2 KINGS
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 1
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2 Ahaziah had fallen through the window of his upstairs room in Samaria and injured himself. He sent messengers to ask the God(Elohim/Theos) Baalzebub the God(Elohim/Theos) of Ekron if I will recover from this injury."
3 But the angel of the LORD(Jesus) said to Elijah: Go up to see the messengers of Ahaziah, the king of Samaria. Tell them, 'You are on your way to ask Baal-Zebub for advice. He is the God(Elohim/Theos) of Ekron. Are you going to that God(Elohim/Theos) because you think there is no God(Elohim/Theos) in Israel?'
not an angel, but the angel, who carried on all communications between the invisible God and His chosen people.. IE Jesus Christ!
4 The LORD(Jesus) says to Ahaziah, 'You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!' So Elijah went to see the messengers.
5 When the messengers returned, the king asked them, "Why have you come back so soon?"
6 They said to him that a man came to meet them saying, "Go back to the king that has sent you.
Tell him, 'This is what the LORD(Jesus) says: Do you send messengers to seek advice from Baalzebub, the God(Elohim/Theos) of Ekron, because [you think] there is no God(Elohim/Theos) in Israel? You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. Instead, you will die there.'"
7 The king asked them, "What kind of man came to see you? Who told you those things?"
8 They replied, "He was hairy and had a leather belt around his waist." And the king said, "That's Elijah from Tishbe."
9 Then the king sent a captain with 50 men to Elijah. Elijah was sitting on top of a hill. The captain went up to him. He said to Elijah, "Man of God(Elohim/Theos), the king says, 'Come down!' "
10 Elijah answered the officer, "If I'm a man of God(Elohim/Theos), fire will come from heaven and burn up you and your 50 men." Then fire came from heaven and burned up the officer and his 50 men.
11 Again he (the king) sent another captain to Elijah. The captain had his 50 men with him. He said to Elijah, "Man of God(Elohim/Theos), the king says, 'Come down at once!' "
12 Elijah said to them, "If I'm a man of God(Elohim/Theos), fire will come from heaven and burn up you and your 50 men." Then God(Elohim/Theos)'s fire came from heaven and burned up the officer and his 50 men.
13 And he (the king) sent a third captain with his 50 men. The captain went up to Elijah. He fell on his knees in front of him. "Man of God(Elohim/Theos)," he begged, "please have respect for my life! Please have respect for the lives of these 50 men!
14 Fire has come down from heaven. It has burned up the first two captains and all of their men. But please have respect for my life!"
15 The angel of the LORD(Jesus) told Elijah, "Go with him. Don't be afraid of him." So Elijah got up and went with him to the king.
16 Elijah told the king, "This is what the LORD(Jesus) says: You sent messengers to seek advice from Baalzebub, the God(Elohim/Theos) of Ekron. Is this because there is no God(Elohim/Theos) in Israel whose word you can seek? You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. Instead, you will die there."
17 So he died according to the word of the LORD(Jesus) which Elijah had spoken . So Joram, his younger brother, became the next king after him. It was the second year of Jehoram, the king of Judah. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat.
18 Isn't everything else about Ahaziah--the things he did--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 2
ELIJAH IS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN IN A WINDSTORM: (see note at bottom of page)
1 When the LORD(Jesus) was going to take Elijah to heaven[the sky] in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here because the LORD(Jesus) is sending me to Bethel." Elisha answered, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD(Jesus) lives and as you live, I will not abandon you." So they went to Bethel.
3 Some of the sons of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, "Do you know that the LORD(Jesus) is going to take your master from you today?" He answered, "Yes, I know. Be quiet."
4 Elijah said, "Elisha, stay here because the LORD(Jesus) is sending me to Jericho." Elisha answered, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD(Jesus) lives and as you live, I will not abandon you." So they went to Jericho.
5 There was a company of prophets at Jericho. They went up to where Elisha was. They asked him, "Do you know what the LORD(Jesus) is going to do? He's going to take your master away from you today." Elisha replied, "Yes, I know. But don't talk about it."
6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here. The LORD(Jesus) has sent me to the Jordan (River)." Elisha replied, "I won't leave you. And that's just as sure as the LORD(Jesus) and you are alive." So the two of them walked on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went , and stood to watch from a distance: and they two stood by Jordan (River).
9 While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, "What should I do for you before I'm taken from you?" Elisha answered, "Let me inherit a double share of your spirit."
10 "You have asked me for something I can't give you," Elijah said. "Only the LORD(Jesus) can give it. But suppose you see me when I'm taken away from you. Then you will receive what you have asked for. If you don't see me, you won't receive it."
11 They kept walking along and talking together. Suddenly a chariot and horses appeared. Fire was all around them. The chariot and horses came between the two men. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.
12 Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah, "My father! You are like a father to me! You are the true chariots and horsemen of Israel!" Elisha didn't see Elijah anymore. Then Elisha took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart (to show his grief).
13Then he picked up Elijah's coat[mantle], which had fallen off Elijah, went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan (River).
14 Then he struck the water with Elijah's coat. "Where is the power of the LORD(Jesus)?" he asked. "Where is the power of the God(Elohim/Theos) of Elijah?" When Elisha struck the water, it parted to the right and to the left. He went across the river.
15 The sons of the prophets from Jericho were watching. They said, "The spirit of Elijah has been given to Elisha." They went over to him. They bowed down to him with their faces toward the ground.
16 They said to him, "There are 50 strong men here with us. Please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the LORD(Jesus)'s Spirit lifted him up and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys." Elisha answered, "Don't send them."
17 But they kept asking until he felt he couldn't say no. So he said, "Send them." And they sent 50 men. They looked for Elijah for three days. But they didn't find him.
18 So they returned to Elisha. He was staying in Jericho. Elisha said to them, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"
19 The men of Jericho spoke to Elisha. "Look," they said. "This town has a good location. You can see that for yourself. But the spring of water here is bad. So the land doesn't produce anything."
20 "Bring me a new bowl," Elisha said. "Put some salt in it." So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went out to the spring. He threw the salt into it. He told them, "The LORD(Jesus) says, 'I have made this water pure. It will never cause death again. It will never keep the land from producing crops again.' "
22 To this day the water is still pure, just as Elisha had said.
CHILDREN TAUNT ELISHA AND ARE KILLED:
23 From there he went to Bethel. As he walked along the road, some boys came out of the city and mocked him. They said, "Go away, baldy! Go away you old bald head!"
24 He turned around and looked at them. And he called down a curse on them. He did it in the name of the LORD(Jesus). Then two bears came out of the woods. They attacked 42 of the young fellows.
25 Elisha went on to Mount Carmel. From there he returned to Samaria.
WAS ELIJAH IS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN?
A biblical event many cite to support belief that the righteous go to heaven when they die involves the prophet Elijah. Elijah was a prophet of God in the ninth century B.C. The Bible states that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11). But does this contradict the testimony of Jesus, who was to state some 900 years after Elijah's time that "no one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man"? (John 3:13).
How can we explain this seeming biblical discrepancy? A closer look shows that the two passages can be reconciled easily enough.
Careful study shows three "heavens" actually discussed in the Bible. One is God(Elohim/Theos)'s dwelling place-the place of His throne-and the heaven where the resurrected Jesus is today. Speaking of Christ, who is our High Priest, the Bible says: "We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (Hebrews 8:1). Heaven is specifically called God's dwelling place (Deuteronomy 26:15).Another heaven discussed in the Bible is what we call outer space. It is the domain of the moon, planets, comets, asteroids, sun and stars. David spoke of this when he reflected on the awesomeness of God's creative handiwork, which he described as "Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained" (Psalm 8:3). Many scriptures mention "the stars of heaven" (Genesis 26:4; Deuteronomy 1:10; 28:62; Isaiah 13:10).
Hundreds of years after Enoch, Moses and Elijah had supposedly "gone to heaven," Jesus, who was WITH the Father from the beginning(Jn.17:5, 1:1-2,14) came down from the Father (Jn. 17:4,8) as a flesh and blood human and plainly said, "NO MAN has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven - Son of man... (Jn.3:13). Jesus plainly said that HE alone of all humans was the only one to ascend to heaven. Enoch, Moses and Elijah were not in the heaven where God is! It is written, "Enoch walked with God: and he was not: for God( tookhim." (Gen.5:24). Realize what was not said here! It does not say Enoch went to heaven. It says he was not found, for God“took him.” This verse does not say where God took him! To say God took Enoch to heaven is only human conjecture that has no basis of fact. “Took him” is another way as saying “he died!” The LAMSA translation renders Gen. 5:24 as "And Enoch found favor in the presence of God, and DISAPPEARED; for God(Elohim/Theos) took him away."(emphasis ours throughout).
As Elijah could not have gone to the heaven where God's throne is found, then into which heaven did he go? We read, "and Elijah went up by a WHIRLWIND into HEAVEN" (2 Kings 2:1,11). The answer should be obvious! Elijah was carried by the whirlwind into the FIRST heaven, where physical whirlwinds function. Did God intend to make Elijah immortal by taking him up into the atmosphere? There is not one word to that affect in the scriptures !
Turn to 2 Kings 2:3,5 and see for yourself WHY Elijah was to be taken away. Elijah had been used by God(Elohim/Theos) as head or leader of the sons of the prophets. Now God(Elohim/Theos) wanted Elisha to assume leadership. Godwanted Elijah to by-and-large "retire" - at least in an active and open directorship.
Elijah granted Elisha a request before he was taken away (verse 9) and Elisha requested that "a double portion of your spirit be upon me." If he was to see Elijah taken away it would be granted (verse 10). Elisha DID SEE Elijah taken away and he inherited his coat (verses 12-14). The coat or “mantle” had great significance, it was, "worn by PROPHETS and PRIESTS as the simple insignia of their office" (CLARKE'S COMMENTARY VOL. 2: p. 484). The purpose of removing Elijah was to replace him with another man who would assume his office in Israel as head of the prophets. Elijah, having ascended into the AIR by a whirlwind was carried away out of sight - beyond the horizon.
SO, WHERE DID ELIJAH GO?
He did not go to the THIRD heaven of the throne of God. We know this because Jesus said so! God did not say Elijah was to die at that time either, otherwise there would have been no need for such a spectacular removal of him from his office of head prophet. Now if Elijah knew it was time to go and "join the LORD" it would have been easy for him to have told Elisha, who then would
have told the sons of the prophets. The whole happenings before and after this miraculous event would clearly indicate that neither Elijah, Elisha or any of the fifty prophets understood that the removing of Elijah was to make him immortal and take him off to the third heaven. So, where was Elijah taken? The Bible itself gives us the answer:
Several years AFTER he was taken away, King Jehoram received a LETTER from him! How long after? There are some difficulties in figuring the exact timing, it varies from 2 to 10 years or more. A note in JOSEPHUS (a Jewish historian of the first century A.D.) says 4 years, while the JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA figures it at 7 years. Regardless of the exact number of years, "there came a writing to him (Jehoram) from Elijah the prophet, saying..." (2 Chron 21:12). Now the wickedness of Jehoram, for which he was being rebuked in the letter, took place AFTER Elijah was taken away, yet the letter speaks of these things as PAST events, and the punishment to come upon him as yet FUTURE. So the idea of some, that Elijah wrote the letter BEFORE he was removed by the whirlwind, is proved wrong.. Elijah was taken up by the whirlwind into the first heaven and transported to another location ON EARTH. God(Elohim/Theos) did not see fit in His purpose to reveal his whereabouts. Just like we are taking away on the whirlwind of a Jet plane to fly from one spot to another. Some copies of JOSEPHUS come right out and offer this explanation: "For he was yet upon earth" (ANTIQUITIES OF THEJEWS, 9, 5:2). THE PLAIN TRUTH IS THAT ELIJAH DIED! A marginal note found in SOME editions of the Bible concerning Elijah's letter says this: ".. .which was written before his death," meaning, the death of Elijah. There is a traditional site of Elijah's TOMB near a tributary of the Jordan River. HARPER'S BIBLE DICTIONARY (p.760), which lists various feasts and fasts of the Jewish calendar, says the tenth day of the second month ZN was a "fast to commemorate the DEATH of Elijah." The main proof that Elijah DIED is in the Bible itself. Paul, speaking about the people of FAITH says, "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jeptha, of David also, and Samuel, AND OF THE PROPHETS..." (Heb.11:32). Elijah was ONE of the PROPHETS!
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 3
JEHORAM'S EVIL REIGN OVER ISRAEL:
1 Joram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat's eighteenth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years.
To reconcile the statements in the two passages, we must suppose that Ahaziah, having reigned during the seventeenth and the greater part of the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, was succeeded by his brother Joram or Jehoram, in the end of that eighteenth year, or else that Ahaziah, having reigned two years in conjunction with his father, died at the end of that period when Jehoram ascended the throne. His policy was as hostile as that of his predecessors to the true religion; but he made some changes. Whatever was his motive for this alteration--whether dread of the many alarming judgments the patronage of idolatry had brought upon his father; or whether it was made as a small concession to the feelings of Jehoshaphat, his ally, he abolished idolatry in its gross form and restored the symbolic worship of God, which the kings of Israel, from the time of Jeroboam, had set up as a partition wall between their subjects and those of Judah. (Jamiseon).
2 Joram did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). But he wasn't as bad as his father and mother had been. His father had made a sacred stone that was used to worship the God(Elohim/Theos) Baal. Joram got rid of it.
3 But he kept on committing the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had also caused Israel to commit those same sins. Joram didn't turn away from them. 4 Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He had to supply the king of Israel with 100,000 lambs a year. He also had to supply him with the wool of 100,000 rams a year.
5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and prepared all Israel (for war).
7 He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight Moab with me?" Jehoshaphat answered, "I'll go. I will do what you do. My troops will do what your troops do. My horses will do what your horses do."
8 Joram asked, "Which road should we take?" Jehoshaphat answered, "The road through the desert of Edom."
9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom took an indirect route to Moab (the Dead Sea area). After seven days they ran out of water for the army and the animals.
