Elisha brings dead boy to life
Emergency road trip to Elisha
The prophet brings a dead boy back to life
When a woman's young son died, she got her donkey made the all-day trip from her home in Shunem to Mount Carmel to find the prophet Elisha. He returns to her home and brings the dead boy to life. She had been infertile, when Elisha predicted she would have a child.Highlights from 2 Kings 4
When the boy grew older, he went out in the fields where his father was working. He told his father, “I have a terrible headache!” The father told one of his workers, “Carry this boy back to his mother right away.” The worker carried the child back. And the boy lay on his mother's lap until about noon, when he died. The woman took the boy up to Elisha’s guest room. She lay him on the bed, closed the door, and left.The mother races to Mount Carmel
She told her husband, “Send me one of the servants. I want a donkey. I'm going to visit the holy man, then I'll be back.” Her husband said, “Why would you go there today? This isn't the Sabbath or the New Moon Festival. ” She didn’t argue. All she said was “Shalom.”... But when she reached Elisha on the mountain, she grabbed him by his feet...She told Elisha, “As sure as you and the LORD are alive, I'm not leaving here without you.” Elisha got up and they all left...Elisha brings dead boy to boy
When Elisha reached the house, he saw the child lying dead on the bed. Elisha went in the room and shut the door on the other two. He prayed to the LORD. Then he climbed onto the bed and on top of the boy. Elisha put his mouth on the boy's mouth. And he lay with his eyes above the boy's eyes and his hands on the boy's hands. The boy grew warm again.Seven sneezes and alive again
Elisha got off the bed and walked around the room a bit. Then he lay on the boy once more. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha called in Gehazi and said, “Bring the woman from Shunem in here.” So Gehazi called her in. When she stepped into the room, Elisha said, “Here's your boy. You can take him." The woman dropped at Elisha’s feet and bowed, with her face to the ground. Then she got up and took her son and left.For more Bible features
Jezreel Valley up close
Jezreel Valley up close
Israel's best farmland and frequent war zone
Josiah died here
A 3D-style map of Jezreel Valley up close gives us a better understanding of:- Why the valley is and always has been Israel's breadbasket
- Why Napoleon called it the perfect battlefield for his kind of warfare: stand, shoot, and die.
- Why King Josiah took his stand against the Egyptian army coming from the north. Think: Spartans at Thermopile.
- Why Judah's wounded King Ahaziah fled in his chariot to the Megiddo fortress to escape Jehu's coup
AI's view of the Jezreel Valley
"THE PERFECT BATTLEFIELD"
French General Napoleon saw this valley and declared it the perfect battlefield. Perhaps so, if you want two armies charging into each other with sharp objects. There's plenty of room to work up a speedy charge. it's the largest valley in Israel. It stretches out into a triangle about 20 miles by 20 by 12 (32km by 32 by 19).Bible-time battles
It rests at the foot of the Carmel mounts in the east and the Gilboa mountains in the southwest, where Saul and three of his sons died fighting an overwhelming force of Philistines. Gideon fought off seasonal invaders who made Jezreel they're staging center for raids on farms at harvesttime. Deborah, a prophetess with more courage than the nation's general, led the Israelite army to victory over an invading chariot corps. The general wouldn't go into battle unless she came, too. She took the Israelites up the steep slopes of Mount Tabor, where chariots couldn't go. She waited for a rainstorm, which seems to have trapped the chariots stuck in the mud by a flooding Kishon River. The invading army ran away, on foot.Jaw-dropping vistas
The Jezreel Valley, also known as the Valley of Megiddo, is a breathtaking expanse nestled in northern Israel. Its lush landscape is adorned with fields of vibrant crops, orchards, and quaint villages. Famous for its historical and biblical significance, the Jezreel Valley has witnessed countless pivotal events. It is often referred to as the site of the ancient city of Megiddo, an archaeological treasure trove showcasing layers of human civilization dating back thousands of years. The valley's strategic location made it a sought-after prize for conquerors and a stage for numerous ancient battles. Written part by AI Edited by MillerFor more Bible features
Elijah on Mount Carmel
Elijah on Mount Carmel
Elijah and Baal prophets meet on Mount Carmel
It's a battle to see which god will send fire to burn a sacrifice.
