the law see notes at Lev 1:2. threshing floor (1 Chron 21:25; 22:1).

the law see notes at Lev 1:2. threshing floor (1 Chron 21:25; 22:1).

411 2 SAMUEL 24:25

prostrated himself before the king with his face on the ground.

the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “The LORD your God accept you.”

21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

24 And the king said to Araunah, “No, but I must buy it from you at a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God from what costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague may be held back from the people.”

22 And Araunah said to David, “May my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 O king, all these things Araunah gives to

25 And David built an altar there to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD heard prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.

“Jebusite” – 5:6. 24:21 “Held back” – compare Num 16:4450. For the significance of sacrifices under the law see notes at Lev 1:2. 24:24 Alas, that many of God’s people are willing to give their worst to God, or that which costs them the least (Mal 1:13,14). In this way they show that their love for Him is very small or non-existent. Note and references on giving at 2 Cor 9:15.

David paid 50 shekels of silver for the threshing floor and oxen. He paid 600 shekels of gold for the area which contained the threshing floor (1 Chron 21:25; 22:1). 24:25 These offerings spoke of dedication to God and reconciliation after sinning against Him. See notes at Leviticus chapters 1 and 3. After the events of this chapter, the people might well have prayed the prayer of Moses (psalm 90). It is a fitting commentary on this chapter.

“Fifty shekels” – about 0.6 kilogram.

1 KINGS

Title:

Originally 1 Kings and 2 Kings were one book (in the Hebrew Bible). The translators of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) divided the one book into two.

Author, date:

According to ancient Jewish tradition the author was the prophet Jeremiah, but there is no proof for this. It was probably written shortly after the Jews went into captivity in Babylon.

Themes:

This book continues the history of the kings who ruled the people of Israel from David to Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah. Some important events recorded here are the construction of the temple by Solomon, the division of the tribes of Israel into two kingdoms, the rapid descent of the northern kingdom into idolatry and corruption, and the remarkable ministry of the prophet Elijah. The events in 1 Kings cover a period of 118 years.

Cont,ents :

Solomon as king ........................................................................................... 1:1 - 11:43

David’s last days and Adonijah’s

attempt to become king ....................................................................... 1:1-10 Solomon chosen by David and God ............................................................ 1:11-40 David’s final instructions to Solomon ........................................................... 2:1-9 David’s death .......................................................................................... 2:10,11 The beginning of Solomon’s rule and the

elimination of wicked enemies ............................................................... 2:12-46 Solomon marries Pharaoh’s daughter.......................................................... 3:1 Solomon’s love for God ............................................................................. 3:2 Solomon’s request for wisdom ................................................................... 3:3-9 God gives Solomon wisdom and more ......................................................... 3:10-15 One baby, two mothers, Solomon’s wise decision ......................................... 3:16-28 Solomon organizes the kingdom ................................................................. 4:1-28 Solomon’s wisdom .................................................................................... 4:29-34 Solomon prepares to build the temple ......................................................... 5:1-18 Solomon builds the temple and his palace .................................................... 6:1 - 7:51 The dedication of the temple ..................................................................... 8:1-66 The ark and the cloud .............................................................................. 8:1-11 Solomon’s speech to the people................................................................. 8:12-21 Solomon’s prayer ..................................................................................... 8:22-53 God’s promise to Solomon ......................................................................... 9:1-9 Other works of Solomon ........................................................................... 9:10-28 The visit of the queen of Sheba................................................................. 10:1-13 Solomon’s wealth ..................................................................................... 10:14-29 Solomon’s fall into sin and God’s message to him .......................................... 11:1-13 Solomon’s enemies Hadad, Rezon, Jeroboam .............................................. 11:14-40 Solomon’s death ...................................................................................... 11:41-43 The division of the kingdom ........................................................................... 12:1-24 Jeroboam creates a false, idolatrous religion ................................................... 12:25-33 Prophecies against Jeroboam ........................................................................ 13:1 - 14:20

The man of God from Judah ...................................................................... 13:1-34 The prophet Ahijah predicts the

destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty ........................................................ 14:1-20

413 1 KINGS

Judah’s bad king Rehoboam .......................................................................... 14:21-31 Judah’s bad king Abijah ................................................................................ 15:1-8 Judah’s good king Asa .................................................................................. 15:9-24 Israel’s evil king Nadab ................................................................................. 15:25-32 Israel’s evil king Baasha ................................................................................ 15:33 - 16:7 Israel’s evil king Elah ..................................................................................... 16:8-14 Israel’s evil king Zimri .................................................................................... 16:15-20 Israel’s evil king Omri .................................................................................... 16:21-28 Israel’s evil king Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah’s ministry ......................................... 16:29 - 22:40

The sudden appearance of Elijah ............................................................... 17:1 Elijah fed by the ravens ........................................................................... 17:2-6 Elijah and the widow of Zarephath ............................................................. 17:7-24 Obadiah takes Elijah to Ahab .................................................................... 18:1-15 Elijah and Baal’s prophets on Carmel .......................................................... 18:16-41 Elijah’s prayer for rain .............................................................................. 18:42-46 Elijah’s depression and flight to Sinai .......................................................... 19:1-9 The Lord’s encouragement and instruction to Elijah ...................................... 19:10-18 Elijah goes to Elisha ................................................................................. 19:19-21 Ben-Hadad’s defeat at Samaria ................................................................. 20:1-34 God’s message to Ahab ............................................................................ 20:35-43 Ahab covets Naboth’s vineyard ................................................................. 21:1-4 Jezebel’s way of getting the vineyard ........................................................ 21:4-16 Elijah gives God’s message to Ahab............................................................ 21:7-29 Good king Jehoshaphat and evil Ahab ........................................................ 22:1-28 Lying prophets join hands ......................................................................... 22:6,10-12 The prophet Micaiah tells the truth ............................................................ 22:13-28 The death of Ahab, Micaiah’s word is fulfilled .............................................. 22:29-40 Judah’s good king Jehoshaphat ..................................................................... 22:41-50 Israel’s evil king Ahaziah ............................................................................... 22:51-53

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Now king David was old and advanced in years, and they put covers over him, but he did not keep warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and take care of him, and let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may keep warm.”

11 Therefore Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David does not know it? 12 Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go and approach king David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maid servant, saying, “Your son Solomon shall certainly reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?” Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 Look, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.”

3 So they looked for a beautiful girl throughout all the territories of Israel, and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the girl was very beautiful, and took care of the king and ministered to him, but the king did not know her.

5 Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, “I will be king,” and he prepared chariots and horsemen for himself, and fifty men to run before him. 6 And his father had not displeased him at any time by saying, ”Why have you done so?” And he also was a very handsome man; and his mother bore him after Absalom.

15 And Bathsheba went in to the king in his room. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king. 16 And Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself to the king.

And the king said, “What do you wish?” 17 And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maid servant, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall certainly reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18 And now, look, Adonijah has become king, and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. 19 And he has slaughtered oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David’s mighty men, were not with Adonijah.

9 And Adonijah slaughtered sheep and oxen and fat cattle at the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.

On bringing up children see Prov 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13,14; 29:15,17; Eph 6:4; 1 Tim 3:4,5; Heb 12:5-11. 1:7 “Joab” – the commander of the army (2 Sam 8:16).

1:1 “Years” – David was about seventy years old (2 Sam 5:4). 1:3 “Shunam” – Josh 19:17,18; 1 Sam 28:4; 2 Kings 4:8. 1:4 “Know” – note at Gen 4:1. 1:5 “Adonijah” – he was the fourth son of David. Haggith was one of the wives of David (2 Sam 3:4). But both Amnon and Absalom were dead, and probably Kileab also (after his birth nothing is written about him anywhere). Evidently Adonijah thought he should be next in line for the throne of Israel.

“Helped him” – power lovers will usually find a following of some kind or other. 1:8 “Benaiah” – captain of David’s bodyguard (2 Sam 8:18).

“Shimei and Rei” – or perhaps it could be translated “Shimei and his friends.” It is very unlikely that this means the Shimei of 2:8,9 and 2 Sam 16:5-9. 1:9 “En-Rogel” – just outside the wall of Jerusalem to the southeast. 1:10 “Solomon” – 2 Sam 12:24,25. 1:11 “Bathsheba” – 2 Sam 11:3,27. Adonijah had not actually ascended the throne, but his conspiracy was well supported and certain to succeed unless something was done. 1:13 This promise is not recorded in the Bible, but David says in v 30 that he had made it. And God had made it clear to David that Solomon was the one to be David’s successor (1 Chron 22:6-10; 28:5-7). One main difference between Adonijah and Solomon is that Adonijah “exalted himself” (v 5), but God appointed Solomon.

“Exalted himself” – he (and all Israel) knew that God had chosen Solomon to be king after David. See 1 Chron 28:5-7. But Adonijah was not willing to accept this. Now Christians do not have the right to put themselves forward to grasp power and position. See Jer 45:5; Matt 10:38,39; 16:24,25; 20:25-28. “Run before him” – like Absalom (2 Sam 15:1). 1:6 “Not displeased him” – parents who let their children do what they please, instead of disciplining them and bringing them up in the fear of the Lord, will be storing up trouble and sorrow for later years. David is now once again reaping what he had sown.

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after him. 21 Otherwise it shall come about, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be regarded as offenders.”

Israel and over Judah.”

36 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answered the king, and said, ”Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. 37 As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.”

22 And, then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 And they told the king, saying, “Look, Nathan the prophet.” And when he had come in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

38 So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites, went down and had Solomon ride on king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “God save king Solomon!” 40 And all the people came up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth split with their noise.

24 And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?’ 25 For he has gone down this day, and slaughtered oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the officers of the army and Abiathar the priest, and, see, they are eating and drinking in his presence, and they are saying, ’God save king Adonijah!’ 26 But he has not invited me, me your servant, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. 27 Is this thing done by my lord the king? And have you not told your servant who would sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

41 And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is that noise of uproar coming from the city?”

28 Then king David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba for me.” And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

42 And while he was still speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came, and Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a brave man, and bring good news.”

29 And the king took an oath and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30 just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall certainly reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my stead’, just so I will certainly do today.”

43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “On the contrary. Our lord king David has made Solomon king. 44 And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they had him ride on the king’s mule. 45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. And they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar again. This is the noise that you heard. 46 And also Solomon is seated on the throne of the kingdom. 47 And, moreover, the king’s servants have come to congratulate our lord king David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed down on the bed. 48 And also the king has said, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne today, with my eyes seeing it.’”

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and prostrated herself to the king, and said, “May my lord king David live forever.”

32 And king David said, “Call Zadok the priest for me, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came before the king. 33 And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon, 34 and have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king there over Israel, and blow with the trumpet, and say, ‘God save king Solomon.’ 35 Then you shall come up after him, that he may come and sit on my throne. For he shall be king in my place, for I have appointed him to be ruler over

1:21 She was afraid that Adonijah would put to death any potential rivals for the throne. 1:24 Nathan could be blunt when that was needed (2 Sam 12:7). He could also be diplomatic and shrewd. He well knew that David had not chosen Adonijah. 1:29 “Distress” – 2 Sam 4:9; Ps 34:6. 1:30 Verse 13. 1:33 “Gihon” – a spring on the slope of Mt Zion. 1:34 1 Sam 10:1; 16:3,12; 2 Sam 15:10.

1:38 “Pelethites” – note at 2 Sam 8:18. 1:39 Anointing with oil indicated that God was setting apart a person to be king. 1:41 Gihon was not far from En-Rogel and loud noise from one place would carry to the other. 1:48 “Who has given someone to sit on my throne” – 2 Sam 7:12; Ps 132:11,12. David did what he could to see that Solomon succeeded him, but he knew that it was God’s doing.

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49 And all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up, and every man went his way. 50 And Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of king Solomon, for, see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let king Solomon swear to me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether. He killed them, shedding the blood of war in peace, and putting the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his shoes that were on his feet. 6 Therefore act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

7 ”But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom your brother.

52 And Solomon said, “If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the ground, but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.” 53 So king Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed down to king Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

8 ”And, look, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not consider him innocent, for you are a wise man, and know what you ought to do to him, and bring his gray head down to the grave with blood.”

Now David’s time to die drew near, and he gave a charge to his son Solomon, saying, 2 “I am going the way of all the earth, therefore be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that the LORD may fulfil his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful about their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you will not lack (he said) a man on the throne of Israel.’

10 So David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 And Adonijah, the son of Haggith, came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peaceably?”

5 “Moreover, you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two

And he said, “Peaceably.” 14 He also said,

1:49 When Adonijah’s attempt to be king failed he suddenly lost his supporters. As so often among men, fear destroyed any loyalty they may have had. 1:50 “Horns” – Ex 27:2. By this action Adonijah was seeking sanctuary and safety in God’s place of worship – a custom common in many times and places. 2:1 “Time to die” – compare Deut 31:1-8; Josh 23:1-16; 1 Sam 12:1-25. 2:2 “Be strong” – Deut 31:6,23; Josh 1:6,7; 23:4. 2:3 “His ways” – Deut 4:5,6; 10:12,13; 17:18-20; Josh 1:7. 2:4 “His word” – see 2 Sam 7:11-16. “With all their heart” – Deut 4:29; 6:5; 10:12; 30:6. Both Solomon and most of his successors on the throne failed to do this, and eventually disaster overtook the people of Israel. But the promise to David was not canceled. Christ, the Son of David, will fulfil it. 2:5 “He killed them” – 2 Sam 3:27-39; 20:4-10. See also 18:9-14. Joab was a skillful general but a hard and bloodthirsty man. David was never able to deal with him as he should have. 2:6 David wanted Solomon to do what he

himself had been too weak to do. David knew that if Joab lived he could be a continual source of trouble to Solomon’s reign.

“Grave” – in Hebrew “Sheol” (also v 9) – note at Gen 37:35. 2:7 2 Sam 17:27-29; 19:31-38. 2:8 “Shimei” – 2 Sam 16:5-8; 19:18-23. 2:9 “Innocent” – Shimei could not be considered innocent. See Ex 22:28. David knew that Shimei too could be a source of trouble to the new king. For the sake of a peaceful reign it was better, David thought, to rid the kingdom of such people as Joab and Shimei. See notes on psalm 101. Compare Luke 19:27; etc. 2:10 “Slept” – a choice of word by the Holy Spirit which indicated death, but this word may also suggest, as some think, survival after death. For those who sleep wake again. See Dan 12:2. It is the body which “slept”, the spirit went into the unseen world.

“City of David” – 2 Sam 5:6,7; Acts 2:29. 2:11 2 Sam 5:4,5. His reign was from about 1010 to 970 B.C. 2:13 1:5. “Peaceably” – Adonijah had not shown himself to be a man of peace and

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“I have something to say to you.”

today.” 25 And king Solomon sent orders to Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and Adonijah died.

And she said, “Speak.” 15 And he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel was looking to me to be king. However the kingdom has turned around and become my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD. 16 And now I make one request of you. Do not deny me.”

26 And the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the LORD God in front of my father David, and because you suffered in everything my father suffered.” 27 So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being a priest to the LORD in fulfilment of the word of the LORD, which he spoke in Shiloh concerning the house of Eli.

And she said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not refuse you) that he may give Abishag the Shunammite to me as my wife.”

18 And Bathsheba said, “Very well. I will speak for you to the king.”

28 Then news came to Joab, for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he had not turned after Absalom. And Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and took hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and was there by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.”

19 So Bathsheba went to king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne, and had a seat placed for the king’s mother; and she sat at his right hand.

20 Then she said, “I will make one small request of you. Please do not refuse me.”

And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said to him, “This is what the king says, ‘Come out.’”

21And she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”

And he said, “No, but I will die here.” And Benaiah brought word back to the king, saying, “This is what Joab says, and this is what he answered me.”

22 And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask the kingdom for him also, for he is my older brother. Ask it for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”

31 And the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, so that you can remove from me and from my father’s house the innocent blood which Joab shed. 32 And the LORD will bring back his blood onto his own head. He struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, my father David being unaware of it, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. Bathsheba had reason to doubt his purpose in coming. 2:15 He may have thought that as the oldest living son of David, the kingdom was his. However, the kingdom was really God’s and He had not given it to Adonijah. 2:17 “Abishag” – 1:3,4. This request was not a simple, innocent one. See v 22. 2:19 “Right hand” – place of honor. Eph 1:20,21, etc. 2:22 “Kingdom for him” – obviously Abishag was regarded as David’s concubine or wife, and Adonijah’s desire to marry her was the same as making a claim to the throne. See 2 Sam 3:7; 12:8; 16:21. 2:23 See 1:52. Adonijah had proved unworthy. 2:24 “Promised” – 2 Sam 7:11-13; 1 Chron 22:10. 2:26 “Abiathar” – 1:7,25. He deserved to die because he, with Adonijah, was in rebellion against God’s appointed king and so against God Himself.

23 Then king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do harm to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life. 24 Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David, and who has founded a house for me, as he promised, Adonijah will be put to death

“Suffered” – 1 Sam 22:20-23; 23:6-9; 30:7; 2 Sam 17:15; 19:11. 2:27 1 Sam 2:27-36. 2:28 “Altar” – 1:50. 2:29 “Strike him down” – Joab was guilty of murder and rebellion, sins worthy of death under the law. He had no right to seek asylum in God’s place of worship. Asylum of any kind was only for those who accidentally killed someone. See Ex 21:12-17. It is no use at any time for the guilty to try to find safety under the shelter of religion, without repentance. God will not spare such. See Ezek 9:1-6. There is refuge in God only for the truly repentant and believing. 2:31 “Remove. . .innocent blood” – this was a very important concept. The guilt of one leader could cling to a whole nation and cause great trouble. Compare 2 Sam 21:1. See also Joshua chapter 7. 2:32 “Bring back his blood” – Gen 9:6; Deut 32:40,41; Jud 9:24,57; 2 Sam 3:27,29,39; 20:9,10; Ps 7:15,16;

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33 Therefore their blood will return onto the head of Joab, and onto the head of his offspring forever, but there will be peace from the LORD forever on David, and on his offspring, and on his house, and on his throne.”

me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath you swore by the LORD, and the command that I gave you?”

44 Moreover the king said to Shimei, “You know all the evil that you did to my father David which your heart is aware of; therefore the LORD will bring back your evil on your own head, 45 and king Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will be established before the LORD forever.”

34 So Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up and struck him down and killed him. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 And in his place the king put Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

46 So the king gave a command to Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and Shimei died.

36 And the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and live there, and do not go anywhere from there. 37 For this is the way it will be: on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, you may know for certain that you will surely die; your blood will be on your own head.”

And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

And Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter in marriage and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 However the people sacrificed on the high places, because up to that time there was no house built for the name of the LORD. 3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David. However he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

38 And Shimei said to the king, “The word is good. Your servant will do just as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 And it so happened at the end of three years, that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish, son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 40 And Shimei arose and saddled his donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. So Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.

4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night and God said, “Ask. What shall I give you?”

41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42 And the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and solemnly warned you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel around anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to

6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great mercy to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in truth and in righteousness, and in integrity of heart with you; and you have

3:4-15 2 Chron 1:3-13. 3:4 “Gibeon” – Josh 9:3-27; 18:25; 21:17. The reason for Gibeon’s importance was that the tabernacle and bronze altar (Ex 25:8,9; 27:1,2) were there – 1 Chron 21:29; 2 Chron 1:2-6. 3:5 “Dream” – notes at Gen 15:12; Num 12:6; Deut 13:1. “Ask. What shall I give you” – God loves to give good gifts to men (Rom 8:32; James 1:17; John 3:16; etc). If God promised to give us the one thing we asked for, what would we ask? Wisdom, as Solomon asked? Riches? Power? Humility? Love? Purity? The thing we asked for would reveal what kind of people we are. Is it spiritual blessings we would ask for? Then see Eph 1:3. We should understand what these spiritual blessings are and ask for them all. In our asking God does not limit us to one thing, but we should always be very careful what we ask for. 3:6 “Solomon said” – the prayer which follows shows Solomon at his spiritual best.

Jer 25:14; Gal 6:7. 2:33 Only by cleansing the kingdom from guilt could peace be expected. 2:37 A wise way of making Shimei himself responsible for whether he was to live or die. 2:44 “Evil that you did” – 2 Sam 16:5-13. “Bring back” – v 32. 2:45 Verses 32,33. 2:46 The death of two potential troublemakers helped to make Solomon’s position stable. 3:1 “Marriage” – this cemented a political alliance.

“City of David” – 2 Sam 5:6,7. 3:2 The high places were shrines used in idol worship by the people of Canaan before the Israelites entered the land. The Israelites used them as places in which to worship Jehovah the true God. But this violated the law (Deut 7:5; 12:3-6,13,14). Later in history they forsook Jehovah and worshipped idols and false gods on the high places. 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord, but he failed in this one matter early in his reign. This seed of disobedience or carelessness regarding God’s laws came to full and terrible flower in his later years – 11:4-8.

“Integrity of heart” – notes at Ps 18:20-26. “Given him a son” – 1:48; 2 Sam 7:8-16.

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kept for him this great kindness, and you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

birth that this woman also gave birth. And we were together. No stranger was with us in the house – just the two of us in the house. 19 And this woman’s child died during the night, because she lay on top of it. 20 And she got up at midnight and took my son from my side, while your maidservant was sleeping, and put it in her bosom, and put her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I arose in the morning to nurse my child, see, it was dead. But in the morning when I looked at this child, see, it was not my son, the one I had borne.”

7 ”And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, and I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is among your people whom you have chosen, a great people, who are so many they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, so that I may discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge this your so great people?”

10 And the speech (that Solomon had asked this thing) pleased the Lord. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life and have not asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment, 12 see, I have done according to your words; I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was no one like you before you, and after you no one will arise like you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that all your days there will not be any among the kings like you. 14 And if you will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”

22 And the other woman said, “No, but the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” And this one said, “No, but the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.

23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This living one is my son. Your son is the dead one.’ And the other says, ‘No, but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” And they brought a sword into the king’s presence. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”

26 Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king, for she was moved with compassion for her son, and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and do not at all kill him!” But the other had said,

15 And Solomon awoke and saw that it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings and offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

“Let it be neither mine nor yours, but divide it.” 27 Then the king answered and said, “Give her the living child, and do not at all kill him. She is his mother.”

16 Then two women, prostitutes, came to the king and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, “O my lord, I and this woman live in one house. And I gave birth to a child, with her in the house. 18 And it came about the third day after I gave

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had given, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to give judgment.

3:7 “I am but a little child” – compare Jer 1:6,7. At the beginning of his reign Solomon was probably about 20 years old. He felt incapable of leading God’s people. In a way this made him more capable, because he cast himself on God who is able to make men capable for anything. 3:8 “Cannot be numbered” – Gen 13:16; 15:5; 22:17; Ex 19:6; Deut 7:6. Solomon asked for wisdom that he might carry out his duties in governing, not that he might gain a reputation for wisdom or use his wisdom for his own ends. 3:9 “Understanding heart” – 2 Sam 14:17; Dan 2:21; Heb 5:14.

3:11 Solomon had not asked for the things so many kings would have asked for. We should all be very careful what we ask God for. Compare Ps 106:15. 3:12,13 “I have done according to your words” – Matt 7:7-11; 1 John 5:14,15.

“Wise” – 4:29-34; 10:23,27; 1 Chron 29:12. If our lives and requests please God He may give us far more than we asked or thought. Compare Eph 3:20. 3:14 Verse 6. David was far from perfect and he sinned grievously in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah. But on the whole he was obedient to God’s laws.

“Prolong your days” – under the law a long life was a reward for obedience to God. 3:15 “Ark” – note at Ex 25:10-22. “Offerings” – notes on Leviticus chapters 1 and 3. 3:16 People in Israel could bring a case directly to the king. In this particular case Solomon began to show the wisdom God

“Who is able” – 2 Cor 2:16; 3:5,6. Possibly Solomon’s desire for wisdom was produced, or at least encouraged, by David’s words to him in 1 Chron 22:12. 3:10 This was a prayer God delighted to answer. It was for the right thing and came out of right motives. Compare Jam 1:5; 4:3.

