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1 Kings
Wheel of Heaven Translation
The Raëlian-canon-cited chapters of 1 Kings: the succession of Shelomoh (Solomon), the Temple and its dedication, the man of the Elohim at Beit-El (Bethel), the Eliyahu (Elijah) cycle, and Mikhayehu's (Micaiah's) vision
Direct
Established or uncontested across mainstream sources, or a direct description of the project itself.
The Method1 Kings (Hebrew Melakhim, "Kings") tells of Solomon's reign and the division of the kingdom, and of the prophets who confronted the kings of Israel. This translation covers the nine chapters that the Raëlian canon cites:
- 1 Kings 1–2: Shelomoh (Solomon) made king; Adoniyahu (Adonijah) and Yo'av (Joab) at the horns of the altar
- 1 Kings 6: the building of the house of YHWH
- 1 Kings 8: the ark brought in, the cloud filling the house, and the prayer of Shelomoh
- 1 Kings 13: the man of the Elohim from Yehudah and the torn altar at Beit-El (Bethel)
- 1 Kings 17: Eliyahu (Elijah) fed by ravens; the widow of Tzarfat and her son
- 1 Kings 18: the contest with the prophets of Ba'al on Mount Karmel and the fire of YHWH
- 1 Kings 19: Eliyahu at Horeb, the still small voice, and the call of Elisha
- 1 Kings 22: Mikhayehu's (Micaiah's) vision of YHWH enthroned among the host of the heavens
The Book Which Tells the Truth reads the cloud in the Temple, the fire on Karmel and the scene at Horeb as encounters with the Elohim. The translation renders the Hebrew plainly: ʿărāp̄el at 8:12 is "thick darkness", qôl dəmāmâ daqqâ at 19:12 is "a still small voice", and the canon's reading sits beside the traditional and critical readings in the notes. Verses with a note end in a bracketed marker [ ]; select it to open the note.
About this translation
- Edition
- Pointed Hebrew Masoretic text of the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), via Sefaria. The English translation and notes are released CC0.
- Coverage
- Chapters 1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 22 translated (382 verses): every chapter of the book cited in the Raëlian canon. The rest of the book is not translated.
- Review status
- Reviewed and signed off.
1 Kings 1 — Shelomoh (Solomon) made king; Adoniyahu (Adonijah) at the horns of the altar
1 Kings 2 — David's charge and the securing of the throne of Shelomoh (Solomon)
1 Kings 6 — Shelomoh (Solomon) builds the house for YHWH
1 Kings 8 — The ark brought in, the cloud fills the house, the prayer of Shelomoh (Solomon)
1 Kings 13 — The man of the Elohim from Yehudah and the torn altar at Beit-El (Bethel)
1 Kings 17 — Eliyahu (Elijah) at the brook Kerit and the widow of Tzarfat
1 Kings 18 — Eliyahu (Elijah) and the prophets of Ba'al on Mount Karmel
1 Kings 19 — Eliyahu (Elijah) at Horeb and the call of Elisha
1 Kings 22 — The vision of Mikhayehu (Micaiah): YHWH enthroned among the host of the heavens
Editorial history
Review record. All nine chapter files carry status: stable (v1.0.0) with a named human reviewer (zarazinsfuss), signed off on 2026-11-01 in three waves: chapters 17–19 (with 2 Kings 1–2, the Eliyahu cycle), chapters 1, 2, 13 and 22, and chapters 6 and 8 (with 2 Kings 4 and 17). Each wave has its editor report, reviewer reports in the chapter files, and a sign-off package in data-library/1-kings-woh/.
Selection. Part of the program to translate, as whole chapters, every biblical chapter the three Raëlian canon books cite. The Book Which Tells the Truth (ch. 3) reads these chapters closely: the horns of the altar (1:50; 2:28), the Temple and the cloud that fills it (6; 8), the man of the Elohim and the torn altar (13), Eliyahu fed, the fire of YHWH on Karmel and the still small voice at Horeb (17–19), and Mikhayehu's vision of YHWH enthroned among the host of the heavens (22).
Conventions. Proper names are transliterated from the Hebrew in their long forms, with tz for tsade (Eliyahu, Shelomoh, Mitzrayim, Tzidon); each chapter title gives the English form. Šāmayim is "skies" for the physical sky and "heaven(s)" where it names YHWH's realm. Ketiv/Qere sites translate the Qere and record the Ketiv. The Masoretic reading and verse numbering are kept at versional cruxes, with the Septuagint and Chronicles readings in the notes. The Temple rooms are porch, great hall and inner sanctuary. The canon's readings appear only in notes headed "Wheel of Heaven reading (reception note, not a translation claim)".
Production. Drafted by Claude Opus 5.5 and taken through the Wheel of Heaven Translation Program pipeline (Translator → Editor → Reviewer → human sign-off). Central glossary 2.78.0–2.80.0; 1-kings-woh overlay v1.2.0. Reference translation: ASV (1901). Commentary references: Cogan, I Kings (AB 10, 2001); Montgomery & Gehman (ICC, 1951); Burney (1903); Gray and Sweeney (OTL); Lust, VT 25 (1975) on 19:12. Methodology: Source-Text Translation.
bāʾ bayyāmîm 'advanced in days' (ASV 'stricken in years'), the idiom of Gen 24:1 and Josh 13:1. wəlōʾ yiḥam lô 'but he could not get warm': the king's failing body opens the succession narrative and brings in Avishag, whose status becomes the pretext of 2:13-25.