It's the God of Israel against the local god of lightening and rain
AHAB MEETS ELIJAH THE “TROUBLEMAKER”
When Ahab approached Elijah, the king said, “Israel’s troublemaker, is that you?” Elijah said, “I’m not Israel’s troublemaker. You are. You and your God-forsaken family. You quit on the LORD, and you started worshiping Baal. 19Tell the people to meet me at Mount Carmel. Bring the 950 prophets Jezebel feeds: 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah.BATTLE OF THE GODS
Ahab did just that. He brought the prophets and the people to Mount Carmel. Elijah told the people, “How long will it take you to make up your minds? If the LORD is God, act like it. If Baal is god, go ahead and try following him. But what makes you think you can do both?” No one answered... Elijah told Baal’s prophets, “So, go ahead and pick a bull and prepare your sacrifice. There are a lot of you, so go ahead and take the first turn. Don’t light the fire. Instead, ask your god to send down the fire.” They killed the bull, cut it into pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then they prayed to Baal, from morning to noon: “Baal, answer.” He didn’t. They danced a slow, rhythmic hobble around the altar they made. At noon, Elijah took a few jabs at them. “Pray louder. Maybe he’s meditating—yeah he’s in deep meditation. Or maybe he took a little walk to the outhouse. He might even be taking a power nap.” They prayed loudly. They cut themselves, too. They cut with swords, spears, and knives. They cut until the blood gushed out. This was one of their worship rituals. They kept it up until evening. That’s when it was time for the daily sacrifice just before the sun went down. No one answered themELIJAH CALLS DOWN THE FIRE
Elijah told the people, “Come close.” They crowded up around him. He repaired what had once been a stone altar to God, which someone had torn apart. He picked out 12 stones, one for each tribe of Israel—extended families descended from the 12 sons of Jacob. These are the people God named as Israel. Elijah used those stones to build an altar devoted to the LORD. He dug a trench around the altar. It would hold about three gallons of water. He stacked the wood on top of the stones, and he placed meat on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars of water and pour it all on the meat and wood.” 34When they did, he said, “Do it again.” When they did, he said, “Do it a third time.” When they did, the excess water drained into the trench and filled it. It was now time for the evening sacrifice. Elijah said, “LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, show these people who you are. Let then know you are the God of Israel. And let them see that I am a man of God, and that I am doing what you told me to do. Answer me, LORD, so these people will know you are God and come back to you.”GOD LIGHTS IT UP
Fire of the LORD struck the wood with heat that consumed everything it touched: meat, wood, stone, and water. When the people saw that, they were sold on God. They dropped face-down in the dirt and said, “The LORD is God. The LORD is God.” Elijah said, “Arrest the prophets of Baal. Don’t let one of them escape.” Elijah led them down the hill to the Kishon River Valley below. He killed them all there. 1 Kings 18:17-40God vs Baal on Mount Carmel
Elijah goes to Zarephath
Elijah goes to Zarephath
GOD SENDS ELIJAH TO ZAREPHATH
Here comes the drought
Elijah was a prophet from the town of Tishbe. That’s across the Jordan River in the territory of Gilead. He took this message to King Ahab, “I’m going to curse this land with a drought. You won’t see a drop of rain until I say so. And you can count on it, king, as sure as there’s a God in heaven—Israel’s God.”God sends ravens to feed Elijah
God sent another message to Elijah: “I want you to go back across the Jordan River, on the east side. Hide somewhere by the Cherith stream. You’ll get your water from the creek. And I’ll send ravens to feed you.” So, Elijah did what the LORD said. He lived by the Cherith stream east of the Jordan. Sure enough, ravens brought him bread and meat for breakfast and supper. He drank from the stream. After a while, the stream dried up in the drought. It wasn’t raining anywhere in the area.Selfless widow in a foreign land