10 The king of Israel said, "Oh no! The LORD(Jesus) has put the three of us at the mercy of Moab."
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD(Jesus) here? Can't we ask the LORD(Jesus) for advice through him?" An officer of the king of Israel spoke up. He answered, "Elisha is here. He's the son of Shaphat. Elisha used to serve Elijah."
12 Jehoshaphat said, "The LORD(Jesus) speaks through him." So the king of Israel went down to see Elisha. Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom also went there.
13 Elisha asked the king of Israel, "Why did you come to me? Go to your father's prophets or your mother's prophets." The king of Israel answered him, "No. The LORD(Jesus) has called the three of us in order to put us at Moab's mercy."
14 Elisha said, "I serve the LORD(Jesus) who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I have respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. If I didn't, I wouldn't look at you or even notice you.
15 But now bring me someone who plays the harp." While that person was playing the harp, the LORD(Jesus)'s powerful hand came on Elisha.
16 Elisha announced, "The LORD(Jesus) says, 'Dig a lot of ditches in this valley.'
17 Do it because the LORD(Jesus) says, 'You will not see wind or rain. But this valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle and your other animals will have water to drink.'
18 The LORD(Jesus) considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy.
19 You will defeat every walled city and every important city. You will cut down every good tree, seal all the wells, and use rocks to ruin every good piece of land."
20 The next day, the time came to offer the morning sacrifice. And then it happened! Water was flowing from the direction of Edom! In fact, the land was filled with water!
21 Now all of the people of Moab had heard that the kings had come to fight against them. So Moab sent for all of its fighting men. It didn't matter whether they were young or old. They sent for everyone who could carry a weapon. All of them were stationed at the border.
22 When the Moabites got up early in the morning as the sun was rising over the water, they saw the water from a distance. It was as red as blood.
23 "That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and killed each other. Let's go, Moab! Let's take everything that has any value."
24 So the men of Moab went to the camp of Israel. Just as they arrived there, the men of Israel got ready to fight. They fought against the men of Moab until they ran away. The men of Israel marched into the land and attacked it. They killed the people of Moab.
25 They destroyed the towns. Each man threw a large stone on every good field. They did that until the fields were covered. They stopped up all of the springs of water. And they cut down every good tree. The only town that was left with any stones in place was Kir Hareseth. But men who were armed with slings surrounded it. Then they attacked it.
26 When the king of Moab saw he was losing the battle, he took 700 swordsmen to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they couldn't do it.
27 Then he took his oldest son, who would have succeeded him as king, and sacrificed him on the wall as a burnt offering. There was bitter anger against the Israelites. So they went home to their own country.
-By this deed of horror, to which the allied army drove the king of Moab, a divine judgment came upon Israel; that is, the besiegers feared the anger of God, which they had incurred by giving occasion to the human sacrifice forbidden in the law ( Leviticus 18:21 , 20:3 ), and hastily raised the siege.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 3
JEHORAM'S EVIL REIGN OVER ISRAEL:
1 Joram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria during Jehoshaphat's eighteenth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years.
To reconcile the statements in the two passages, we must suppose that Ahaziah, having reigned during the seventeenth and the greater part of the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, was succeeded by his brother Joram or Jehoram, in the end of that eighteenth year, or else that Ahaziah, having reigned two years in conjunction with his father, died at the end of that period when Jehoram ascended the throne. His policy was as hostile as that of his predecessors to the true religion; but he made some changes. Whatever was his motive for this alteration--whether dread of the many alarming judgments the patronage of idolatry had brought upon his father; or whether it was made as a small concession to the feelings of Jehoshaphat, his ally, he abolished idolatry in its gross form and restored the symbolic worship of God, which the kings of Israel, from the time of Jeroboam, had set up as a partition wall between their subjects and those of Judah. (Jamiseon).
3 But he kept on committing the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had also caused Israel to commit those same sins. Joram didn't turn away from them.
4 Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He had to supply the king of Israel with 100,000 lambs a year. He also had to supply him with the wool of 100,000 rams a year.
5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and prepared all Israel (for war).
7 He sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you fight Moab with me?" Jehoshaphat answered, "I'll go. I will do what you do. My troops will do what your troops do. My horses will do what your horses do."
8 Joram asked, "Which road should we take?" Jehoshaphat answered, "The road through the desert of Edom."
9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom took an indirect route to Moab (the Dead Sea area). After seven days they ran out of water for the army and the animals.
10 The king of Israel said, "Oh no! The LORD(Jesus) has put the three of us at the mercy of Moab."
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD(Jesus) here? Can't we ask the LORD(Jesus) for advice through him?" An officer of the king of Israel spoke up. He answered, "Elisha is here. He's the son of Shaphat. Elisha used to serve Elijah."
12 Jehoshaphat said, "The LORD(Jesus) speaks through him." So the king of Israel went down to see Elisha. Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom also went there.
13 Elisha asked the king of Israel, "Why did you come to me? Go to your father's prophets or your mother's prophets." The king of Israel answered him, "No. The LORD(Jesus) has called the three of us in order to put us at Moab's mercy."
14 Elisha said, "I serve the LORD(Jesus) who rules over all. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I have respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. If I didn't, I wouldn't look at you or even notice you.
15 But now bring me someone who plays the harp." While that person was playing the harp, the LORD(Jesus)'s powerful hand came on Elisha.
16 Elisha announced, "The LORD(Jesus) says, 'Dig a lot of ditches in this valley.'
17 Do it because the LORD(Jesus) says, 'You will not see wind or rain. But this valley will be filled with water. Then you, your cattle and your other animals will have water to drink.'
18 The LORD(Jesus) considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy.
19 You will defeat every walled city and every important city. You will cut down every good tree, seal all the wells, and use rocks to ruin every good piece of land."
20 The next day, the time came to offer the morning sacrifice. And then it happened! Water was flowing from the direction of Edom! In fact, the land was filled with water!
21 Now all of the people of Moab had heard that the kings had come to fight against them. So Moab sent for all of its fighting men. It didn't matter whether they were young or old. They sent for everyone who could carry a weapon. All of them were stationed at the border.
22 When the Moabites got up early in the morning as the sun was rising over the water, they saw the water from a distance. It was as red as blood.
23 "That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and killed each other. Let's go, Moab! Let's take everything that has any value."
24 So the men of Moab went to the camp of Israel. Just as they arrived there, the men of Israel got ready to fight. They fought against the men of Moab until they ran away. The men of Israel marched into the land and attacked it. They killed the people of Moab.
25 They destroyed the towns. Each man threw a large stone on every good field. They did that until the fields were covered. They stopped up all of the springs of water. And they cut down every good tree. The only town that was left with any stones in place was Kir Hareseth. But men who were armed with slings surrounded it. Then they attacked it.
26 When the king of Moab saw he was losing the battle, he took 700 swordsmen to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they couldn't do it.
27 Then he took his oldest son, who would have succeeded him as king, and sacrificed him on the wall as a burnt offering. There was bitter anger against the Israelites. So they went home to their own country.
-By this deed of horror, to which the allied army drove the king of Moab, a divine judgment came upon Israel; that is, the besiegers feared the anger of God, which they had incurred by giving occasion to the human sacrifice forbidden in the law ( Leviticus 18:21 , 20:3 ), and hastily raised the siege.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 5
1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a very important man in the eyes of his master. And he was highly respected. That's because the LORD(Jesus) had helped him win the battle over Aram's enemies. He was a brave soldier. But he had a skin disease.
This leprosy, which, in Israel, would have excluded him from society, did not affect his free intercourse in the court of Syria.
3 She spoke to the woman she was serving. She said, "I wish my master would go and see the prophet who is in Samaria. He would heal my master of his skin disease."
4 Naaman went to see his own master. He told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5 The king of Aram said, "You may go. I will also send a letter to the king of Israel." When Naaman left, he took 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 sets of clothing with him.
6 He carried the letter to the king of Israel. It said, "I'm sending my servant Naaman to you with this letter. I want you to heal him of his skin disease."
7 The king of Israel read the letter. As soon as he did, he tore his royal robes. He said, "Am I God(Elohim/Theos)? Can I kill people and bring them back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be healed of his skin disease? He must be trying to pick a fight with me!"
8 But when Elisha, the man of God(Elohim/Theos), heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes. So he sent the king a message. It said, "Why have you torn your robes? Tell the man to come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel."
9 So Naaman went to see Elisha. He took his horses and chariots with him. He stopped at the door of Elisha's house.
10 Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said, "Go. Wash yourself in the Jordan (River) seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and clean again."
11 But Naaman went away angry. He said, "I was sure he would come out to me. I thought he would stand there and pray to the LORD(Jesus) his God(Elohim/Theos). I thought he would wave his hand over my skin. Then I would be healed.
12 And what about the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus? Aren't they better than any of the rivers of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be made pure and clean?" So he turned and went away. He was burning with anger.
13 But his servants went to him and said, "Master, if the prophet had asked you to do some extraordinary act, wouldn't you have done it? Why shouldn't you do as he said: 'Wash and be clean'?"
14 So he went to dip himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God(Elohim/Theos) had instructed him. His skin became healthy again like a little child's skin.
15 Then he and all his men returned to the man of God(Elohim/Theos). Naaman stood in front of Elisha and said, "Now I know that there's no God(Elohim/Theos) in the whole world, except the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. So please accept a present from me."
16 "I serve the LORD(Jesus). You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I won't accept a gift from you." Even though Naaman begged him to take it, Elisha wouldn't.
17 So Naaman said, "If you won't take it, please have someone give me as much dirt as a pair of mules can carry. From now on I will not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods(elohim/theos). I will sacrifice to the LORD(Jesus) alone.
18 May the LORD(Jesus) forgive me when my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship, leans on my arm, and I have to bow down in the temple of Rimmon. When I do this, may the LORD(Jesus) forgive me for this one thing."
19 Then he told Naaman, "Go in peace." After Elisha had left him and gone some distance,
20 Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God(Elohim/Theos). Gehazi said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman from Aram. He should have accepted the gift he brought. I'm going to run after Naaman. I'm going to get something from him. And that's just as sure as the LORD(Jesus) is alive."
21 Gehazi hurried after Naaman. Naaman saw him running toward him. So he got down from the chariot to greet him. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
22 "Everything is all right," Gehazi answered. "My master sent me to say, 'Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me. They've come from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothes.' "
23 Naaman replied, "Please let me give you 150 pounds of silver." Naaman urged him [to take the silver]. Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags with two sets of clothing. He gave them to a couple of his own servants to carry in front of Gehazi.
24 When Gehazi came to the Ophel in Samaria, he took these things and put them away in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left.
25 He went and stood in front of his master. Elisha asked him, "Where were you, Gehazi?" "I didn't go anywhere," he answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, "Didn't my spirit go with you? I know that the man got down from his chariot to greet you. Is this the time for you to accept money or clothes? Is it the time to take olive groves, vineyards, flocks or herds? Is it the time to accept male and female servants?
27 The skin disease of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants permanently!" When he left Elisha, Gehazi had a disease that made his skin as flaky as snow.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 6
ELIJAH ASKS THE LORD(Jesus) TO SHOW THE INVISIBLE HOST OF HEAVEN
2 Let's go to the Jordan. Each of us can get some logs and make a place for us to live there." Elisha said, "Go ahead."
3 Then one of them asked, "Won't you please come with us?" Elisha answered, "I'll go." 4 So he went with them. They came to the Jordan River and began to cut down trees.
5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. He cried out, "Oh no, master! It was borrowed!"
6 The man of God(Elohim/Theos) asked, "Where did the blade fall?" He showed him the place. Then Elisha cut a stick and threw it there. That made the iron blade float.
7 He said, "Pick it up." The disciple reached for it and picked it up.
8 The king of Aram was at war with Israel. He talked things over with his officers. Then he said, "I'm going to set up my camp in a certain place."
9 The man of God(Elohim/Theos) sent a message to the king of Israel. It said, "Try to stay away from that place. Aram's army is going to be down there."
10 The king of Israel checked on the place the man of God(Elohim/Theos) had told him about. Time after time Elisha warned the king. So the king was on guard in those places.
11 All of that made the king of Aram very angry. He sent for his officers. He said to them, "Tell me. Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?"
12 One of his officers answered, "No one, Your Majesty. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel everything you say--even what you say in your bedroom."
13 The king said, "Find out where he is. Then I will send men to capture him." The king was told, "He is in Dothan."
14 So the king sent horses and chariots and a large fighting unit there. They came at night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God(Elohim/Theos) got up in the morning and went outside, he saw troops, horses, and chariots surrounding the city. Elisha's servant asked, "Master, what should we do?"
16 Elisha answered, "Don't be afraid. We have more forces on our side than they have on theirs."
17 Then Elisha prayed, "LORD(Jesus), please open his eyes so that he may see." The LORD(Jesus) opened the servant's eyes and let him see. The mountain around Elisha was full of fiery horses and chariots.
This scene depicted here is one of the most awesome stories in the entire Bible. Elisha asked God to allow the people to see the unseen spiritual world that is surrounding us always everyday---We just don't know it! We human beings, in this physical world are totally unaware of the spiritual world of God and the devil, and it takes miracles like this, to see this world.
Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see--The invisible guard of angels that encompass and defend us ( Psalms 34:7 ). The opening of the eyes, which Elisha prayed for, were those of the Spirit, not of the body--the eye of faith sees the reality of the divine presence and protection where all is vacancy or darkness to the ordinary eye. The horses and chariots were symbols of the divine supernatural origin; for fire, the most ethereal of earthly elements, is the most appropriate symbol of the Godhead [KEIL].
18 As the Arameans came down to get him, Elisha prayed to the LORD(Jesus), "Please strike these people with blindness." The LORD(Jesus) struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
19 Elisha told them, "This isn't the way! This isn't the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you're looking for." So he led them into Samaria.
20 When they came into Samaria, Elisha said, "LORD(Jesus), open the eyes of these men, and let them see." The LORD(Jesus) opened their eyes and let them see that they were in the middle of Samaria.
21 The king of Israel saw them. So he asked Elisha, "Should I kill them? I need your advice. You are like a father to me. Should I kill them?"
22 He answered, "Don't kill them. Do you kill everyone you take captive in combat? Give them food and water. Let them eat and drink. Then let them go back to their master."
