Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks
Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume I: A Kingdom Divided

Lesson 8 Ahab Humbles Himself Before the LORD
the First Book of the Kings 20:1—21:29

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Ahab Dies in Battle

This material coordinates with Lesson 8 on pages 51–57 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34

welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the First Book of the Kings 18:1—19:21
Lesson 7 Elijah Triumphs over the Prophets of Baal introduces Elijah as a prophet who through the power of God is able to control the weather. Sent by the LORD to announce a three-year drought that only a prophet can end, Elijah also demonstrates his ability to raise the dead—again through the power of God. In a showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah, the LORD responds to Elijah’s prayer with a spectacular display of fire. After Elijah has slain the prophets of Baal and announced the end of the drought, Jezebel vows to have him killed. Ready for his life to end but unwilling to die at Jezebel’s command, Elijah flees south to Mount Horeb, where God reveals himself in a new way, calling on Elijah to anoint new kings in Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel, and a prophet to take his own place.

map notes—geography figures into the Syrians’ battle strategy
While on Mount Horeb, the three people Elijah was tasked with anointing included Hazael as king of Syria, which has its capital at Damascus. This is the first time that the LORD has called a prophet to become directly involved in the political affairs of a pagan nation. Hazael’s anointing hasn’t yet occurred, but the biblical text describes the Syrians besieging Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. In the fifteenth chapter in the First Book of the Kings, Asa, ruler of the southern kingdom, enlisted the Syrians to fight the north in order to curtail encroachment of Judah’s border. It now appears that the ensuing war between the Syrians and the northern kingdom is ongoing. Believing that God is only effective helping the north when battle occurs in the hills, the Syrians plan to defeat Ahab’s troops by engaging them on the plain between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. God, however, brings about a second decisive victory for Israel. In the First Book of the Kings 20:28, an unnamed prophet announces in advance God’s reason for aiding Ahab: “You shall know that I am the LORD.” Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 56 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. 

a little humility goes a long way (46:53)
Given Ahab’s resentful nature, it’s a surprise when the First Book of the Kings 21:27 records that this ruler of the northern kingdom humbles himself in response to the LORD’s vow to eliminate his entire line. While the punishment decreed by God stands, Ahab’s humility moves the LORD to delay retribution until after Ahab’s death. In the video for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses the idea that although Ahab seems an unlikely role model for present-day Christians, his behavior can teach the importance of letting go of pride. No matter how serious our past sins, God responds favorably to those who are humble and who understand there’s no room for pride in relationship with God. Even with God’s favorable response to Ahab’s new-found humility, the consequences of Ahab’s sins remain.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 8, “Ahab Humbles Himself Before the LORD,” on pages 51–57 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Ahab taking battle strategy from an unnamed prophet?
The descendants of Jacob have a long history of relying on the LORD to get them out of military jams, which is why the God of Israel had come to be worshiped as a warrior god.

?  Since Ahab and his wife Jezebel have been averse to allowing worship of the LORD in the northern kingdom, what might explain why Ahab reverses his position to take battle advice from an unnamed prophet of the LORD?
?  What’s the result of the ensuing battle between the northern kingdom and the forces of the Syrian king Ben-Hadad?
?  What does the prophet warn Ahab that Ben-Hadad is planning to do next?
?  When does Ahab learn that the LORD intends to bring victory to Israel in the northern kingdom’s second battle with the Syrians?
?  What reason does the LORD give for why he’s aiding Ahab?
?  After Ahab successfully defeats the Syrians, what might his behavior indicate about his attitude toward the LORD?
?  How does the LORD react when Ahab spares Ben-Hadad’s life?
?  What did the LORD previously say to Elijah to indicate extreme displeasure with Ben-Hadad? If necessary refer to the First Book of the Kings 19:15.

read the Catechism—the concept of original sin underlies all of Scripture
Death coming to Ahab’s line but not during his lifetime can be understood to represent the eternal death that awaits men and women as a result of the original sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Paragraph 403 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that original sin is considered a certainty and so isn’t open for debate. Learn more about original sin in paragraphs 396–412 in the Catechism. You also can learn more about original sin in Lesson 3 The Fall of Adam & Eve in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