The LORD send Elijah another message: “Go to the town of Zarephath, in Sidon’s kingdom. There’s a widow there. I’ve told her to feed you when you come.” He left for Zarephath. When he reached the gateway into the walled city he saw a widow collecting sticks. He called out to her, “Excuse me, but could you bring me a cup of water to drink?” 11As she turned to get it for him he added, “Could you also bring me a small piece of bread?” She said, “I don’t have a baked bite of anything in my house right now. What I have is a fist full of flour and a little jug of olive oil. These sticks you see me gathering are for cooking my last meal. I’m baking what I have for my son and me. After that, we die.”Elijah keeps the flour coming
Elijah said, “Hey, don’t be afraid. Go ahead and make that meal. But make me a small plug of bread first. Then make bread for yourself and your son. If you do that, the LORD, who is the God of Israel, makes this promise: Your jar of flour and your jug of olive oil will never bottom out until after the rains return.” The widow did what Elijah said. She and her son had enough food throughout the drought. Her flour jar never emptied, and her jug of olive oil never ran out—just as Elijah promised on behalf of the LORD. 1 Kings 17:1-16For more Bible features
Stephen M. Miller's website , The Casual English Bible, and Bible YouTube channelBethel’s gold calf
Bethel's gold calf
Bethel's gold calf
After Israel split in two, Jeroboam, first king of the northern tribes set up gold calf shrines. Apparently, he didn't want his people of Israel going back to Jerusalem's Temple to worship. For if the northerners got too friendly with the southern tribe of Judah, they might want to reunite under a king from David's family. Excerpt from 1 Kings 13 1-6:PROPHET PREDICTS KING WILL SACRIFICE PAGAN PRIESTS
King Jeroboam went to the altar at the golden calf shrine at Bethel to burn some incense as a sacrificial offering. But a man, prompted by the LORD, had come up from Judah to criticize the pagan shrine. He spoke directly to the altar there. “Bad news for you, altar! I’ve got terrible news for you, and this comes from the LORD. A son is coming from David’s family—a boy named Josiah. He’s going to offer sacrifices here. But he’ll be sacrificing your priests who serve on hilltop shrines. They won’t be burning incense anymore. They’ll be burning. And they’ll leave behind a pile of their bones. Here’s how you’ll know the LORD has sent this message. This altar will get torn down. And the ashes of sacrifices burned on it will get thrown out as trash.” When the king heard that, he pointed at the man of God and said, “Arrest him!” But when the king stuck out his hand, it was bent up, withered, and paralyzed. He couldn’t even pull it back in. The altar collapsed and its ashes poured out onto the ground—exactly the sign the man had given. The king said to the man, “Ask your God to fix my hand and make it like it was before.” So the man did, and the LORD did. The king had his good hand back.For more Bible features
Stephen M. Miller's website , The Casual English Bible, and Bible YouTube channelBethel's god calf
Stealing King Saul’s body
Stealing King Saul's body
Stealing King Saul's body
SAUL’S POSITION OVERRUN
Philistines attacked Saul’s Israelite army and sent the warriors running for their lives. Many died on Mount Gilboa. Philistines began to overrun King Saul’s position. They killed three of his sons there: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.Saul falls on his sword
Philistines pushed hard, and soon the archers got Saul in range. They hit him and wounded him badly. Saul told the soldier in charge of his armor and weapons, “Finish this. Take your sword and drive it through me. I don’t want pagan Philistines to use me for target practice before they kill me,” The terrified soldier refused. So, Saul picked up his own sword and fell on it. When the soldier saw the king was dead, he fell on his sword, too. He died with his king. Saul and his three sons and his weapons man all died the same day.THE KING IS DEAD
News of Israel’s defeat spread. Many Israelites emptied their towns because they knew the Philistines were coming to take them. These included Israelites beyond the north side of the Jezreel valley and Israelites east of the Jordan River. Philistines moved into those homes. The story is in 1 Samuel 31. For other Bible versions, see Bible Gateway.Philistines go to war with Israel
Philistines go to war with Israel
Philistines prep for war with Israel
King Saul and three sons will die in the battle
Philistines assembled their armies at Aphek. Israel’s warriors gathered at Jezreel Spring. Philistine rulers led their armies into the camp, marching them in companies of 100 or battalions of 1,000. King Achish’s army from Gath arrived last, with David’s army marching at the rear.Shocked to see David marching with Philistines