23 So he prepared a big dinner for them. After they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away. They returned to their master. So the companies of soldiers from Aram stopped attacking Israel's territory.
24 Some time later, Ben-Hadad gathered his entire army together. Ben-Hadad was the king of Aram. His army marched up and surrounded Samaria. Then they attacked it.
25 There wasn't enough food anywhere in the city. It was surrounded for so long that people had to weigh out two pounds of silver for a donkey's head. They had to weigh out two ounces of silver for half a pint of seed pods.
26 One day the king of Israel was walking on top of the wall. A woman cried out to him, "You are my king and master. Please help me!"
27 The king replied, "If the LORD(Jesus) doesn't help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?"
28 Then the king asked her, "What's the matter?" She answered, "This woman told me, 'Give up your son. Let's eat him today. We'll eat my son tomorrow.'
29 So we boiled my son and ate him. The next day I told her, 'Give up your son. We'll eat him,' but she hid her son."
30 When the king heard the woman's words, he tore his royal robes. As he walked along the wall, the people looked up at him. They saw that he was wearing black clothes under his robes.
31 He said, "May God(Elohim/Theos) strike me dead if the head of Elisha, son of Shaphat, stays on his [body] today."
32 Elisha was sitting in his house. The elders were sitting there with him. The king went to see Elisha. He sent a messenger on ahead of him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha spoke to the elders. He said, "That murderer is sending someone here to cut my head off. Can't you see that? When the messenger comes, close the door. Hold it shut against him. Can't you hear his master's footsteps right behind him?"
33 While he was still talking to them, the messenger arrived. He said to Elisha, "This severe famine is from the LORD(Jesus). Why should I wait any longer for the LORD(Jesus)?"
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 7
ELISHA PROPHESIES:
1 Elisha said, "Hear the word from the LORD(Jesus). He says, 'About this time tomorrow, you will be able to buy seven quarts of flour for less than half of an ounce of silver. You will also be able to buy 13 quarts of barley for the same price. That's all you will have to pay for those things at the gate of Samaria.' "
2 The servant(rendered “LORD(Jesus)” in KJV) on whose arm the king was leaning answered the man of God(Elohim/Theos), "Could this happen even if the LORD(Jesus) poured rain through windows in the sky?" Elisha replied, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you won't eat any of it."3 There were four men who had a leprous skin disease. They were at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. They said to one another, "Why should we stay here until we die?
4 Suppose we say, 'We'll go into the city.' There isn't any food there, and we'll die. But if we stay here, we'll die anyway. So let's go over to Aram's army camp. Let's give ourselves up. If they spare us, we'll live. If they kill us, we'll die."
5 At sunset they got up. They went to Aram's army camp. They arrived at the edge of it. But no one was there.
6 The LORD(Jesus) had caused the soldiers of Aram to hear a noise. It sounded like chariots and horses and a huge army. So the soldiers spoke to one another. They said, "Listen! The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings. He has paid them to attack us!"
7 So they had gotten up and had run away at sunset. They had left their tents and horses and donkeys behind. They had left the camp as it was. And they had run for their lives.
8 The men the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp. They entered one of the tents. They ate and drank. Then they carried away silver, gold and clothes. They went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent. They took some things from it and hid them also.
9 But then they said to one another, "What we're doing isn't right. This is a day of good news. And we're keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until sunrise, we'll be punished. Let's go at once. Let's report this to the royal palace."
10 So they went. They called out to the people who were guarding the city gates. They told them, "We went into Aram's army camp. No one was there. We didn't hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up. The tents were left just as they were."
11 The people who guarded the gates shouted the news. It was reported inside the palace.
12 And the king of Israel arose in the night. He spoke to his officers. He said, "I'll tell you what the men of Aram have done to us. They know we are very hungry. So they have left the camp to hide in the countryside. They are thinking, 'We are sure they'll come out. Then we'll take them alive. And we'll get into the city.' "
13 One of the king's officers spoke up. He said, "A few horses are still left in the city. Have some men get five of them. They won't be any worse off than all of the other Israelites who are left here. In fact, all of us will soon be dead. So let's send the men to find out what happened."
14 So they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them to follow the Aramean army and told them to find out what happened.
15 They followed them as far as the Jordan (River) and saw how the whole road was littered with clothes and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their hurry. The messengers returned and told the king about it.
16 So the people went out and looted the Aramean camp. Then 24 cups of the best flour sold for half an ounce of silver, and 48 cups of barley sold for half an ounce of silver, as the LORD(Jesus) had predicted.
17 The king appointed the servant on whose arm he used to lean to be in charge of the gate. But the people trampled him to death in the gateway, as the man of God(Elohim/Theos) had predicted when the king came to him.
18 It happened exactly as the man of God(Elohim/Theos) told the king, "Forty-eight cups of barley will sell for half an ounce of silver. And twenty-four cups of the best flour will sell for half an ounce of silver. This will happen about this time tomorrow in the gateway to Samaria."
19 Then the servant answered the man of God(Elohim/Theos), "Could this happen even if the LORD(Jesus) poured rain through windows in the sky?" Elisha answered, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you won't eat any of it."
20 And that's exactly what happened to the officer. On their way out of the city, the people knocked him down. In the entrance of the gate they walked all over him. And he died.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 8
1 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, "Go away with your family. Stay wherever you can. The LORD has decided to send a famine on this country, and it will last seven years."
3 The seven years passed. Then she came back from the land of the Philistines. She went to the king of Israel. She wanted to beg him to get her house and land back.
4 The king was talking to Gehazi. Gehazi was the servant of the man of God. The king had said, "Tell me about all of the great things Elisha has done."
5 While Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha brought a dead child back to life, the mother made an appeal to the king about her house and land. Gehazi said, "Your Majesty, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life."
6 When the king asked the woman [about this], she told him the story. So the king assigned to her an attendant to whom he said, "Restore all that is hers, including whatever her property produced from the day she left the country until now."
HAZAEL MURDERS BEN-HADAD:
7 Elisha went to Damascus. Ben-Hadad was sick. He was king of Aram. The king was told, "The man of God has come all the way up here."8 Then the king said to Hazael, "Take a gift with you. Go and see the man of God. Ask him for the Lord's advice. Ask him whether I will get well again."
9 Hazael went to see Elisha. He took 40 camels with him as a gift. The camels were loaded with all of the finest goods of Damascus. Hazael went into Elisha's house and stood in front of him. He said, "Ben-Hadad has sent me. He is the king of Aram. He asks, 'Will I get well again?' "
10 Elisha answered, "Go and speak to him. Tell him, 'Yes. You will get well again.' But the Lord has shown me that he will in fact die."
11 Elisha stared at him without looking away. He did it until Hazael felt ashamed. Then the man of God began to sob.
12 "Sir, why are you crying?" Hazael asked. Elisha answered, "I know the evil you will do to the Israelites: You will set their fortresses on fire, kill their best young men, smash their little children, and rip open their pregnant women."
13 But Hazael asked, "How can a dog like me do such a significant thing?" Elisha answered, "The LORD has shown me that you will become king of Aram."
14 Hazael left Elisha and went to his master Ben-Hadad, who asked him what Elisha had said. Hazael answered, "He told me that you will get better."
15 But the next day Hazael got a thick cloth. He soaked it in water. He spread it over the king's face. He held it there until the king died. Then Hazael became the next king after him.
JEHORAM BECOMES KING OF JUDAH:
16 Jehoram began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the fifth year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat.17 Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.
18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the royal family of Ahab had done. In fact, he got married to a daughter of Ahab. Jehoram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
19 But the Lord didn't want to destroy Judah. That's because the Lord had made a covenant with his servant David. He had promised to keep the lamp of David's kingdom burning brightly for him and his children after him forever.
daughter of Ahab--Athaliah, through whose influence Jehoram introduced the worship of Baal and many other evils into the kingdom of Judah (see 2 Chronicles 21:2-20 ). This apostasy would have led to the total extinction of the royal family in that kingdom, had it not been for the divine promise to David ( 2 Samuel 7:16 ). A national chastisement, however, was inflicted on Judah by the revolt of Edom, which, being hitherto governed by a tributary ruler ( 2 Kings 3:9 , 1 Kings 22:47 ), erected the standard of independence ( 2 Chronicles 21:9 ).
20 When Jehoram was king over Judah, Edom refused to remain under Judah's control. They set up their own king.
21 So Jehoram went to Zair. He took all of his chariots with him. The men of Edom surrounded him and his chariot commanders. He got up at night and fought his way out. But his army ran back home.
22 To this very day Edom has refused to remain under Judah's control. At that same time, Libnah also refused to remain under the control of Judah.
23 Isn't everything else about Jehoram--everything he did--written in the official records of the kings of Judah?
24 Jehoram lay down in death and slept with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
AHAZIAH BECOMES KING OF JUDAH:
25 Joram who was Ahab's son was in his twelfth year as king of Israel when Jehoram's son Ahaziah became king of Judah.26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother's name was Athaliah. She was a granddaughter of Omri. Omri had been the king of Israel.
27 Ahaziah followed the ways of the royal family of Ahab. Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as the family of Ahab had done. That's because he had married into Ahab's family.
28 Ahaziah joined forces with Joram. They went to war against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram was the son of Ahab. Hazael was king of Aram. The soldiers of Aram wounded King Joram.
29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to let his wounds heal. For he had been wounded by the Arameans at Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. Then Jehoram's son Ahaziah went to Jezreel to see Ahab's son Joram, who was sick.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 9
2 KINGS 9:
JEHU IS ANOINTED AS KING OF ISRAEL:
1 The prophet Elisha told one of the disciples of the prophets, "Put on your belt. Take this flask of olive oil, and go to Ramoth Gilead.2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him and get him away from his companions. Take him into an inner room.
3 Then get the bottle, pour the olive oil on his head. Announce to him, 'The LORD(Jesus) says, "I anoint you as king over Israel." ' After that, open the door and run away. And be quick about it!"
This was only a part of the message; the full announcement of which is given ( 2 Kings 9:7-10 ).
4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead.
5 He said, "I have something to tell you, General." Jehu asked, "Which one of us?" He answered, "You, General!"
6 Then he arose and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on his head. He announced, "The LORD(Jesus) is the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. He says, 'I am anointing you as king over my people Israel.
7 You shall destroy the royal house of your master Ahab. I will get revenge on Jezebel for shedding the blood of my servants the prophets and all the LORD(Jesus)'s servants.
8 The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off every male in Israel who is related to Ahab. It does not matter whether they are slaves or free.
9 I will make Ahab's royal house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. I will make it like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah.
10 Dogs will eat up Jezebel on a piece of land at Jezreel. No one will bury her.' " Then the prophet opened the door and ran away.
11 Jehu went out to where the other officers were. One of them asked him, "Is everything alright? Why did this madman come to you?" He answered, "You know the man and the kind of things he says."
12 They said, "That's not an answer. Please tell us." Jehu replied, "We talked for a while, and he said to me, 'This is what the LORD(Jesus) says: I have anointed you king of Israel.'"
13 The officers quickly grabbed their coats. They spread them out under Jehu on the bare steps of the house. Then they blew a shofar (trumpet) and shouted, "Jehu is king!"
14 So Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, plotted against Joram. Joram and all Israel were guarding Ramoth Gilead against King Hazael of Aram.
15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received while fighting King Hazael of Aram. Then Jehu said, "If you want me to be king, don't let anyone escape from the city to take the news to Jezreel."
16 So Jehu got on his chariot and drove to Jezreel because Joram was lying in bed there. (King Ahaziah of Judah had come to see Joram.)
17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came , and said , “I see a company.” And Joram said , “Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say , Is it peace?”
The Hebrew palaces, besides being situated on hills had usually towers attached to them, not only for the pleasure of a fine prospect, but as posts of useful observation. The ancient watchtower of Jezreel must have commanded a view of the whole region eastward, nearly down to the Jordan.(HOWE)
18 So a chariot driver rode off, met Jehu, and said, "The king asks, 'Is everything alright?'" Jehu replied, "Why should that matter to you? Follow me." So the watchman announced, "The messenger you sent has reached them, but he isn't coming back."
19 Then he sent out a second driver. When he came to them, he said, "The king asks, 'Is everything alright?'" Jehu replied, "Why should that matter to you? Follow me."
20 And the watchman announced, "He has reached them, but he isn't coming back. The troop's leader is driving like a lunatic, like Jehu, grandson of Nimshi."
21 King Joram ordered, "Get my chariot ready." When it was ready, he rode out. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, rode out with him. Each of them was in his own chariot. They both went to meet Jehu. They met him at the piece of land that had belonged to Naboth from Jezreel.
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, "Is everything alright, Jehu?" Jehu answered, "How can everything be alright as long as your mother continues her idolatry and witchcraft?"
23 Joram turned around and tried to get away. He called out to Ahaziah. He said, "It's treason, Ahaziah!"
24 Then Jehu shot an arrow at Joram. It hit him between the shoulders. It went through his heart. He sank down slowly in his chariot.
25 Then Jehu said to his attendant Bidkar, "Take him away, and throw him into the field that belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. Remember when you and I were driving our chariots behind his father Ahab? The LORD(Jesus) revealed this prophecy about him:
26 'Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons. You can be sure that I will make you pay for it on this piece of land.' So pick him up. Throw him on that piece of land. That's what the LORD(Jesus) said would happen."
AHAZIAH IS SLAIN:
27 Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw what had happened. So he tried to get away. He went up the road toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him. He shouted, "Kill him too!" Jehu's men wounded Ahaziah in his chariot. It happened on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. But he escaped to Megiddo. And that's where he died.
28 Ahaziah's servants took him to Jerusalem in his chariot. They buried his body in his family tomb in the City of David.
29 Ahaziah had become king of Judah. It was in the 11th year of Joram, the son of Ahab.
JEZEBEL KILLED:
30 When Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She put on eye shadow, fixed her hair, and looked out of a second-story window.according to a custom universal in the East among women, of staining the eyelids with a black powder made of pulverized antimony, or lead ore mixed with oil, and applied with a small brush on the border, so that by this dark ligament on the edge, the largeness as well as the luster of the eye itself was thought to be increased. Her object was, by her royal attire, not to captivate, but to overawe Jehu.(Jamieson)
31 As Jehu entered the gate below, Jezebel said, "You are just like Zimri. You murdered your master. Have you come here in peace?"
