The Skeptics Annotated Bible (331 page)

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

21
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall,
and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

(21.21)
“Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall.”
God will “bring evil upon” Ahab and kill everyone in his family “that pisseth against the wall.”

(21.22-24) Jezebel (Ahab’s “strange” wife) “stirred up” Ahab to “work wickedness in the sight of the Lord.” To punish her, God will feed her dead body to the dogs. He also plans to feed Ahab’s family to the dogs (if they live in the city) and to the birds (if they are country folks).

22
And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat,
and
like the house of
Baasha
the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

(21.22)
“And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam … and … Baasha.”

23
And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel
by the wall of Jezreel.

(21.23)
“And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel.”

24
Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

(21.24)
“Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.”

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came to pass,
when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes
, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

(21.27)
“When Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes.”

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29
Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

(21.29) “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” Since Ahab humbles himself before the Lord, God decides not to bring evil on him; he’ll bring it on Ahab’s son instead.
41 Are children punished for the sins of their fathers?