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So king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the officials he had: Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. 4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers, and Zabud the son of Nathan was the principal officer, and the king’s friend, 6 and Ahishar was over the household, and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the labour force.

official who was in that land.

20 In number Judah and Israel were as many as the sand which is by the sea, eating and drinking and rejoicing. 21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of their life. 22 And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, 23 ten fat oxen and twenty oxen from the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides deer and roebucks and gazelles and fatted fowl. 24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River, from Tiphsah to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the River. And he had peace on all sides around him. 25 And Judah and Israel lived in safety all the days of Solomon, each man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba.

7 And Solomon had twelve officials over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household, each one providing this in his appointed month in a year. 8 And these were their names: The son of Hur, in Mount Ephraim; 9 the son of Dekar, in Makaz and in Shaalbim and in Beth Shemesh and Elon-beth-hanan; 10 the son of Hesed, in Aruboth – he had Sochoh and all the land of Hepher; 11 the son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor (his wife was Taphath, the daughter of Solomon); 12 Baana the son of Ahilud – he had Taanach and Megiddo and all Beth Shean, which is near Zartanah below Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah and beyond Jokneam; 13 the son of Geber, in Ramoth Gilead – he had the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh which are in Gilead, and his was the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bars of brass; 14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim, 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (also he married Basmath, the daughter of Solomon); 16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth; 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin; 19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan, the only

26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27 And those officials provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, each man in his month. They lacked nothing. 28 They also brought barley and hay for the horses and steeds where they were, each man according to his charge.

29 And God gave Solomon exceedingly great wisdom and understanding and largeness of heart, as great as the sand on the seashore. 30 And Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was in all nations around Israel. 32 And he uttered three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. 33 And he spoke of trees, from

have been very large.

had given him. 4:4 “Benaiah” – 2:27,35. 4:6 “Labour force” – 9:15; 2 Sam 20:24. Non-Israelites who had been captured in battle, or some of the original Canaanites who remained in the land, became servants or slaves in Israel. Compare Josh 9:22-27. See Deut 20:17. Note on slavery at Ex 21:2. 4:7 “Household” – see 1 Sam 8:10-18. 4:8 “Son of Hur” – or “Ben-Hur.” In Hebrew “ben” means “son.” 4:18 This was not the Shimei of 2:8,44. 4:19 “Bashan” – Deut 3:8-10. 4:20 “Rejoicing” – they were prosperous (v 25) and at peace (5:4). But before too long some in Israel began to feel the burden of supporting the king’s household and royal court – 12:4. 4:21 “River” – this was the full extent of the land promised to Abraham’s descendants (Gen 15:18). Only David and Solomon, of all the kings of Israel, ruled so much territory. 4:22 Solomon’s retinue in his palace must

“Measure” – in Hebrew “kor” – about six to ten bushels (depending on the size of the bushel), or 220 liters. 4:25 Two of the things people want most – peace and prosperity. 4:26 10:26. In this Solomon violated the instructions given in Deut 17:16.

“Forty thousand” – some Septuagint manuscripts have “four” (see also 2 Chron 9:25). Hebrew manuscripts available now have “forty.” 4:29 3:12; 4:20. 4:30 “The East” – Hebrews generally regarded this as the area east of the Jordan river and Dead Sea extending to Babylonia on the Euphrates river. 4:31 “Wiser than all men” – wiser than any until the Lord Jesus came (Luke 11:31). 4:32 Prov 1:1; Eccl 12:9; Song of Songs 1:1. 4:33 Solomon’s wisdom was primarily a knowledge of God, an understanding of

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the cedar tree in Lebanon to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He also spoke of animals and of birds and of creeping things and of fish. 34 And some from every people came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

there. Then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire of providing food for my household.”

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar and fir logs, as many as he wanted. 11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of pressed olive oil. Solomon gave this year by year to Hiram.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father. For Hiram had always loved David.

12 So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. 13 Then king Solomon raised up a labour force from all Israel, and the labour force was thirty thousand men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon in shifts, ten thousand a month. They were one month in Lebanon, and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the labour force. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stones in the mountains, 16 besides thirty-three hundred from among the chief deputies of Solomon who supervised the people who were labouring in the work. 17 And the king gave orders, and they brought great stones, costly stones, cut stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders, and the men from Gebal, one cut them. So they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil event. 5 And, see, I purpose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to my father David, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, will build a house for my name.’ 6 Now therefore, give orders for cutting cedar trees for me out of Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay the wages of your servants in accordance with all you determine. For you know that there is no one among us who can skillfully cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 And when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, it came about that he greatly rejoiced, and said, “Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.”

And it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. 2 The length of the house which king Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits, and its height was thirty cubits. 3 And the length of the portico before the main room of the house was twenty cubits, in accordance with the breadth of

8 And Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have considered the things about which you sent me word. I will do everything you want about cedar logs and fir logs. 9 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will have them sent on by sea in rafts to the place you appoint for me, and I will have them separate them

people, an ability to administer the kingdom, etc, but included such matters as these. 4:34 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chron 9:23. “Earth” – that is, the civilized world known by the people of Israel in those days. This would have been Egypt, parts of Arabia, and nations of western Asia, and possibly a few well-known countries somewhat more distant. 5:1 “Hiram” – 2 Sam 5:11. 5:2-11 2 Chron 2:3-16. 5:3 “Under. . .his feet” – for David’s desire to build God’s temple see 2 Sam 7:1-5. For the reason why he could not do so see 1 Chron 22:8; 28:2,3. 5:4 4:24. 5:5 2 Sam 7:12,13. 5:6 Lebanon was famous for its cedar trees. 5:7 “LORD” – the king of an idolatrous people knew the name “Jehovah” and was

willing to praise Him. Whether he had a mere head knowledge or true faith in Him, we do not know. 5:12 Solomon’s wisdom was seen in part in the way he dealt with neighboring countries. 5:13 Note at 4:6. Those conscripted were nonIsraelites living in the land. Solomon did not conscript any Israelites for labor. See 9:22,23. 5:15-18 The work was great and required a great number of people. 5:18 “Men from Gebal” – the KJV has “stonesquarers” here, a very unlikely meaning of the Hebrew. 6:1-28 2 Chron 3:1-13. 6:1 “Fourth year” – 966 B.C. The temple Solomon built remained standing until 586 B.C. when the Babylonians destroyed it. 6:2 The temple building followed the pattern of the tabernacle, but most dimensions were doubled. It was about

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the house, and its width before the house was ten cubits. 4 And he made windows of beveled frames for the house.

and open flowers. Everything was of cedar. No stone was seen. 19 And he prepared the sanctuary on the inside of the house, to place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 20 And the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide and twenty cubits high. And he overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and likewise overlaid the altar made of cedar. 21 So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he made a partition with gold chains in front of the sanctuary, and he overlaid the sanctuary with gold.

5 Against the wall of the house he built chambers all around the surrounding walls of the house, both of the main room and the sanctuary. And he made chambers all around. 6 The lowest chamber was five cubits wide, and the middle chamber was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide. For he made narrow ledges around the outside so that the beams would not be fastened into the walls of the house. 7 And the house, while it was being built, was made of stone prepared before it was brought there, so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any other iron tool heard in the house, while it was being built. 8 The door for the middle chamber was on the right side of the house, and they went up by winding stairs to the middle chamber, and from the middle to the third.

22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold until he finished the entire house. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar which was by the sanctuary.

23 And he made two cherubs of olive wood for the inside of the sanctuary, ten cubits high. 24 And one wing of a cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of a cherub was five cubits. There were ten cubits from one end of the one wing to the end of the other. 25 The other cherub was also ten cubits. Both cherubs were of one measure and one size. 26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the height of the other cherub.

9 So he built the house and finished it, and covered the house with beams and cedar boards. 10 And then he built chambers against the entire house, five cubits high, and they rested on the house with cedar timber.

11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 “Concerning this house which you are building: If you will walk in my statutes, and administer my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them, then I will perform my word with you, which I spoke to your father David. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”

27 And he placed the cherubs inside the inner house. And the wings of the cherubs were stretched out, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall, and their wings touched one another in the middle of the house. 28 And he overlaid the cherubs with gold. 29 And he carved all the surrounding walls of the house with carved figures of cherubs and palm trees and open flowers, both inside the sanctuary and outside. 30 And he overlaid the floor of the house with gold, both inside the sanctuary and outside.

14 So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15 And he made the inside walls of the house with cedar boards, from the floor of the house to the ceiling, and he paneled them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with fir planks. 16 And at the rear of the house he built a twenty-cubit room, from floor to ceiling, with cedar boards. He built it inside as the sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place. 17 And before it the house, that is, the temple, was forty cubits long. 18 And the cedar of the house was carved inside with buds

31 And for the entrance of the sanctuary he made doors of olive wood. The lintel and the side posts were one-fifth of the wall. 32 The two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubs and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold and spread

27 meters long and 9 meters wide. A cubit is about 18 inches. 6:11 “Word of the LORD came” – 12:22; 13:20; 16:1,7; 17:2; 21:17; Jer 1:4; Ezek 3:16. This means that God sent His message to him, perhaps directly in a vision or dream, perhaps through a prophet. 6:12 The message revealed that God was more concerned with what Solomon was than with what Solomon built. The character of His people and their attitude toward His Word are of more importance to God than any work they may undertake to do.

continuing presence with them was based on their obedience to the covenant made at Sinai. Note at Ex 19:5,6. 6:16 “Most Holy Place” – Ex 26:33; Lev 16:2. 6:17 “House” – the holy place. See Ex 26:35; Heb 9:1-5. 6:18 1 Kings 7:24. 6:19 “Sanctuary” – v 16. “Ark” – note at Ex 25:10-22. 6:20 “Cubits” – about 9 meters by 9 meters. 6:21 “Gold” – a huge amount of gold was used in the temple – vs 22,28,30; 7:48-50. 6:23 “Cherubs” – notes at Gen 3:24; Ex 25:18-20.

“I will perform my word” – 2 Sam 7:5-16. 6:13 “I will dwell” – note at Ex 25:8. His

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gold on the cherubs and on the palm trees. 33 So for the door of the temple he also made posts of olive wood, one-fourth of the wall. 34 And the two doors were of fir wood. The two leaves of one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35 And he carved on them cherubs and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, fitted on the carved work. 36 And he built the inner courtyard with three rows of cut stone, and a row of cedar beams.

courtyard. 10 And the foundation was of choice stones, great stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. 11 And above were choice stones, according to the measure of cut stones, and cedars. 12 And the great court all around was with three rows of cut stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the hall of the house.

13 And king Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for work in all kinds of bronze workmanship. And he came to king Solomon and did all his work.

37 The foundation of the house of the LORD was laid in the fourth year, in the month Zif, 38 and the house throughout all its parts and according to all its plans was finished in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month. So he was seven years in building it.

15 For he cast two pillars of bronze, each eighteen cubits high; and it took a measuring line of twelve cubits to go around either of them. 16 And he made two capitals of molten bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits; 17 and he made a filigree of checkered work, and wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars, seven for one capital and seven for the other capital. 18 So he made the pillars, and two rows of pomegranates all around on the one filigree, to cover the capitals that were on the top, and did the same for the other capital. 19 And the capitals that were on the top of the pillars were of lily work in the hall, four cubits. 20 And the capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, near the rounded part which was by the filigree. And there were two hundred pomegranates in rows around on the other capital. 21 And he set up the pillars in the hall of the temple; and he set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin, and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the top of the pillars was lily work. So the work of the pillars was finished.

But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his whole house. 2 He also built the house of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits and its width fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits. It rested on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it was paneled with cedar above the beams, which rested on forty-five pillars, fifteen in a row. 4 And there were window frames in three rows, and window was opposite window in three ranks. 5 And all the doors and doorposts were square, with the window frames; and window was opposite window in three ranks.

6 And he made a hall of pillars. Its length was fifty cubits and its width thirty cubits. And a porch was in front of them, and pillars and a threshold were in front of them.

7 Then he made a hall for the throne where he would judge, the Hall of Judgment; and it was paneled with cedar from one side of the floor to the other. 8 And his house where he lived had another court inward from the hall, which was of the same workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken as his wife.

23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from one brim to the other. It was completely circular, and its height was five cubits; and it took a measuring line of thirty cubits to go around it. 24 And all around under its brim there were gourds surrounding it, ten to a cubit, surrounding the sea.

9 All these were of choice stones, according to the measure of cut stones, sawed with saws, inside and outside, from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside toward the great

6:36 There was both an inner and an outer courtyard (7:12). The inner one was for the priests only (2 Chron 4:9). 6:37 “Fourth year” – 6:1. The month Zif (or Ziv) included parts of what we call April and May; Bul parts of October and November. 7:1 Solomon’s palace was larger than the temple (6:2) and so took longer to build (6:38). See v7. 7:7 “Judge” – the people could bring difficult cases directly to the king. An example is in 3:16. Solomon’s palace was

also the administrative headquarters of the kingdom. Probably for this reason it was made larger than the temple. 7:13 This takes the narrative back into chapter 6 before Solomon built his own palace. 7:21 “Jachin” – may mean “He (God) establishes.”

“Boaz” – may mean “Strength” or “In Him (God) is strength.” 7:23 “Sea” – compare the basin in the courtyard of the tabernacle (Ex 30:17-21). This sea, as well as the oxen it stood on (v

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The gourds were cast in two rows, when it was cast.

cubits; and one laver rested on each of the ten stands. 39 And he put five stands on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house, and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward toward the south. 40 And Hiram made the lavers and the shovels and the basins.

25 It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. And the sea was set over them, and all their back parts were toward the inside. 26 And it was a hand breadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.

So Hiram finished doing all the work that he made for king Solomon for the house of the LORD: 41 The two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the two pillars, and the two filigrees to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars, 42 and four hundred pomegranates for the two filigrees, two rows of pomegranates for each filigree, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars, 43 and the ten stands and ten lavers on the stands, 44 and one sea and twelve oxen under the sea, 45 and the pots and the shovels and the basins. And all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of burnished bronze.

27 And he made ten stands of bronze. Four cubits was the length of each stand, and its width four cubits, and its height three cubits. 28 And the work of the stands was like this: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges; 29 and on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubs, and on the ledges there was an upper support. And below the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 30 And every stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and its four corners had supports. Under the laver were molten supports, at the side of every addition. 31 And its opening inside the crown and above was a cubit, but its opening was round like the work of the stand, a cubit and an half; and also on its opening were engravings with their borders. They were square, not round. 32 And under the borders were four wheels, and the axle of the wheels were joined to the stand, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. 33 And the design of the wheels was like the design of a chariot wheel. Their axles and their rims and their hubs and their spokes were all cast metal.

46 The king cast them in the plain of Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were so very many, and the weight of the bronze was not found out.

48 And Solomon made all the vessels that belonged to the house of the LORD: the altar of gold and the table of gold, on which was the Showbread, 49 and the lampstands of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the inner sanctuary, with the flowers and the lamps and the tongs of gold, 50 and the bowls and the snuffers and the basins and the spoons and the censers of pure gold, and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the temple.

34 And there were four supports at the four corners of one stand, and the supports were one with the stand itself. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a circular shape half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand its ledges and its borders were one with it. 36 And on the plates of its ledges, and on its borders, he engraved cherubs, lions and palm trees, in proportion to each one, and additions all around. 37 In this way he made the ten stands. All of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.

51 So all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated. He put the silver and the gold, and the articles among the treasures of the house of the LORD.

38 Then he made ten lavers of bronze. One laver held forty baths, and each laver was four

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the

25), was made of bronze. 7:26 “Two thousand baths” – about 11,500 gallons or 44 kiloliters. 7:27 On these stands were placed the basins of v 38. These basins contained water for washing parts of the animal sacrifices (Lev 1:9,13; 2 Chron 4:6). 7:38 “Forty baths” – about 880 liters. 7:45 For work around the altar. See Ex 27:1-3. 7:48 “Altar of gold” – Ex 30:1-6. “Table” – Ex 25:23-30.

7:49 “Lampstands” – Ex 25:31-38. In the tabernacle there was only one lampstand. 7:50 “Censers” – all these articles were for the work of the Holy Place. 7:51 “Dedicated” – 2 Sam 8:9-12; 1 Chron 18:7-11. “Treasures” – 15:18; 2 Kings 12:18; 1 Chron 9:26; 26:20-26; 28:12. 8:1 “Ark” – note at Ex 25:10-22. David had brought the ark to Jerusalem. See 2 Samuel chapter 6.

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fathers of the children of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled in king Solomon’s presence at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I have surely built you a house to dwell in, a settled place for you to stay in forever.”

14 And the king turned his face around, and blessed all the congregation of Israel (and all the congregation of Israel stood), 15 and he said,

3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation and all the holy articles that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought these up. 5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled in his presence, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that were so many they could not be counted or numbered.

“Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to my father David, and with his hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I did not choose any city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be in it; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.’

17 “And it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 And the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a house to my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will come from your body will build the house for my name.’

6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubs. 7 For the cherubs spread out their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubs covered the ark and the its poles from above. 8 And they drew out the poles, so that the ends of the staves were seen out in the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.

20 “And the LORD has fulfilled his word that he spoke, and I have risen up in the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21 And I have made there a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth below, who keeps covenant and mercy with your servants who walk before you with all their heart. 24 You have kept

10 And it came about, when the priests had come out of the Holy Place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon said, “The LORD said that he

8:2 “Feast” – the Feast of Tabernacles (2 Chron 7:8-10). Note at Lev 23:33-36. 8:4 “Tabernacle” – 3:4. 8:5 All these sacrifices symbolized Christ (Lev 1:2), just as the ark, the tent, and the temple did. 8:6 Ex 26:33,34. 8:7 “Cherubs” – Ex 25:18-20. 8:9 “Tablets” – Ex 25:16; 34:1; 40:20. See Heb 9:4. This reveals that by Solomon’s day the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod had been lost.

(1 Cor 6:19). And the church as a whole is called a holy temple (Eph 2:21). And God’s glory is bound up with each believer and the whole church (John 17:10; etc). 8:12 “Darkness” – compare Ex 20:21; Deut 5:22; 2 Sam 22:12; Ps 97:2. 8:13 “Forever” – 2 Sam 7:13; Ps 132:13,14. 8:14 Verse 55; 2 Sam 6:18. Note at Num 6:22-27. 8:16 2 Sam 7:4-6,8. 8:17 2 Sam 7:2,3; 1 Chron 17:1,2. 8:19 5:3-5; 2 Sam 7:5,12,13; 1 Chron 22:8-10. 8:20 1 Chron 28:5,6. 8:21 “Covenant” – Ex 19:5. 8:22 “Stood” – in prayer the state of the heart is the important thing, not the posture of the body. The prayer which follows is the longest public prayer recorded in the Bible. 8:23 “Like you” – Ex 15:11; Deut 7:9; 1 Sam 2:2; 2 Sam 7:22; Ps 86:8-10; Isa 44:6,7. “Covenant and mercy” – other gods are

“Horeb” – Sinai. 8:10,11 “Glory of the LORD” – compare Ex 40:34,35. This cloud was the visible sign of God’s presence with His people. Note at Ex 25:8. The temple took the place of the tabernacle, and like the tabernacle, it spoke of the Lord Jesus. Compare John 2:18-21. Jesus who was the “temple” of God contained the glory of God in full measure – John 1:14,18; Heb 1:3. Individual believers are also called the temple of God

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with your servant David my father what you promised him. You spoke also with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.

before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and turn back to you and confess your name, and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which you gave to their fathers.

25 “Therefore, now, LORD God of Israel, keep with your servant, my father David, what you promised him, saying, ‘You will not lack a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that your children might be careful about their way, so that they walk in my presence as you have walked in my presence.’ 26 And now, O God of Israel, I pray you, let your word which you spoke to your servant, my father David, come true.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place, and confess your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel. So teach them the good way in which they should walk, and give rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Look, the heavens and heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard for the prayer of your servant and for his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you today, 29 that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward this place of which you have said, ‘My name will be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer which your servant makes toward this place. 30 And listen to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place, and hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, or if there is the caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever disease there may be, 38 whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, each one knowing the plague of his own heart, spreading out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart you know (for you, you alone, know the hearts of all the children of men), 40 so that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.

31 “If any man sins against his neighbour, and he is put under oath to cause him to swear, and the oath comes before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his conduct on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

41 “Also, as for the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, but comes from a far country for your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of your great name, and of your strong hand and of your stretched out arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven, your dwelling

33 “When your people Israel are struck down

too would happen (Lev 26:19; Deut 11:16,17; 28:23. 8:36 “Teach them” – Ps 25:4,5; 27:11; 94:12. “Give rain” – it is the true God, the Creator of the universe alone who gives rain, and not some imagined rain god (Lev 26:4; Job 5:10; Ps 68:9; 147:8; Acts 14:17). 8:37 Lev 26:16,25,26; Deut 28:21-23, 38-42; 2 Chron 20:9; Joel 1:1-4. 8:38 “Plague” – or it could be translated “affliction” or “trouble” or “sickness.” Compare Jer 17:9. The Hebrew word has all these meanings. 8:39 1 Sam 2:3; 16:7; 1 Chron 28:9; Ps 11:4; Jer 17:10; John 2:24,25. 8:40 “Fear” – notes at Gen 20:11; Ps 34:11-14; 111:10; Prov 1:7. In the Bible to fear God is to regard Him with awe, and to honor, believe, and obey Him. 8:41 Solomon wanted the God of Israel to be known as the God of all people, as indeed, in some sense, He is (Isa 44:6; Jer 32:26,27). 8:42 “They will hear” – Ex 13:3; Deut 3:24. 8:43 Josh 4:23,24; 1 Sam 17:46; 2 Kings

unable either to make covenants or to keep them, or to show mercy (Ps 115:2-8). 8:25 2 Sam 7:12,16. 8:27 2 Chron 2:6; Ps 139:7-16; Isa 66:1; Jer 23:24; Acts 7:49; 17:24,25. Solomon and the human authors of the Bible knew something of the grandeur of God. Because the visible sign of God’s presence appeared in tabernacle or temple, that did not make them have small views of God, or cause them to think that the whole of God could be contained in space. 8:29 9:3. 8:30 “Dwelling place” – Solomon knew that in relationship to Israel, Jerusalem was God’s dwelling place, in relationship to the world Israel was His dwelling place, in relationship to the universe, heaven was His dwelling place. 8:31 Solomon looks into the future, knows that the people will sin, and begs God for mercy. 8:32 Deut 25:1; Ezek 18:20. 8:33,34 “Bring them back” – evidently, Solomon knew from the Word of God that this would happen (Lev 26:17,40-42; Deut 28:25,48). 8:35 “No rain” – Solomon could know this

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place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for, so that all peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as your people Israel do, and so that they may know that this house, which I have built, is called by your name.

people of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

54 And it came about, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,

44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever you send them, and pray to the LORD toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name, 45 then in heaven hear their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

56 “Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, in accordance with all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us or forsake us. 58 So may he incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59 And may these my words, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, so that he maintains the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as each day requires, 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is no one else. 61 Let your heart, therefore, be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.”

46 “If they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), and you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives to the land of the enemy, far or near, 47 and if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they were carried captives, and repent and plead with you in the land of those who carried them away captives, saying, ‘We have sinned and have done wrong; we have committed wickedness,’ 48 and so turn back to you with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name, 49 then in heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you, and grant them compassion in the presence of those who carried them away captive, so that they may have compassion on them; 51 for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace; 52 that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant, and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them in everything about which they call to you.

62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.

