophets were telling the people something different. They were telling the people of Judah, ‘You people will not suffer from an enemy’s sword. You will never suffer from hunger. The Lord will give you peace in this land.’”
“I saw the prophets of Samaria {\cf2\super [184]} \par doing wrong things.\par I saw those prophets prophesy {\cf2\super [185]} \par in the name of the false god Baal. {\cf2\super [186]} \par Those prophets led the people of Israel\par away from the Lord.\par
There will be a time when watchmen {\cf2\super [245]} \par shout this message:\par ‘Come, let’s go up to Zion {\cf2\super [246]} \par to worship the Lord our God!’\par Even the watchmen in the hill country of Ephraim {\cf2\super [247]} will shout that message.”\par
My people have been hurt very badly.\par The prophets and priests\par should bandage those wounds.\par But they treat those wounds\par like they are only a small scratch.\par They say,\par ‘It is all right, everything is fine!’\par But it is not all right!\par
I chose watchmen to watch over you.\par I told them,\par ‘Listen for the sound of the war trumpet.’\par But they said,\par ‘We will not listen!’\par
Your prophets saw visions for you.\par But their visions were only worthless lies.\par They didn’t preach against your sins.\par They didn’t try to make things better.\par They preached messages for you,\par but they were false messages\par that fooled you.\par
This happened because the prophets\par of Jerusalem sinned.\par This happened because the priests\par of Jerusalem did evil things.\par Those people were shedding blood\par in the city of Jerusalem.\par They were shedding the blood\par of good people.\par
“Son of man, {\cf2\super [28]} I am making you a watchman {\cf2\super [29]} for Israel. I will tell you about bad things that will happen to them. And you must warn Israel about those things.
“Now, Son of man, {\cf2\super [266]} I am choosing you to be a watchman for the family of Israel. If you hear a message from my mouth, you must warn the people for me.
“Priests, nation of Israel, and people in the king’s family, listen to me. You have been judged guilty!
The prophet says, “Israel, learn these things: The time of punishment has come. The time has come for you to pay \{for the evil things you did\}.” But the people of Israel say, “The prophet is a fool. This man with \{God’s\} Spirit is crazy.” The prophet says, “You will be punished for your bad sins. You will be punished for your hate.”
The Israelites have gone deep into ruin like in the time of Gibeah. {\cf2\super [91]} The Lord will remember the Israelites’ sins. He will punish their sins.
\{Even\} the best of them is like a thorn bush.\par Even the best of them is more crooked\par than a tangled thorn bush.\par
I did things among those people that no other person has ever done. If I had not done those things, they would not be guilty of sin. But they have seen those things I did. And still they hate me and my Father.
A person might say, “When I lie, it really gives God glory, because my lie shows God’s truth. So why am I judged a sinner?”
Obey your leaders and be under their authority. Those men are responsible for you. So they are always watching to protect your souls. Obey those men so that they can be happy in this work. It won’t help you to make it hard for them.