32 He looked up at the window. "Who is on my side?" he called out. "Who?" Two or three officials looked down at him.
33 He said, "Throw her down." They threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and the horses. The horses trampled her.
34 He went inside, ate, and drank. Then he said, "Take care of this woman who had a curse on her. After all, she was a king's daughter."
35 So they went out to bury her body. But all they found was her skull, feet and hands.
The dog has a rooted aversion to prey on the human hands and feet.(Jamieson)
36 They went back and reported it to Jehu. He told them, "That's what the LORD(Jesus) said would happen. He announced it through his servant Elijah, who was from Tishbe. He said, 'On a piece of land at Jezreel, dogs will eat up Jezebel's body.
37 Her body will be left to rot on that piece of land. So no one will be able to say, "Here's where Jezebel is buried." ' "
This is the word of the Lord--(See 1 Kings 21:23 ). Jehu's statement, however, was not a literal but a paraphrased quotation of Elijah's prophecy. Hence I did not make it RED
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 10
JEHU KILLS 70 SONS OF AHAB:
1 Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters to the officials of Jezreel, the respected leaders, and the guardians of Ahab's descendants in Samaria. The letters read,
2 "Your master's sons are with you. You also have chariots and horses and weapons. And you are living in a city that has high walls around it. As soon as you read this letter, here's what I want you to do.
3 Choose the best and most honest and respected son of your master. Place him on his father Joram's throne. Then fight for your master's royal house."
5 So the official in charge of the palace, the mayor of the city, the respected leaders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: "We are your servants. We'll do everything you tell us. We won't make anyone king. Do what you think is best."
6 So he wrote them a second letter. It read, "If you are on my side and ready to listen to me, bring the heads of your master's sons to me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow." The 70 sons were staying with the city's most powerful men. These men had raised them.
7 When Jehu's letter arrived, the men went and got the princes. They killed all 70 of them. They put their heads in baskets. Then they sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.
8 And there came a messenger who said, “"They've brought the heads of the king's heirs." Jehu said, "Put them in two piles at the entrance to the gateway until morning."
9 In the morning he stood there. He told the people, "You are innocent. I plotted against my master and killed him. But who killed all these men?
10 You can be sure that the word of the LORD(Jesus) spoken about Ahab's family will be fulfilled. The LORD(Jesus) will do what he said through his servant Elijah."
11 So Jehu killed everyone from Ahab's family who was in Jezreel. He also killed all of Ahab's officials. And he killed Ahab's close friends and his priests. He didn't leave anyone in Ahab's family alive.
12 Then Jehu started out for Samaria. When he came to Beth Eked of the Shepherds,
13 he found some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. "Who are you?" he asked. They answered, "We're Ahaziah's relatives. We've come to greet the families of the king and the queen mother."
14 "Take them alive!" Jehu ordered. So his men took them alive. Then they killed them by the well of Beth Eked. They killed a total of 42 men. Jehu didn't leave anyone alive.
15 When he left that place, he met Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, "Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?" "I am," Jehonadab answered. So he said, "If you are, give me your hand." When he gave Jehu his hand, Jehu helped him up into the chariot.
16 Jehu said, "Come along with me. See how committed I am to serve the LORD(Jesus)." He had him ride along in his chariot.
17 Jehu came to Samaria. He killed everyone who was left there from Ahab's family. And so he wiped out Ahab's royal house. That's what the LORD(Jesus) had said would happen. He had spoken that message to Elijah.
18 Then Jehu brought all of the people together. He said to them, "Ahab served the God(Elohim/Theos) Baal a little. I will serve him a lot.
DESTROYS THE WORSHIPPERS OF BAAL:
19 Send for all of Baal's prophets. Also send for all of his priests and the others who serve him. Make sure that not a single one is missing. I'm going to hold a great sacrifice to honor Baal. Anyone who doesn't come will be killed." But Jehu was lying to them. He was planning to destroy those who served Baal.
20 Jehu said, "Call everyone together to honor Baal." So they did.
21 Then he sent a message all through Israel. All of those who served Baal came. Not a single one of them stayed away. They crowded into Baal's temple. It was full from one end to the other.
22 Jehu spoke to the one who took care of the sacred robes. He told him, "Bring robes for everyone who serves Baal." So he brought the robes out for them.
23 Then Jehu went into Baal's temple. Jehonadab, the son of Recab, went with him. Jehu spoke to those who served Baal. He said, "Look around. Make sure that no one who serves the LORD(Jesus) is here with you. Make sure only those who serve Baal are here."
24 So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. But Jehu had stationed 80 of his men outside. He said, "If any of the people I'm putting in your hands escape, you will pay for their lives with yours."
25 When the burnt offerings had been made, Jehu said to the guards and attendants, "Kill them. Don't let anyone get away." So they used swords to kill the Baal worshipers and threw out the bodies until the guards and attendants came to the stronghold in the temple of Baal.
26 Then they brought out the large sacred stone of the temple of Baal and burned it.
27 So they destroyed Baal's sacred stone. They also tore down Baal's temple. People have used it as a public toilet to this very day.
28 So Jehu destroyed the worship of the God(Elohim/Theos) Baal in Israel.
29 But he didn't turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. Jehu worshiped the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 The LORD(Jesus) said to Jehu: You have done well. You have accomplished what is right in my eyes. You have done to Ahab's royal house everything I wanted you to do. So your sons after you will sit on the throne of Israel. They will rule until the time of your children's grandchildren.
31 But Jehu wasn't careful to obey the law of the LORD(Jesus). He didn't obey the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel with all his heart. He didn't turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
32 So in those days the LORD(Jesus) began to take away some of Israel's territory. Hazael defeated Jehu's army throughout Israel's territory
33 east of the Jordan River. It included the whole land of Gilead from Aroer by the Arnon River valley all the way to Bashan. That was the territory of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh.
34 Isn't everything else about Jehu--everything he did, all his heroic acts--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
35 Jehu lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.
36 Jehu had ruled over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.
Jehu had no intention of carrying his zeal for the LORD(Jesus) beyond a certain point, and as he considered it impolitic to encourage his subjects to travel to Jerusalem, he re-established the symbolic worship of the calves. (Jamieson)
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 11
1 When the mother of Ahaziah, Athaliah, saw that her son was dead, she began to destroy the entire royal family.
3 but was hidden with her in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.
4 In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, Jehoiada sent for the company commanders of the Carites and the guards and had them come to him in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. He made an agreement with them, put them under oath in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple, and showed them the king's son.
5 He gave them a command: "Here's what you must do. There are five companies of you. Some of you are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath day. A third of you must guard the royal palace.
6 A third of you must guard the Sur Gate. And a third of you must guard the gate that is behind the guard. All of you must take turns guarding the House (The Temple).
7 Then your two groups who go off duty on the day of worship must guard the king at the LORD(Jesus)'s House (temple).
8Surround the king. Each man should have his weapons in his hand. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Stay with the king wherever he goes."
9 The commanders of the companies did just as the priest Jehoiada ordered. Each commander got his men and came to Jehoiada. Some of the men were going on duty on the Sabbath day. Others were going off duty.
10 Then Jehoiada gave weapons to the commanders. He gave them spears and shields. The weapons had belonged to King David. They had been in the LORD(Jesus)'s House.
11 The guards stationed themselves around the new king. Each man had his weapon in his hand. They were near the altar and the temple. They stood from the south side of the temple to its north side. Their line formed half of a circle.
12 Jehoiada brought Ahaziah's son out. He put the crown on him. He gave him a copy of the covenant. And he announced that Joash was king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him. The people clapped their hands. Then they shouted, "May the king live a long time!"
13 Athaliah heard the noise the guards and the people were making. So she went to the people at the LORD(Jesus)'s House.
14 She looked, and the king was standing by the pillar according to custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by his side. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. As Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason, treason!"
15 Then the priest Jehoiada ordered the company commanders who were in charge of the army, "Take her out of the temple. Use your sword to kill anyone who follows her." (The priest had said, "She must not be killed in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple.")
16 So they arrested her as she came to the street where the horses enter the royal palace, and there she was killed.
JEHOIADA RESTORES GOD'S WORSHIP:
17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD(Jesus) and the king and people. He had the king and people promise that they would be the LORD(Jesus)'s people. Jehoiada also made a covenant between the king and the people.
18 Then all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed Baal's altars and his statues and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Next, the priest appointed officials to be in charge of the House of the LORD(Jesus).
19 He took with him the company commanders. They were the commanders over the Carites and guards. He also took with him all of the people of the land. All of them brought the new king down from the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. They went into the palace. They entered it by going through the gate of the guards. Then the king sat down on the royal throne.
20 All of the people of the land were filled with joy. And the city was quiet. That's because Athaliah had been killed with a sword at the palace.
21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.
The covenant with the Lord was a renewal of the national covenant with Israel (Exodus 19:1-24:18'; "to be unto him a people of inheritance," Deuteronomy 4:6 , 27:9 ). The covenant between the king and the people was the consequence of this, and by it the king bound himself to rule according to the divine law, while the people engaged to submit, to give him allegiance as the Lord's anointed. The immediate fruit of this renewal of the covenant was the destruction of the temple and the slaughter of the priests of Baal (see 2 Kings 10:27 ); the restoration of the pure worship of God in all its ancient integrity; and the establishment of the young king on the hereditary throne of Judah ( 2 Kings 11:19 ).
(Jamieson)
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 12
JOASH REPAIRS THE TEMPLE:
1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign ; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD(Jesus). He lived that way as long as the priest Jehoiada was teaching him.
Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD--so far as related to his outward actions and the policy of his government. But it is evident from the sequel of his history that the rectitude of his administration was owing more to the salutary influence of his preserver and tutor, Jehoiada, than to the honest and sincere dictates of his own mind.
3 But the high places weren't removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
Like Christmas today, and other pagan rituals, even good leaders who know better often allow some pagan practices to continue. The popular fondness for the private and disorderly rites performed in the groves and recesses of hills was so inveterate that even the most powerful monarchs had been unable to accomplish their suppression; no wonder that in the early reign of a young king, and after the gross irregularities that had been allowed during the maladministration of Athaliah, the difficulty of putting an end to the superstitions associated with "the high places" was greatly increased.
4 Joash told the priests, "[Collect] all the holy contributions that are brought into the House of the LORD(Jesus)--the money each person is currently required to bring and all the money brought voluntarily to the LORD(Jesus)'s House.
5 "Let each priest receive the money from one of the people who are in charge of the temple's treasures. Let all of that money be used to repair the temple where it needs it."
6 It was the 23rd year of King Joash. And the priests still hadn't repaired the temple.
7 So the king sent for the priest Jehoiada and the other priests. He asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the temple where it needs it? Don't take any more money from the people who are in charge of the treasures. Instead, hand it over so the temple can be repaired."
8 The priests agreed that they wouldn't collect any more money from the people. They also agreed that they wouldn't repair the temple themselves.
9 The priest Jehoiada got a chest. He drilled a hole in its lid. He placed the chest beside the altar for burnt offerings. The chest was on the right side as people enter the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. Some priests guarded the entrance. They put into the chest all of the money the people brought to the temple.
10 From time to time there was a large amount of money in the chest. When that happened, the royal secretary and the high priest came. They counted the money the people had brought to the temple. Then they put it into bags.
11 Then they would give the money that had been weighed to the men who had been appointed to work on the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. They used it to pay the carpenters, builders,
12masons, and stonecutters. They also used it to buy wood and cut stones to make repairs on the LORD(Jesus)'s temple and to buy anything else that they needed for the temple repairs.
13 But no silver bowls, snuffers, dishes, trumpets, or any other gold and silver utensils were made for the LORD(Jesus)'s House with the money that was brought.
14 Instead, it was paid to the workers. They used it to repair the temple.
15 They didn't require the men who were entrusted with the money for the workers to give an account, because they were honest people.
16 The money from the guilt offerings and the offerings for sin was not brought into the LORD(Jesus)'s House. It belonged to the priests.
17 At this time King Hazael of Aram fought against Gath and conquered it. He was also determined to attack Jerusalem.
18 So Joash, the king of Judah, didn't want to go to war. So he got all of the sacred objects. They had been set apart to the LORD(Jesus) by the kings who had ruled over Judah before him. They were Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah. Joash got the gifts he himself had set apart. He got all of the gold that was among the temple treasures. He also got all of the gold from the royal palace. He sent all of those things to Hazael, the king of Aram. Then Hazael pulled his army back from Jerusalem.
19 Isn't everything else about Joash--everything he did--written in the official records of the kings of Judah?
20 His own officials plotted against him and killed him at Beth Millo on the road that goes down to Silla.
21 Joash's officials Jozacar, son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of Shomer, executed him. They buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 13
Jehoahaz Becomes a wicked King of Israel:
1 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 reigned seventeen years.2 Jehoahaz did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He committed the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. Jehoahaz didn't turn away from them.
3 So the LORD(Jesus)'s anger burned against Israel. For a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael, the king of Aram. He also kept them under the power of his son Ben-Hadad.
4 Then Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD(Jesus), and the LORD(Jesus) heard him because he saw how the Aramean king was oppressing Israel.
5 (And the LORD(Jesus) gave Israel a saviour , so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: So the people of Israel lived in their own homes, just as they had before.
a saviour--This refers neither to some patriotic defender nor some signal victory, but to the deliverance obtained for Israel by the two successors of Jehoahaz, namely, Joash, who regained all the cities which the Syrians had taken from his father ( 2 Kings 13:25 ); and Jeroboam, who restored the former boundaries of Israel ( 2 Kings 14:25 ).(Jamieson)
6 But the people didn't turn away from the sins of the royal house of Jeroboam. He had caused Israel to commit those same sins. The people continued to commit them. And the pole that was used to worship the goddess Easter remained standing in Samaria.