64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and grain offerings and the fat of the peace offerings,

53 “For you separated them from among all the

19:19; Ps 102:15. 8:44 2 Chron 14:11,12. 8:46 “Sin” – Ps 130:3,4; Prov 20:9; Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10. “Captives” – Lev 26:34-39; Deut 28:36,64; Jer 29:10-14. In his prayer of confession for the people Daniel used almost these exact words (Dan 9:5). 8:48 Deut 4:29; 1 Sam 7:3,4; Neh 1:9; Jer 29:13,14. 8:50 2 Kings 25:28; 2 Chron 30:9; Ps 106:46; Dan 1:9. 8:51 “Your people” – Ex 19:4; Deut 7:6; 9:29. “Furnace” – Deut 4:20. Compare Ps 66:10-12. 8:53 “Inheritance” – Ex 34:9; Deut 4:20; 1 Sam 10:1; 2 Kings 21:14; Ps 33:12; 78:71; Eph 1:18. God’s choosing of a people for Himself is a theme which runs throughout the Bible and finds its consummation in the church.

8:54 2 Chron 6:13. 8:55 Verse 14. 8:56 Josh 21:45; 23:14,15; 1 Chron 22:18. No promise of God will ever fail – Titus 1:2. 8:57 Gen 48:21; Josh 1:5; 1 Sam 12:22. 8:58 “Our hearts” – Solomon knew that if men are to turn their hearts to God, God must do a work of grace in them. See Ps 119:36. Compare Ps 51:10; 2 Tim 2:25. 8:59 Solomon wanted his prayer to have a continuing effect. 8:61 He could know from portions of God’s Word such as Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28 that the only way to blessing was obedience, and that disobedience meant disaster. 8:63 “Peace offerings” – Leviticus chapter 3. 8:64 Notes on these offerings at Leviticus chapters 1-3.

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because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to take the burnt offerings and meat offerings and the fat of the peace offerings.

worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have consecrated for my name, I will cast from my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And as for this house, which is exalted, every one who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and will say, ‘Why has the LORD done like this to this land and to this house?’ 9 And they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold of other gods and have worshipped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought on them all this evil.’”

65 And at that time Solomon, and all Israel with him, a great congregation from the entering in of Hamath to the river of Egypt, celebrated a feast before the LORD our God, seven days, then seven days more, fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they spoke a blessing on the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

And it came about, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD and the king’s house, and had done all of Solomon’s desire that he delighted in, 2 that the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

10 And it came about at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD and the king’s house 11 (now Hiram, the king of Tyre, had provided Solomon with cedar trees and pine trees and with gold, according to all his desire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, and they did not please him. 13 And he said, “What towns are these which you have given me, my brother?” And he called them the “Land of Cabul”, their name to this day. 14 And Hiram had sent to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.

3 And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before me. I have consecrated this house, which you have built, to put my name there forever, and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.

4 “And if you will walk before me, as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my judgments, 5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You will not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

15 And this is the reason for the forced labour which king Solomon raised: to build the house of the LORD and his own house, and Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer. 16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and taken Gezer and burned it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 And 8:65 “Feast” – v 2. “Hamath” – this was in the far north of Israel.

6 “But if you at all turn away from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and

9:8,9 Deut 29:24-28; Jer 22:8,9. 9:10 6:37,38; 7:1; 9:1. 9:11 “Hiram” – 5:1. He had provided Solomon with wood, labor, and gold (5:6-11; 9:14). That is, Solomon went into debt to finish his great building projects. He paid the debt by giving this territory. In other words, part of the land God had given Israel Solomon handed over to an idolatrous nation. Compare Lev 25:23,24. It is easy to go into debt, not so easy to pay; and it increases the burden of those involved in it. Rom 13:8 is always a good principle to follow. 2 Chron 8:2 tells of the return of these cities, the loan presumably having been repaid. 9:13 “Cabul” – probably means “good for nothing.” It appears that Solomon used his worldly wisdom to get the best of Hiram. If so, in this matter he behaved in a way that brought no honor to either himself or to God. In fact, just the opposite. 9:14 “A hundred and twenty talents” – about 4 metric tons (4,000 kilograms). 9:15 “Forced labour” – note at 4:6. 9:16 “Gezer” – Josh 16:10. “Daughter”–3:1.

“River of Egypt” – or “Wadi of Egypt” – this does not indicate the River Nile, but a stream on the southern border of Israel, between Israel and Egypt. 8:66 “The eighth day” – after the second period of seven days.

“Joyful” – it is a recognition of the goodness of God which brings joy (Ex 18:9; 2 Chron 6:41; Neh 9:25; 1 Pet 1:3-9). 9:1 Compare Eccl 2:4-10. 9:2 3:5. 9:3 8:29; 2 Chron 6:40. 9:4 2:4; 3:14; 8:25,61. 9:5 2 Sam 7:12,16; 1 Chron 22:10; Luke 1:32,33. 9:6 2 Sam 7:14-16; 1 Chron 28:9; 2 Chron 7:19,20. 9:7 “The land” – Lev 18:24-28; 26:33; Deut 4:26,27; 28:37; 2 Kings 17:23; Jer 7:2-15; 24:9; Ps 44:14. God’s people cannot ignore God’s desires for them and live as they please and experience God’s blessings.

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Solomon built Gezer, and lower Beth-Horon 18 and Baalath and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, 19 and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots and cities for his horsemen, and what Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon and in all the land of his dominion.

very large retinue, with camels carrying spices, and very much gold and precious stones. And when she had come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from the king, which he did not tell her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 and the food of his table, and the seating of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

20 And all the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel, 21 their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were also not able to destroy completely, these Solomon conscripted as forced slave labourers to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make any slaves of the children of Israel, but they were warriors and his servants and his officials and his captains, and those in charge of his chariots and his horsemen. 23 These were the chief officials who were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who supervised the people who did the work.

6 And she said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. 7 However I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes saw it; and, look, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and who hear your wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he made you king, to maintain judgment and justice.”

24 And Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her. Then he built Millo.

25 And three times in a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to the LORD, and he burned incense on the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.

10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very large amount of spices, and precious stones; such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon never again came in.

26 And king Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Elath, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent his servants in the fleet, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they came to Ophir, and brought gold from there, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

11 And also the fleet of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a great quantity of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And with the almug trees the king made pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, also harps and lyres for singers. No such almug trees came in again, or have been seen to this day.

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a

13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked, besides what Solomon gave her from his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her

9:19 Verse 1; 10:26. 9:20,21 Ex 3:8; Deut 7:1; Josh 15:63; 17:12,13; Jud 1:21-29,35; 3:1. 9:22,23 Lev 25:39. Samuel’s predictions now began to be fulfilled – 1 Sam 8:10-18. 9:25 Ex 23:14-17; Leviticus chapters 1-3; Deut 16:16. 9:26 “Ezion-Geber” – the most southern spot in Israel, this port enabled Solomon to trade by sea with the countries to the south and east of Israel, including, possibly, India. 9:27 “Hiram” – v 12. Evidently he recovered from his discontent, or else thought he could get his gold back (v 14), by helping Solomon. 9:28 The location of Ophir is not known. Probably it was in Arabia, or along the east coast of Africa. It was famous for gold – 2 Chron 8:18; Job 28:16; Ps 45:9; Isa 13:12.

“Four hundred and twenty talents” – about 14.5 metric tons (14,500 kilograms). 10:1 “Queen” – Matt 12:42. “Sheba” – a land in southwestern Arabia. “LORD” – she had heard that Jehovah was the one who had made Solomon wise and blessed him. 10:3 3:12; 4:29-31. 10:9 “Blessed be the LORD” – 2 Chron 2:11. Solomon had expressed a desire that those of other nations might come to know more of the God of Israel (8:41-43). God used Solomon’s fame in wisdom to help bring this about. See also v 24.

“Justice”– Ps 11:7; 33:5; 72:2; 99:4; 103:6. 10:10 “Hundred and twenty talents” – 9:14. 10:11 9:27,28.

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servants.

and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 15 beside what he had from the merchants, and of the trade of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

26 And Solomon amassed chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamore trees that are in the lowlands. 28 And Solomon had horses brought from Egypt, and linen yarn. The king’s merchants obtained the linen yarn at a price. 29 And a chariot was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria; they brought them out by their means.

16 And king Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into one shield. 17 And he made three hundred small shields of beaten gold. Three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the house of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round at the back, and there were armrests on each side at the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. 20 And twelve lions stood there on one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom. 21 And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver; it was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had at sea the ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram. Once in three years the ships of Tarshish came in, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

But king Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, 2 of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Israel, “You must not go in to them and they must not come in to you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came about, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart away after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of his father David had been. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD,

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 24 And the whole world sought audience with Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25 And each one of them brought his present: vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments,

10:14 This was a violation of Deut 17:17. Six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold is more than 22 metric tons (more than 22,000 kilograms). 10:16 “shekels” – or “bekas.” A beka was about a half shekel. 10:17 7:2. “Three minas” – about 1.7 kilograms. 10:22 9:26-28. 10:23 Did all this splendor, wealth, and wisdom make Solomon a happy man? See Eccl 1:2,12-14,18; 2:9-11. Did these things make the people of Israel happy? Not at all. See 12:1-4. 10:24 Verses 1,9. 10:26 4:26; 9:19. A violation of Deut 17:16. 10:29 Israel became a center for trade between peoples in the south and in the north.

to holiness of life. Compare Ps 51:10-12; Gal 5:16.) Taking many wives was forbidden to kings in Deut 17:17. And God warned His people repeatedly not to marry those who practiced idolatry. See Ex 34:16; Deut 7:1-4; Josh 23:12,13. 11:3 Of what value is the greatest wisdom if we are unable to govern our own desires?

“Turned away his heart” – Deut 17:17; Neh 13:26; Prov 31:3. 11:4 “David” – though David sinned grievously in the matter of Bathsheba (2 Samuel chapter 11), he repented and remained steadfast in his worship of the one true God. 11:5 “Ashtoreth” – Jud 2:13; 10:6. In 2 Kings 23:13 she is called a “vile goddess.” In Canaan she was regarded as the wife of Baal. She was the goddess of war and fertility and was worshipped with sexual rites. She was associated with the evening star. In Babylon she was Ishtar; to the Greeks, Astarte or Aphrodite; to the Romans, Venus.

“Six hundred shekels”– about 7 kilograms. 11:1 “Women”– now begins the sad story of Solomon’s decline and terrible sin. His wisdom was no safeguard against the sins of the flesh. The wise also may be carried away by lust, and human wisdom out of touch with God may fall into incredible folly. (Walking in the Spirit of God is the only way

“Milcom” – another name for the god Molech (also v 33). Here he is called an abomination. Sometimes children were burned in the fire as an offering to him.

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and did not fully follow the LORD, as his father David had done.

provided for him, and gave him land.

19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen, as his wife. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh.

7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And he did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods. But he did not observe what the LORD commanded. 11Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since you have done this, and have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you, and give it to your servant. 12 However, I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However, I will not tear away the whole kingdom, but will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his ancestors, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, so that I may go to my own country.”

22 Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that, lo and behold, you seek to go to your own country?”

And he answered, “Nothing. But let me go in any case.”

23 And God stirred up another adversary against Solomon, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer, king of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men around him, and became captain over a band, when David killed those of Zobah. And they went to Damascus, and lived there and reigned in Damascus. 25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did. And he hated Israel, and reigned over Syria.

14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal house of Edom. 15 For it so happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had struck down every male in Edom 16 (for six months Joab remained there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom), 17 that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites among his father’s servants with him, to go to Egypt; Hadad being still a little child. 18 And they arose out of Midian and came to Paran, and they took men with them out of Paran and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and ordered that food be

26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, also lifted up his hand against the king.

27 And this was the reason that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and closed the breaches of the city of David his father. 28 And the man Jeroboam was a strong and brave man. And Solomon, seeing that the young man was industrious, put him in charge of the whole

See 2 Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; Lev 18:21; 20;2-5. 11:7 “Chemosh” – or better, Kemosh. He, too, was an abomination (2 Kings 23:13). That is, he was detestable to the true God, though worshipped by people. Judging from 2 Kings 3:26,27 this god of Moab was sometimes worshipped with human sacrifices. 11:8 The gods mentioned above were only a few among many which Solomon allowed to be brought into God’s land and God’s city. And with them, we have good reason to think, came a whole host of demons. When Solomon lost the fear of God he lost much of his wisdom, at least in spiritual matters – Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7. 11:9 “Angry” – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11. “Appeared” – 3:5; 9:2. 11:10 9:6,7; Ex 20:3-6. 11:11 Verses 29-31; 12:16,20. 11:12 Because of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:14-16.

11:13 “One tribe” – Judah (12:20). “Jerusalem” – 9:3. 11:14-25 God raised up two adversaries against Solomon – Hadad of Edom and Rezon of Syria, one in the southeast, the other in the northeast. Raising up enemies to oppose His people was frequently a way God expressed His anger against them because of their sins (Deut 28:15,49,50; Jud 2:10-23; 2 Sam 12:10; 2 Chron 36:15-17; Isa 10:5,6; Jer 1:15,16). There is reason to think God still acts in a similar way among the nations. 11:15 2 Sam 8:14. 11:21 Note at 2:10. 11:23 “Zobah” – 2 Sam 8:3. Damascus was, and remains, the capital of Syria. 11:26 “Jeroboam” – v 40; 12:2,20. 11:28 “Labour force” – note at 4:6. “Joseph” – Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephraim (v 26) descended from Joseph (Gen 41:50-52).

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labour force of the house of Joseph.

enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

29 And it came about at that time, as Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah, the Shilonite, met him in the road. And he was wearing a new cloak; and the two of them were alone in the field. 30 And Ahijah took hold of the new garment he was wearing and tore it in twelve pieces, 31 and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces. For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Look, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you 32 (but he will have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as his father David did.

40 Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak, king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 And the rest of the acts of Solomon and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of The Acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it came about when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who was still in Egypt, heard this (for Jeroboam had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and he lived in Egypt), 3 that they sent word and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke hard. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

34 “‘However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 And I will give one tribe to his son, so that my servant David will always have a light before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there. 37 And I will take you, and you will reign in all ways just as your soul desires and will be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and walk in my ways and do what is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as my servant David did, this will happen: I will be with you and build you an

5 And he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.

6 And king Rehoboam conferred with the old men who stood before his father Solomon while he was still living, and said, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”

7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and answer them, speaking good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

to Jeroboam and northern tribes just as it did to the kingdom of Judah and its rulers. 11:41 “The Acts of Solomon” – no man knows what has become of this book. 11:43 “Slept” – note at 2:10. Rehoboam means “enlarger of the people”, or “the people are enlarged.” This must have been Solomon’s hope when he named him. But the exact opposite happened. Sin is the great crusher of human hopes. 12:1-19 2 Chron 10:1-19. 12:1 “Shechem” – Gen 12:6; 33:18-20; Josh 8:30-35; Jud 9:6. It was located in the territory of Ephraim. See 11:26. 12:4 1 Sam 8:10-18. Solomon’s demand for provisions and his huge building projects were a burden evidently felt by many people (4:7,22-25; 6:38; 7:1; 9:15-19). 12:6 1 Kings 4:1-7. 12:7 “Servant” – God appointed kings to serve the people, not to lord it over them. Compare Mark 10:42-45; 1 Pet 5:1-4. The elders gave very good advice.

11:29 12:15; 14:2. There were many prophets in Bible times about whom we know almost nothing. Ahijah was one of these. 11:30 Compare 1 Sam 15:27,28. 11:31 Verses 11-13. These ten tribes were the whole of the nation except Judah, Simeon, and Levi. Originally Simeon had no separate territory but had been allotted land inside Judah’s boundaries (Josh 19:1-9). Levi had no territory of its own but lived in cities scattered throughout the land (Josh 13:14; 21:41). The division of the northern tribes from Judah had its roots in Solomon’s sin. But previously there had been trouble between these two sections of the country. See 2 Samuel chapter 2; 19:40-43; 20:1,2. 11:35 12:16,17. 11:36 “Light” – that is, the house of David would continue. God would not put out that lamp. 11:38 God gave the same promises to Jeroboam that He gave to Solomon (2:3,4; 3:14; 6:12,13). God’s covenant applied

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8 But he rejected the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and conferred with the young men who had grown up with him and who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give to us to answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us?’”

with stones, and he died. Therefore king Rehoboam hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel is in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

20 And it happened that when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent and called him to the congregation and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David, no one else.

10 And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Speak to this people who spoke to you like this and said ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ and tell them this: ‘My little finger will be thicker than my father’s waist. 11 And now, though my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.’”

21 And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying, 23 “Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, or fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Each man is to go back to his house, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and turned around and went back, in accordance with the word of the LORD.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, “Come back to me on the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the old men’s counsel that they gave him, 14 and spoke to them in accordance with the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. And my father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from the LORD, that he might fulfil his word which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim and lived in it, and went out from there and built Penuel.

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David, 27 if this people go up to offer sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem. Then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

16 So when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What part do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, David!” So Israel departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

28 Then the king took counsel and made two gold calves, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. See your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labour, and all Israel pelted him

12:8-11 Rehoboam rejected the counsel of experience and wisdom and allowed himself to be led into a ruinous policy. This advice was to make the burdens of the people heavier, and to punish them more if they failed in carrying them. Youth may sometimes be wise (see Job 32:6-9), but in this case they were extremely foolish. But behind their foolishness and Rehoboam’s acceptance of their advice, God stood, working out His purpose (v 15). 12:15 God can use even the foolishness and the evil acts of men to accomplish His will. The supreme example of this is the cross. See note at Gen 50:20. 12:16 “Israel” – the ten northern tribes. “Part” – 2 Sam 20:1. 12:17 “In the cities of Judah” – people from the 10 northern tribes who had come to live there. See 2 Chron 11:14-17.

12:18 Rehoboam, of course, was reluctant to see 10 tribes slip away from his authority. 12:20 11:13,32,36; 2 Kings 17:21. 12:21-24 2 Chron 11:1-4. 12:22 “Shemaiah” – 2 Chron 12:5-8,15. 12:24 “Is from me” – v 15. 12:25 Shechem and Peniel were ancient cities (Gen 32:30,31; Jud 8:8,17; 9:45-49.

“Penuel” – or “Peniel.” 12:27 Jeroboam was aware of the unifying force of religion with its central place of worship. He cared nothing about obedience to God’s laws; he wanted only to cling to power. 12:28 Ex 32:4-8; 2 Kings 10:29; 17:16; Hos 8:4-7; Ex 20:3-6,23. Jeroboam gave them a form of worship of their own which would keep them from going to Jerusalem. Now too there are many forms of worship and religions which keep people from worshiping the true God.

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29 And he placed one in Bethel and the other he put in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, to Dan.

by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the LORD: ‘Look, a child will be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and he will offer on you the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones will be burned on you.’” 3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the LORD has spoken: ‘Look, the altar will split apart and the ashes on it will spill out.’”

31 And he made houses on high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he made offerings on the altar. He did this in Bethel, offering sacrifices to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar in Bethel, which he had made, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had chosen in his own heart, and ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and he made offerings on the altar and burned incense.

4 Then this happened: when king Jeroboam heard the words of the man of God who cried out against the altar in Bethel, he put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, withered, so that he could not pull it back to him. 5 And the altar split apart and the ashes spilled out of the altar, in accordance with the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

And just then a man of God came to Bethel from Judah by the word of the LORD; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. 2 And the man cried out against the altar

6 And the king answered and said to the man of God, “Please plead with the face of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God pleaded with

from the true God, are among the most serious and deadly of all sins. Compare Matt 23:13-15. 13:1 “Man of God” – often, as here, means a prophet. He is not named. Sometimes God commits great and difficult work to those who are comparatively unknown. Compare 1 Cor 1:12-29. “Judah” – then considered enemy territory by Jeroboam.

12:29 “Bethel” – this town was about 20 kilometers north of Jerusalem, near the border between Ephraim and Benjamin.

“Dan” – in the far north of Israel. 12:30 Israel had just complaints against Rehoboam, but they allowed their objections to move them to accept the leadership of an evil man, Jeroboam, who led them to spiritual ruin. A wrong reaction to injustice or troubles of other kinds can lead people into still worse troubles. 12:31 “High places” – note at 3:2. “Levi” – Ex 29:9; 40:15; Num 3:9,10; 18:1-7. In his determination to hold power he cared not at all how many of God’s laws he violated, or what spiritual damage he did to God’s people. What but ruin can be the end of such a course, anytime, anywhere? 12:32,33 “He had chosen” – compare Lev 23:33,34; Num 29:12. Jeroboam was inventing a substitute religion, complete with places of worship, a priesthood, sacrifices, and festivals. But the whole thing was an abomination to the one true God (14:9-11), because it violated His laws and ignored His desires altogether. Let us learn that not all religions are good, and not all ways lead to God – in fact, some ways lead directly away from Him. Jeroboam’s religion was like this. He completely corrupted Israel, and his deeds had a profound effect on all their later history.

“To burn incense” – 12:32. Compare 1 Sam 13:8-14. Jeroboam little knew that his religion made him hateful to God. God now reveals this through His prophet. 13:2 “Josiah” – a prophecy which was not fulfilled for nearly 300 years. But then it was fulfilled to the letter – 2 Kings 23:15-20. It was unusual for prophecies of the future to give the name of an individual. Besides Josiah only Cyrus (Isa 44:28) and Solomon were so named. In Old Testament prophecy the Lord Jesus was clearly revealed and many titles were given to Him (such as Immanuel and those names in Isa 9:6), but it is not said that His name would be Jesus. 13:3 God gave evidence to Jeroboam and to the nation that the prophet was declaring the Word of God. It was important for them to know this, for Israel was at a very critical stage in its history. Compare Ex 4:1-9; Deut 18:21,22; Heb 2:4. 13:4 “Seize him” – Jeroboam did not want messages from God. Political power was his delight. 13:6 “Pray” – how like Pharaoh in Egypt, and, for that matter, many people today. Many want healing without repenting of their sins, and help from God without obedience to God. But what is more important – healing of the hand or healing of the inner person? Jeroboam should have been crying

Ever after this, Jeroboam is remembered in the Bible for his wickedness in leading Israel into sin – 15:30,34; 16:2,19,26,31; 22:52; 2 Kings 3:3; 10:29; etc. The sins of Jeroboam are mentioned more than 20 times in the Old Testament – surely some sort of record for an individual. Sins in the sphere of religion, sins which keep people

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the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before.

with you in this place, 17 because it was said to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water there, or return by the way that you go.’”

7 And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”

18 He said to him, “I am also a prophet, just as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, so that he can eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

8 And the man of God said to the king, “Even if you would give me half your house, I would not go in with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place, 9 because this is what the word of the LORD commanded me, saying, ‘Eat no bread and drink no water, and do not return by the same way that you go.’” 10 So he went another way, and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.

19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water. 20 And it came about, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who brought him back, 21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word spoken by the mouth of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but came back and ate bread and drank water in the place concerning which the LORD said to you, Eat no bread and drink no water, your dead body will not go to the tomb of your fathers.’”

11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel, and they told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “What way did he go?” For his sons saw the way the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him, and he rode on it.

14 And went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

23 And it came about after he ate bread and after he drank, he saddled the donkey for him, that is, for the prophet whom he brought back. 24 And as the man was going, a lion met him in the road and killed him. And his dead body was thrown down in the road, and the donkey stood by it, and the lion stood by the body. 25 And men appeared, passing by, and saw the body thrown down in the

And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me, and eat bread.”

