2 Kings 7; 2 Kings 8; 2 Kings 9; John 1:1-28

1 Elisha said, "Listen to the Lord's word. This is what the Lord says: 'About this time tomorrow seven quarts of fine flour will be sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver, and thirteen quarts of barley will be sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver. This will happen at the gate of Samaria.'"

2 Then the officer who was close to the king answered Elisha, "Even if the Lord opened windows in the sky, that couldn't happen." Elisha said, "You will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat any of it."

3 There were four men with a skin disease at the entrance to the city gate. They said to each other, "Why do we sit here until we die?

4 There is no food in the city. So if we go into the city, we will die there. If we stay here, we will die. So let's go to the Aramean camp. If they let us live, we will live. If they kill us, we die."

5 So they got up at twilight and went to the Aramean camp, but when they arrived, no one was there.

6 The Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army. They had said to each other, "The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!"

7 So they got up and ran away in the twilight, leaving their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp standing and ran for their lives.

8 When the men with the skin disease came to the edge of the camp, they went into one of the tents and ate and drank. They carried silver, gold, and clothes out of the camp and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent. They carried things from this tent and hid them, also.

9 Then they said to each other, "We're doing wrong. Today we have good news, but we are silent. If we wait until the sun comes up, we'll be discovered. Let's go right now and tell the people in the king's palace."

10 So they went and called to the gatekeepers of the city. They said, "We went to the Aramean camp, but no one is there; we didn't hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up, and the tents were still standing."

11 Then the gatekeepers shouted out and told the people in the palace.

12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, "I'll tell you what the Arameans are doing to us. They know we are starving. They have gone out of the camp to hide in the field. They're saying, 'When the Israelites come out of the city, we'll capture them alive. Then we'll enter the city.'"

13 One of his officers answered, "Let some men take five of the horses that are still left in the city. These men are like all the Israelites who are left; they are also about to die. Let's send them to see what has happened."

14 So the men took two chariots with horses. The king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, "Go and see what has happened."

15 The men followed the Aramean army as far as the Jordan River. The road was full of clothes and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away as they had hurriedly left. So the messengers returned and told the king.

16 Then the people went out and took valuables from the Aramean camp. So seven quarts of fine flour were sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver, and thirteen quarts of barley were sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver, just as the Lord had said.

17 The king chose the officer who was close to him to guard the gate, but the people trampled the officer to death. This happened just as Elisha had told the king when the king came to his house.

18 He had said, "Thirteen quarts of barley and seven quarts of fine flour will each sell for two-fifths of an ounce of silver about this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria."

19 But the officer had answered, "Even if the Lord opened windows in the sky, that couldn't happen." And Elisha had told him, "You will see it with your eyes, but you won't eat any of it."

20 It happened to the officer just that way. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.

1 Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. He said, "Get up and go with your family. Stay any place you can, because the Lord has called for a time without food that will last seven years."

2 So the woman got up and did as the man of God had said. She left with her family, and they stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

3 After seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines and went to beg the king for her house and land.

4 The king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had said, "Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done."

5 Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought a dead boy back to life. Just then the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came and begged the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, "My master and king, this is the woman, and this is the son Elisha brought back to life."

6 The king asked the woman, and she told him about it. Then the king chose an officer to help her. "Give the woman everything that is hers," the king said. "Give her all the money made from her land from the day she left until now."

7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, where Ben-Hadad king of Aram was sick. Someone told him, "The man of God has arrived."

8 The king said to Hazael, "Take a gift in your hand and go meet him. Ask the Lord through him if I will recover from my sickness."

9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camels loaded with every good thing in Damascus. He came and stood before Elisha and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram sent me to you. He asks if he will recover from his sickness."

10 Elisha said to Hazael, "Go and tell Ben-Hadad, 'You will surely recover,' but the Lord has told me he will really die."

11 Hazael stared at Elisha until he felt ashamed. Then Elisha cried.

12 Hazael asked, "Why are you crying, master?" Elisha answered, "Because I know what evil you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong, walled cities with fire and kill their young men with swords. You will throw their babies to the ground and split open their pregnant women."

13 Hazael said, "Am I a dog? How could I do such things?" Elisha answered, "The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram."

14 Then Hazael left Elisha and came to his master. Ben-Hadad said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" Hazael answered, "He told me that you will surely recover."

15 But the next day Hazael took a blanket and dipped it in water. Then he put it over Ben-Hadad's face, and he died. So Hazael became king in Ben-Hadad's place.

16 While Jehoshaphat was king in Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. This was during the fifth year Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.

17 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled eight years in Jerusalem.

18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the family of Ahab had done, because he married Ahab's daughter. Jehoram did what the Lord said was wrong.

19 But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of his servant David. The Lord had promised that one of David's descendants would always rule.

20 In Jehoram's time Edom broke away from Judah's rule and chose their own king.

21 So Jehoram and all his chariots went to Zair. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders. Jehoram got up and attacked the Edomites at night, but his army ran away to their tents.

22 From then until now the country of Edom has fought against the rule of Judah. At the same time Libnah also broke away from Judah's rule.

23 The other acts of Jehoram and all the things he did are written in the book of the history of the kings of Judah.

24 Jehoram died and was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem, and Jehoram's son Ahaziah ruled in his place.

25 Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah during the twelfth year Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.

26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.

27 Ahaziah followed the ways of Ahab's family. He did what the Lord said was wrong, as Ahab's family had done, because he was a son-in-law to Ahab.