7 The army of Jehoahaz had almost nothing left. All it had was 50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 soldiers on foot. The king of Aram had destroyed the rest of them. He had made them like dust at threshing time.
8 Isn't everything else about Jehoahaz--everything he did, his heroic acts--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
9 Jehoahaz lay down and slept with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash ruled as king in his place.
Jehoash Becomes King of Israel:
10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus); he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin : He continued to commit them.
12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, his heroic acts when he fought against King Amaziah of Judah--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
13 And Joash slept with his fathers; who had already died. His body was buried in the royal tombs in Samaria. Jeroboam became the next king on Israel's throne after him.
14 Elisha was suffering from a sickness. Later he would die from it. Jehoash, the king of Israel, went down to see him. He sobbed over him. "My father!" he cried. "You are like a father to me! You are the true chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
15 Elisha told him, "Get a bow and some arrows." So he got a bow and some arrows.
16 "Hold the bow in your hands," Elisha said to the king of Israel. So Jehoash took hold of the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
17 Elisha said, "Open the window that faces east." So the king opened it. "Shoot," Elisha said, and the king shot. Then Elisha said, "That is the arrow of the LORD(Jesus)'s victory, the arrow of victory against Aram. You will completely defeat the Arameans at Aphek."
18 He continued, "Get some arrows." So the king did. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times. Then he stopped.
19 The man of God(Elohim/Theos) was angry with him. He said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have won the war over Aram. You would have completely destroyed them. But now you will win only three battles over them."
20 Elisha died. And his body was buried. Some robbers from Moab used to enter the country of Israel every spring.
Elisha died--He had enjoyed a happier life than Elijah, as he possessed a milder character, and bore a less hard commission. His rough garment was honored even at the court.
21 One day some as they were burying a man's body, then suddenly they saw a group of robbers. So they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. The body touched Elisha's bones. When it did, the man came back to life again. He stood up on his feet.
coming in of the year--that is, the spring, the usual season of beginning campaigns in ancient times. Predatory bands from Moab generally made incursions at that time on the lands of Israel. The bearers of a corpse, alarmed by the appearance of one of these bands, hastily deposited, as they passed that way, their load in Elisha's sepulchre, which might be easily done by removing the stone at the mouth of the cave. According to the Jewish and Eastern custom, his body, as well as that of the man who was miraculously restored, was not laid in a coffin, but only swathed; so that the bodies could be brought into contact, and the object of the miracle was to stimulate the king's and people of Israel's faith in the still unaccomplished predictions of Elisha respecting the war with the Syrians. Accordingly the historian forthwith records the historical fulfilment of the prediction ( 2 Kings 13:22-25 ), in the defeat of the enemy, in the recovery of the cities that had been taken, and their restoration to the kingdom of Israel. (Jamieson)
22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 And the LORD(Jesus) was gracious to them, and had compassion on them because of his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He didn't want to destroy the Israelites, and even now he hasn't turned away from them.
24 Hazael, the king of Aram, died. His son Ben-Hadad became the next king after him.
25 Then Jehoash took some towns back from Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael. Ben-Hadad had captured them in battle from Jehoahaz, the father of Jehoash. Jehoash won three battles over Ben-Hadad. So Jehoash took back the Israelite towns.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 14
Amaziah Becomes a good King of Judah:
1 Amaziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the second year that Jehoash was king of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz. Amaziah was the son of Joash. 2 He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign , and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), but not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did .
4 The high places weren't removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
5 The kingdom was firmly under his control. So he put to death the officials who had murdered his father, the king.
6 But he didn't execute their children. He obeyed the LORD(Jesus)'s command written in the Book of Moses' Teachings: "Parents must never be put to death for the crimes of their children, and children must never be put to death for the crimes of their parents. Each person must be put to death for his own crime."
(Deuteronomy 24:16)
7 Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Dead Sea region and took the city of Sela in battle. He gave it the name Joktheel, which is still its name today.
8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the king of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. The message said, "Come on. Meet me face to face in battle."
9 But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. He said, "A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. It said, 'Give your daughter to be married to my son.' Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It walked all over the thorn bush.
10 It's true that you have won the battle over Edom. So you are proud. Enjoy your success while you can. But stay home and enjoy it! Why ask for trouble? Why bring yourself crashing down? Why bring Judah down with you?"
11 But Amaziah wouldn't listen. So Jehoash, the king of Israel, attacked. He and Amaziah, the king of Judah, faced each other in battle. The battle took place at Beth Shemesh in Judah.
12 Israel drove Jews (Judah) away. Every man ran home.
13 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh. Amaziah was the son of Joash. Joash was the son of Ahaziah. Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down part of its wall. It's the part that went from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. That part of the wall was 600 feet long.
14 And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD(Jesus), and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages , and returned to Samaria.
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 chronicles of the kings of Israel?
16 And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
17 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
19 Conspirators in Jerusalem plotted against him, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent men to Lachish after him and killed him there.
20 And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
The word “slept” in the KJV means DIED! When we die, we sleep in our graves until the resurrection
Jeroboam II Becomes King of Israel:
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 reigned forty and one years.24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus): He didn't turn away from any of the sins the earlier Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. That Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
25 He restored Israel's boundaries from the border of Hamath to the Dead Sea[sea of the plain-kjv] as the LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel predicted through his servant Jonah, the prophet from Gath Hepher and the son of Amittai.
26 The LORD(Jesus) had seen how much everyone in Israel was suffering. It didn't matter whether they were slaves or free. They didn't have anyone to help them.
27 Since the LORD(Jesus) had said he was not going to wipe out Israel's name completely, he saved them through Jeroboam, son of Jehoash.
28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did , and his might, how he warred , and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah succeeded him as king.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 15
Uzziah Becomes King of Judah:
1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign . It is thought that the throne of Judah continued vacant eleven or twelve years, between the death of Amaziah and the inauguration of his son Azariah. Being a child only four years old when his father was murdered, a regency was appointed during Azariah's minority. (jamieson)
2 He was 16 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.
The character of his reign is described by the brief formula employed by the inspired historian, in recording the religious policy of the later kings. But his reign was a very active as well as eventful one, and is fully related ( 2 Chronicles 26:1-23 ). Elated by the possession of great power, and presumptuously arrogating to himself, as did the heathen kings, the functions both of the real and sacerdotal offices, he was punished with leprosy, which, as the offense was capital ( Numbers 8:7 ), was equivalent to death, for this disease excluded him from all society. While Jotham, his son, as his viceroy, administered the affairs of the kingdom--being about fifteen years of age (compare 2 Kings 15:33 )--he had to dwell in a place apart buried in the royal burying-field, though not in the royal cemetery of "the city of David" ( 2 Chronicles 26:23 ). (Jamieson)
3 Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD(Jesus), just as his father Amaziah had done.
4 But the high places weren't removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
5 The LORD(Jesus) caused King Uzziah to suffer from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace. Jotham ruled over the people of the land.
6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned after him.
Zechariah Becomes King of Israel:
8 In Azariah's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah, Jeroboam's son Zechariah was king of Israel in Samaria for six months.9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), as his fathers had done : He didn't turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
10 Shallum, son of Jabesh, plotted against Zechariah, attacked him at Kabal Am, killed him, and succeeded him as king.
11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12 That's what the LORD(Jesus) had said would happen. He had spoken that message to Jehu. It had said, "Your sons after you will sit on the throne of Israel. They will rule until the time of your children's grandchildren."
(2 Kings 10:30)
Shallum Becomes King of Israel:
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.He was opposed and slain by Menahem, who, according to JOSEPHUS, was commander of the forces, which, on the report of the king's murder, were besieging Tirzah, a town twelve miles east of Samaria, and formerly a seat of the kings of Israel. Raising the siege, he marched directly against the usurper, slew him, and reigned in his stead. (Jamieson)
14 Then Menahem, son of Gadi, came from Tirzah to Samaria, attacked Shallum (son of Jabesh), killed him, and succeeded him as king.
15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made , behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
16 At that time Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He attacked everyone in the city and the area around it. That's because they refused to open their gates for him. He destroyed Tiphsah. He ripped open all of their pregnant women.
Menahem Becomes King of Israel:
17 In Azariah's thirty-ninth year as king of Judah, Menahem, son of Gadi, began to rule as king of Israel. He ruled for 10 years in Samaria.18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus): During his entire rule he didn't turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
19 King Pul of Assyria came to [attack] the country. So Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds of silver to gain his support and help strengthen his hold on the kingdom.
Pul the king of Assyria--This is the first Assyrian king after Nimrod who is mentioned in biblical history. His name has been recently identified with that of Phalluka on the monuments of Nineveh, and that of Menahem discovered also.
20 Menahem forced Israel to give him that money. Every wealthy person had to give him 20 ounces of silver. All of it went to the king of Assyria. So he pulled his troops back. He didn't stay in the land anymore. 21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned after him.
Pekahiah Becomes King of Israel:
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus): He didn't turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
25 One of Pekahiah's chief officers was Pekah. He was the son of Remaliah. Pekah made evil plans against Pekahiah. He took 50 men of Gilead with him and killed Pekahiah. He also killed Argob and Arieh. He killed all of them in the safest place in the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah. He became the next king after him.
26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did , behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Pekah Becomes King of Israel:
27 In Azariah's fifty-second year as king of Judah, Pekah, son of Remaliah, began to rule Israel in Samaria. He ruled for 20 years.28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus): He didn't turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.
29 In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and the entire territory of Naphtali. He also took the people away to Assyria as captives.
30 Then Hoshea made evil plans against Pekah, the son of Remaliah. Hoshea was the son of Elah. Hoshea attacked Pekah and killed him. Then Hoshea became the next king after him. It was in the 20th year of the rule of Jotham, the son of Uzziah.
31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did , behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Jotham Becomes King of Judah:
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign .33 Jotham was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 16 years. His mother's name was Jerusha. She was the daughter of Zadok.
34 Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the LORD(Jesus), just as his father Uzziah had done.
35 But the high places weren't removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the LORD(Jesus)'s Temple.
36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
37 In those days the LORD(Jesus) began to send Rezin and Pekah against Judah. Rezin was king of Aram. Pekah was the son of Remaliah.
38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned after him.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 16
AHAZ' WICKED REIGN OVER JUDAH:
1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign .2 Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to rule. He ruled for 26 years in Jerusalem. He didn't do what the LORD his God considered right, as his ancestor David had done.
3 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel. He even sacrificed his son in the fire to another god. He followed the practices of the nations. The Lord hated those practices. He had driven out those nations to make room for the people of Israel.
Abortion???? The hands of the idol Moloch being red hot, the children were passed through between them, which was considered a form of lustration. There is reason to believe that, in certain circumstances, the children were burnt to death ( Psalms 106:37 ). This was strongly prohibited in the law ( Leviticus 18:21 , 20:2-5 , Deuteronomy 18:10 )
4 Ahaz offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places. He also did it on the tops of hills and under every green tree.
5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to make war: and they besieged Ahaz, and he could not overcome him.
6 At that time Rezin, the king of Aram, got back Edom for Aram. He drove out the people of Judah. Then the people of Edom moved into Elath. And they still live there to this very day.
The Septuagint version has "the Edomites," which the most judicious commentators and travellers [ROBINSON] prefer.
7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to say, "I'm your servant, your son. Come and save me from the kings of Aram and Israel who are attacking me."
8 Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord's House. He also took the silver and gold that were among the treasures in the royal palace. He sent all of it as a gift to the king of Assyria.
9 So the king of Assyria did what Ahaz asked him to do. He attacked the city of Damascus and captured it. He sent its people away to Kir. And he put Rezin to death.
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser--In spite of the assurance given him by Isaiah by two signs, the one immediate, the other remote ( Isaiah 7:14 , 8:4 ), that the confederate kings would not prevail against him, Ahaz sought aid from the Assyrian monarch, to purchase which he sent the treasures of the palace and temple. Tiglath-pileser marched against Damascus, slew Rezin the king, and carried the people of Damascus into captivity to Kir, which is thought to have been the city Karine (now Kerend), in Media. (Jamieson)
10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria. Ahaz saw an altar in Damascus. He sent a drawing of it to the priest Uriah. He also sent him plans for building it.
11 So the priest Uriah built an altar. He followed all of the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. He finished it before Ahaz returned.
12 When the king came from Damascus, he saw the altar. The king approached the altar and went up to it.
13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.
14 But he moved the bronze altar dedicated to the LORD. It had been in front of the temple between his altar and the LORD's House. Ahaz put it on the north side of his altar.
15 Then King Ahaz gave orders to the priest Uriah. He said, "Offer sacrifices on the large new altar. Offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering. Offer my burnt offering and my grain offering. Offer the burnt offering of all of the people of the land. Offer their grain offering and their drink offering. Sprinkle on the altar all of the blood from the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to look for advice and direction."
16 The priest Uriah did just as King Ahaz had ordered.
17 Ahaz took away the sides of the bronze stands. He removed the bowls from the stands. He removed the huge bowl from the bronze bulls it stood on. He placed the bowl on a stone base.
18 He took away the covered area that had been used on the Sabbath day. It had been built at the Lord's temple. He removed the royal entrance that was outside the temple. Ahaz did all of that to honor 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 chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned after him.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 17
ISRAEL TAKEN AWAY and becomes “LOST”:
Hoshea Becomes the Last King of Israel:
1 Hoshea became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 12th year that Ahaz was king of Judah. Hoshea ruled for nine years. He was the son of Elah.2 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). But he wasn't as evil as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.
3 Shalmaneser came up to attack Hoshea. Shalmaneser was king of Assyria. He had been Hoshea's master. He had forced Hoshea to bring him gifts.
the same as the Sargon of Isaiah [ Isaiah 20:1 ]. Very recently the name of this Assyrian king has been traced on the Ninevite monuments, as concerned in an expedition against a king of Samaria, whose name, though mutilated, COLONEL RAWLINSON reads as Hoshea. (Jamieson)
4 But the king of Assyria found out that Hoshea had turned against him. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt. Hoshea didn't send gifts to the king of Assyria anymore. He had been sending them every year. So Shalmaneser grabbed hold of him and put him in prison.