16 And he said, “I cannot return with you or go in with you, and I will not eat bread or drink water

out for prayer for his withered heart. 13:7 “Reward” – possibly an attempt to corrupt this prophet and use him for his own ends. 13:8-10 The prophet had received his instructions from God, and he was firm in his determination to follow them completely. So far so good. 13:11 This old prophet sets out to ruin the prophet from Judah (v 18). His motive is not stated. It may have been envy (and envy is deadly). Perhaps he reasoned like this – “I am a prophet and live right here in Bethel. Why did God bring a prophet from Judah to give His message. Why am I passed over?” Or it may have been simply that this old prophet was a backslidden failure and was pleased to see other prophets fail too. Who can say for sure? (Jer 17:9). But we know there are such people in the world and among God’s people. 13:15 Verse 7. The testing of this prophet came a second time. Temptations once overcome may cause us to fall when they come again. Continual vigilance is the price of victory (Eph 6:18; 1 Pet 5:8; etc). Satan knows an individual’s weakness and will bring the same temptations again and again throughout a person’s life. 13:16 Verse 9. Sometimes the command of God may seem strange and unreasonable to His servants. Compare Ezek 4:12-14;

Hos 1:2; Acts 10:9-14. 13:18 “Lied to him” – he was not the last person to tell lies in the name of God. We make a big mistake if we ignore what God has revealed to us and let others get our guidance for us. Observe that temptations and testings may come in God’s name. These may be among the most difficult to overcome. 13:19 How important it is to hold firm in obedience to what God has said. 13:20 This old man had the true prophetic gift. 13:21 This man of God should have realized that God would not change His instructions, that his obedience was being tested. Once God has told us to do something we must do it, even though a world of prophets and all our family and friends try to turn us from God’s will. If we do not we will experience great loss. 13:22 Disobedience in what men might regard as a small matter may result in the destruction of our whole ministry, may indeed cost us our lives. No disobedience is small in God’s eyes, and little matters may bring great tests. Compare Luke 16:10. For the terrible results of another act of disobedience see Rom 5:12,15,17-19. 13:24 The donkey did not run away, the lion did not attack the donkey – evidence to those who saw it that this was an act of God.

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road, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

At that time Abijah, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please arise and disguise yourself, so that you will not be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. See, Ahijah the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over this people. 3 And take ten loaves and cakes and a jar of honey with you, and go to him. He will tell you what is to become of the child.”

26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard this, he said, “It is the man of God, who was disobedient to the word of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, in accordance with the word of the LORD, which he spoke to him.”

4 And Jeroboam’s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were set because of his age. 5 And the LORD said to Ahijah, “Now the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask something of you for her son, for he is sick. You are to say such and such to her; for it shall be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.”

27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it for him. 28 And he went and found his body thrown down in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body, nor torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it on the donkey and brought it back, and the old prophet came to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid his body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”

6 And so it was that when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in the door, he said, “Come in, you wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be someone else? For I have been sent to you with bad news. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over my people Israel, 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David who kept my commandments and who followed me with all his heart to do only what was right in my eyes, 9 but have done evil above all who were before you, for you have gone and made other gods and cast metal idols for yourself to provoke me to anger, and have thrust me behind your back, 10 therefore, look, I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off every male person from Jeroboam, both bond 13:26 A man of God died for one act of disobedience, but the lying prophet and wicked Jeroboam lived on. Strange appear the ways of God to men (Isa 55:8,9; Rom 11:33,34), and none of us will understand all He does on earth. But we should learn not to judge people’s character by what happens to them, by the measure of their present punishment or lack of it. Some faithful children of God suffer greatly and die young. Many rascals live on untroubled, and seem to prosper (Ps 73:3-12). But the end is not yet – Rev 22:12. 13:29,30 It seems this strange old man was genuinely sorry. He had ruined his “brother”, and his heart was saddened and troubled. Perhaps, when he started out to test him, he did not think it would result in the young man’s death. 13:32 2 Kings 23:15-18. 13:33 “Did not turn” – miracles and prophecies do not change the human heart. Jeroboam went ahead as before (12:31-33).

31 And it came about, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones; 32 for the thing which he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come true.”

33 After this incident Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again made priests for the high places from the lowest of the people. He consecrated whoever had the desire to be a priest, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from the face of the earth.

position. God’s desire had nothing to do with it. So instead of the best men leading the spiritual life of the nation, the worst men pressed forward. So now. If God’s call is not the sole criterion, men after money, power, and position will strive for places and leadership in Christian circles. Compare Jud 17:11; 18:20. 13:34 “Destroy it” – 14:10; 15:29; 2 Kings chapter 9. 14:1,2 13:6. Like many people in every generation Jeroboam was ready to seek God for something he wanted, but was not willing to forsake his sins.

“Ahijah” – 11:29-31. 14:5 Compare 1 Sam 9:15-17; 2 Kings 6:32. 14:7,8 11:28-38. 14:9 “Evil” – 12:28-33. “Anger” – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.

“Have thrust me behind your back” – Neh 9:26; Ps 50:17; Jer 2:27; 32:33; Ezek 23:35. This is how some people dare to treat Almighty God, the Creator of the universe! 14:10 15:29.

“Desire” – the priesthood was thrown open to those who were looking for such a

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and free in Israel, and will sweep away the rest of the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone. 11 Those who belong to Jeroboam who die in the city will be eaten by the dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air; for the LORD has spoken it.’

in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah. She was an Ammonite.

22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and made idols and idolatrous groves, on every high hill and under every green tree. 24 And there were even male shrine prostitutes in the land, and they behaved in accordance with all the abominations of the nations which the LORD drove out before the children of Israel.

12 “So arise. Go to your own house. And when your feet enter the city, the child will die. 13 And all Israel will mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of those who belong to Jeroboam will come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

14 “Moreover the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam that day. And what now? 15 For the LORD will strike Israel. It will be like a reed shaken in the water. And he will root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their idolatrous groves, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who caused Israel to sin.”

25 And this occurred in the fifth year of king Rehoboam: Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, 26 and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house. He took them all away, and took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27 And in their place king Rehoboam made bronze shields, and committed them into the hands of the chief of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 28 And the custom was that whenever the king went into the house of the LORD, the guard carried them, and later brought them back into the guard room.

17 And Jeroboam’s wife arose and left and came to Tirzah, and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died. 18 And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, in accordance with the word of the LORD which he spoke through his servant Ahijah the prophet.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 31 And Rehoboam slept with his ancestors, and was buried among his ancestors in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah. She was an Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.

19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war, and how he reigned, see, they are written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel. 20 And Jeroboam reigned for twenty-two years. Then he slept with his ancestors, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.

21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned

14:11 God had warned that this was one of the penalties of disobedience to His covenant (Deut 28:26). 14:12,13 “Some good thing” – see note at 13:26. In this case, considering the destruction to come on the house of Jeroboam, the death of this boy was a merciful act of God. It may be so in a great many cases, as far as we know. Compare Isa 57:1,2. 14:14 15:27-29. 14:15,16 “Strike Israel” – Deut 28:63,64; 29:25-28; 2 Kings 17:21-23. “The River” – the Euphrates. “Idolatrous groves” – or “Asherah poles” – note at Jud 3:7.

14:20 “Slept” – note at 2:10. “Nadab” – 15:25. 14:21 “Rehoboam” – 11:32,36,43. “Ammonite” – Rehoboam was the offspring of a forbidden marriage – 11:1,2. 14:22 “Evil” – see 2 Chron 12:1,14. “Jealousy” – Ex 20:3-6. 14:23 Deut 12:2; 16:22. 14:24 “Prostitutes” – groups of both male and female prostitutes were kept at various places of worship in the old Canaanite religion. Now Judah adopted this detestable custom and made it a part of their worship. God had warned them about this in Deut 20:18; 23:17. 14:25-31 This was because God was punishing the people for their sins (2 Chron 12:1,2). See note at 11:14-25. 14:26 “Solomon had made” – 10:16,17. 14:29 “Annals” – note at 14:19. 14:31 “Slept” – note at 2:10. “Abijam” – Abijah.

“Sins of Jeroboam” – 12:28-33. 14:17 “Tirzah” – the first capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. 14:19 “Annals” – these were not the books of Chronicles, but earlier records. No man knows what has become of them.

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Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah. She was the daughter of Abishalom.

in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burned it by the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the LORD the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which he himself had dedicated, silver and gold and utensils.

3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him, and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, like the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, all their days. 17 And Baasha, king of Israel, went up against Judah, and built Ramah, not allowing anyone to go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah.

18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and entrusted them into the hands of his servants; and king Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, 19 “There is a treaty between me and you, and between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he will leave me.”

6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place.

20 So Ben-Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the commanders of the armies which he had against the cities of Israel and attacked Ijon and Dan and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and all Kinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And it came about, when Baasha heard this, that he stopped the building of Ramah, and lived in Tirzah. 22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah. No one was exempt; and they took away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had built, and with them king Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. 10 And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah. She was the daughter of Abishalom.

11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, like David his father had done. 12 And he took away the male shrine prostitutes from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And he also removed his mother Maachah from being queen, because she had made an idol

15:2 “Three years” – many of the kings of Israel and Judah were insignificant and their reigns brief.

Abijah is recorded in 2 Chron 13:2-22. 15:8 “Slept” – note at 2:10. 15:11 “Asa” – among the kings of Judah he was rated a good king. It may surprise us that evil men sometimes have good sons, and good men evil sons. More about Asa at 2 Chronicles chapters 15 and 16. 15:12,13 Asa dealt with the sin in his own home also. This is where obedience to the Lord and our witness must always begin. Compare Jud 6:24-27; Josh 24:15; Gen 35:1-4. And this is often where failure is most evident – 1 Sam 8:1-5; 2 Sam 13:21,39; 1 Kings 1:6. “Idol in a grove” – probably a wooden idol or pole representing the goddess Asherah. 15:16 The division of Israel into two parts was a source of continual trouble to both of them. 15:17 “Ramah” – a town only about eight kilometers north of Jerusalem. 15:18,19 “Treaty” – surely it was a mistake on Asa’s part to look to an idolatrous nation for security against his enemies. It reveals a weakness in his faith. See 2 Chron 16:7. Note also at Isa 31:1. 15:21 “Tirzah”–15:17.

“Abishalom” – a different way of spelling “Absalom.” 15:3 “Father” – 14:21-24; 2 Chron 12:1. “His heart” – this was the root reason for his many sins. 15:4 “Lamp” – 11:36. 15:5 “Hittite” – 2 Sam 11:2-4,14-17; 12:9,10; 1 Kings 9:4; 14:8. Does this mean that David’s adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah were his only sins? Obviously not. His numbering of Israel, for example, was sin and brought punishment (2 Sam 24:1,10). But David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), and he earnestly sought God and tried to do God’s will all his life. When he failed he repented and confessed and forsook his sin. Only in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba did he fail to do so. Many months went by without repentance and God had to send Nathan the prophet to rebuke him (2 Sam 12:1,7). 15:6 14:30. 15:7 “Annals” – note at 14:19. More about

439 1 KINGS 16:15

23 All the rest of the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? Nevertheless, in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his ancestors, and was buried among his ancestors in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

caused my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins, 3 look, I will consume Baasha and his house, and will make your house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. 4 Those who belong to Baasha who die in the city will be eaten by the dogs, and those of his who die in the fields will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 6 So Baasha slept with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place.

25 And Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. 26 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.

7 And also the word of the LORD had come through the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasha and against his house, because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he killed him.

27 And Baasha, the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 28 And in the third year of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha killed him and reigned in his place.

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa, king of Judah, Elah, the son of Baasha, began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.

29 And this happened when he became king: he struck down all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him, in accordance with the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 30 because of the sins of Jeroboam which he committed, and which he caused Israel to commit, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

9 And his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, the steward of his house in Tirzah. 10 And Zimri went in and struck him and killed him in the twentyseventh year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel, all their days.

11 And it happened when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he killed all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male person, none of his relatives or of his friends. 12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 because of all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of his son Elah, which they committed and which they made Israel commit, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their worthless idols.

33 In the third year of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha, the son of Ahijah, began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he caused Israel to sin.

14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel?

Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasha, saying, 2 “Because I exalted you from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa, king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. And the people were camped against Gibbethon, which

16:3,4 14:10,11. 16:5 “Annals” – 14:19. 16:6 “Slept” – note at 2:10. 16:7 Baasha was the instrument of God’s judgment on Jeroboam’s house, but was guilty of sin in what he did. 16:13 “Anger” – Num 25:3. “Worthless idols” – 12:28,29; Ps 115:4-8. 16:15-23 Factions split the kingdom and caused havoc. Zimri, Omri and Tibni were all rivals for the throne. It all came about because of sin, disobedience, and lust for

15:23 “Annals” –14:19. “Diseased” – 2 Chron 16:12-14. 15:24 “Slept” – note at 2:10. 15:26 12:28-33; 13:33,34. 15:27-29 14:9,10. 15:30 12:28-33. 15:31 “Annals” – 14:19. 16:1 “Jehu” – this was a prophet about whom we know very little, and not, of course, the Jehu of 2 Kings chapter 9 who later became king of Israel. 16:2 12:25-33; 14:7; 15:34.

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belonged to the Philistines. 16 And the people who were camped heard this said: “Zimri has conspired, and has also killed the king.” Therefore that day all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel in the camp. 17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And it happened that when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house, and burned down the king’s house over himself with fire, and died, 19 because of his sins which he committed in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he committed, to cause Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his plot which he carried out, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel?

26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and in his sin with which he caused Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their worthless idols.

27 Now the rest of the deeds of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 28 So Omri slept with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria, and his son Ahab reigned in his place.

29 And in the thirty-eighth year of Asa, king of Judah, Ahab, the son of Omri, began to reign over Israel, and Ahab, the son of Omri, reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab, the son of Omri, did more evil in the sight of the LORD than all who were before him. 31 And it came about, as if it were a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that he took Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, as his wife, and went and served Baal and worshipped him. 32 And he set up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an idolatrous grove, and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni, the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni, the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

23 In the thirty-first year of Asa, king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah. 24 And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill.

34 In his days Hiel, the Bethelite, built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of his firstborn Abiram, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

25 But Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD, doing more evil than all who were before him.

behavior. Is there not here a principle in God’s dealings with the nations of earth? Usually does He not let come to power the kind of leaders and rulers that the people as a whole deserve? Sometimes, in mercy, He may give them better ones than they deserve, but never worse ones. 16:31 Jezebel was one of the most wicked women recorded in history (18:4,13,19; 19:2,3; 21:5-15,25). This marriage of Ahab was in contempt of God’s law – Deut 7:1-5.

power. Selfish struggles for position and power in Christian circles can be just as disastrous. Wise men will avoid them. 16:19 12:28-33; 14:16; 15:26,34. 16:20 “Annals” – 14:19. 16:23 “Tirzah” – 14:17. 16:24 Omri built Samaria and established it as the new capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. The northern kingdom was even called “Samaria” at times (21:1; Isa 10:10; Amos 6:1).

“Two talents” – about 70 kilograms. 16:25-28 From a secular point of view Omri was one of the northern kingdom’s most successful kings. But the writer dismisses him with a few verses. God’s standards are different from man’s. Omri denied God’s covenant and followed Jeroboam. In God’s sight he was an evil failure. Compare Luke 16:15. 16:25 To say he was worse than Jeroboam was to condemn him utterly. 16:26 12:28-33. 16:30 Jeroboam was bad, Omri was worse, Ahab the worst of all. Why did God permit such kings to rule His people? He was justly giving them the rulers they deserved because of their own evil

“Baal” – note at Jud 2:11. 16:32 2 Kings 10:21-27. We read of no temple he built for Jehovah the one true God. 16:33 “Grove” – or “Asherah pole” – note at Jud 3:7.

“Anger” – Num 25:3; Deut 4:25; Ps 90:7-11. Ahab made Baal worship the predominant religion of the northern kingdom. 16:34 Josh 6:26. Jericho had continued in existence as a village without walls and gates (Josh 18:21; Jud 1:16; 3:13; 2 Sam 10:5). Hiel decided to rebuild it as a city with walls and gates.

441 1 KINGS 17:18

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will be no dew or rain these years, except by my word.”

that I can drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have a loaf, but only a handful of flour in a barrel, and a little oil in a jug. And, look, I am gathering two sticks, so that I can go in and prepare it for myself and my son, so that we can eat it, and die.”

2 And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3 “Go from here, and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Kerith, that is east of the Jordan. 4 And it is to be like this: you will drink from the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said, but with it make for me a little cake first, and bring it to me, and afterwards make for yourself and for your son. 14 For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘The barrel of flour will not be exhausted, and the jug of oil will not fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth.”

5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the brook Kerith, that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

7 And after a while it happened that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 8 And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. See, I have commanded a widow woman there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, just then the widow woman was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a jar, so

15 And she went and did according to the word of Elijah. And she, and he, and her household, ate for many days. 16 And the barrel of flour was not exhausted, and the jug of oil did not fail, in accordance with the word of the LORD which he spoke by Elijah.

17 And it came about after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick, and his sickness was so severe, that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah,

17:1 Deut 28:23,24; 1 Kings 18:1; Luke 4:25,26; Jam 5:17; Rev 11:6. Elijah was one of the greatest figures of the Old Testament. Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, appeared with the Lord Jesus on the mount of transfiguration (Matt 17:3; Luke 9:31). John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord Jesus, came in the spirit of Elijah (Matt 11:13,14; 17:11-13; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17). And it seems that Elijah will appear again before the second coming of Christ (Mal 4:6). His name means “Jehovah is my God.” His home was east of the Jordan river.

in a supernatural way but used natural means. Observe God’s sovereignty over creation, and how He may use any means He pleases to meet His peoples’ needs. Compare Ex 16:4,13-18; 17:1-7. See 2 Cor 9:8; Phil 4:19. 17:7 “Dried up” – surely this tested Elijah’s faith. We should learn, as he did, that if one source of supply dries up God will provide another for His servants (Ps 23:1). We should learn to trust God Himself and not the means God may use to help us. 17:9 “Zarephath” – a town between Tyre and Sidon on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. God sent Elijah far from his home, far from the ravens, and out of the territory ruled by Ahab, to a poor non-Israelite. See Luke 4:25,26. “Commanded” – v. 4. God can move on human hearts also to fulfill His will and to meet the needs of His people, even without their knowing it. 17:10,11 Elijah recognized her as the one God had appointed to meet his needs. 17:12 To meet the needs of His servants God often passes by the rich and uses the poor. Compare 2 Cor 8:1-4. 17:13 Here was an opportunity for her to learn of the power of the miracle-working God of Israel, and she believed and experienced it (v 15). We all may have such opportunities. See Luke 6:38. 17:18 She thought, perhaps, that Elijah had discovered her past sin and had spoken of them to God. And she believed that the death of her son was a punishment for her

“Before whom I stand” – servants stood in the presence of a ruler to obey his orders. So Elijah remained in the presence of the heavenly King waiting for His word. He lived consciously in God’s presence with an attitude of obedience, as ever believer today should do.

“No dew or rain” – because of the false worship of the people God was sending them drought and famine in judgment. Compare Lev 26:3,4,18,19; Deut 28:15,22-24; 2 Sam 21:1; 2 Kings 6:24,25. Baal, the god Israel was worshiping in the place of Jehovah, was thought to be the god who gave fertile fields and rain from heaven. The true God was proving to the people through Elijah that He Himself, Jehovah, had control of rain and fields and that Baal was powerless. Compare Ex 12:12. 17:3 “Hide” – his life was in danger from the murderous pair of Ahab and Jezebel. 17:4 “Ravens” – God supplied Elijah’s needs

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“What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to call my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”

that we do not lose all the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her bosom, and carried him up into the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, have you also brought disaster on the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” 21 And he stretched himself on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray you, let this child’s soul come back into him.”

7 And as Obadiah was on the way, suddenly Elijah met him, and Obadiah knew him and prostrated himself and said, “Are you my master Elijah?”

8 And he answered him, “I am. Go, tell your master, ‘Look, Elijah is here. ’”

9 And he said, “What sin have I done, that you would deliver your servant into the hands of Ahab to kill me? 10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to seek you; and when they said, ‘He is not there ’, he made that kingdom and nation swear that they could not find you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, Look, Elijah is here.’ 12 And it will happen, as soon as I have gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth. 13 Was it not told my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, Look, Elijah is here ’; and he will kill me.”

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came back into him, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the room into the house and handed him to his mother, and Elijah said, “See, your son is living.”

24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

And it came about after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, appear to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.” 2 And Elijah went to appear to Ahab.

And there was a severe famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly; 4 for it happened, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land, to all the springs of water and to all the streams. Perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so

15 And Elijah said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely appear to him today.”

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 And it came about, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who is troubling Israel?”

18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, sin. This was not true, as we can see from what follows. 17:20 Elijah was as puzzled as the widow. God’s servants often find themselves in puzzling circumstances. Compare 2 Cor 4:8. 17:22 This is the first recorded raising of the dead in the Bible. And it happened, not in Israel, not among believers in Judah, but to the son of a poor widow of another nation. Such is God’s grace. 17:24 In faith this woman leaped ahead of the people of Israel who had rejected both Elijah and God who spoke through him. 18:1 “I will send rain” – there had been no repentance in Israel, but God in sovereign grace, decided to send rain anyway, so that the land and the nation would not be totally destroyed. 18:2 Observe Elijah’s unquestioning obedience in everything (17:5,10; 18:36; 19:15,19). A possibility of danger in meeting Ahab did not deter him. Truly he stood as a servant in the presence of God (17:1).

18:3 “Obadiah” – not the prophet of the same name, but a steward in Ahab’s house. 18:4 “Jezebel” – 16:31. “Hid them” – God sometimes may make use of individuals in high positions to preserve His people. Compare Est 4:14. 18:12 2 Kings 2:16; Ezek 3:12,14; Acts 8:39. 18:13 “Hundred” – there were groups of prophets then as in Samuel’s day (1 Sam 10:5,10). See 1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings 2:7,15. 18:15 “LORD of hosts” – note at 1 Sam 1:3. 18:17 “One who is troubling Israel”– it was Ahab who was the real troubler of Israel. God sent Elijah to help preserve Israel in spite of men like Ahab. The great troublers of mankind are sinful men, sinful leaders, not those who rebuke sin and demand repentance. Compare Josh 7:24-26; Acts 17:6; 24:5. Compare Ahab’s attitude, when faced with famine, with David’s attitude (2 Sam 21:1). 18:18 “Baals”– 16:30-33. Note on Baal at Jud 2:11.

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and have followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather in my presence at Mount Carmel all Israel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of the groves who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

26 And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning to noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice or anyone who answered. And they leaped on the altar which was made.

20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you limp between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him.”

27 And at noon it came about that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call with a loud voice, for he is a god! Either he is conversing, or is pursuing someone, or is on a journey. Or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened!” 28 And they called out with a loud voice, and cut themselves according to their custom with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29 And it came about, when noon was past, and they had prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was no voice, or anyone to answer, or anyone who paid attention.

And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, I alone, remain a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it. 24 And you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, let him be God.”

30 And Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Your name will be Israel.” 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33 And he put the

And all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

25 And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for there are many of you; and call on the name of your gods. But do not put any fire under it.”

18:19 “Carmel”– a long flat-topped range of high hills running to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. “Of the groves” – Asherah. Note at Jud 3:7.

words, let the true God reveal Himself by a miracle. Elijah knew that the LORD (Jehovah) could do this (Lev 9:24), and that Baal could not. The people could see that the challenge was a perfectly fair test. Note on fire as a symbol for God at Ex 3:2. 18:26 “Answered” – Baal did not answer because he could not. He was like all the gods of men (Ps 96:5; 115:4-7; Isa 41:22-24; 44:6,15-26; Hab 2:18-20). “Leaped” – trying to arouse their deity to action. 18:27 “Mocked” – how bold, how confident in God was Elijah! 18:28 “Blood gushed” – a desperate attempt to get their god to respond. 18:29 “Prophesied” – here means shouting words under the influence of evil spirits or in the heat of their own spirits. See notes at Num 11:25; Gen 20:7; etc.

