Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/399

 that He  had  chosen  him,  thus  saying,

'I have  found  Me  David,  after  Mine  own  heart,

that he  will  perform  all  My  will  by  his  works.'

This David  was  a  prophet  and  a  wonderful  king,

and pleased  God  to  his  life's  end,

and ever  obeyed  Him  with  all  his  heart.

He was  therefore  exalted  to  great  honours,

because he  ever  sought  how  he  might  please  God.

After him  reigned  over  the  kingdom  of  Israel

many kings,  diversely  disposed;

Some believed  in  the  living  God,

some in  idols  to  their  own  destruction,

and those  who  worshipped  God  were  exalted

and were  always  victorious  in  fight;

as for  those  who  turned  from  God  to  shameful  idolatry,

they were  put  to  shame,  and  were  ever  unsuccessful.

One of  these  was  Ahab  the  wicked  king

who despised  his  Creator,  and  chose  to  him  Baal,

the god  of  the  heathen,  who  had  no  goodness,

but was  a  cruel  devil,  detected  in  heresy.

This king's  queen  was  the  most  infamous  of  women,

called Jezebel,  fiercely  minded.

She incited  her  husband  to  every  cruelty,

and they  provoked  God  with  hostile  works.

In those  days  was  Elijah,  a  holy  prophet  of  God,

who besought  God  that  He  would  withdraw  rain-showers

from the  evil  king,  for  his  cruelty;

so three  years  and  a  half  passed  by

without rain-showers  and  reeking  dew,

and the  prophet  Elijah  departed  out  of  that  land,

and God  fed  him  by  the  ministrations  of  birds,

until He  sent  him  to  a  certain  widow

in the  Sidonian  country,  and  the  prophet  said  to  her;

'Thus saith  the  God  of  Israel,  that  oil  shall  not  fail  thee,