5 The king of Assyria marched into the whole land of Israel. He marched to Samaria and surrounded it for three years. From time to time he attacked it.
6 In Hoshea's ninth year as king of Israel, the king of Assyria captured Israel and took them to Assyria as captives. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Israel Is Forced to Go Away to Assyria:
7 All of that took place because the people of Israel had committed sins against the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos). He had brought them up out of Egypt. He had brought them out from under the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. But they worshiped other gods.8 The LORD(Jesus) had driven out other nations to make room for them. But they followed the evil practices of those nations. They also followed the practices that the kings of Israel had started.
9 The people of Israel did things against the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos) in secret. What they did wasn't right. They built high places for worship in all of their towns. They built them at lookout towers. They also built them at cities that had high walls around them.
10 They set up sacred stones. And they set up (Easter) poles that were used to worship the goddess Easter. They did that on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 At all the illegal places of worship, they sacrificed in the same way as the nations that the LORD(Jesus) had removed from the land ahead of them. They did evil things and made the LORD(Jesus) furious.
12 They worshiped statues of gods. They did it even though the LORD(Jesus) had said, "Do not do that."
13 Yet the LORD(Jesus) testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying: Turn yourselves from your evil ways, and keep my Commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
14 But the people didn't listen. They were as stubborn as their people of long ago had been. Those people didn't trust in the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos).
15 They rejected his decrees, the promise he made to their ancestors, and the warnings he had given them. They went after worthless idols and became as worthless as the idols. They behaved like the nations around them, although the LORD(Jesus) had commanded them not to do that.
16 They abandoned all the Commandments of the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos): They made two calves out of cast metal. They made a pole dedicated to the goddess Easter. They prayed to the entire army of heaven. They worshiped Baal.
17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced all kinds of evil magic. They gave themselves over to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). All of those things made him very angry.
God(Elohim/Theos) REMOVES ISRAEL—Only the JEWS REMAIN:
18 The LORD(Jesus) became so angry with Israel that he removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left.
19 Also Judah didn't obey the commandments of the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos), but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made .
20 So the LORD(Jesus) turned his back on all of the people of Israel. He made them suffer. He handed them over to people who stole everything they had. And finally he threw them out of his land.
21 He tore Israel away from the royal house of David. The people of Israel made Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, their king. Jeroboam tried to get Israel to stop following the LORD(Jesus). He caused them to commit a terrible sin.
22 The people of Israel were stubborn. They continued to commit all of the sins Jeroboam had committed. They didn't turn away from them.
23 So the LORD(Jesus) removed them from his land. That's what he had warned them he would do. He had given that warning through all of his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day..
Assyria Brings Other People to Samaria
24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon. He also brought them from Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim. He settled all of them in the towns of Samaria. They took the place of the people of Israel. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.
These are the Samartians in the time of Jesus, that the Jews treated so poorly! They knew them to be imposters, so when the woman at the well is asked for water by Jesus, she tells him that Abraham is her forefather as well, which was a lie!
25 When they first lived there, they didn't worship the LORD(Jesus). So he sent lions among them. And the lions killed some of the people.
26 Then someone said to the king of Assyria, "The people you took as captives and settled in the cities of Samaria don't know the customs of the God(Elohim/Theos) of that country, so he sent lions. Now the lions are killing them because they don't know the customs of the God(Elohim/Theos) of this country."
27 The king of Assyria gave this command: "Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the God(Elohim/Theos) of that country."
28 So one of the priests went back to live in Bethel. He was one of those who had been forced to leave Samaria. He taught the people there how to worship the LORD(Jesus).
29 In spite of that, the people from each nation made statues of their own gods. They made them in all of the towns where they had settled. They set up those statues in small temples. The people of Samaria had built the temples at the high places.
30 The people from Babylon made statues of the God(Elohim/Theos) Succoth Benoth. Those from Cuthah made statues of Nergal. Those from Hamath made statues of Ashima.
31 The Avvites made statues of Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites sacrificed their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech. They were the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 So the people of Samaria worshiped the LORD(Jesus). But they also appointed all kinds of their own people to serve them as priests. The priests served in the small temples at the high places.
This is much like modern Christianity! A religion started by a FALSE CHURCH, an imposter POPE and a mixture of the truth and paganism!!!! Today's Christians are much like these Samaratians!!!
33 They worshiped the LORD(Jesus) but also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had come.
34 Today they are still following their customs, as they've done from the beginning. They don't fear the LORD(Jesus) or live by the decrees, customs, teachings, or commands that the LORD(Jesus) gave to the descendants of Jacob (whom he named Israel).
Notice that it is the Northern Tribes, and not Judah, still a nation at this time, that the Bible says is named or called ISRAEL!
35 The LORD(Jesus) made a covenant with the people of Israel. At that time he commanded them, "Do not worship any other gods. Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
36 I am the one you must worship. I brought you up out of Egypt by my great power. I saved you by reaching out my mighty arm. You must bow down to me. You must offer sacrifices to me.
37 You must always be careful to follow my directions and rules. You must obey the laws and commands I wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
38 Do not forget the covenant I made with you. And remember, you must not worship other gods.
39 Instead, worship me. I will save you from the powerful hand of all of your enemies. I am the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos)."
40 But the people wouldn't listen. Instead, they were stubborn. They continued in their old practices.
41 They worshiped the LORD(Jesus). But at the same time, they served the statues of their gods. And to this very day their children and grandchildren continue to do what their people before them did as did their fathers, so do they unto this day. .
Unto this day--the time of the Babylonian exile, when this book was composed. Their religion was a strange medley or compound of the service of God and the service of idols. Such was the first settlement of the people, afterwards called Samaritans, who were sent from Assyria to colonize the land, when the kingdom of Israel, after having continued three hundred fifty-six years, was overthrown.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 18
HEZEKIAH BECOMES A GREAT KING OF JUDAH:
1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign .According to this statement (compare 2 Kings 16:2 ), he must have been born when his father Ahaz was no more than eleven years old. Paternity at an age so early is not unprecedented in the warm climates of the south, where the human frame is matured sooner than in our northern regions. But the case admits of solution in a different way. It was customary for the later kings of Israel to assume their son and heir into partnership in the government during their lives; and as Hezekiah began to reign in the third year of Hoshea ( 2 Kings 18:1 ), and Hoshea in the twelfth year of Ahaz ( 2 Kings 17:1 ), it is evident that Hezekiah began to reign in the fourteenth year of Ahaz his father, and so reigned two or three years before his father's death. So that, at the beginning of his reign in conjunction with his father, he might be only twenty-two or twenty-three, and Ahaz a few years older than the common calculation makes him. Or the case may be solved thus: As the ancient writers, in the computation of time, take notice of the year they mention, whether finished or newly begun, so Ahaz might be near twenty-one years old at the beginning of his reign, and near seventeen years older at his death; while, on the other hand, Hezekiah, when he began to reign, might be just entering into his twenty-fifth year, and so Ahaz would be near fourteen years old when his son Hezekiah was born--no uncommon age for a young man to become a father in southern latitudes [PATRICK].
2 Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother's name was Abijah. She was the daughter of Zechariah.
3 Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD(Jesus), just as King David, his father had done.
4 Hezekiah removed the high places. He smashed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles that were used to worship the goddess Easter. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made. Up to that time the people of Israel had been burning incense to it. They called it Nehushtan.
MOSES' BRONZE SNAKE: By now had become an idol! This is why God buried Moses, because he knew that the people would try to make everything about him into an idol! The preservation of this remarkable relic of antiquity ( Numbers 21:5-10 ) might, like the pot of manna and Aaron's rod, have remained an interesting and instructive monument of the divine goodness and mercy to the Israelites in the wilderness: and it must have required the exercise of no small courage and resolution to destroy it. But in the progress of degeneracy it had become an object of idolatrous worship and as the interests of true religion rendered its demolition necessary, Hezekiah, by taking this bold step, consulted both the glory of God and the good of his country.It is not to be supposed that this superstitious reverence had been paid to it ever since the time of Moses, for such idolatry would not have been tolerated either by David or by Solomon in the early part of his reign, by Asa or Jehoshaphat had they been aware of such a folly. But the probability is, that the introduction of this superstition does not date earlier than the time when the family of Ahab, by their alliance with the throne of Judah, exercised a pernicious influence in paving the way for all kinds of idolatry. It is possible, however, as some think, that its origin may have arisen out of a misapprehension of Moses' language ( Numbers 21:8 ). Serpent-worship, how revolting soever it may appear, was an extensively diffused form of idolatry; and it would obtain an easier reception in Israel because many of the neighboring nations, such as the Egyptians and Phoenicians, adored idol gods in the form of serpents as the emblems of health and immortality.
5 He trusted in the LORD(Jesus), the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. There was no one like him among all of the kings of Judah. There was no king like him either before him or after him.
There was no king like him either before him or after him... Of course David is excepted, they having had the sovereignty of the whole country. In the petty kingdom of Judah, Josiah alone had a similar testimony borne to him ( 2 Kings 23:25 ). But even he was surpassed by Hezekiah, who set about a national reformation at the beginning of his reign, which Josiah did not. The pious character and the excellent course of Hezekiah was prompted, among other secondary influences, by a sense of the calamities his father's wicked career had brought on the country, as well as by the counsels of Isaiah.
6 Hezekiah remained true to the LORD(Jesus). He didn't stop following him. He obeyed the commands the LORD(Jesus) had given Moses.
7 The LORD(Jesus) was with Hezekiah. He was successful in everything he did. He refused to remain under the control of the king of Assyria. He didn't serve him.
8 He won the war against the Philistines. He won battles at their lookout towers. He won battles at their cities that had high walls around them. He won battles against the Philistines all the way to Gaza and its territory.
9 In Hezekiah's fourth year as king (which was the seventh year in the reign of King Hoshea, son of Elah of Israel) King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked Samaria, blockaded it,
10 and captured it at the end of three years. Samaria was taken in Hezekiah's sixth year as king (which was Hoshea's ninth year as king of Israel).
11 The king of Assyria took the people of Israel away from their own land. He sent them off to Assyria. He settled some of them in Halah. He settled others in Gozan on the Habor River. And he settled still others in the towns of the Medes.
12 Those things happened because the Israelites hadn't obeyed the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos). They had broken the covenant he had made with them. They had refused to do everything Moses, the servant of the LORD(Jesus), had commanded. They hadn't paid any attention to those commands. They hadn't obeyed them.
13 In Hezekiah's fourteenth year as king, King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
14 Then King Hezekiah of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have done wrong. Go away, and leave me alone. I'll pay whatever penalty you give me." So the king of Assyria demanded that King Hezekiah of Judah pay 22,500 pounds of silver and 2,250 pounds of gold.
15 So Hezekiah gave him all of the silver that was in the LORD(Jesus)'s House. He also gave him all of the silver that was among the treasures in the royal palace.
16 Hezekiah, the king of Judah, had covered the doors and doorposts of the LORD(Jesus)'s temple with gold. But now he had to strip it off. He had to give it to the king of Assyria.
Sennacherib Warns Jerusalem:
17 Then the king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief, his quartermaster, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came there and stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to Washman's Field.18 When they called for the King, Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace and was the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah, who was the royal historian and the son of Asaph, went out to the field commander.
19 He said to them, "Tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What makes you so confident?
20You give useless advice about getting ready for war. Whom, then, do you trust for support in your rebellion against me?
21 Now, look! When you trust Egypt, you're trusting a broken stick for a staff. If you lean on it, it stabs your hand and goes through it. This is what Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) is like for everyone who trusts him.
22 Suppose you tell me, "We're trusting the LORD(Jesus) our God(Elohim/Theos)." He's the God(Elohim/Theos)whose places of worship and altars Hezekiah got rid of. He told Judah and Jerusalem, "Worship at this altar in Jerusalem."'
23 "Now, make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I'll give you 2,000 horses if you can put riders on them.
24 How can you defeat my master's lowest-ranking officers when you trust Egypt for chariots and horses?
25 Have I come to destroy this place without the LORD(Yahweh)on my side? The LORD(Jesus) said to me, 'Attack this country, and destroy it.'"
26 Then Shebna, Joah and Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, spoke to the field commander. They said, "Please speak to us in the Aramaic language. We understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew. If you do, the people who are on the wall will be able to understand you."
27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, "My master sent me to say these things. Are these words only for your master and you to hear? Aren't they also for the men who are sitting on the wall? They are going to suffer just like you. They'll have to eat their own waste. They'll have to drink their own urine."
28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spoke , saying , Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
Rab-shakeh--chief cupbearer. These were the great officers employed in delivering Sennacherib's insulting message to Hezekiah. On the walls of the palace of Sennacherib, at Khorsabad, certain figures have been identified with the officers of that sovereign mentioned in Scripture. In particular, the figures, Rab-shakeh, Rab- saris, and Tartan, appear as full-length portraits of the persons holding those offices in the reign of Sennacherib. Probably they represent the very individuals sent on this embassy.
29 This is what the king says: Don't let Hezekiah deceive you. He can't rescue you from me.
30 Don't let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the LORD(Jesus). Don't believe him when he says, "You can be sure that the LORD(Jesus) will save us. This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." '
31 "Don't listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says, 'Make a peace treaty with me. Come over to my side. Then every one of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree. Every one of you will drink water from your own well.
32 Then I will come and take you away to a country like your own. It's a country with grain and new wine, a country with bread and vineyards, a country with olive trees, olive oil, and honey. Live! Don't die! Don't listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying to you, 'The LORD(Yahweh)will rescue us.'
33 Did any of the gods of the nations rescue their countries from the king of Assyria?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my power?
35 Which one of all of the gods of those countries has been able to save his land from me? So how can the LORD(Jesus) save Jerusalem from my power?"
36 But the people remained silent. They didn't say anything. That's because King Hezekiah had commanded, "Don't answer him."