“Table” – Jezebel was using part of the wealth of Israel, the people of God to provide for these false prophets of a false god. Note on false prophets at Gen 20:11; Deut 13:1; 18:20; Jer 14:14. 18:20 Ahab was willing to accept the challenge. After all, it seemed that the odds were 850 to 1 against Elijah. For a similar contest see note at Ex 7:11. 18:21 Ex 32:26; Josh 24:15; 2 Kings 17:41; Matt 6:24. Men must decide what is true and what they will follow. Many people consider it broad-minded and tolerant to try to accept every outlook on life as legitimate or good. And some like to think that all religions are good, and that all gods are one. Elijah and the God of the Bible, the only true and living God, will have no part in such thinking. They knew that to worship Baal was to reject the true God, to follow the true God meant to reject Baal. Israel could not succeed in its attempt to have both. So it is now. Those who want to worship and serve the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ must reject all other gods. See also Josh 24:14,15; 2 Kings 17:32,33; Isa 42:8. 18:22 19:10,14. Elijah felt how alone he was. Compare Ps 12:1. His meaning is that he was the only one to make a public stand to fight against false religion. 18:24 “The God who answers by fire” in other

“Evening sacrifice” – Ex 29:38-41. “Attention” – it is tragic and pathetic in the extreme that men will make such efforts to get the attention of gods who can never hear them, when they could call to the true God, the Creator, who answers prayer (Ps 65:2). 18:30 “That had been torn down” – people had expressed contempt for the worship of the true God. 18:31 Gen 32:28; 35:10. 18:32 “Altar” – he wanted everyone to know that his life and ministry was related to Jehovah the God of Israel. 18:33 This was to show the undeniable

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wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.”

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and threw himself down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now. Look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go back.”

34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

44 And it came about at the seventh time that he said, “Look, a little cloud is rising from the sea, like a man’s hand.”

36 And it came about at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again.”

And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down, so that the rain does not stop you.’”

45 And in the meantime it came about that the sky was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he tucked up his robe and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and the whole account of how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do harm to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and said, “The LORD, he is the God! The LORD, he is the God!”

40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” And they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and killed them there.

3 And when he saw that, he arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belonged to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.”

genuineness of the miracle which followed. 18:36 Contrast Elijah’s brief believing prayer with the long frantic praying of the false prophets. See Matt 6:7,8.

to prevent the slaughter of Baal’s prophets. Now he departs at Elijah’s word. It seems he was temporarily overwhelmed by the events he had seen. Overwhelmed, but not repentant, as we know from what follows. Miracles by themselves do not produce repentance, do not change man’s sinful heart. This is abundantly clear from the ministry of the Lord Jesus on earth. See notes at Matt 8:1-4; Luke 16:31; John 2:11. 18:43 “Seven times” – see Elijah’s perseverance in prayer. Compare Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8. 18:45 See Jam 5:16-18; Mark 11:22-25. 18:46 “Hand of the LORD” – Elijah was given strength beyond his own and was able to outrun the chariot of the king. Compare Isa 40:29-31; Col 1:29. 19:1 “Jezebel” – 16:31. “Killed” – 18:40. 19:3 “Went for his life” – Elijah at times revealed great courage, as we know from chapter 18. Now he is probably suffering a complete emotional letdown (as often happens after a great victory). Anyone may experience fear in certain circumstances, and Elijah was a man with the same emotions as other men (Jam 3:17). God’s servants may be bold and fearless in God, weak and fearful in themselves (for example, compare Matt 26:69-74; Acts 4:8-13). 19:4 Num 11:15; Jonah 4:3,8. See notes on depression at psalm 42.

“LORD God of Abraham” – Ex 4:5; etc, the covenant God of Israel. 18:37 Observe the object Elijah had in mind – he did not want to put on a spectacular show, or call attention to himself, or gain any kind of personal benefit. His desire was that people might know who the true God is. This most important matter is everywhere emphasized in the Bible – Ex 9:16; Josh 4:24; etc. 18:38 Verse 24. Observe the willingness of God to reveal Himself when there is obedience and believing prayer. Compare John 14:21,23.

“Fire” – note at 3:2. 18:39 Verses 21,24,37. The object of this contest (v 37) was achieved. But the results were not permanent. Before long the people and their rulers forsook God again. See 2 Kings 17:7-17. 18:40 “Killed them” – this was in accordance with God’s law for the nation (Deut 13:5, 13-18; 18:20). It was a just punishment on men who led God’s people into the wickedness of false worship. 18:41 “Sound of abundance of rain” – there was as yet no cloud. This was the language of faith (17:1). 18:42 “Ahab went up” – the king did nothing

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went a day’s journey into the desert, and came to a juniper tree and sat down under it, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”

the LORD. But the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake came, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire appeared, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still small voice. 13 And it came about, when Elijah heard it, that he covered his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.

5 And as he lay down and slept under the juniper tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.”

6 And he looked, and there appeared a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water at his head. And he ate and drank and lay down again.

And then a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 And he said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left; and they seek to take my life.”

7 And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

8 And he arose and ate and drank, and in the strength of that food travelled forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 And he came there to a cave, and spent the night there. And suddenly the word of the LORD came to him and said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

15 And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And you shall anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat, of Abel-Meholah to be prophet in your place. 17 And it will come about that the one who escapes the sword of Hazael Jehu will kill, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have left seven thousand for myself in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.”

10 And he said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left; and they seek to take my life.”

11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And suddenly the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind split the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before

19 So he left there and found Elisha, the son of

“Not better” – perhaps God permitted this experience that Elijah might learn this. Had he been thinking he was better than others? This temptation may come to God’s servants. They may begin to think that God has used them in a great way because they are better than other men. They should not give in to this temptation. See Rom 3:9,10; Luke 18:9; Phil 2:3. 19:5 “Angel” – note at Gen 16:7; etc. 19:6 This shows God’s tender care for His servant. Compare 17:4,9. See Ps 23:1. 19:7 “Angel of the LORD” – Gen 16:7. The Son of God came to Elijah.

people in spectacular ways, in windstorm, quake and fire (18:38; Ex 19:16-19; Job 38:1; Ps 18:6-15; Isa 29:6). But Elijah had already seen enough of the spectacular. He needed to find calm and peace. Perhaps he needed to understand better that God can accomplish His purposes in quiet and gentle ways also. Compare Isa 42:1-4. God does not need to speak to people in a voice of thunder, with the power of miraculous activity. 19:14 Apparently Elijah did not understand what God was trying to teach him. Do we? 19:15,16 Elijah did not carry out these commands as far as we know. Elisha went to Hazael (2 Kings 8:8-15), and sent another to anoint Jehu (2 Kings 9:1-10). Elijah did seek out Elisha but did not, it seems, literally anoint him. The mention of Elisha here indicates that Elijah’s ministry was coming to an end. He had been given his work and had almost finished it. Now he must appoint his successor. Compare Moses and Joshua (Deut 31:1,2,7,8). 19:17 God was going to send judgment on Israel. 19:18 “Seven thousand”– Elijah was not as alone as he thought (v 14). God always has a few people who remain faithful to Him, however evil the state of society may be (Isa 1:9; Rom 11:4,5; Matt 16:18). This is one of the great lessons of church history. 19:19 “Plowing” – often God calls His servants

“Journey” – God knew the journey Elijah planned, but He had not told him to make it. Elijah, even while running away from danger, without God’s orders, is still under God’s gracious care. This is grace. Jonah’s history gives a similar (but not exact) case. 19:8 “Horeb” – Mount Sinai (Ex 3:1,12; 19:1-3). It is about 400 kilometers south of Beersheba. 19:9 “What are you doing here” – in other words, what are you seeking, Elijah? Are you merely running away from trouble and danger? 19:10 Elijah is still in the pit of depression. He feels his ministry has come to nothing, and that only death awaits him.

“I alone” – 18:22. 19:11,12 Sometimes God did come to His

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Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he with the twelfth; and Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

for to your servant at first I will do, but this thing I am not able to do.” And the messengers departed and brought word back to him.

10 And Ben-Hadad sent to him, and said, “The gods do harm to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria is enough for handfuls for all the people who follow me.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘The one who puts on his armour should not boast like the one who takes it off.’”

21 And he went back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them, and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.

12 And it came about, when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the tents, that he said to his servants, “Set yourselves in array.” And they set themselves in array against the city.

And Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, gathered all his army together, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria and made war against it. 2 And he sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 Your silver and your gold are mine. Also your most beautiful wives and children are mine.”

13 And then a prophet came to Ahab, king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Look, I will deliver it into your hands today, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”

14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’”

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, “My lord, O king, in accordance with your word, I am yours, and all that I have.”

Then he said, “Who should begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.” 15 Then he counted the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. And after them he counted all the people, all the children of Israel. There were seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the tents, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who were helping him. 17 And the young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out observers, and they told him, saying, “Men have come out of Samaria.”

5 And the messengers came again and said, “Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, I have sent men to you, saying, ‘You must hand over to me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children.’ 6 So I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be that whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will lay hands on it and take it away.”

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent men to me for my wives and for my children, and for my silver and for my gold; and I did not refuse him.”

18 And he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19 So these young men of the rulers of the provinces came out of the city, with the army which followed them. 20 And each one of them killed his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, escaped on a

8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen to him or agree.”

9 Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Tell my lord the king, All that you sent

when they are engaged in the simple, common tasks of life (Matt 4:8; 9:9).

20:6 A further demand which would have meant a complete surrender of the city. 20:11 Prov 27:1. 20:13 “Thus says the LORD” – we see here the greatness of God’s grace in sending a prophet with a message of victory to an evil ruler like Ahab. This does not mean that God approved of Ahab’s life and conduct. It indicates that the time for the destruction of Samaria had not yet come.

“Mantle” – a mantle is a long, loose, sleeveless cloak. Throwing his mantle on Elisha was possibly Elijah’s way of anointing him. 19:20 “Go back” – Elijah had not asked Elisha to come with him. 19:21 Elisha was eager for God’s service, even lowly service (2 Kings 3:11). He burned his bridges behind him – destroyed his means of livelihood, and went forth for God. Compare Mark 1:16-20. 20:1 “Ben-Hadad”–15:9,10,18-20,33. 20:4 Ahab saw no hope of victory.

“You will know” – 18:37. 20:15 Ahab was willing to follow God’s instructions if it meant victory in battle, but not if it required him to repent and change his way of living.

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horse with the horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out, and attacked the horses and chariots and killed the Syrians in a great slaughter.

are merciful kings. Please let us wrap sackcloth around our waists, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will save your life.”

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and observe and watch what you do; for at the turn of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.”

32 So they wrapped sackcloth around their waists, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant BenHadad says, ‘Please let me live.’”

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them on the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. 24 And do this thing: remove each one of the kings from his position, and put captains in their place, 25 and recruit an army for yourself, like the army that you lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men were watching carefully whether any sign would come from him, and quickly caught it, and they said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.”

Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.

34 And Ben-Hadad said to him, “I will give back the cities which my father took from your father. And you can make market streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.”

26 And this occurred at the turn of the year: Ben-Hadad recruited the Syrians, and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the children of Israel were counted, and were all present, and went against them, and the children of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of young goats; but the Syrians filled the countryside.

Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him, and sent him away.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour at the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” And the man refused to strike him.

28 And a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”

36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, look, as soon as you have gone away from me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he went away from him, a lion found him and killed him.

29 And they camped opposite one another seven days. And it happened that on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the children of Israel killed a hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. 30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city, and there a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And BenHadad fled and came into the city, into an inner room.

37 Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, striking and wounding him. 38 So the prophet left and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with ashes on his face. 39 And when the king passed by, he called out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle, and, see, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man. If for any reason he is missing, then it will be your life for his life, or else you must pay a talent of silver.’ 40 And as your

31 And his servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel

20:22 Ahab was given a year to prepare, also to repent and seek God if he would. Alas, he did not. 20:23 “Hills” – this was a superstitious idea that various gods had control of various areas of land. Little did they know that Israel’s God was the possessor of heaven and earth. 20:27 Compare Josh 11:1-5; Jud 6:3-5; 1 Sam 13:5. 20:28 “Man of God” – vs 13,23. “You will know” – one of God’s purposes revealed in His acts is that men might know who He is. This is seen throughout the Bible– Ex 6:7; 9:16; etc. 20:31 “Sackcloth” – a sign of mourning, a symbol of disaster. 20:32 “Your servant” – words indicating

submission, surrender. 20:34 Ahab had no understanding of God’s Word, or the reason why God had given him victory. For his own ends he entered into a covenant with the evil Ben-Hadad, an alliance which was to cause the people of Israel further suffering. 20:35 “Sons of the prophets” – means a community of prophets (2 Kings 2:3,5,7,15; 4:1; etc). 20:36 Presumably it was clear to both men that God was speaking and that the one was consciously disobedient. Compare 13:23,24. 20:39 “Talent” – about 34 kilograms. “Or else” – an ordinary soldier could not pay 34 kilograms of silver, and so must suf-

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servant was busy here and there, the prisoner disappeared.”

7 And his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you now rule over Israel? Get up and eat food, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be. You yourself have decided it. ”

41 And he quickly took the ashes from his face, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was one of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let a man whom I had appointed to utter destruction go out of your hand, your life will go for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the front of the people, 10 And set two men, scoundrels, before him, to testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ And then take him out and stone him, so that he dies.”

And this occurred after these things: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. 2 And for it I will give to you a better vineyard than it.

11 And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who were residents of his city, did as Jezebel had sent orders to them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth at the front of the people. 13 And two men came in, scoundrels, and sat in front of him, and the scoundrels testified against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” Then they took him out of the city, and pelted him with stones; and he died. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned, and is dead.”

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.”

4 And Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, because he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned his face away, and would not eat food.

15 And it came about, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And this happened when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead: Ahab got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

5 But his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sad that you aren’t eating any food?”

6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money. Or, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it’. And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

child who cannot get what he wants. 21:7 “Jezebel” – note at 16:31. Compared to Jezebel Ahab, evil as he was, appears almost righteous. 21:9 “Proclaim a fast” – days of fasting were called in times of disaster to seek God’s face for its cause and to plead for His mercy. Compare Jud 20:26,27; 2 Chron 20:2-4. Jezebel was using religion to put a man to death and gain her own ends. She was not the last to do such things. 21:10 “Scoundrels” – there are always some willing to lie to destroy others. See Matt 26:59-61. “So that he dies” – the penalty for cursing God (Lev 24:15,16). Evidently, Naboth’s sons were killed at the same time (2 Kings 9:26). They wished to be sure no heir was left to claim the property. See the awful destructive power of covetousness, of the love of property, of the desire for forbidden things. What murders it has been guilty of! What disasters it has caused in the world! What multitudes it has led to everlasting punishment!

fer the sentence of death. In giving this verdict Ahab condemned himself. Compare 2 Sam 12:5-7. 20:42 God had delivered Ben-Hadad to Ahab, not that he might make a treaty with him, but that he might destroy an enemy of Israel. Ahab’s act appears kind and merciful, but actually was merely weakness, and an attempt to gain personal advantage. And he did not seek God about it. God knows when to show mercy, and when to severely punish. 21:1 The capital of the northern kingdom was the city of Samaria, but Ahab also maintained a residence at Jezreel, about forty kilometers from Samaria. 21:3 Lev 25:23; Num 36:7. 21:4 By coveting Naboth’s vineyard Ahab was breaking one of the most important of God’s commandments – Ex 20:17. His coveting led on to murder. Compare Jam 4:1,2. On coveting see Ps 119:36; Isa 57:17; Jer 6:13; Mark 7:22,23; Luke 12:15; Rom 1:29; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 2:5; 1 Tim 6:6,7; Heb 13:5; 2 Pet 2:3. “Would not eat” – Ahab was like a spoiled

449 1 KINGS 22:6

17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to possess it. 19 And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, Have you killed, and also taken possession?’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth dogs will lick your blood, even yours.’”

acted very abominably in following idols, in all things just like the Amorites did, whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came about, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his body and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and walked around slowly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Do you see how Ahab is humbling himself before me? Because he is humbling himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days, but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.”

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?”

And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 Look, I will bring disaster on you, and will sweep away your descendants, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both slave and free in Israel, 22 and will make your house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and caused Israel to sin.

And they continued for three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2 And it came about in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel. 3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we are quiet and not taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?”

23 “And the LORD has spoken about Jezebel also, saying, ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 The one belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of the air will eat.’”

And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please consult the word of the LORD today.”

25 But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to commit wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom his wife Jezebel stirred up. 26 And he

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets

punishment but could not, in justice, cancel it. 22:1-35 2 Chron 18:1-34. 22:2 Jehoshaphat was allied with Ahab king of Israel by marriage (2 Chron 18:1). Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, married Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat. The results of this were very grave for the whole nation of Judah. The wicked influence of the house of Ahab permeated Judah through Athaliah. See 2 Kings 8:16-18; 2 Chron 22:1-3,10. So because of the foolishness of a good man (Jehoshaphat – v 43), great evil came to God’s people. Wrong marriage alliances can bring much harm to the people of God. So God has given us 2 Cor 6:14-18. 22:3 “Ramoth” – Deut 4:43; Josh 21:38. 22:4 Jehoshaphat was a godly man (v 43), but he made a very bad mistake in allying himself with the evil Ahab, and God’s anger came on him because of it. See 2 Chron l9:1-3. 22:5 “Word of the LORD” – v 43. But he did not seek God’s counsel when he married off his son to Ahab’s daughter. And he did not pay any attention to the counsel that God sent through Micaiah in the following verses. What use is there in asking for God’s counsel if there is no determination to follow it? 22:6 “Prophets” – in that apostate system of religion (see 12:28-33) there were those who professed to speak in God’s name. These called by Ahab were men-pleasers who

21:17 Ps 9:12; Num 31:3; Deut 32:41,42. Naboth was dead, but God was not. 21:18 Heb 4:13. 21:19 Ahab did not kill Naboth with his own hand, but he was, nevertheless, guilty of murder. Compare 2 Sam 12:9. If we go along with what others do we share their guilt. 21:20 “O my enemy” – Ahab counted as enemies those who told him the truth. See 22:8. Compare 2 Sam 12:13. “Sold yourself” – when men rush after the things of this world they may think they are receiving some gain, but actually they are selling themselves. And to buy themselves back will be beyond their power. So Mark 8:36,37. 21:21,22 14:10,11; 16:3,4. None of these kings learned proper lessons from the history of their predecessors. 21:23 2 Kings 9:10,30-37. 21:24 14:11; 16:4. 21:25 16:30-33; 21:20. Bad as Ahab was, Jezebel was worse. 21:26 “Amorites” – Gen 15:16; Lev 18:25-30; Josh 24:15. 21:27 Ahab displayed the outward signs of mourning and repentance. 21:29 Ahab’s repentance was shallow, as can be seen from events which follow, yet God took notice of it. He is a God of great grace, and would much rather show mercy than punish (Ex 34:6,7; Ps 86:15; Isa 30:18; 55:7; Ezek 18:31,32). In this case He delayed the

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together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or should I refrain?”

15 So he came to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or should we refrain?”

And they said, “Go up, for the LORD will deliver it into the hands of the king.”

And he answered him, “Go, and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hands of the king.”

7 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might consult him?”

16 And the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear to tell me nothing but what is true in the name of the LORD?”

8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, by whom we can consult the LORD. But I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but disaster.”

17 And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each one of them return to his house in peace.’”

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but disaster?”

And Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say so.”

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring here Micaiah the son of Imlah, quickly.”

19 And Micaiah said, “Hear, therefore, the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him at his right hand and at his left. 20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he goes up and falls at Ramoth-Gilead?’ And one said this, and another said that. 21 And a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the LORD said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and I will be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You will entice him, and also succeed. Go and do so.’

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, each sat on his throne at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 And Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made iron horns for himself, and he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you will gore the Syrians, until you make an end of them.’”

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hands.”

23 “Now therefore, look, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these your prophets, and the LORD has spoken disaster concerning you.”

13 And the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Look now, the messages of the prophets with one accord declare good to the king. Please let your message be like one of their messages, and speak what is good.”

24 But Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, went near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?”

14 And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, I will speak jut what the LORD says to me.”

spoke what they thought Ahab wanted to hear. There are many such people in the world today. Compare Gal 1:10; 2 Tim 4:1-3; Isa 30:10. On false prophets see Deut 18:10; Jer 14:14. 22:7 Jehoshaphat was uneasy about these prophets (and he did well to be), and wanted a more sure word. 22:8 “I hate him” – see 18:17; 21:20. Ahab did not want the truth; he wanted messages which pleased him. This is the way men in general fall into great spiritual deception and perish in their sins. Compare 2 Thess 2:9-12. 22:9 “Micaiah” – except for this one incident (which is repeated in 2 Chron 18:7-27) nothing else is recorded about this remarkable man. There are many great servants of God in history about whom we now know nothing. 22:11,12 These were all lies spoken in the name of God. Let us beware of such. This is how Satan ensnares men, keeps them in bondage and destroys them (John 8:44). 22:13 Did they think God’s true prophets could invent their own messages? How little are God’s true servants understood!

22:14 This is the only business of a true prophet. 22:15 Micaiah spoke in a mocking way which Ahab immediately saw (v 16). 22:16 Verse 8. Ahab spoke so because of the presence of Jehoshaphat. 22:17 Ahab said he wanted the truth, though he did not (see another example of this in Jeremiah chapters 42 and 43. Men frequently deceive themselves in a similar manner). In this case Micaiah gave the truth to him straight. 22:19-23 God is sovereign and even evil spirits can operate only within the bounds of His will and wise purposes (1 Chron 21:1; Job 1:6; Matt 8:28-32; etc). God had decided to bring disaster on Ahab and this was the method He chose. When individuals love to hear lies and reject the truth, God will permit others to tell them the lies they want to hear. This is God acting in perfect justice. See Ps 18:25,26. Compare Jud 9:23; 1 Sam 16:14; Ezek 14:9; 2 Thess 2:11. 22:24 “From me” – no doubt many people think they have the Spirit of God when they do not.

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25 And Micaiah said, “Look, you will see in that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”

and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And someone washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria. And the dogs licked up his blood, and they washed his armour, in accordance with the word of the LORD which he had spoken.

26 And the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son, 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king: put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.’”

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his ancestors, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

28 And Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, O people, every one of you.”

41 And Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twentyfive years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD. However the high places were not taken away, for the people still offered and burnt incense on the high places. 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-Gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you put on your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty-two captains who had charge of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with either small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32 And it happened that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel”; and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it came about, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 46 And he removed from the land the rest of the male temple prostitutes who had remained in the days of his father Asa. 47 There was then no king in Edom. A deputy was king.

34 And a certain man drew a bow at random, and hit the king of Israel between the joints of the armour. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35 And the battle increased that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and at evening he died. And the blood ran out of the wound into the middle of the chariot. 36 And about sunset a cry went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.”

48 Jehoshaphat had ships of Tarshish go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go; for the ships were broken at Ezion-Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors, and was buried among his ancestors in the city of David his father, and his son Jehoram reigned in his place.

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria,

22:25 Micaiah indicates that Zedekiah will try to hide from the danger that would come to him. 22:27 “Prison” – this is Micaiah’s reward for telling the truth. This is a not uncommon suffering of God’s true servants (2 Chron 16:10; Jer 20:2; 37:15; Matt 14:3; Acts 12:3,4; 16:22-24; Heb 11:35-38). 22:28 Deut 18:21,22. 22:29 Verses 3,4. 22:30 Ahab, it appears, was worried by Micaiah’s prophecy. But did he not realize that God can see through all disguises? See Heb 4:13. How great is the folly of men in the games they try to play with God! 22:33 God showed mercy to His foolish servant. 22:34-38 Ahab could not escape the judgment of God. He chose what pleased

him rather than the message God sent, and he had to suffer the consequences. The “random” shot was not mere accident. God is sovereign over all circumstances, and can guide the flight of an arrow as easily as He can do anything else. 22:38 21:17-19. 22:39 Ahab was a great builder in the material realm, a great destroyer in the spiritual realm.

“Annals” – 14:19. 22:40 “Slept” – note at 2:10. 22:41-43 2 Chron 20:31-33. 22:43 “Asa” – 15:11-14. “High places” – note at 3:2. 22:46 Note at 14:24. 22:48,49 This was God’s judgment for his alliance with the evil Ahab – 2 Chron 20:35-37.