28 Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to Ramoth in Gilead, where they fought against Hazael king of Aram. The Arameans wounded Joram.

29 So King Joram returned to Jezreel to heal from the wound he had received from the Arameans at Ramoth when he fought Hazael king of Aram. Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he had been wounded.

1 At the same time, Elisha the prophet called a man from the groups of prophets. Elisha said, "Get ready, and take this small bottle of olive oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth in Gilead.

2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and make Jehu get up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room.

3 Then take the bottle and pour the oil on Jehu's head and say, 'This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run away. Don't wait!"

4 So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth in Gilead.

5 When he arrived, he saw the officers of the army sitting together. He said, "Commander, I have a message for you." Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" The young man said, "For you, commander."

6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu's head and said to him, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: 'I have appointed you king over the Lord's people Israel.

7 You must destroy the family of Ahab your master. I will punish Jezebel for the deaths of my servants the prophets and for all the Lord's servants who were murdered.

8 All of Ahab's family must die. I will not let any male child in Ahab's family live in Israel, whether slave or free.

9 I will make Ahab's family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah.

10 The dogs will eat Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.'" Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.

11 When Jehu went back to his master's officers, one of them said to Jehu, "Is everything all right? Why did this crazy man come to you?" Jehu answered, "You know the man and how he talks."

12 They answered, "That's not true. Tell us." Jehu said, "He said to me, 'This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you to be king over Israel.'"

13 Then the officers hurried, and each man took off his own coat and put it on the stairs for Jehu. They blew the trumpet and shouted, "Jehu is king!"

14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, made plans against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth in Gilead from Hazael king of Aram.

15 But King Joram had to return to Jezreel to heal from the injuries the Arameans had given him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Jehu said, "If you agree with this, don't let anyone leave the city. They might tell the news in Jezreel."

16 Then he got into his chariot and set out for Jezreel, where Joram was resting. Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.

17 The lookout was standing on the watchtower in Jezreel when he saw Jehu's troops coming. He said, "I see some soldiers!" Joram said, "Take a horseman and send him to meet them. Tell him to ask, 'Is all in order?'"

18 The horseman rode out to meet Jehu, and he said, "This is what the king says: 'Is all in order?'" Jehu said, "Why bother yourself with order? Come along behind me." The lookout reported, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."

19 Then Joram sent out a second horseman. This rider came to Jehu's group and said, "This is what the king says: 'Is all in order?'" Jehu answered, "Why bother yourself with order? Come along behind me."

20 The lookout reported, "The second man reached them, but he is not coming back. The man in the chariot is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives as if he were crazy!"

21 Joram said, "Get my chariot ready." Then the servant got Joram's chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is all in order, Jehu?" Jehu answered, "There will never be any order as long as your mother Jezebel worships idols and uses witchcraft."

23 Joram turned the horses to run away and yelled to Ahaziah, "It's a trick, Ahaziah!"

24 Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow went through Joram's heart, and he fell down in his chariot.

25 Jehu ordered Bidkar, his chariot officer, "Pick up Joram's body, and throw it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember when you and I rode together with Joram's father Ahab. The Lord made this prophecy against him:

26 'Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons, says the Lord, so I will punish Ahab in his field, says the Lord.' Take Joram's body and throw it into the field, as the Lord has said."

27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he ran away toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, saying, "Shoot Ahaziah, too!" Ahaziah was wounded in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo but died there.

28 Ahaziah's servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in Jerusalem.

29 (Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year Joram son of Ahab was king.)

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She put on her eye makeup and fixed her hair. Then she looked out the window.

31 When Jehu entered the city gate, Jezebel said, "Have you come in peace, you Zimri, you who killed your master?"

32 Jehu looked up at the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three servants looked out the window at Jehu.

33 He said to them, "Throw her down." So they threw Jezebel down, and the horses ran over her. Some of her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses.

34 Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, "Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king's daughter."

35 The men went to bury Jezebel, but they could not find her. They found only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands.

36 When they came back and told Jehu, he said, "The Lord said this through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: 'The dogs will eat Jezebel at Jezreel.

37 Her body will be like manure on the field in the land at Jezreel. No one will be able to say that this is Jezebel.'"

1 In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him.

4 In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people.

5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.

6 There was a man named Johnn who was sent by God.

7 He came to tell people the truth about the Light so that through him all people could hear about the Light and believe.

8 John was not the Light, but he came to tell people the truth about the Light.

9 The true Light that gives light to all was coming into the world!

10 The Word was in the world, and the world was made by him, but the world did not know him.

11 He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

12 But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They did not become his children in any human way -- by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God.

14 The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory -- the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father -- and he was full of grace and truth.

15 John tells the truth about him and cries out, saying, "This is the One I told you about: 'The One who comes after me is greater than I am, because he was living before me.'"

16 Because he was full of grace and truth, from him we all received one gift after another.

17 The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. But God the only Son is very close to the Father, and he has shown us what God is like.

19 Here is the truth Johnn told when the Jews in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?"

20 John spoke freely and did not refuse to answer. He said, "I am not the Christ."

21 So they asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He answered, "No, I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" they asked. He answered, "No."

22 Then they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to tell those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John told them in the words of the prophet Isaiah: "I am the voice of one calling out in the desert: 'Make the road straight for the Lord.'"

24 Some Pharisees who had been sent asked John:

25 "If you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet, why do you baptize people?"

26 John answered, "I baptize with water, but there is one here with you that you don't know about.

27 He is the One who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie the strings of his sandals."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing people.