Philistine commanders were shocked to see David there, with his men. They said, “Are you kidding? Hebrews? What are they doing here? That’s David, one of Saul’s men.” King Achish said, “Not anymore. He’s with me now. He defected over a year ago. And he has never given me any reason to doubt him.” Philistine commanders didn’t buy it. Furious, they told Achish, “Send that guy back to wherever you had him. We don’t want him up here in the battle. He might turn on us. If he gave our heads to Saul, that would go a long way to restoring their friendship. This is the guy who got the Hebrews dancing as they sang:Song of David, not so much of King Saul
Saul killed a thousand men. David, a thousand times ten.David an "angel"
Achish told David, “I know you’re an honest man. I’d swear it. In all the time you’ve been with me, I’ve seen you do nothing wrong. If it were up to me, I’d take you into battle alongside me and my men. But the other rulers won’t let me. So go back peacefully. Don’t cause a scene or do anything to upset the Philistine rulers.” David said, “I don’t understand this. What have I done wrong? Name one thing in all the time I’ve been with you. Why am I suddenly not fit to fight the enemies of my king?” Achish said, “David, as far as I’m concerned, you’re as righteous as an angel. But the commanders don’t want you in this fight. They said, ‘He’s not going into the battle with us. Period.’ Spend the night here, but I want you to leave at dawn. Take your men back to their regular duties.”David skips the battle
David and his men left for Philistine territory early the next morning. But the Philistine armies marched up to Jezreel. 1 Samuel 29Death of King Saul
Death of King Saul
Death of King Saul
Battle of Mount Gilboa
King Saul obsessed over catching David, his rival in Israel's popularity contest among the heroes. He overlooked the real enemy, the one that caused the death of King Saul. Saul dies in a battle against a massive Philistine army that invades the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. Saul rallies his army of volunteers and stages them on the crest of the Gilboa mountains. When he looks down into the valley and sees the size of the army coming against his crew, he knows it's all over. But he makes a night trip to a medium in the village of Endor. He had to cross the open valley to do that, risking capture. He told the woman to conjure up the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel. It was common for kings in the ancient Middle East to consult the gods before going into battle. Like Saul, they wanted to know how the battle would end. Samuel tells the king that by sundown, Saul and his sons would be with Samuel in the place of the dead. Saul went back to the camp, refusing to eat or gather strength for the battle. He knew it was lost. Three of his sons fall, presumably defending the position of the king, their father. David's best friend, Jonathan, was among the sons of Saul who died.King Saul dies, falling on his sword
Saul was gravely wounded in the battle. He fell on his sword. The day after the battle, Philistines came to strip the corpses of valuables. That’s when they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and spread word of his death to other Philistine towns and idol temples throughout the land. The Philistines put Saul’s armor on display in the temple of their god Astarte. Then they hung his body on Beth-shan’s city wall.Israelites steal the bodies and bury them
Israelites across the Jordan River at the town of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines did to Saul. Brave men from there traveled at night to Beth-shan. Secretly, they retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons. They carried them back to Jabesh and cremated them there. They took the bones that were left and buried them under a tamarisk tree in Jabesh and mourned him by fasting for seven days. The story appears in 1 Samuel 28-31. To compare The Casual English Bible with others, see Bible Gateway.Map Ramah to Shiloh
Map Ramah to Shiloh
Bible map Ramah to Shiloh.
Ramah was a short version of the city’s full name, Ramathaim—a bit like LA is short for Los Angeles and KC is short for Kansas City. Ramah is usually linked to ruins called Al-Ram. It’s about 5 miles (8 km) north of Jerusalem and about 15 miles (24 km) south of Shiloh. That’s almost a day’s walk to Shiloh. Some scholars link Rama to another ruin about five miles southwest, Nabi Samwil. At the time, Jerusalem was still a generation away from when King David would capture it and turn it into his capital, the City of David.
Road from Ramah to Shiloh