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51 Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in

the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 53 For he served Baal and worshipped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, as his father had done in everything.

22:52,53 12:28-33; 16:30-32; 21:25,26.

“Anger”–notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.

2 KINGS

Author and date:

See the introduction to 1 Kings.

Themes:

Events in the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah until the destruction of both, the remarkable ministry of the prophet Elisha, times of revival in Judah, the exile of Israel to Assyria, the fall of Jerusalem. The events recorded in 2 Kings took place over a period of 266 years.

Contents:

King Ahaziah’s accident ................................................................................. 1:1-6 Elijah, the king’s captains, the king’s death ...................................................... 1:6-18 Elijah goes bodily into heaven ........................................................................ 2:1-12 Elisha becomes Elijah’s successor ................................................................... 2:13-18 Elisha heals the bitter water .......................................................................... 2:19-22 Elisha, the young men, and the bears ............................................................ 2:23-25 Israel’s bad king Jehoram and Judah’s good king

Jehoshaphat join hands against Moab ................................................... 3:1-27 Elisha’s miracles ........................................................................................... 4:1 - 6:23

Oil for a widow ........................................................................................ 4:1-7 Raising the dead son of the Shunammite .................................................... 4:8-37 Pot of stew ............................................................................................. 4:38-41 Feeding a hundred men ............................................................................ 4:42-44 Healing of Naaman’s leprosy ..................................................................... 5:1-19 Bringing leprosy on Gehazi ........................................................................ 5:20-27 Making the axe head float ........................................................................ 6:1-7 Capturing the Arameans........................................................................... 6:8-23 Israel’s war with Ben-Hadad and a miraculous deliverance ................................. 6:24 - 7:20 The Shunammite woman’s land restored.......................................................... 8:1-8 Elisha’s mission to Hazael .............................................................................. 8:7-15 Judah’s evil king Jehoram .............................................................................. 8:16-24 Judah’s evil king Ahaziah ............................................................................... 8:25-29 Jehu becomes king over Israel and reigns ....................................................... 9:1 - 10:36

A prophet anoints Jehu ............................................................................ 9:1-13 Jehu kills Joram and Ahaziah ..................................................................... 9:14-28 The death of Jezebel ............................................................................... 9:30-37 Jehu kills all of Ahab’s descendants ............................................................ 10:1-17 Jehu destroys Baal worship in Israel .......................................................... 10:18-28 Jehu’s failure, sin, and death .................................................................... 10:29-36 Judah’s evil queen Athaliah ........................................................................... 11:1-16 Joash becomes king at age 7 ......................................................................... 11:17-21 Judah’s good king Joash ............................................................................... 12:1-21

Joash’s reforms ....................................................................................... 12:1-16 Joash’s wrong step .................................................................................. 12:17,18 Israel’s evil king Jehoahaz ............................................................................. 13:1-9 Israel’s evil king Jehoash ............................................................................... 13:10-25

Death of Elisha ........................................................................................ 13:20 Judah’s good king Amaziah ............................................................................ 14:1-22 Israel’s evil king Jeroboam II ......................................................................... 14:23-29 Judah’s good king Azariah (Uzziah) ................................................................. 15:1-7 Four evil kings in Israel – Zechariah, Shallum,

Menachem, Pekahiah ........................................................................... 15:8-26

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The Assyrians capture part of Israel............................................................... 15:27-31 Judah’s good king Jotham ............................................................................. 15:32-38 Judah’s evil king Ahaz ................................................................................... 16:1-20 Israel’s last king, the evil Hoshea ................................................................... 17:1,2 The destruction of the northern kingdom and

the exile of the Israelites ..................................................................... 17:3-6 The reason for Israel’s destruction and exile ................................................... 17:7-23 Foreigners settle in Israel.............................................................................. 17:24-41 Judah’s good king Hezekiah ........................................................................... 18:1 - 20:21

Hezekiah’s reforms and victories ................................................................ 18:1-8 Sennacherib attacks Judah ....................................................................... 18:13-16 Sennacherib’s army comes to Jerusalem ..................................................... 18:17-37 Isaiah predicts Jerusalem’s deliverance ...................................................... 19:1-7 Hezekiah’s prayer .................................................................................... 19:14-19 Isaiah sends another message to Hezekiah ................................................. 19:20-34 The destruction of Sennacherib’s army ....................................................... 19:35,36 Hezekiah’s illness and healing .................................................................... 20:1-11 Hezekiah and the envoys from Babylon ...................................................... 20:12-20 Judah’s wicked king Manasseh ....................................................................... 21:1-18 Judah’s evil king Amon .................................................................................. 21:19-26 Judah’s good king Josiah ............................................................................... 22:1 - 23:30

The repair of the temple ........................................................................... 22:3-7 The book of the law of God found .............................................................. 22:8-20 Josiah’s reforms ...................................................................................... 23:1-24 Judah’s evil king Jehoahaz ............................................................................ 23:31,32 Egypt subdues Judah ................................................................................... 23:33-35 Judah’s evil king Jehoiakim, the first invasion

of the Babylonians .............................................................................. 23:36 - 24:7 Judah’s evil king Jehoiachin, the first deportation

of the Jews to Babylon ........................................................................ 24:8-17 Judah’s evil king Zedekiah, the destruction

of Jerusalem, and the people’s deportation ............................................ 24:18 - 25:21 Gedaliah is appointed governor of Judah ........................................................ 25:22-26 Jehoiachin’s time in Babylon........................................................................... 25:27-30

455 2 KINGS 1:17

Moab rebelled against Israel, after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria and was injured. And he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go, inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’”

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then may fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because you think there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You will not come down from that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die.’” And Elijah departed.

11 And he also sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down quickly.’”

12 And Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

5 And when the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he said to them, “Why have you now returned?”

13 And again he sent a captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pled with him and said to him, “Man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty of your servants, be precious in your sight. 14 See, fire came down from heaven, and burned up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties; therefore let my life now be precious in your sight.”

6 And they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, Thus says the Lord, Is it because you think there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die.’”

7 And he said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?”

15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” And he arose and went down with him to the king.

8 And they answered him, “He was a hairy man, and had a leather belt fastened around his waist.”

16 And he said to the king, “Thus says the LORD: ‘You have sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because you think there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you will not come down from that bed on which you have gone up, but will surely die.’” 17 So he died

And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent a captain of fifty with his fifty men to Elijah. And he went up to him; and he appeared sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke

1:1 “Moab” – Gen 19:37; Num 22:1-7; 2 Sam 8:2. “Death of Ahab” – 1 Kings 22:40. 1:2 “Ahaziah” – Ahab’s son who became king.

God’s prophet. He wanted either to kill him or force him to change his prophecy, hoping thereby to escape the force of the prophecy already uttered. The superstitious idea that this was possible was not uncommon in those days. 1:10 This was a contest between the true God and His spokesman and an unbelieving king who looked to false gods. In the circumstances it was important for God to demonstrate His reality and power. Compare the contest between Moses and Pharaoh. Notes at Ex 7:11-17; 12:12.

“Baalzebub” – the name means “Lord of the flies.” One of the gods of the Philistines (Ekron was a Philistine city) was named BaalZebul, which means “Baal the prince.” Apparently Jewish writers changed his name in ridicule. Later the Jews applied the name to Satan. See Mark 3:22. 1:3 “Angel of the LORD” – note at Gen 16:7. “Elijah” – 1 Kings 17:1. The king sent his messengers, God sent His. Ahaziah’s sin in trying to consult a false god was very great. Obviously he wanted nothing to do with the God of Israel, the one true God. God calls for an exclusive allegiance from His people (Ex 20:1-6; Josh 24:15; 1 Kings 18:21; Matt 6:24; 2 Cor 6:14-18). Is it not because people think there is no true God that they rush after false gods and idols? 1:4 Ezek 18:10-13. 1:8 Compare Matt 3:4. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). 1:9 The king wanted to show authority over

“Fire” – Num 16:35; 1 Kings 18:36-38; Rev 11:5; 20:9. God does not always choose the way of fiery judgment (compare Luke 9:54,55), but He does so when it is necessary and wise to do so. 1:12 Since Ahaziah would not stop the contest, neither would Elijah. 1:13 The third captain had more sense than the king – he could see who the winner of the contest was. 1:16 Because of Ahaziah’s senseless stubbornness 102 men of Israel died, but the message remained the same. 1:17 Every word of God will be fulfilled –

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according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

6 And Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And the two of them went on.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel?

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance to watch. And the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his cloak and folded it, and struck the waters, and they were divided left and right, so that the two of them went over on dry ground.

And it happened, when the LORD would take Elijah up into heaven in a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”

9 And it happened, when they had crossed, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I should do for you, before I am taken away from you.”

And Elisha said to him, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

And Elisha said, “Please, may a double portion of your spirit be on me.”

3 And the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?”

10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so to you; but if not, it will not be so.”

11 And it came about as they still walked on and talked, that, suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more; and he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

And he said, “Yes, I know it. Be silent.” 4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”

And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.

5 And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?”

13 He also took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 And he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the

And he answered, “Yes, I know it. Be silent.”

1 Sam 15:29; Isa 44:26; 46:11; Matt 5:18. “Jehoram” – or “Joram.” He was Ahaziah’s younger brother. 1:18 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 2:1 “Up into heaven” – apparently God had revealed this to Elijah, Elisha, and others (vs 3,5). 2:2 “Wait here” – said possibly to test Elisha. If so, Elisha was equal to the test. See 1 Kings 19:20,21. Compare Matt 4:20,22; 19:27; Luke 9:62; 24:28,29; John 6:67-69. 2:3 “Prophets” – see 1 Sam 10:5; 19:10; 1 Kings 18:4; 20:35. 2:8 Compare Ex 14:16,21,22; Josh 3:7-17. God demonstrated publicly once again that He was the true God and that Elijah was His prophet. See 1 Kings 18:36,37; 2 Kings 1:10. This is what Elijah’s ministry was all about. 2:9 “Ask what I should do for you” – three times, it seems, Elijah had tested Elisha. Three times Elisha had declared his determination to stay with Elijah to the end, regardless of what might happen. His faith and devotion now have the promise of reward. Compare Mark 10:28-30. Deut 21:17 reveals that a “double portion” was the share of the heir. Elisha was the spiritual heir of Elijah. He was not asking to be twice as spiritual as Elijah, but that he should be his successor as prophet. Perhaps he felt a

double portion of Elijah’s spirit was needed for him to serve as a prophet, that he was twice as weak and needy as Elijah. Or perhaps he was inspired by God to utter this request without understanding himself the reason for it. On desiring gifts from God see 1 Kings 3:5,9-12; 1 Cor 12:31. 2:10 Elijah recognizes that Elisha’s request is not his to grant, and leaves it to God. But Elisha must be with him to the very end (v 3). 2:11 “Fire” – 6:17; Ps 68:17. Elijah had always been under God’s protection. Here was the visible sign of that.

“Went up” – only two persons in the whole Bible were taken to heaven without dying, Elijah and Enoch (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5). In this they are a picture of a great many in the future – 1 Cor 15:51,52; 1 Thess 4:16-18. 2:12 13:14. “Tore” – Gen 37:29; Job 1:20. Elijah’s departure was a grief to Elisha. He was not glad to see him gone so that he himself might be in the limelight. 2:13 Verse 8. The cloak was a symbol that Elisha was Elijah’s successor. See 1 Kings 19:19. 2:14 Elisha acted in faith and was willing to act in the sight of those who may have been watching. He believed that according to Elijah’s word (v 10), he now had a double

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waters and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided left and right, and Elisha went over.

the city, and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you bald head! Go up, you bald head!” 24 And he turned back and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods, and tore forty-two of the youths. 25 And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

15 And when the sons of the prophets who were watching at Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “See now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up, and thrown him on some mountain or into some valley.”

Now Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and like his mother; for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not departed from them.

And he said, “You must not send.” 17 And when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” So they sent fifty men, and they looked for three days, but did not find him. 18 And when they came back to him (for he waited at Jericho) he said to them, “Did I not tell you not to go?”

4 And Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheep owner, and paid tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool, to the king of Israel. 5 But it happened when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that same time, and counted all Israel. 7 And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to fight?”

19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please look, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees. But the water is bad, and the ground is barren.”

20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” And they brought it to him.

21 And he went out to the spring of water, and threw the salt in there, and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I have healed this water. From it there will be no more death or barren land. ” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

And he said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.”

23 And he went up from there to Bethel, and as he was going up on the road, youths came out of

8 And he said, “Which way should we go up?”

portion of Elijah’s spirit. Now God publicly reveals by this miracle that Elisha was His chosen prophet. It has been estimated that Elisha’s ministry was twice as long as Elijah’s, and the number of his recorded miracles is double that of Elijah’s. 2:15 “Bowed down” – an open recognition that Elisha was Elijah’s successor. 2:16 Compare 18:12. It seems they did not believe that a man in the body could be taken completely out of the world. 2:19 “The city” – Jericho. 2:21 “Healed” – compare Ex 15:25,26. Notice it was the Lord who healed the waters, not the salt. Salt was but a symbol of God’s covenant with Israel (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19). 2:23 “Youths” – these were not children. The same Hebrew word is used of Joseph at the age of 17 (Gen 37:2), and Absalom after he was grown to full manhood (2 Sam 18:5). Another Hebrew word is translated “youths” in v 24. This word is used of Daniel and his friends in Dan 1:4,10,13,15,17. The insults of these young people expressed their scornful rejection of God and all that Elijah and Elisha stood for. Bethel (where this happened) was the center of the wicked

apostate religion introduced by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:32,33; Amos 7:13). 2:24 “A curse” – God Himself had already pronounced a curse against such. See Deut 28:15,45. Elisha was anointed by the Spirit of God and his response to the ridicule of these young men was in complete harmony with the Law of God.

“Bears came” – a fulfillment of Lev 26:21,22. Sometimes God has to judge harshly in order to emphasize how serious it is to show contempt for His Word and His servants. It can never be a light matter to belittle the things of God. See what the book of Proverbs has to say on the subject – 1:22-27; 3:33,34; 9:12; 19:29; 21:11; 29:8; 30:17. 3:2 “Like his father” – his father was Ahab who had been the worst of Israel’s kings (1 Kings 16:30-34; 21:25,26), and his mother was Jezebel, one of the worst women in history. 3:3 1 Kings 12:28-33; 14:9,16. 3:7 “Jehoshaphat” – note at 1 Kings 22:2,4. Apparently Jehoshaphat had learned nothing from his experience with Ahab and the rebuke of the prophets (2 Chron 18:1; 19:1,2; 20:35-37). The marriage alliance

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And he answered, “The way through the wilderness of Edom.”

20 And it came about in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that water appeared coming by the way from Edom, and the region was filled with water.

9 So the king of Israel and the king of Judah and the king of Edom went and circled around on a seven days’ march; and there was no water for the army and for the livestock that followed them.

21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered all who were able to put on armour, and older, and stood at the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water, and the water on the other side appeared to the Moabites as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood! The kings have surely been killed, and have struck one another down. Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!”

10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas, that the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hands of Moab!”

11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, so that we can inquire of the LORD through him?”

And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them. And they advanced, striking down the Moabites, even into their country. 25 And they broke down the cities, and each man threw his stone on every good piece of land and filled it up, and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees. Only in Kir-Haraseth did they leave its stones. However the slingers went around it and attacked it.

12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? You go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hands of Moab.”

26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. 27 Then he took his oldest son, who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

14 And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if it were not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not even look at you or see you. 15 But now bring me a musician.” And it happened when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came on him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ 17 For thus says the LORD: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, so that you may drink, both you, and your livestock and your animals.’ 18 And this is but a small thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hands. 19 And you shall defeat every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop up all the wells of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”

Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead. And you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor has come to take my two sons to be slaves for himself.”

2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”

he had made with the house of Ahab continued to pervert his judgment and lead him into evil compromise. 3:9 “King of Edom” – Edom was controlled by Judah and this king had been appointed by the king of Judah. 3:11 “Inquire of the LORD” – 1 Kings 22:7. “Elisha” – 1 Kings 19:21. “Who poured water on the hands of Elijah” – this indicates that he acted as Elijah’s personal servant. 3:13 1 Kings 22:6. Elisha knew that the king of Israel had no love for the true God, and was only consulting him because he was in trouble. 3:14 “LORD of hosts” – note at 1 Sam 1:3. “Jehoshaphat” – 2 Chron 17:1-6.

3:15 1 Sam 16:23. “Musician played” – note at 1 Chron 25:1. 3:18 “Small” – Gen 18:14; Jer 32:17,27; Mark 10:27. Doing miracles is easier for God than digging ditches is for men. 3:20 “Offering” – Ex 29:38-40. 3:27 “Sacrifice” – the god of Moab was Chemosh. Note at 1 Kings 11:7. By this sacrifice Moab’s king lost his son and gained nothing. Men can get no profit by abominable worship of detestable gods, only loss. 4:1 “Prophets” – 2:3,5. “Feared the LORD” – notes at Gen 20:11; Ps 34:11-14; 111:10; Prov 1:7. 4:2 “What shall I do for you” – a desire to help others is one of the marks of a true servant of God. Compare Matt 24:45-51;

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And she said,“Your maidservant does not have anything in the house, except a pot of oil.”

be done for you? Would you be spoken for to the king, or to the commander of the army?’”

3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow utensils from all your neighbours, empty utensils. Do not borrow a few. 4 And when you have come in, you must shut the door behind you and behind your sons, and pour out the oil into all those utensils, and put aside what is full.”

And she answered, “I live among my own people.”

14 And he said, “What then is to be done for her?”

And Gehazi answered, “She has no child at all, and her husband is old.”

5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and behind her sons, who had brought the utensils to her, and she poured out the oil. 6 And it came about, when the utensils were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another utensil.”

15 And he said, “Call her.” And when he called her, she stood in the door. 16 And he said, “About this season next year you will embrace a son.”

And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your maid servant.”

And he said to her, “There is not another utensil.” And the oil stopped.

17 And the woman conceived, and bore a son at that season the next year as Elisha had said to her.

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your children live off the rest.”

18 And the child grew; and it happened one day that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head! My head!” And he said to a lad, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 And when he had picked him up and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out.

8 And one day it came about that Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a great woman; and she urged him to eat bread. And so it was, that whenever he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. 9 And she said to her husband, “Look now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who is always passing by us. 10 Please let us make a little room on the wall, and let us place there a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick for him. And it shall be that whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”

22 And she called to her husband and said, “Please send one of the young men to me, and one of the donkeys, so that I may hurry to the man of God, and come back.”

11 And one day it happened that he came there, and went into the room and lay there, 12 and said to Gehazi, his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have taken all this care to look after us, what is to

23 And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.”

And she said, “It is well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward. Do not slow the pace for me, unless I tell you.” 25 So she went and

things that are truly great. 4:9 “I perceive” – Matt 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1. “Holy man of God” – see the splendid name Elisha had earned. Man of God was a usual way of designating a prophet. 4:12 “Gehazi” – vs 29-31; 5:20-27; 8:4,5. 4:13 “What” – v 2. The woman was content and was not looking for favors from the mighty. Compare 1 Tim 6:6-8; Heb 13:5. 4:16 Gen 18:10-14. 4:20 Here was a severe test of this great woman’s faith. The verses which follow show her faith was equal to the test. 4:21,22 She did not reason that when a person is dead he is dead, and nothing can be done about it. She believed God could work a miracle through Elisha. Compare Heb 11:35. 4:23 “Why” – the husband was a different sort of person from his wife. It was her suggestion, not his, to help Elisha (vs 8-10). He seemed to care little for his son (v 19), and after the boy’s death he could not imagine why his wife wanted to go to Elisha.

25:34-36; Acts 3:6; 20:33-35; Jam 1:27. 4:3-6 God was ready to perform a miracle for this poor widow. She experienced the miracle only by her obedience and faith. Unbelief or disobedience would have robbed her of God’s miraculous provision. Notice that she was to shut the door while pouring the oil. This was not a public miracle to prove to Israel that Jehovah was God. It was a private miracle demonstrating God’s compassion and faithfulness to His servant. Many are the miracles of provision God has shown in secret to His believers. God’s people have a shepherd who provides for them (Ps 23:1; 37:25; 2 Cor 9:8; Phil 4:19). 4:8 “Great woman” – the Hebrew word translated “great” can mean great in any sense – in age, size, position, wealth, family background. It may mean wealthy here, but the greatness of this woman’s character is revealed in the following verses. She wanted to help the servants of God (vs 8-10); she was a woman of spiritual perception (v 9); she was humble and undemanding (v 13); she had a large faith (vs 22-37). Let us seek greatness in these

“New moon, Sabbath” – Num 10:10; 28:9,11; 2 Chron 23:31.

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came to the man of God at mount Carmel. And it came about, when the man of God saw her at a distance, that he said to Gehazi his servant,

and the child opened his eyes.

36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she had come in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37 Then she went in and prostrated herself at his feet, bowing down to the ground, and took up her son and went out.

“Look, there is that Shunammite. 26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”

And she answered, “It is well.” 27 And when she came to the man of God on the hill, she took hold of his feet, but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled in her, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

38 And Elisha went back to Gilgal. And there was a famine in the land. And the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and cook stew for the sons of the prophets.”

39 And someone went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered his lap full of wild gourds from it, and came and shredded them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured out the stew for the men to eat. And it came about, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

28 Then she said, “Did I ask a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Tuck up your robe in your belt, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way. If you meet anyone do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply; and lay my staff on the face of the child.”

30 And the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her.

41 But he said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people, so they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot.

31 And Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was neither sound nor response. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child did not wake up.”

42 And a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread from the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full heads of grain in its husk. And he said, “Give it to the people, so that they may eat.”

32 And when he came into the house, Elisha saw that the child was dead, and had been laid on his bed. 33 Therefore he went in and shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. 34 And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on the child. And the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he got off and walked to and fro in the house, and went up and stretched himself on him. And the child sneezed seven times,

43 And his servant said, “What, should I set this before a hundred men?”

He said again, “Give it to the people, so that they may eat. For thus says the LORD: ‘They will eat, and leave some of it.’” 44 So he set it before them, and they ate, and left some of it, according to the word of the LORD.

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and highly respected

“She said” – evidently her husband was not the kind of person she could share her thoughts with. 4:26 Being a woman of discernment, she would not share her thoughts with Gehazi either, and she had no confidence he could do anything (vs 29,30). 4:27 “Her soul is troubled” – God’s good gifts can lead us into trial and grief. But the end was not yet.

God’s anger on His people’s sins (Lev 26:18-20; Deut 28:15,23,24; 2 Sam 21:1; 1 Kings 8:35-39). 4:39,40 “Death in the pot” – because of a poisonous plant put in the stew. In times of famine people search for anything that might be eaten whether they know what it is or not. 4:41 Compare 2:21. God will provide for His servants even if He has to perform a miracle to do so. Ps 33:18,19; 37:18,19. 4:42 Another way which God uses to provide for His servants. God can provide their necessities in famine as easily as in years of plenty. 4:43,44 A miracle of the same kind as that of Matt 14:13-21. 5:1 “Namaan” – Luke 4:27. “Victory” – Syria was not God’s chosen nation as Israel was. It was an idolatrous

“The LORD has hidden it” – God does not tell His servants everything, only what they need to know. 4:30 This was language Elisha could well understand. See 2:2,4,6. 4:33 1 Kings 17:19-22; Matt 6:6; 9:25; Luke 8:51; Acts 9:40. 4:37 1 Kings 17:23; Heb 11:35. Great faith receives great rewards. 4:38 “Famine” – famine was an evidence of

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man with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.

Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you, and you will be clean.”