37 Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, went to Hezekiah. The secretary Shebna went with him. So did Joah, the son of Asaph. Joah kept the records. All of them went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. They told him what the field commander had said.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 19
ISAIAH PROPHESIES THAT JERUSALEM WILL BE SAVED:
1 When King Hezekiah heard the message, he tore his clothes in grief, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the LORD(Jesus)'s temple.The rending of his clothes was a mode of expressing horror at the daring blasphemy--the assumption of sackcloth a sign of his mental distress--his entrance into the temple to pray the refuge of a pious man in affliction--and the forwarding an account of the Assyrian's speech to Isaiah was to obtain the prophet's counsel and comfort. The expression in which the message was conveyed described, by a strong figure, the desperate condition of the kingdom, together with their own inability to help themselves; and it intimated also a hope, that the blasphemous defiance of Jehovah's power by the impious Assyrian might lead to some direct interposition for the vindication of His honor and supremacy to all heathen gods. (Jamieson)
2 Then he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and the leaders of the priests, clothed in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz.
3 They told Isaiah, "Hezekiah says, 'Today we're in great trouble. The LORD(Jesus) is warning us. He's bringing shame on us. Sometimes babies come to the moment when they should be born. But their mothers aren't strong enough to allow them to be born. Today we are like those mothers. We aren't strong enough to save ourselves.
4 The LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) may have heard all the words of the field commander. His master, the king of Assyria, sent him to defy the living God(Elohim/Theos). The LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) may punish him because of the message that the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) heard. Pray for the few people who are left."
5 King Hezekiah's officials came to Isaiah.
6 Then Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'The LORD(Jesus) says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard. The officers who are under the king of Assyria have spoken evil things against me.
7 Listen! I will send him news from his own country. It will upset him so much that he will return home. There I will have him cut down with a sword.”
8 The field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. So the commander pulled his troops back from Jerusalem. He went to join the king. He found out that the king was fighting against Libnah.
9 Now, Sennacherib heard that King Tirhakah of Sudan was coming to fight him. Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
10 "Tell Hezekiah, the king of Judah, 'Don't let the God(Elohim/Theos) you depend on trick you. He says, "Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." But don't believe him.
11 I'm sure you have heard about what the kings of Assyria have done to all of the other countries. They have destroyed them completely. So do you think you will be saved?
12 The kings who ruled before me destroyed many nations. Did the gods of those nations save them? Did the gods of Gozan, Haran or Rezeph save them? What about the gods of the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? Where is the king of the city of Sepharvaim? Where are the kings of Hena or Ivvah?' "
HEZEKIAH PRAYS:
14 When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the LORD(Jesus).Hezekiah, after reading it, hastened into the temple, spread it in the childlike confidence of faith before the Lord, as containing taunts deeply affecting the divine honor, and implored deliverance from this proud defier of God and man. The devout spirit of this prayer, the recognition of the Divine Being in the plenitude of His majesty--so strikingly contrasted with the fancy of the Assyrians as to His merely local power; his acknowledgment of the conquests obtained over other lands; and of the destruction of their wooden idols which, according to the Assyrian practice, were committed to the flames--because their tutelary deities were no gods; and the object for which he supplicated the divine interposition--that all the kingdoms of the earth might know that the Lord was the only God--this was an attitude worthy to be assumed by a pious theocratic king of the chosen people.
15 Hezekiah prayed to the LORD(Jesus). He said, "LORD(Jesus), you are the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. You alone are God(Elohim/Theos) over all of the kingdoms on earth. You have made heaven and earth.
16 Listen, LORD(Jesus). Hear us. Open your eyes, LORD(Jesus). Look at the trouble we're in. Listen to what Sennacherib is saying. You are the living God(Elohim/Theos). And he dares to make fun of you!
17 LORD(Jesus), it's true that the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and their lands.
18 They have thrown the statues of the gods of those nations into the fire. And they have destroyed them. That's because they weren't really gods at all. They were nothing but statues that were made out of wood and stone. They were made by the hands of men.
19 LORD(Jesus) our God(Elohim/Theos), save us from the powerful hand of Sennacherib. Then all of the kingdoms on earth will know that you alone are God(Elohim/Theos)."
Isaiah Prophesies That Sennacherib Will Fall From Power:
20 Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Isaiah said, "The LORD(Jesus) is the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. He says, 'I have heard your prayer about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.'21 "Here is the message the LORD(Jesus) has spoken against him. The LORD(Jesus) says:
You will not win the battle over Zion.
Its people hate you and make fun of you.
The people of Jerusalem lift up their heads proudly
as you run away.
22 Who have you laughed at?
Who have you spoken evil things against?
Who have you raised your voice against?
Who have you looked at so proudly?
You have done it against me.
I am the Holy One of Israel!
23 Through your messengers
you have laughed at me again and again.
And you have said,
"I have many chariots.
With them I have climbed to the tops of the mountains.
I've climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon.
I've cut down its tallest cedar trees.
I've cut down the best of its pine trees.
I've reached its farthest parts.
I've reached its finest forests.
24 I've dug wells in strange lands.
I've drunk the water from them.
I've walked through all of Egypt's streams.
I've dried up every one of them."
25 But I, the LORD(Jesus), say, "Haven't you heard what I have done?
Long ago I arranged for you to do all of that.
In days of old I planned it.
Now I have made it happen.
You have turned cities with high walls
into piles of stone.
26 Their people do not have any power left.
They are troubled and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field.
They are like new green plants.
They are like grass that grows on a roof.
It dries up before it is completely grown.
27 But I know where you live.
I know when you come and go.
I know how very angry you are with me.
28 You roar against me and brag.
And I have heard your bragging.
So I will put my hook in your nose.
I will put my bit in your mouth.
And I will make you go home
by the same way you came.'
29 The LORD(Jesus) said, "Hezekiah, here is a miraculous sign for you.
"This year you will eat what grows by itself.
In the second year you will eat what grows from that.
But in the third year you will plant your crops and gather them in.
You will plant your grapevines and eat their fruit.
30 The people of Judah who are still alive will be like plants.
Once more they will put down roots and produce fruit.
31 Out of Jerusalem will come those who remain.
Out of Mount Zion will come those who are still left alive.
"My great love will make sure that happens.
I rule over all.
32 "Here is a message from me about the king of Assyria. It says,
'He will not enter this city.
He will not even shoot an arrow at it.
He will not come near it with a shield.
He will not build a ramp in order to climb over its walls.
33 By the same way he came he will go home.
He will not enter this city,'
announces the LORD(Jesus).
34 I will guard this city and save it.
I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.
AN ANGEL DESTROYS THE ASSYRIANS.
35 That night the angel of the LORD(Jesus) went into the camp of the Assyrians. He put to death 185,000 soldiers there. The people of Jerusalem got up the next morning. They looked out and saw all of the dead bodies.
It was the miraculous interposition of the Almighty that defended Jerusalem. As to the secondary agent employed in the destruction of the Assyrian army, it is most probable that it was effected by a hot south wind, the simoon, such as to this day often envelops and destroys whole caravans. This conjecture is supported by 2 Kings 19:7 , and Jeremiah 51:1 . (Jamieson)
36 So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took the army tents down. Then he left. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
37 One day Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god(elohim/theos) Nisroch. His sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with their swords. Then they escaped to the land of Ararat. Esarhaddon became the next king after his father Sennacherib.
Assaræ, or Asshur, the head of the Assyrian Pantheon, represented not as a vulture-headed figure (that is now ascertained to be a priest), but as a winged figure in a circle, which was the guardian deity of Assyria. The king is represented on the monuments standing or kneeling beneath this figure, his hand raised in sign of prayer or adoration.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 20
HEZEKIAH BECOMES SICK AND BEGS God TO GET BETTER:
1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came to him and said, "This is what the LORD(Jesus) says: Give final instructions to your household, because you're about to die. You won't get well."As his reign lasted twenty-nine years ( 2 Kings 18:2 ), and his kingdom was invaded in the fourteenth ( 2 Kings 18:13 ), it is evident that this sudden and severe illness must have occurred in the very year of the Syrian invasion. Between the threatened attack and the actual appearance of the enemy, this incident in Hezekiah's history must have taken place. But according to the usage of the sacred historian, the story of Sennacherib is completed before entering on what was personal to the king of Judah (see also Isaiah 37:36-38:1'). (Jamieson)
Isaiah, being of the blood royal, might have access to the king's private house. But since the prophet was commissioned to make this announcement, the message must be considered as referring to matters of higher importance than the settlement of the king's domestic and private affairs. It must have related chiefly to the state of his kingdom, he having not as yet any son (compare 2 Kings 20:6 with 2 Kings 21:1 ). (Jamieson)
2 Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall. He prayed to the LORD(Jesus). He said,
3 "LORD(Jesus), please remember how faithful I've been to you. I've lived the way you wanted me to. I've served you with all my heart. I've done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah cried bitterly.
The course of Hezekiah's thoughts was evidently directed to the promise made to David and his successors on the throne ( 1 Kings 8:25 ). He had kept the conditions as faithfully as human infirmity admitted; and as he had been all along free from any of those great crimes by which, through the judgment of God, human life was often suddenly cut short, his great grief might arise partly from the love of life, partly from the obscurity of the Mosaic dispensation, where life and immortality had not been fully brought to light, and partly from his plans for the reformation of his kingdom being frustrated by his death. He pleaded the fulfilment of the promise. (Jamieson)
4 Isaiah hadn't gone as far as the middle courtyard when the LORD(Jesus) spoke his word to him:
5 Go back and speak to Hezekiah. He is the leader of my people. Tell him, 'The LORD(Jesus), the God(Elohim/Theos) of King David, says, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. And I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to my temple.
On The THIRD DAY...... Like Jesus
6 I will add 15 years to your life. And I will save you and this city from the powerful hand of the king of Assyria. I will guard this city. I will do it for myself. And I will do it for my servant David.'”
7 Then Isaiah said, "Get a fig cake, and put it on the boil so that the king will get well."
8 Hezekiah asked Isaiah, "What is the sign that the LORD(Jesus) will heal me and that I'll go to the LORD(Jesus)'s temple the day after tomorrow?"
9 Isaiah answered, "The LORD(Jesus) will do what he has promised. Here is his sign to you. Do you want the shadow the sun makes to go forward ten steps? Or do you want it to go back ten steps?"
10 Hezekiah replied, "It's easy for the shadow to extend ten [more] steps forward. No, let it come back ten steps."
11 Then the prophet Isaiah called out to the LORD(Jesus). And the LORD(Jesus) made the shadow go back ten steps. It went back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway Ahaz had made.
12 At that time Merodach-Baladan, the king of Babylonia, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Merodach-Baladan was the son of Baladan.
13 Hezekiah was so happy with them that he showed the messengers his warehouse: the silver, gold, balsam, fine olive oil, his entire armory, and everything in his treasury. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and every corner of his kingdom.
14 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did these men say? And where did they come from?" Hezekiah answered, "They came to me from the distant country of Babylon."
15 And he said: "What did they see in your palace?" Hezekiah answered, "They saw everything in my palace, and I showed them everything in my treasury."
16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD(Jesus)!
17 'You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,' says the LORD(Jesus).
18 'Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line in years to come. And they will serve the king of Babylonia in his palace.' "
19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The LORD(Jesus)'s word that you have spoken is good." He added, "Isn't it enough if there is peace and security as long as I live?"
20 Isn't everything else about Hezekiah, all his heroic acts and how he made the pool and tunnel to bring water into the city, written in the official records of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned after him.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 21
Manasseh Becomes King of Judah:
1 Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 55 years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. He must have been born three years after his father's recovery; and his minority, spent under the influence of guardians who were hostile to the religious principles and reforming policy of his father, may account in part for the anti-theocratic principles of his reign.
2 Manasseh did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He followed the practices of the nations. The LORD(Jesus) hated those practices. He had driven those nations out to make room for the people of Israel.
3 Manasseh rebuilt the high places. His father Hezekiah had destroyed them. Manasseh also set up altars to the God(Elohim/Theos) Baal. He made a pole that was used to worship the goddess Easter. Ahab, the king of Israel, had done those same things. Manasseh even bowed down to all of the stars. And he worshiped them.
4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD(Jesus), of which the LORD(Jesus) said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD(Jesus).
6He burned his son as a sacrifice, consulted fortunetellers, cast evil spells, and appointed [royal] mediums and psychics. He did many things that made the LORD(Jesus) furious.
7 Manasseh had carved a pole for worshiping Easter. He put it in the temple. The LORD(Jesus) had spoken to David and his son Solomon about the temple. He had said, "My Name will be in this temple and in Jerusalem forever. Out of all of the cities in the tribes of Israel I have chosen Jerusalem.
8 I gave this land to your people who lived long ago. I will not make the Israelites wander away from it again. But they must be careful to do everything I commanded them. They must obey the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them."
9 But they didn't pay any attention. Manasseh led them down the wrong path. They did more evil things than the nations the LORD(Jesus) had destroyed to make room for the people of Israel.
10 The LORD(Jesus) spoke through his servants the prophets. He said:
11 Because Manasseh, the king of Judah, has committed terrible sins. I hate them. Manasseh has done more evil things than the Amorites who were in the land before him. And he has led Judah to commit sin by worshiping his statues of gods.
12 I am the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. I tell you, 'I am going to bring trouble on Jerusalem and Judah. It will be so horrible that the ears of everyone who hears about it will ring.
13 I will measure out punishment against Jerusalem, just as I did against Samaria. I used a plumb line against the royal family of Ahab to prove that they did not measure up to my standards. I will use the same plumb line against Jerusalem. I will wipe out Jerusalem, just as someone wipes a dish. I will wipe it and turn it upside down.
14 I will abandon the rest of my people. I will put them under the control of their enemies, and they will become property that their enemies capture.
15 I will do this because they have done what I consider evil and have been making me furious from the time their ancestors left Egypt until this day.
16 Manasseh also spilled the blood of many people who weren't guilty of doing anything wrong. He spilled so much blood that he filled Jerusalem with it from one end of the city to the other. And he caused Judah to commit sin. So they also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus).
17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did , and his sin that he sinned , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned after him.
Amon Becomes King of Judah:
19 Amon was 22 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 2 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz from Jotbah.20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), as his father Manasseh did.
22 He deserted the LORD(Jesus), the God(Elohim/Theos) of his people. He didn't live the way the LORD(Jesus) wanted him to.