403     Following St. Paul, the Church has always taught that the overwhelming misery which oppresses men and their inclination toward evil and death cannot be understood apart from their connection with Adam’s sin and the fact that he has transmitted to us a sin with which we are all born afflicted, a sin which is the “death of the soul.” Because of this certainty of the faith, the Church baptizes for the remission of sins even tiny infants who have not committed personal sin.

judgment—you could look it up in our archives
In the First Book of the Kings 20:40, Ahab pronounces judgment against one of the sons of the prophets who’s disguised himself in order to deliver God’s judgment to the ruler of the northern kingdom. In Lost in Translation, an online column that can help readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps delves into different ways that “judgment” can be interpreted. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness takes an in-depth look at the New Testament concept of judgment.

life for a life
A life for a life is a common idea in the Old Covenant. This is functionally the ban at work, a concept introduced when the descendants of Jacob entered the Promised Land of Canaan. The Book of Joshua describes the ban in more detail, but in its essence the ban required God’s people to destroy all of those already living in regions promised to the descendants of Jacob. In the twentieth chapter in the First Book of the Kings, one of the sons of the prophets announces that because Ahab has failed to destroy Ben-Hadad and all of his army, Ahab’s own death and the death of Ahab’s people now will be required. Consider why Ahab reacts the way that he does to this message from the LORD.

what’s going on with Naboth’s refusal to give up his vineyard?
Underlying covenant law regarding land is the idea that God alone has eminent domain, which seems apparent in laws regarding the inheritance of family property in the book of Leviticus 25:23. Naboth has the right to refuse to sell his property, and even Ahab reluctantly accepts this reality. Jezebel, however, sees things differently. She usurps Ahab’s authority in order to have Naboth killed. Ahab is complicit in her actions, endorsing her behavior when he takes possession of the vineyard in question.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the LORD sending Elijah to Ahab again?
There are a number of interesting things to think about in connection with Elijah’s meeting with Ahab. One is that Elijah doesn’t deny being Ahab’s enemy. Instead, he turns Ahab’s criticism around and points out that Ahab is to blame for his own problems. Although another prophet previously told Ahab that God was going to require his life and the lives of his people, Elijah is more specific. Ahab’s house is to be destroyed as were the houses of Jeroboam and Baasha. Elijah includes details about animals and birds eating the dead bodies of Ahab and of Ahab’s relatives.

?  Consider what about Elijah’s words cause Ahab to tear his clothing, dress in sackcloth, and fast in a show of humility, while the words of other prophets only made Ahab resentful and sullen.

biblical vocabulary—abominable
The First Book of the Kings doesn’t mince words when criticizing Ahab, the ruler of the northern kingdom. After stating that no king prior to Ahab did as much evil in the sight of the LORD, the First Book of the Kings 21:26 records that Ahab “did very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the sons of Israel.” Most of us connect the word abominably with the Abominable Snowman, a figure from the folklore of Nepal. In that usage, the word abominable means “inhuman” or “beastly.” In the context of the First Book of the Kings, however, the word abominably is used to indicate that Ahab’s behavior caused revulsion.    

what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 8 to expand it. It also appears on page 54 in the study book.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the First Book of the Kings 21:1–9—paragraph 2538
the First Book of the Kings 21:8—paragraph 1295

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the First Book of the Kings 20:1—21:29 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical text.

O God, you repeatedly sent messages to Ahab
through more than one prophet.
Because Ahab refused to change his ways,
eventually your message was that he was going to die.
Give us the grace to recognize your message to us
and the humility to transform our lives
according to the word of your Gospel.
We ask this in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh. Amen.

Lesson 9 Ahab Dies in Battle—the First Book of the Kings 22:1—the Second Book of the Kings 1:18
Lesson 7 Elijah Triumphs over the Prophets of Baal—the First Book of the Kings 18:1—19:21

you also may like Volume II of our prophets study
Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption examines the biblical prophets after the Babylonian Exile in 586 B.C. It views the history of God’s people leading to the time of Jesus, and concludes with a look at John the Baptist and John of Patmos in the New Testament. Volume II of this Catholic Bible study builds on Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.