2 And the Syrians had gone out in raiding bands, and had brought a little girl captive from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “Would God my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”

11 But Naaman was angry and went away, and said, “Look, I thought he will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal the leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

4 And he went in and told his lord, saying, “Thus and thus is what the girl who is from the land of Israel said.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said: “Now when this letter comes to you, see, with it I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”

13 And his servants came near, and spoke to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it ? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean?’” 14 Then he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, in accordance with the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

7 And it came about, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to heal a man of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he is seeking grounds for a quarrel against me.”

15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood before him, and said, “Look, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Therefore now please accept a gift from your servant.”

8 And it came about when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So

16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept any.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

nation usually hostile to Israel. They would have attributed their victories to the power of their gods. But observe it was the LORD (Jehovah) who gave them victory. God is sovereign over the world and works His will among all nations (Dan 4:35).

or do any spiritual good whatever. In this it was like all other rivers in the world. None of them anywhere have any spiritual power. God is the healer (Ex 15:26; Deut 32:39). When Namaan was healed it was faith and obedience to God’s word given through His prophet that brought the healing. 5:11,12 Namaan had pre-conceived ideas of how the prophet should heal him. He was not ready yet for childlike obedience. It seems also that his pride was offended. He thought surely Elisha would come out to him – after all, he was a great man in Syria. Pride can rob men of God’s blessings (Jam 4:6,10; Mark 10:15). 5:14 Faith and humble obedience gain from God what nothing else ever can. 5:15 This foreign idolater learned what Israel as a nation had not learned (1 Kings 18:21, etc). They were rushing after other gods, he was about to abandon his. This knowledge Namaan gained was a far greater gift of God than the healing of his body. Compare John 17:3. 5:16 Elisha did not serve God for the gifts he might get. This one gift from Namaan would have made him a rich man (v 5), but Elisha was not interested in obtaining wealth, even by gifts others wanted to give him. How unlike Balaam and many others since (2 Pet 2:15. See Paul’s warning to Timothy in 1 Tim 6:6-11).

“Leper” – see note at Lev 13:2. 5:3 “Prophet” – Elisha. 5:5 “Silver” – ten talents equals about 340 kilograms.

“Gold” – 6000 shekels equals about 70 kilograms. Obviously this was an extremely valuable gift. It indicates how serious Namaan’s disease was and how much he longed to be rid of it. King Omri had purchased the whole hill of Samaria for two talents of silver (1 Kings 16:24). 5:7 “Tore his clothes” – 2 Sam 13:31; 1 Kings 21:27; Est 4:1,3; Job 1:20; 2:8. The captive girl (vs 2,3) knew more than the king of Israel about Elisha and God’s power working through him. It is often true that the meek and lowly know important things about God that the high and mighty are ignorant of. The king could think only that the Syrians had some sinister plot in mind. 5:8 “Why” – this was a rebuke to the unbelief and ignorance of the king. 5:10 Elisha did not even come out to see or meet this “great” man (v 1).

“Jordan” – the waters of the Jordan had no power to heal the body, cleanse from sin,

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17 And Naaman said, “Then, please, shall not two mules’ load of earth be given to your servant? For from now on your servant will offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18 In this thing the LORD pardon your servant, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow in the house of Rimmon. When I bow down in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.”

go, and they departed. 25 But he went in and stood before his master.

And Elisha said to him, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?”

And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” 26 And he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen, and male and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

19 And he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little distance.

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has let this Syrian Naaman off lightly, by not accepting from his hands what he brought. But, as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Now look, the place where we are living with you is too small for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let us make a place for ourselves there, where we can live.”

21 So Gehazi went after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Look, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from Mount Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”

And he answered, “Go.” 3 And one of them said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.”

And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one of them was felling a tree, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”

23 And Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and placed them on two of his servants, and they carried them in front of him. 24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand and stored them in the house, and he let the men

6 And the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick and threw it in there, and the iron floated up.

5:17 “Earth” – to make an altar in Damascus. It seems he did not understand that the earth of Israel was no more sacred for this purpose than earth anywhere else. 5:18 Namaan knew that bowing to another god would not be right, but did not see how he could escape when the king with him bowed. 5:19 Elisha did not try to be Namaan’s conscience, but left it to him to work out his own problem. 5:20 Gehazi is typical of all those who seek personal gain through the service of God. He was eager for money. The mind of Gehazi is often seen in Christian circles today. It leads to God’s judgment (Matt 6:24; Luke 12:15; 1 Tim 6:5,9). Man of God, flee these things! Beware of greed, of trying to make gain from your position, of taking gifts God does not want you to have. Those things can ruin your ministry and your life. 5:22 Getting what he wanted involved Gehazi in lying and misrepresenting his master. One sin, as often happens, led to another. He loved money more than truth, like so many today. When they who say they are servants of Christ are greedy for money and twist the facts to get it, they are misrepresenting Christ, bringing harm to His work on earth, and eventually great harm

to themselves. 5:24 The cover-up begins. Compare Achan (Josh 7:1,11,12,21). 5:25 The attempt to cover up wrongdoing usually leads to more lying, all of which is hateful to God (Prov 6:16-19. See also Prov 28:13). 5:26 “Did not my heart go” – God enabled Elisha to know what Gehazi had been doing. He had an ability to see things others could not see. Compare 6:17. Of course, it may be possible for men to hide their sins from other men. But God sees what is going on and in His time and way will expose and punish it (Ps 90:8; 139:1-7; Heb 4:13). 5:27 It is as though Elisha was saying “You wanted something belonging to Namaan, did you? Take, then, his leprosy!” 6:1 “Prophets” – 2:3,5; 4:1,38. Evidently, part of Elisha’s ministry was training these prophets for God’s service. 6:5 “It was borrowed” – here is a problem that can always arise with borrowed things – they can be lost or ruined. And this can produce hard feelings in the lender. One should be just as careful with borrowed things as with one’s own – or even more so. And any loss should be paid for by the borrower. See Ex 22:14. 6:6,7 Through the prophet God showed His

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7 So he said, “Lift it out for yourself.” And he stretched out his hand and took it.

this people with blindness.” And he struck them with blindness in accordance with the word of Elisha.

8 Then the king of Syria was at war against Israel, and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”

19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” But he led them to Samaria.

9 And the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass that place, for the Syrians have come down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent men to the place about which the man of God had told him and warned him, and saved himself there, not once or twice.

20 And it came about, when they came into Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, so that they can see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked and saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled about this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?”

21And when he saw them, the king of Israel said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?”

22 And he answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you take captive with your sword and with your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 And he prepared a great feast for them. And when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria no longer came into the land of Israel.

12 And one of his servants said, “No one, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

13 And he said, “Go and find out where he is, so that I can send men and bring him.” And it was told him as follows: “See, he is in Dothan.” 14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a large army there, and they came at night and surrounded the city.

24 But after this it happened that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, and, see, they besieged it until an ass’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

15 And when the servant of the man of God rose early and went out, he saw an army surrounding the city with both horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

16 And he answered, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king.”

17 And Elisha prayed and said, “LORD, I pray you, open his eyes, so that he can see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he looked an saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

27 And he said, “If the Lord does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the barn floor or from the winepress?” 28 And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?”

And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son so that we can eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “I pray you, strike

concern for even small matters which affected His servants. Compare Matt 10:30. 6:9 “There” – 5:26. God revealed to Elisha the movements of the Syrian army. 6:11 The king thought there was a traitor in their midst sending information to Israel. 6:16 “With us are more” – see 2 Chron 32:7,8; Ps 18:16-18; 34:7; 55:16-19; 68:17; 91:11; Matt 26:53; Rom 8:31; Heb 1:14. 6:17 See 5:26. “Fire” – 2:11,12. God guards all of His servants. He has all the angels of heaven available for this purpose. It is not possible for anyone to capture any servant of God or do any physical harm to him without God’s permission and wise purpose. 6:18 “Blindness” – Gen 19:11; Acts 13:10,11. God may use such means to protect His people and to further His work. 6:22,23 The purpose of Elisha’s actions was

not to destroy these men, but to prove to them that God was defending Israel. For the time being they learned their lesson. 6:24 “After this” – often kings do not grasp the lessons of history. See 1 Kings chapter 20. 6:25 Eighty shekels equals about one kilogram. In times of famine there are usually those who make profit from the suffering of others and in this way show the baseness of their character.

“A kab” – probably about 0.3 liter. “Of dove’s dung” – or this could be translated “of seed pods.” There may have been a plant or its fruit called “dove’s dung”, strange as the name might seem to us.

“Five shekels” – about 55 grams. 6:28,29 God told them such things would happen if they did not obey Him. See Lev 26:27-29; Deut 28:52-57.

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son and ate him. And the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son so that we can eat him.’ And she has hidden her son.”

save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die.”

5 And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians, and when they arrived at the outskirts of the Syrian camp, there was no one there. 6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, the sound of a large army. And they said to one another,

30 And when the king heard the words of the woman, it came about that he tore his clothes, and he passed by on the wall, and the people looked and there inside he had sackcloth on his body. 31 Then he said, “May God do harm to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”

“Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to attack us.” 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, the camp just as it was, and fled for their life.

32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent someone to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold him fast at the door. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

8 And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drank, and carried silver and gold and clothes from there and went and hid it, and came back, and entered another tent, and carried things from there also, and went and hid them.

33 And while he was still talking with them, there was the messenger coming down to him. And the king said, “Look, this disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

9 Then they said to one another, “We are not behaving well. Today is a day of good news, and we are keeping silent. If we wait till morning light, some punishment will come on us. Therefore come now, let’s go and tell the king’s household.”

Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the LORD: Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”

10 So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, saying, “We went to the camp of the Syrians, and, see, there was no one there, not a human sound, but horses tied up and donkeys tied up, and the tents as they were.” 11 And the gatekeeper called out, and they reported it inside the king’s house.

2 Then an officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, “Look, even if the LORD made windows in heaven, could this thing be?”

And he said, “Look, you will see it with your eyes, but will not eat of it.”

12 And the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “I will now tell you what the Syrians are doing to us. They know that we are hungry, so they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive, and get into the city.’”

3 And there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the gate, and they said to one another, “Why should we sit here until we die? 4 If we say, We will go into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we will die there. And if we still sit here, we will die also. Therefore, come now and let’s go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they

13 And one of his servants answered and said,

6:30 “Sackcloth” – Gen 37:34; 1 Kings 21:27; Est 4:1,2; Job 16:15. 6:31 Compare 1 Kings 18:10,16; 21:20. Elisha by his prayers, walk with God, and counsel to the king (6:9,10) was the greatest human protector of the kingdom. It was madness for the king to blame him for something that resulted from the unbelief and disobedience of himself and the people. Such is fallen human nature. And such has been and still is the experience of many of God’s servants. 6:33 “Why should I wait. . .any longer” – Jehoram was an evil man (3:1-3), and was seeking to kill the greatest man in Israel. He had not been waiting for the Lord in repentance and faith. 7:1 “Measure” – this measure was about

7.3 liters. “A shekel” – about 11 grams. Compare 6:25. Elisha is predicting an end, at least a temporary end, of the famine. 7:2 “Not eat” – v 17. Possibly his death was God’s judgment for his unbelief. 7:3 “Leprosy” – note at Lev 13:2. “Gate” – excluded from the city (Lev 13:46; Num 5:2,3). 7:6 “The LORD had caused” – God has many ways of protecting His people and working His sovereign will.

“A sound of chariots” – 6:17. 7:9 “Not behaving well” – it is never right to keep good news from those who might benefit from it. Compare Mark 16:15; Acts 20:20. 7:12 The king did not believe Elisha’s word in v 1.

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“Please let some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Look, they may become like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; yes, I say, they may become just like the whole multitude of the Israelites who have perished. But let us send them and see.”

with her household and stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

3 And it came about at the end of the seven years that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to cry out to the king for her house and for her land. 4 And the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 And it so happened that as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that suddenly the woman whose son he had restored to life, cried out to the king for her house and for her land.

14 So they took two chariot horses, and the king sent them after the army of the Syrians, saying, “Go and see.” 15 And they went after them to the Jordan, and saw the whole road was full of clothes and articles which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king. 16 And the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the LORD.

And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”

17 And the king appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate; and the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18 And it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “There will be two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.” 19 And that officer had answered the man of God and said, “Now, look, even if the LORD made windows in heaven, might such a thing be?” And he had said, “Look, you will see it with your eyes, but will not eat of it.” 20 And so it happened to him; for the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died.

7 And Elisha came to Damascus. And Ben-Hadad the king of Syria was sick, and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here. 8 And the king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God and ask the LORD through him, saying, “Will I recover from this disease?”

9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, some of every good thing in Damascus, forty camels’ loads, and came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, has sent me to you, saying, “Will I recover from this disease?”

10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You may certainly recover,’ however the LORD has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 11 And he fixed his gaze steadily, until he was ashamed. And the man of God wept.

Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, ”Arise, and go with your household, and stay for a time wherever you can stay, for the LORD has called for a famine; and also it will come on the land for seven years.” 2 And the woman arose and acted in accordance with the word of the man of God, and she went

12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set

7:16 Verse 1. To fulfill His word God put a strong army to flight. God would move heaven and earth, if He needed to, to do what He has said. 7:17-19 Verse 2; Isa 44:26. 8:1 “Restored to life” – the son of the woman of Shunem (4:18-35).

8:8 Interesting that this idolatrous king wanted to consult Jehovah the God of Israel. The story of Namaan, the commander of his army, perhaps had a profound effect on him. 8:9 “A present” – it is unlikely that Elisha accepted any part of this. See 5:16. 8:10 “Recover” – Elisha’s meaning seems to be that Ben Hadad’s illness was not to death. If left alone he would recover. But Elisha knew what Hazael would do (vs 14,15). Possibly the Hebrew may also be translated “Go and say, ‘You will certainly not recover’, for the LORD”, etc. 8:12 10:32,33; 12:17; 13:3,7; Amos 1:3,4. Hazael is a terrible warning of the depths to which a man can sink when he refuses the control of God (Jer 17:9).

“Famine” – 2 Sam 21:1; 1 Kings 8:37; 17:1; 2 Kings 6:25; Ps 105:16; Haggai 1:11. God has often sent famine because of the disobedience and wickedness of people. 8:4 “King” – which king is not stated. Jehoram was familiar with many of Elisha’s great works. This king may have been Jehu who succeeded Jehoram. 8:7 In this foreign capital Elisha was famous for his miraculous deeds.

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their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash their children down, and rip open their pregnant women.”

Annals of the Kings of Judah? 24 And Joram slept with his ancestors and was buried among his ancestors in the city of David, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

13 And Hazael said, “But what! Is your servant a dog that he would do this great thing?”

25 In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done ; for he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

And Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be king over Syria.”

14 So he left Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.” 15 And it came about the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died, and Hazael reigned in his place.

16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for his wife was Ahab’s daughter. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19 Yet, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD would not destroy Judah, since he promised him to give to him, and to his descendants, a perpetual light.

28 And he went with Joram, the son of Ahab, to the war against Hazael, king of Syria, in RamothGilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram, the son of Ahab, in Jezreel, because he was sick.

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Tuck up your robe in your belt, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-Gilead. 2 And when you arrive there, look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and have him stand up among his brethren, and take him to an inner room. 3 Then take the flask of oil, and pour the oil on his head, and say, Thus says the LORD, ‘I have anointed you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee, and do not wait.”

20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots went with him; and he rose at night and attacked the Edomites who surrounded him, and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

23 And the rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the

4 So the young man, the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-Gilead. 5 And when he

8:13 1 Kings 19:15. God would use Hazael’s elevation to the throne to punish His disobedient people. 8:16-24 2 Chron 21:1-20. 8:16 “Joram” – 1:17; 3:1. Jehoram shared the throne with his father for some five years before he became the sole king of Judah. 8:18 “Kings of Israel” – 1 Kings 12:28-33; 21:25,26. “Ahab’s daughter” – 2 Chron 18:1. The marriage of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat to Athaliah daughter of Ahab was a tragedy for Judah. Those who arranged it probably meant to encourage peace and cooperation between Israel and Judah, but it led to the corruption and degradation of Judah. Failure to live according to God’s standards always has serious consequences. Every believer should be very careful about marriage alliances. See 2 Cor 6:14-18. 8:19 2 Sam 7:12-15; 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; Ps 132:17. 8:20 “Edom” – Gen 25:30; 27:40; 1 Kings

22:47. For some time Judah had controlled Edom and appointed their rulers. When God’s people went astray from Him it always resulted in trouble. Compare Jud 2:11-23. 8:21 “Joram” – Jehoram. 8:24-29 2 Chron 22:1-7. 8:24 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. “City of David” – 2 Sam 5:6,7. 8:26 “Omri” – 1 Kings 16:23-26. 8:27 Verse 18; 2 Chron 18:1. 8:28 “Hazael” – v 15. 8:29 9:15,16. “Ramah” – or “Ramoth.” 9:1-10 2 Chron 22:7-9. 9:1 “Prophets” – 1 Sam 10:5; 2 Kings 2:3,5; 6:1. “Oil” – oil was used to anoint leaders (1 Sam 10:1; 16:1; 1 Kings 1:39). 9:2 1 Kings 19:16,17. This Jehu was not the prophet who had the same name (1 Kings 16:1); and this Jehoshaphat was not the same as the king of Judah (8:16). 9:4 “Gilead” – Ramoth Gilead was east of the Jordan river, nearly 100 kilometers from

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arrived, there were the commanders of the army sitting, and he said, “I have a message for you, O commander!”

from the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

And Jehu said, “To which one of all of us?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” 6 And he arose and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. 7 And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab will perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every male person, both bond and free in Israel. 9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 And the dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of ground in Jezreel, and there will be no one to bury her.’” And he opened the door and fled.

17 And a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the troop of Jehu as he was coming, and said, “I see a troop.”

And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them, and have him say, ‘Is it peace?’”

18 So someone went on horseback to meet him, and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’”

And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn in behind me.” And the watchman reported this, saying, “The messenger went to them, but he is not coming back.”

19 Then he sent out a second man on horseback, who went to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’”

And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn in behind me.”

20 And the watchman reported this, saying, “He also went to them, and is not coming back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he drives furiously.”

11 Then Jehu came out to the servants of his lord; and one of them said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?”

And he said to them, “You know the man and his talk.”

21 And Joram said, “Make ready.” And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the plot of ground of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And it came about when Joram saw Jehu that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, as long as the acts of prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her acts of witchcraft are so many?”

12 And they said, “That is not true! Tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he told me, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: I have anointed you king over Israel.’”

13 Then each one of them hurriedly took his cloak, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!”

14 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had been guarding Ramoth-Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. 15 But king Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, “If you are so minded, then let no one go out or escape

23 And Joram turned his hands and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, Ahaziah!”

24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and hit Jehoram between his shoulders, and the arrow went out through his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Take him up and throw him in the plot of ground of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember

9:13 “Trumpets” – 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kings 1:34. 9:15 “Joram” – or “Jehoram.” “Jezreel” – 8:29. This was nearly 75 kilometers from Ramoth. 9:21 “Naboth” – 1 Kings 21:1-7, 15-21; 2 Chron 22:7. 9:22 “Jezebel” – 1 Kings 16:30-33; 18:19; 21:25. All idolatry and all witchcraft are detestable to God, and He will see to it that no individual, no nation practicing them will know permanent peace – Ex 22:18; Deuteronomy chapter 13; 18:10-13; 1 Sam 15:23; Gal 5:20; Isa 48:22; 57:21. 9:23 11:14. They who are traitors toward God, should not be surprised when men rise against them. Compare Ps 18:25,26. 9:25 1 Kings 21:1,19-22.

Samaria. 9:7 “Ahab” – Jehu knew what Ahab had done and that God’s vengeance would come on Ahab’s house. See vs 25,26.

“Avenge” – note at Num 31:2,3. 9:8 10:17; 1 Kings 14:10; 21:21. There was not one of Ahab’s descendants who was righteous and God-fearing, who deserved to be spared.

“Every male person” – in Hebrew, “him who urinates against the wall.” 9:9 1 Kings 14:10,11; 15:29; 16:3,4,11,12. 9:10 “Jezebel” – note at 1 Kings 16:31. 9:11 “Mad fellow” – God’s prophets (and even His Son) were sometimes regarded as crazy by sinful, worldly people – Jer 29:26,27; Hos 9:7; Mark 3:21; John 10:20; Acts 26:24.

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when you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab that the LORD laid this burden on him: 26 ‘I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, says the LORD, and I will repay you in this plot, says the LORD.’ Now, therefore, take him and throw him into that plot of ground, in accordance with the word of the LORD.”

Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders and to those who brought up Ahab’s children, saying, 2 “Now as soon as this letter reaches you, since your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, also a fortified city and weapons, 3 choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed him, and said, “Strike him down too, in the chariot.” And they did so at the ascent to Gur, which is at Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David. 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, two kings did not stand before him. How then shall we stand?”

5 And the one who was in charge of the house, and the one who was over the city and the elders, and those who brought up the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants and will do all that you tell us. We will not make any king. You do what is good in your eyes.”

6 Then a second time he wrote a letter to them, saying, “If you are mine, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the chief men of the city who brought them up. 7 And it came about, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and killed the seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 And a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

30 And when Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head, and looked out at a window. 31 And as Jehu came in at the gate, she said, “Did Zimri, who killed his master, have peace?”

32 And he raised his face to the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 And he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down; and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her under foot.

34 And when he had come in, he ate and drank, and said, “Go, see now to that cursed woman, and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” 35 And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the LORD, which he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel. 37 And the corpse of Jezebel will be like dung on the surface of the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that they will not say, This is Jezebel.’”

And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

9 And in the morning it came about that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. See, I conspired against my master, and killed him. But who killed all these? 10 Know now that not a word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, will fall to the earth; for the LORD has done what he said through his servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his chief men and his relatives and his priests, until he left no one remaining to him.

12 And he arose and departed and came to Samaria. And when he was at the shearing house on the way, 13 Jehu met with the relatives of

And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to

9:26 1 Kings 21:13; Gal 6:7,8. 9:27 2 Chron 22:7-9. “By way of the garden house” – or “up the road to Beth-Haggan.” 9:30 Jer 4:30; Ezek 23:36-40. Paint and well-arranged hair cannot keep God’s judgment away from women of depraved heart. Compare Isa 3:16-24. 9:31 Zimri had murdered king Elah – 1 Kings 16:9,10. 9:34 1 Kings 16:31. 9:36 1 Kings 21:23. Every word of God will be fulfilled – Isa 44:26. 9:37 In this way God showed His hatred of all Jezebel delighted in. Compare Ps 83:9,10;

Isa 5:25; Jer 8:2; 9:22; 16:4; 25:33; Luke 16:15. 10:1 “Samaria” – this was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and Jehu had to control this city to be sure of controlling the kingdom. 10:3 The meaning was “Submit, if you are not willing to fight.” 10:4 9:24,27. 10:7 9:8,9; 1 Kings 21:21. 10:9 He put the responsibility for these murders on the leading men of Samaria. 10:10 1 Kings 21:19-29. 10:13 8:24,29.

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Ahaziah, king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?”

went into the house of Baal, and said to the worshippers of Baal, “Search and see that there are none of the servants of the LORD with you here, but only the worshippers of Baal.” 24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, the life of the one who lets him go will be required for his life.”

And they answered, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.”

14 And he said, “Take them alive!” And they took them alive, forty-two men, then killed them at the pit of the shearing house. He did not leave any of them.

15 And when he left there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?”

25 And it came about, as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in, and kill them! Do not let anyone get out.” And they struck them with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out, and went into the inner shrine of the house of Baal. 26 And they brought the images out of the house of Baal and burned them. 27 And they broke down the image of Baal, and tore down the house of Baal and made it a latrine, as it is to this day.

And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up to him into the chariot. 16 And he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, in accordance with the saying of the LORD which he spoke to Elijah.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29 However Jehu did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, that is, the golden calves at Bethel and at Dan.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Do not let one be missing. For I have a great sacrifice to make to Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu did this deceptively, for the purpose of destroying the worshippers of Baal.

30 And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab in accordance with all that was in my heart, your offspring will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart, for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin.