23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and murdered the king in his own house.
24 And the people of the land murdered all of those that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned after him.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 22
HILKIAH FINDS THE SCROLL OF THE LAW: (Jeremiah's Father)
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 31 years. His mother's name was Jedidah. She was the daughter of Adaiah. She was from Bozkath. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn't turn away from it to the right or the left.
3 In Josiah's eighteenth year as king of Judah, he sent the scribe Shaphan, son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, to the LORD(Jesus)'s temple with these instructions:
4 "Go up to the high priest Hilkiah. Have him add up the money that has been brought into the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. Those who guard the doors have collected it from the people.
Hilkiah is certainly an interesting character and plays a major role in the story that is to come. He eventually rose to the rank of Chief Priest of the Temple and is also most probably the father of the Prophet Jeremiah. Raising two children to be fanatic Yahweh worshippers couldn't be much harder than raising just one.
5 Have them put all of the money in the care of the men who have been put in charge of the work on the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. Have them pay the workers who repair it.
6 Have them pay the builders and those who work with wood. Have them pay those who lay the stones. Also have them buy lumber and blocks of stone to repair the temple.
7 But they don't have to report how they use the money that is given to them. That's because they are completely honest."
8 And Hilkiah the High Priest said to Shaphan the scribe , “I have found the book of the Law in the House of the LORD(Jesus).” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
The phrase "the book of the Torah" in 2 Kings 22:8 is identical to the phrase used in Joshua 1:8 and 8:34 to describe the sacred writings that Joshua had received from Moses. The book is not identified in the text as the Torah and many scholars believe this was either a copy of the Book of Deuteronomy or a text that became a part of Deuteronomy as we have it per De Wette's suggestion in 1805.
9 The scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported, "We have taken the money donated in the temple and have given it to the workmen who are in charge of the LORD(Jesus)'s temple."
10 And Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 The king heard the words of the Scroll of the Law. When he did, he tore his royal robes.
12 Then the king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam (son of Shaphan), Achbor (son of Micaiah), the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said,
13 "Go. Inquire from the LORD(Jesus) for His advice. Ask him about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Do it for me. Also do it for the people and the whole nation of Judah. The LORD(Jesus)'s anger is burning against us. That's because our people before us didn't obey the words of this scroll. They didn't do everything that is written there about us."
14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem in the college;) and they talked with her.
15 And she said to them, “Thus saith the LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
16 'I am going to bring horrible trouble on this place and its people. Everything that is written in the scroll the king of Judah has read will take place.
17 I will do this because they have abandoned me and sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger directed at this place will never be extinguished."
18 "But the king of Judah sent you to ask the LORD(Jesus) for advice. Tell him, 'The LORD(Jesus) is the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. He has a message for you about the things you heard. He says”
19 Your heart was tender. You made yourself low in my sight. You heard what I spoke against this place and its people. I said they would be under a curse. I told them they would be destroyed. You tore your royal robes and sobbed. And I have heard you.
20 That is why I'm going to bring you to your ancestors. I'm going to bring you to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see any of the disaster I'm going to bring on this place.
So they reported this to the king.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 23
1 And the king sent, and everyone gathered together with him, including all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
2 And the king went up to the house of the LORD(Jesus), and all the men of Judah and all the citizens of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their presence all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD(Jesus).
4 Then the king ordered the chief priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to take out of the LORD(Jesus)'s temple all the utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel.
5 He got rid of the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun God(Elohim/Theos), the moon God(Elohim/Theos), the zodiac, and the entire host of heaven.
6 Josiah removed the Easter pole from the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. It had been used to worship Esater. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it. He ground it into powder. And he scattered it over the graves of the ordinary people.
7 He tore down the houses of the male temple prostitutes who were in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple, where women did weaving for Easter.
8 He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate.
9 The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to the LORD(Jesus)'s altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened(matzoh) bread among the other worshipers.
10 Josiah destroyed the high places at Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. He didn't want anyone to use them to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to the God(Elohim/Theos) Molech.
11 He removed the statues of horses from the entrance to the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. The kings of Judah had set them apart to honor the sun. The statues were in the courtyard. They were near the room of an official named Nathan-Melech. Josiah burned the chariots that had been set apart to honor the sun.
12 He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had set up. They had put them on the palace roof near the upstairs room of Ahaz. Josiah also pulled down the altars Manasseh had built. They were in the two courtyards of the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. Josiah removed the altars from there. He smashed them to pieces. Then he threw the broken pieces into the Kidron Valley.
13 The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel had built them for Astarte (the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians known as EASTER), Chemosh (the disgusting God(Elohim/Theos) of Moab), and Milcom (the disgusting God(Elohim/Theos) of the Ammonites).
14 Josiah crushed the sacred stones, cut down the poles dedicated to Easter, and filled their places with human bones.
15 He also tore down the altar at Bethel--the place of worship made by Jeroboam (Nebat's son), who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site, crushing it to powder and burning the pole dedicated to the (goddess) Easter.
16 Then Josiah looked around. He saw the tombs that were on the side of the hill. He had the bones removed from them. And he burned them on the altar to make it "unclean." That's what the LORD(Jesus) had said would happen. He had spoken that message through a man of God(Elohim/Theos). The man had announced those things long before they took place.
17 Then he asked, "What is this monument that I see?" The people of the city answered him, "It's the tomb of the man of God(Elohim/Theos) who came from Judah to announce that you would do these things to the altar of Bethel."
18 So Josiah said, "Let him rest. Don't disturb his bones." So they left his bones with the bones of the prophet who had come from Samaria.
19 Josiah also got rid of all the temples at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had built these places to make the LORD(Jesus) furious. He did to them everything that he had done to the worship places at Bethel.
20 Josiah killed all of the priests of those high places on the altars. He burned human bones on the altars. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
21 The king gave an order to all of the people. He said, "Celebrate the Passover Feast to honor the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos). Do what is written in this Scroll of the Covenant."
THE GREATEST PASSOVER SINCE MOSES AND JOSHUA:
22 The Passover had never been celebrated like this during the time of the judges who governed Israel or during the entire time of the kings of Israel and Judah.23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah's reign, this Passover was celebrated in Jerusalem for the LORD(Jesus).
24 Josiah also got rid of the mediums, psychics, family idols, other idols, and disgusting gods that could be seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to confirm the words of the Teachings written in the book that the priest Hilkiah found in the LORD(Jesus)'s temple.
JOSIAH THE GREATEST KING EVER!
25 There was no king like Josiah either before him or after him. None of them turned to the LORD(Jesus) as he did. He followed the LORD(Jesus) with all his heart and all his soul. He followed him with all his strength. He did everything the Law of Moses required.
26 In spite of that, the LORD(Jesus) didn't turn away from his burning anger. It blazed out against Judah. That's because of everything Manasseh had done to make him very angry.
27 The LORD(Jesus) had said, "I will put Judah out of my sight as I put Israel out of my sight. I will reject Jerusalem, the city that I chose, and I will reject the temple where I said my name would be."
(1 Kings 8:29)
28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29 In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went to war against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went to war against him; and he killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
30 And his servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem. They buried his body in his own tomb. Then the people of the land went and got Jehoahaz. They anointed him as king in place of his father Josiah.
Jehoahaz Becomes King of Judah: JEREMIAH'S GRANDSON!
31 Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah. She was from Libnah.32 nd he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), just like all that his fathers had done.
33 Pharaoh Neco put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath. That kept him from ruling in Jerusalem. Neco made the people of Judah pay him a tax of almost four tons of silver and 75 pounds of gold.
34 Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim king in place of his father Josiah. He changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz with him to Egypt. And that's where Jehoahaz died.
35 Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Neco the silver and gold he required. To get the money, Jehoiakim taxed the land. He forced the people to give him the silver and gold. He made each one pay him what he required.
Jehoiakim Becomes King of Judah:
36 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he began to rule, and he was king for 11 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zebidah, daughter of Pedaiah from Rumah.37 Jehoiakim did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He did just as the kings who had ruled before him had done.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 24
1 During Jehoiakim's reign King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked [Judah], and Jehoiakim became subject to him for three years. Then Jehoiakim turned against him and rebelled.
Nebuchadnezzar--the son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the Chaldee monarchy. This invasion took place in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar's reign ( Jeremiah 25:1 ; compare Jeremiah 46:2 ). The young king of Assyria being probably detained at home on account of his father's demise, despatched, along with the Chaldean troops on his border, an army composed of the tributary nations that were contiguous to Judea, to chastise Jehoiakim's revolt from his yoke. But this hostile band was only an instrument in executing the divine judgment ( 2 Kings 24:2 ) denounced by the prophets against Judah for the sins of the people; and hence, though marching by the orders of the Assyrian monarch, they are described as sent by the Lord ( 2 Kings 24:3 ). (Jamieson)
2 The LORD(Jesus) sent raiding parties of Babylonians, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim to destroy Judah as the LORD(Jesus) had predicted through his servants the prophets.3 Surely at the commandment of the LORD(Jesus) this happened. He brought enemies against his people in order to remove them from his land. He removed them because of all of the sins Manasseh had committed.
4 He had spilled the blood of many people who weren't guilty of doing anything wrong. In fact, he spilled so much of their blood that he filled Jerusalem with it. So the LORD(Jesus) refused to forgive him.
5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did , are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned after him.
ehoiakim slept with his fathers--This phraseology can mean nothing more than that he died; for he was not buried with his royal ancestors; and whether he fell in battle, or his body was subjected to posthumous insults, he was, according to the prediction ( Jeremiah 22:19 ), not honored with the rites of sepulture ( Jeremiah 36:30 ).
7 The king of Egypt didn't leave his own country again because the king of Babylon had taken all the territory from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River. This territory had belonged to the king of Egypt.
Jehoiachin King of Judah:
8 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Nehushta. She was the daughter of Elnathan. She was from Jerusalem.9 Jehoiachin did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He did just as his father Jehoiakim had done.
10 At that time the officers of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem. (The city was blockaded.)
11 Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city. He arrived while his officers were attacking it.
JERUSALEM TAKEN:
12 Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, handed himself over to him. Jehoiachin's mother did the same thing. And so did all of his attendants, nobles and officials. The king of Babylonia took Jehoiachin away as his prisoner. It was in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's rule.
13 He removed all of the treasures from the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. He also removed all of the treasures from the royal palace. He took away all of the gold articles that Solomon, the king of Israel, had made for the temple. That's what the LORD(Jesus) had announced would happen.
14 He captured all Jerusalem, all the generals, all the soldiers (10,000 prisoners), and all the craftsmen and smiths. Only the poorest people of the land were left.
15He took Jehoiakin to Babylon as a captive. He also took the king's mother, wives, eunuchs, and the leading citizens of the land from Jerusalem as captives to Babylon.
16 The king also forced the whole army of 7,000 soldiers to go away to Babylonia. Those men were strong and able to go to war. And the king forced 1,000 skilled workers to go to Babylonia.
17 Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin's uncle Mattaniah king in his place. And he changed Mattaniah's name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah King of Judah: Another grandson of Jeremiah
18 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 11 years. His mother's name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah. She was from Libnah.Another grandson of Jeremiah
19 Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He did just as Jehoiakim had done.
20 The enemies of Jerusalem and Judah attacked them because the LORD(Jesus) was angry. In the end he threw them out of his land. Zedekiah also refused to remain under the control of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Kings 25
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls.
3 By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn't any food left in the city. So the people didn't have anything to eat. 4 The enemy broke through the city walls that night. All Judah's soldiers left on the road of the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, the king took the road to the plain [of Jericho].
5The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plain of Jericho. His entire army had deserted him.
6 The king was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylonia at Riblah. That's where Nebuchadnezzar decided how he would be punished.
7 His men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.
TEMPLE DESTROYED:
8 Nebuzaradan was an official of the king of Babylonia. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia. It was on the seventh day of the fifth month. (July 25th)9 And he burnt the house of the LORD(Jesus), and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.
10 The armies of Babylonia broke down the walls around Jerusalem. That's what the commander told them to do.
11 Some people still remained in the city. But the commander Nebuzaradan took them away as prisoners. He also took the rest of the people of the land. That included those who had joined the king of Babylonia.
12 But the commander left some of the poorest people of the land behind. He told them to work in the vineyards and fields.
13 The armies of Babylonia destroyed the LORD(Jesus)'s temple. They broke the bronze pillars into pieces. They broke up the bronze stands that could be moved around. And they broke up the huge bronze bowl. Then they carried the bronze away to Babylon.
14 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick cutters and dishes. They took away all of the bronze articles that were used for any purpose in the temple.
There is no mention of the Ark here. It was obviously already gone
15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.
16The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD(Jesus); the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
17 One pillar was 27 feet high and had a bronze capital on it that was 4½ feet high. The filigree and the pomegranates around the capital were all made of bronze. The second pillar and its filigree were the same.
18 The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the 3 doorkeepers.
19 From the city he also took an army commander, 5 men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and 60 of the common people whom he found in the city.
20 The commander Nebuzaradan took all of them away. He brought them to the king of Babylonia at Riblah.
21 The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives when they left their land.
22 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, appointed Gedaliah to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan.
23 When all the army commanders and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They were Ishmael (son of Nethaniah), Johanan (son of Kareah), Seraiah (son of Tanhumeth from Netophah), and Jaazaniah from Beth Maacah and their men.
24 Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men. He said, "Don't be afraid of the Babylonian officers. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper."
25 But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came with ten men. He killed Gedaliah. He also killed the people of Judah and Babylonia who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family.
26 Then people of all classes and the army commanders left for Egypt because they were afraid of the Babylonians.
27 On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the imprisonment of King Jehoiakin of Judah, King Evil Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, freed King Jehoiakin of Judah from prison.
28 He treated him well and gave him a special position higher than the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
29 So Jehoiachin put his prison clothes away. For the rest of Jehoiachin's life the king provided what he needed.
30 The king of Babylon gave him a daily food allowance as long as he lived.
END of The Book of KINGDOMS (Samuel and Kings)
End of The Books of the Former prophets