20 And Jehu said, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent word through all Israel. And all the ministers of Baal came, so that there was not a man who did not come. And they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 And he said to the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal.” And he brought out robes for them.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel, and Hazael defeated them in all the territories of Israel, 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, Gilead and Bashan.

23 And Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that

10:15 “Rechab” – Jer 35:6-19. 10:16 1 Kings 19:10 – it would seem from Jehu’s later actions that his “zeal for the LORD”, which he apparently so much wanted others to see, was more for his own advancement than for God’s glory. Let us be careful against using the service of God for selfish ends. 10:17 Verse 10. 10:18 “Baal” – 1 Kings 16:30-33. Note at Jud 2:11. 10:19 Men often think (mistakenly) that they must use deceitful means to accomplish God’s purposes. Compare Gen 27:18-26; Josh 2:4-6; 1 Sam 21:2,13; etc. 10:28 The worship of this false god was a disgrace to the people of Israel, and Jehu did well to root it out. But the people did not turn back to the Lord. A work of destruction is not the same as a work of creation.

10:29 1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33,34. Jehu himself, though professing great zeal for Jehovah, was guilty of false worship and of following the evil Jeroboam. 10:30 “To the fourth generation” – the four were Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah. 10:31 Jehu showed great energy in destroying evil, but was not equally concerned in building up what was good. There is an important principle here. God’s servants are called not only to condemn error, but to follow and encourage what is true and edifying. A mainly negative ministry is of little lasting value. 10:32,33 “Hazael” – 8:12; Amos 1:3-5. When His people are unbelieving and disobedient, God knows how to cut them down to size. 10:34 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19.

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he did and all his might, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel?

would go off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave to the captains over hundreds king David’s spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 And the guards stood, each man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

35 And Jehu slept with his ancestors; and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

And when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were killed. And they hid him from Athaliah, him and his nurse, in a bedroom, so that he was not killed. 3 And he was with her hidden at the house of the LORD for six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.

12 And he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him and gave him the Testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and clapped their hands and said, “God save the king!”

13 And when Athaliah heard the voice of the guards and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD. 14 And when she looked, there stood the king by a pillar, as the custom was, and the leaders and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing with trumpets. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”

4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent men and brought the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath from them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son. 5 And he commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall keep watch over the king’s house, 6 and a third will be at the Sur gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard. So you must keep watch over the house, that it be not broken into. 7 And two-thirds of all of you who go off duty on the Sabbath, shall keep watch over the house of the LORD, around the king. 8 And you shall surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes near your ranks must be killed. And you shall be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”

15 But Jehoiada the priest gave a command to the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, saying to them, “Take her out of the area, and kill with the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD.” 16 And they seized her; and she arrived at the path by which the horses came to the king’s house, and she was killed there.

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they would be the LORD’s people; also between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal and broke it down. They completely smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. And Jehoiada the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD. 19 And he took the rulers over hundreds and the captains and the guard, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD,

9 And the captains over the hundreds acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each one took his men who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, with those who

10:35 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. 11:1-20 2 Chron 22:10-23:21. 11:1 “Athaliah” – 8:18,26; 9:27. “The royal offspring” – this was the royal house of David. See God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:11,16; 2 Kings 8:19. Satan used this evil woman in an attempt to destroy David’s family line and leave God’s word unfulfilled. Athaliah’s attack was principally on her own grandchildren, and was for the sole purpose of seizing power for herself. She was not the last person to side with Satan for power’s sake. And many wicked persons since Athaliah have tried to destroy the purposes of God. But none have succeeded, and none ever will. 11:2 “Jehosheba” – God always has instruments to accomplish His will. Compare Ex 1:22-2:10; Matt 2:13-16. Joash was only a year old at this time. Compare v 3 with v 21.

11:4 “Jehoiada” – this man was Jehosheba’s husband and a priest (2 Chron 22:11).

“Son” – Joash. 11:10 2 Sam 8:7; 1 Chron 18:7. 11:12 “Testimony” – Deut 17:18-20. “Anointed” – 1 Sam 9:16; 16:1; 1 Kings 1:34,39. 11:14 See note at 9:23. 11:17 Josh 24:25; 1 Sam 10:25; 2 Chron 15:12-15; 24:15,16. Jehoiada was a godly man who had the best interests of the people in his heart (2 Chron 24:15,16). And he knew there could be no lasting good for the people if they forsook the true God. 11:18 Deut 12:2,3; 1 Kings 18:40; 2 Kings 10:11,26,27. Baal worship had been introduced into Judah probably by king Jehoram and his wife Athaliah (8:16-18). 11:19 2 Kings 11:4-6.

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and came by the road of the Gate of the Guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had killed Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house.

no more money from the people, and not to repair the damaged places in the house themselves.

9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who were doorkeepers put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. 10 And so it was that whenever they saw there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD. 11 And they gave the counted money into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the LORD, 12 and to masons and stone cutters, and to buy timber and cut stone to repair the damaged places in the house of the LORD, and for all that was paid out for the house to repair it.

21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah. She was from Beersheba. 2 And Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, each man’s census money, the money from each man’s assessment, and all the money any man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the LORD, 5 let the priests themselves take it, each one from his acquaintances, and let them repair the damaged places of the house, wherever any damage may be found.”

13 However, no silver bowls, snuffers, basins, trumpets, no gold or silver articles were made for the house of the LORD, from the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, 14 but they gave it to the workmen, and made repairs to the house of the LORD with it. 15 Moreover, they did not demand an account with the men into whose hands they delivered the money to be given to workmen, for they dealt faithfully. 16 The money for trespass offerings and money for sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD. It belonged to the priests.

6 But it so happened that by the twenty-third year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damaged places in the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, “Why are you not repairing the damaged places of the house? Now therefore accept no more money from your acquaintances, but deliver it for the damaged places in the house.” 8 And the priests agreed to receive

17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it; and Hazael set his face to

11:20 “Rejoiced” – Prov 11:10; 28:12; 29:2. 11:21 “Jehoash” (also vs 2,4,6,7,18) – Joash. 12:1-14 2 Chron 24:1-14. 12:2 2 Kings 11:4. Joash did right as long as he was under the instruction of Jehoiada, but later forsook the truth he knew (2 Chron 24:17-27). Blessed are they who faithfully serve God to the end of their lives – 2 Tim 4:6,7; Heb 3:14; 6:11,12; Rev 2:10,26. 12:3 1 Kings 3:2; 15:14; 22:43. At this time on these high places they worshiped Jehovah and not false gods. Even so, this was not according to God’s instructions for worship – Ex 20:24; Num 33:52; Deut 7:5; 12:3,5,8,13,14. 12:4 “Census money” – Ex 30:11-16; 38:25,26; Num 2:32. “Man’s heart prompts him” – Lev 22:18-23; Deut 16:10. 12:6 The temple had been finished in 959 B.C. The 23rd year of Joash was 835. The date when Joash spoke the words of v 4 is not known, but evidently a considerable length of time had gone by and no repairs had been made. The question arises, what

had happened to the money the priests had been receiving for the work? And where was their zeal for God’s service? How vital it is that Christian workers, and all of God’s people, should be completely honest in money matters. To misuse money given for the work of God is to steal from God. And to be lacking in zeal for God and His work is to show the smallness of our love for Him. 12:9 “Chest” – Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1. 12:11-14 With proper supervision the work went ahead and funds collected were used in a proper way. The money for repair work was not spent on something else. 12:15 “Faithfully” – 22:7; 1 Cor 4:2. How important this is in the work of God. It cannot be overemphasized. God is a God of truth and demands truth in our hearts (Ps 31:5; 51:6). If we lack honesty we have no right to expect blessing or reward from God, and we might well wonder if we know God at all. 12:16 Lev 4:24,29; 5:15-18; 7:7; Num 4:9,19. 12:17-21 2 Chron 24:23-26 reveals that these events occurred after Joash murdered the son of Jehoiada. 12:17 “Hazael” – 8:9-13; 10:32,33.

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go up to Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his forefathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem.

who caused Israel to sin, but walked in them; and also the idolatrous grove in Samaria remained.

7 For he left of the people of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them and had made them like the dust of threshing.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his ancestors; and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Joash reigned in his place.

19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 20 And his servants arose and made a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of Millo, on the way down to Silla. 21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David. And his son Amaziah reigned in his place.

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash, king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for sixteen years. 11 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

In the twenty-third year of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for seventeen years. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He did not depart from them. 3 And the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hands of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

12 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, and his might, with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 13 And Joash slept with his ancestors; and Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14 Now Elisha had fallen sick with his sickness, of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face and said, “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen.”

4 And Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel; because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before. 6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam,

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take bow and arrows.” And he took bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

17 And he said, “Open the east window.” And

12:18 1 Kings 15:18; 2 Kings 16:8; 18:15,16. Using God’s property to bribe God’s enemies was surely both wrong and unnecessary. It showed a lack of faith in God’s protection. What Joash needed to do was repent and turn to God with all his heart. 12:19 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 12:20 “Killed Joash” – the reason for this is seen in 2 Chron 24:25. 12:21 “City of David” – 2 Sam 5:6,7. 13:2 1 Kings 12:26-33. 13:3 “Anger” – notes at Num 25:3; Ps 90:7-11.

repentance. Compare Joel 2:18,19; Rom 2:4.

“Grove” – or “Asherah pole” – note at Judges 3:7. 13:7 Verse 22; 8:12; 10:32; Amos 1:3. 13:8 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 13:9 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. 13:11 1 Kings 12:26-33. 13:14 “Sickness” – Elisha was a great prophet, a faithful man of God. He did miracles for others (4:32-37; etc.), but there was no miracle for him when he fell ill. Compare 1 Tim 5:23; 2 Tim 4:20. Jehoash, king of Israel, like many godless men, had respect for God’s prophet. But though he used the same words to Elisha that Elisha had used to Elijah (2:10), he did not have their faith. Many today can use the language of Bible-believing Christians without believing the Bible. 13:17 “East window” – facing the area controlled by Syria beyond the Jordan river.

“Hazael” – 8:11,12; 10:32,33. “Ben-Hadad” – v 24. 13:4 Verse 26,27; Ex 3:7,9; Jud 2:14-18; 2 Chron 33:10-13; Ps 78:38,39; 103:13,14; Isa 55:6,7. 13:5 “Saviour” – possibly Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash (v 25). 13:6 God’s goodness did not lead them to

“Aphek” – 1 Kings 20:26.

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he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria. For you shall strike down the Syrians in Aphek until you have destroyed them.”

mother’s name was Jehoaddan. She was from Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not like David his father. He did everything as his father Joash had done. 4 However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.

18 And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had destroyed it, but now you will strike Syria only three times.”

5 And it came about, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hands, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 6 But he did not kill the children of the murderers, in accordance with what is written in the book of the law of Moses, in which the LORD gave a command, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but each man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

20 And Elisha died; and they buried him. And the raiding bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the beginning of the year. 21 And it so happened when they were burying a man, that suddenly they saw a band of men, and they threw the man into the tomb of Elisha; and when the man dropped down and touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life and stood up on his feet.

7 He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Selah in a battle and called its name Joktheel, as it is to this day.

22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 And the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and showed regard for them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from his presence as yet.

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”

9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ And a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in this, but stay at home, for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall, you, and Judah with you?”

24 So Hazael king of Syria died, and Ben Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took back out of the hands of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken by war out of the hands of Jehoahaz his father. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.

11 But Amaziah would not listen. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and they all fled to their tents. 13 And Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son

In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash became king of Judah. 2 He was twentyfive years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his

13:19 Verse 25. 13:21 Elisha’s bones had no power in themselves to raise the dead or to do anything else. They were dead and death cannot give life. The power to raise the dead was, and is, in the God Elisha served. God was reminding the people of this. Compare 1 Sam 2:6; John 5:21. 13:22 8:12,13; 10:32,33. 13:23 “Compassion” – Ex 34:6; Deut 32:36; Jud 2:18; Ps 86:15; Isa 49:15; Matt 9:36.

14:1-6 2 Chron 25:1-4. 14:1 “Joash” – or “Jehoash.” 14:3 David worshiped Jehovah, the only true God, and had nothing to do with gods. Amaziah did not follow that example. See 2 Chron 25:14-16. 14:4 “High places” – 12:3. 14:5 12:20. 14:6 Deut 24:16; Jer 31:29,30; Ezek 18:1-32. 14:7 2 Sam 8:13; 1 Chron 18:12; Ps 60. 14:8-14 2 Chron 25:17-24. 14:8 “Face” – he meant face to face in battle. 14:9 Jehoash thinks of himself as a mighty cedar, Amaziah as a tiny thistle. 14:10 Prov 16:18. 14:11 “Beth-Shemesh” – a town about 25 kilometers west of Jerusalem. 14:12 Amaziah’s defeat was a punishment from God for his idolatry. See 2 Chron 25:14-16,20.

“Covenant” – Gen 13:16,17; 17:2-7; Ex 2:24,25. 13:25 10:32,33; 12:17; 13:18,19; 14:25. God gave these victories and a further period of prosperity to Israel to give the nation the opportunity to repent, but Israel did not learn its lesson. Later God punished them and removed them from the land altogether – 17:1-23.

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of Ahaziah, at Beth-Shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits. 14 He took all the gold and silver, and all the articles that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

who caused Israel to sin. 25 He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Plain, in accordance with the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spoke through his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-Hepher.

26 For the LORD saw that the suffering of Israel was very bitter; for there was no one either slave or free to come to the help of Israel. 27 And the LORD did not say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but he saved them by the hands of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 16 And Jehoash slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and his son Jeroboam reigned in his place.

28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did and his might, how he made war and how he recovered Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 29 And Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, with the kings of Israel, and his son Zachariah reigned in his place.

17 And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah?

19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20 And they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David.

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fiftytwo years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jecholiah; she was from Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with all that his father Amaziah had done, 4 except that the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.

21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his ancestors.

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,

5 And the LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death and lived in a house apart. And Jotham, the king’s son, was over the house, judging the people of the land.

of view Jeroboam II was a mighty king who brought victory and prosperity to Israel. But from a spiritual point of view he was a disaster, even as the first Jeroboam had been. Both Hosea and Amos prophesied during his reign, and a reading of their books makes clear the sad spiritual condition of the people during his rule. 14:29 “Slept” – 1 Kings 14:19. 15:1 14:17,21. Azariah is called Uzziah in v 13, 2 Chron 26:1-4, and some other places. 15:3 14:3. 15:4 12:3; 14:4. 15:5 “Leper” – the reason why God afflicted him like this is seen in 2 Chron 26:16-23. Observe that God at times may send disease as punishment. But because this is so, we should not think that every person who gets a disease is being punished by God. Note on leprosy at Lev 13:2.

14:15 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 14:16 “Slept” – 1 Kings 2:10. 14:17-20 2 Chron 25:25-28. 14:19 2 Chron 25:27. 14:21 2 Chron 26:1,2. Azariah is known also as Uzziah. 14:22 “Elath” – a seaport in the south on the Gulf of Aquaba. 14:23 1 Kings 12:26-33. 14:25 10:32; 13:25. Hamath was in the extreme north of the land of Israel. The Sea of the Plain is the Dead Sea.

“Jonah” – this was the prophet of the book of Jonah. 14:26 “Saw” – 13:23. “Suffering” – because of the Syrians (8:12; 10:32,33; 13:3,4). 14:27 13:5,23. The fact that God used Jeroboam does not mean he was a good man. It means God had mercy on the people and used their leader to help them even though he was a wicked man – v 24. 14:28 From the military and secular point

“House apart” – Lev 13:46. Here this may indicate a house where he was relieved of responsibility.

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6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 7 So Azariah slept with his ancestors; and they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David; and his son Jotham reigned in his place.

18 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. All his days he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, so that he might join hands with him to establish the kingdom in his hand. 20 And Menahem exacted the money from Israel, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels of silver from each man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land.

8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah, king of Judah, Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck him in front of the people and killed him, and reigned in his place. 11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, see, they are written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 This was the word of the LORD which he spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it happened.

21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel? 22 And Menahem slept with his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah reigned in his place.

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah, king of Judah, Pekahiah, the son of Menahem, began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty Gileadite men. And he killed him, and reigned in his place.

13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned a full month in Samaria. 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him, and reigned in his place.

15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he made, see, they are written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel.

26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah and all that he did, see, they are written in the book of The Annals the Kings of Israel.

16 Then from Tirzah Menahem attacked Tiphsah, and all who were in it, and its territories. He attacked it because they did not open to him, and he ripped open all the pregnant women in it.

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah, king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah, king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria.

15:6 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 15:7 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. 15:8 2 Kings 14:29; 5:1. 15:8-31 These verses present a picture of national confusion, of plots and murder, of swift succession of evil leaders. All this resulted from the fact that the nation would not honor God and walk in His ways. The repeated refrain in these verses is “the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat” (vs 9,18,24,28). 15:9 1 Kings 12:28-33. 15:10 Amos 7:9. 15:12 10:30. Zechariah was the last of Jehu’s descendants to occupy the throne. Once more the Word of God was fulfilled to the letter. 15:13 Uzziah is Azariah (v 1). 15:16 “Women” – here was a man from Israel, God’s people, behaving as the cruel and idolatrous king of Syria had behaved (8:12). 15:18 1 Kings 12:28-33. 15:19 Pul is another name for Tiglath-Pileser

(1 Chron 5:26).

“Assyria” – an ancient kingdom that lay to the northeast of Israel and controlled the area which is now occupied by Iraq, Syria, and parts of Iran and Turkey. Its name was derived from Asshur its national god and also the name of one of its principal cities. Its capital became Nineveh, a city founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:11), and one of the largest and most famous cities of ancient times (see Jonah 1:2). Assyria reached its greatest power and extent between 700-650 B.C. Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C. and Assyria lost its power to the Babylonians.

“Thousand talents” – about 34,000 kilograms. 15:20 “Fifty Shekels” – about 0.6 kilogram. Because of their sin the people of God had to send bribes to a heathen king to keep him away. 15:24 1 Kings 12:28-33. 15:27 Isa 7:1. 15:28 Verses 9,18,24.

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29 In the days of Pekah, king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, came and took Ijon and Abel Beth Maachah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And Hoshea the son of Elah conspired against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck him down and killed him and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like his forefather David, 3 but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through the fire, in accordance with the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out from before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills, and under every green tree.

31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, see, they are written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Israel.

5 Then Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to fight, and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath for Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and have lived there to this day.

32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33 He was twentyfive years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD. He did everything just as his father Uzziah had done. 35 However the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.

7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who have risen up against me.” 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent it as a present to the king of Assyria. 9 And the king of Assyria listened to him; for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, and carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin.

36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 37 In those days the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, against Judah. 38 And Jotham slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David his father. And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.

10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus, and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its pattern, in accordance with all its workmanship. 11 And Urijah the priest built an altar in accordance with all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus. So Urijah the priest made it before king Ahaz returned from Damascus. 12 And when the king returned from

In the seventeenth year of Pekah, the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned

15:29 This was the beginning of the end of the northern kingdom of Israel. 15:32-38 2 Chron 26:23 – 27:9. 15:33 “Slept” – note at 1 Kings 2:10. 15:34 15:3,4; 2 Chron 26:4,5. 15:35 Verse 3; 12:3; 14:4. 15:37 16:5; Isa 7:1. 16:1-4 2 Chron 28:1-4. 16:1 Isa 1:1; 7:1. 16:2 14:3. 16:3 “Pass through the fire” – this probably means burning them in the fire as a sacrifice – Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6,11; Ps 106:37,38. Two nations near Israel who made such abominable sacrifices were Moab and Ammon. The gods to whom they sacrificed were Chemosh and Molech. 16:4 “High places” – 12:3; 1 Kings 3:2. “Tree” – 17:10; 1 Kings 14:23; Deut 12:12; Jer 2:20; 3:6; 17:2. 16:5 15:37; 2 Chron 28:5,6; Isa 7:1-17. 16:6 14:22.

16:7-16 2 Chron 28:16-25. 16:7 “Assyria” – note at 15:19. Tiglath Pileser is the same as Pul in 15:19,29.

“Save me” – king Ahaz had religion (vs 3,4), but did not have God. Those without God have to look elsewhere for help. They have to try to find their security in some worldly power rather than in the Almighty. Compare Ahaz with Hezekiah (chapter 19). Because of Ahaz Judah fell under the power of Assyria until Hezekiah rebelled (18:7). 16:8 12:17,18. Because there was no faith and obedience in the leader of God’s people, once again God’s money was spent to bribe a heathen power. 16:9 Isa 7:16; Amos 1:3-5. 16:10-14 By this action Ahaz openly departs even further from the true God and His worship. The altar built according to God’s instructions (Ex 27:1-8) was put in a secondary position, an altar designed for idolatrous worship in a foreign country is given the first place, and Ahaz made his

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Damascus, the king saw the altar, and the king approached the altar and made an offering on it. 13 And on the altar he burned his burnt offering and his grain offering, and poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings. 14 And also he took the bronze altar, which was before the LORD, from the front of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

Samaria over Israel. He reigned nine years. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who were before him.

3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4 And the king of Assyria found out a conspiracy by Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and brought no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout the whole land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan and in the cities of the Medes.

15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt sacrifice and his grain offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land and their grain offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice. And the bronze altar will be for me to make inquiry.” 16 Urijah the priest did so, in accordance with all that king Ahaz commanded.

7 Now this occured because the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods, 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out from before the children of Israel, and those of the kings of Israel which they had introduced. 9 And the children of Israel secretly did those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built high places for themselves in all their cities, from the watchman’s tower to the fortified city. 10 And they set up images and groves for themselves on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they burnt incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD took away before them, and did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger; 12 for they served idols, about which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13 Though the LORD testified against Israel

17 And king Ahaz cut off the panels from the stands, and removed the lavers from them, and took the sea down from the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stones. 18 And he removed the pavilion for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s outer entrance from the house of the LORD, on account of the king of Assyria.

19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of The Annals of the Kings of Judah? 20 And Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

In the twelfth year of Ahaz, king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in

offerings on the new altar. So little did he have room in his religion for the true God. 16:13 “Burnt offering”, etc – Leviticus chapters 1-3. 16:15 Ahaz tried to shove God aside and worship as he pleased. But in time of need he wanted to get guidance from God’s altar (but not by seeking God Himself). Actually nothing is said anywhere in the Bible about the altar being able to give guidance. Ahab was showing superstition, not faith. And should anyone expect to get guidance from God in time of need when they ignore God at all other times? 16:16 “Commanded” – all too often those who should stand for truth and oppose error, weakly give in to a strong corrupt leader. 16:17 1 Kings 7:23-28,38. Ahaz began to destroy the work of Solomon. 16:19 “Annals” – 1 Kings 14:19. 16:20 “Slept” – 1 Kings 2:10. “City of David” – 2 Sam 5:6,7. 17:1 15:30. 17:3 18:9-12. Shalmaneser succeeded

Tiglath-Pileser (15:19,29). 17:4 When God has given up an individual or a people to punishment, there will be no help from human beings in trying to avert it.

“To So, king” – or “to Sais, to the king.” 17:6 Israel’s captivity was the inevitable punishment for their sin, as the following verses make clear. See also Lev 26:33; Deut 28:63,64. All the curses God pronounced on a disobedient people in Deuteronomy chapter 28 came upon them. God always does exactly as He says He will do. 17:7,8 Ex 20:1-5; Josh 23:16; Jud 6:10; 1 Kings 12:28-33; 16:31-33; 2 Kings 16:3. 17:9 16:3,4; 1 Kings 3:2; 15:14. 17:10 Ex 34:12,13; 1 Kings 14:15,23. 17:11 “Incense” – a symbol of prayer and worship (Ex 30:7,34-38). If they follow the depravity of their hearts men will misuse and pervert all the holy things of God. 17:12 Ex 20:3-5; 23:13; Lev 26:1. 17:13 “All the seers” – during the time of

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