# verses

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Meanwhile, Saul was taking it easy under the pomegranate tree at the threshing floor on the edge of town at Geba (Gibeah). There were about six hundred men with him.


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Ahijah, wearing the priestly Ephod, was also there. (Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli the priest of God at Shiloh.) No one there knew that Jonathan had gone off.


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The pass that Jonathan was planning to cross over to the Philistine garrison was flanked on either side by sharp rock outcroppings, cliffs named Bozez and Seneh.


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Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come on now, let's go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There's no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it."


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But if they say, 'Come on up,' we'll go right up—and we'll know God has given them to us. That will be our sign."


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So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, "Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!"


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Then they yelled down to Jonathan and his armor bearer, "Come on up here! We've got a thing or two to show you!"


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Jonathan shouted to his armor bearer, "Up! Follow me! God has turned them over to Israel!" Jonathan scrambled up on all fours, his armor bearer right on his heels. When the Philistines came running up to them, he knocked them flat, his armor bearer right behind finishing them off, bashing their heads in with stones.


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That set off a terrific upheaval in both camp and field, the soldiers in the garrison and the raiding squad badly shaken up, the ground itself shuddering—panic like you've never seen before!


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Saul's sentries posted back at Geba (Gibeah) in Benjamin saw the confusion and turmoil raging in the camp.


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When they called the roll, Jonathan and his armor bearer turned up missing.<br/>Saul ordered Ahijah, "Bring the priestly Ephod. Let's see what God has to say here." (Ahijah was responsible for the Ephod in those days.)


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While Saul was in conversation with the priest, the upheaval in the Philistine camp became greater and louder. Then Saul interrupted Ahijah: "Put the Ephod away."


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Saul immediately called his army together and they went straight to the battle. When they got there they found total confusion—Philistines swinging their swords wildly, killing each other.


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Hebrews who had earlier defected to the Philistine camp came back. They now wanted to be with Israel under Saul and Jonathan.


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Not only that, but when all the Israelites who had been hiding out in the backwoods of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running for their lives, they came out and joined the chase.


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God saved Israel! What a day!<br/>The fighting moved on to Beth Aven. The whole army was behind Saul now—ten thousand strong!—with the fighting scattering into all the towns throughout the hills of Ephraim.


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Saul did something really foolish that day. He addressed the army: "A curse on the man who eats anything before evening, before I've wreacked vengeance on my enemies!" None of them ate a thing all day.


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But no one so much as put his finger in the honey to taste it, for the soldiers to a man feared the curse.


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But Jonathan hadn't heard his father put the army under oath. He stuck the tip of his staff into some honey and ate it. Refreshed, his eyes lit up with renewed vigor.


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A soldier spoke up, "Your father has put the army under solemn oath, saying, 'A curse on the man who eats anything before evening!' No wonder the soldiers are drooping!"


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Jonathan said, "My father has imperiled the country. Just look how quickly my energy has returned since I ate a little of this honey!


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It would have been a lot better, believe me, if the soldiers had eaten their fill of whatever they took from the enemy. Who knows how much worse we could have whipped them!"


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They killed Philistines that day all the way from Micmash to Aijalon, but the soldiers ended up totally exhausted.


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Then they started plundering. They grabbed anything in sight—sheep, cattle, calves—and butchered it where they found it. Then they glutted themselves—meat, blood, the works.


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Saul was told, "Do something! The soldiers are sinning against God. They're eating meat with the blood still in it!"<br/>Saul said, "You're biting the hand that feeds you! Roll a big rock over here—now!"


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He continued, "Disperse among the troops and tell them, 'Bring your oxen and sheep to me and butcher them properly here. Then you can feast to your heart's content. Please don't sin against God by eating meat with the blood still in it.' "<br/>And so they did. That night each soldier, one after another, led his animal there to be butchered.


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Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight! We can spend the night looting and plundering. We won't leave a single live Philistine!"<br/>"Sounds good to us," said the troops. "Let's do it!"<br/>But the priest slowed them down: "Let's find out what God thinks about this."


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So Saul prayed to God, "Shall I go after the Philistines? Will you put them in Israel's hand?" God didn't answer him on that occasion.


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Saul then said, "All army officers, step forward. Some sin has been committed this day. We're going to find out what it is and who did it!


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As God lives, Israel's Savior God, whoever sinned will die, even if it should turn out to be Jonathan, my son!"<br/>Nobody said a word.


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Saul said to the Israelites, "You line up over on that side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on this side."<br/>The army agreed, "Fine. Whatever you say."


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Then Saul prayed to God, "O God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Show me the truth. If the sin is in me or Jonathan, then, O God, give the sign Urim. But if the sin is in the army of Israel, give the sign Thummim."<br/>The Urim sign turned up and pointed to Saul and Jonathan. That cleared the army.


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Next Saul said, "Cast the lots between me and Jonathan—and death to the one God points to!"<br/>The soldiers protested, "No—this is not right. Stop this!" But Saul pushed on anyway. They cast the lots, Urim and Thummim, and the lot fell to Jonathan.


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Saul confronted Jonathan. "What did you do? Tell me!"<br/>Jonathan said, "I licked a bit of honey off the tip of the staff I was carrying. That's it—and for that I'm to die?"


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Saul said, "Yes. Jonathan most certainly will die. It's out of my hands—I can't go against God, can I?"


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The soldiers rose up: "Jonathan—die? Never! He's just carried out this stunning salvation victory for Israel. As surely as God lives, not a hair on his head is going to be harmed. Why, he's been working hand-in-hand with God all day!" The soldiers rescued Jonathan and he didn't die.


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Saul extended his rule, capturing neighboring kingdoms. He fought enemies on every front—Moab, Ammon, Edom, the king of Zobah, the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he came up with a victory.


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Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. His daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger.


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Saul's wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. Abner son of Ner was commander of Saul's army (Ner was Saul's uncle).


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All through Saul's life there was war, bitter and relentless, with the Philistines. Saul conscripted every strong and brave man he laid eyes on.


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Samuel said to Saul, "God sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what God says.


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This is the God-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking:<br/>" 'I'm about to get even with Amalek for ambushing Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt.


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Here's what you are to do: Go to war against Amalek. Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban. And no exceptions! This is to be total destruction—men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys—the works.' "


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Saul called the army together at Telaim and prepared them to go to war—two hundred companies of infantry from Israel and another ten companies from Judah.


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Then Saul got word to the Kenites: "Get out of here while you can. Evacuate the city right now or you'll get lumped in with the Amalekites. I'm warning you because you showed real kindness to the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt."<br/>And they did. The Kenites evacuated the place.


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Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.


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"I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him."<br/>Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night.


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He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, "Saul's gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal."<br/>By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to God.


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As Samuel came close, Saul called out, "God's blessings on you! I accomplished God's plan to the letter!"


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"Only some Amalekite loot," said Saul. "The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to God. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban."


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"Enough!" interrupted Samuel. "Let me tell you what God told me last night."<br/>Saul said, "Go ahead. Tell me."


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And Samuel told him. "When you started out in this, you were nothing—and you knew it. Then God put you at the head of Israel—made you king over Israel.


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Then God sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, 'Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites, under a holy ban. Go to war against them until you have totally wiped them out.'


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So why did you not obey God? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with God's eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?"


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Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey God. I did the job God set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban.


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So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to God at Gilgal—what's wrong with that?"


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Then Samuel said,<br/>Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—<br/>empty rituals just for show?<br/>He wants you to listen to him!<br/>Plain listening is the thing,<br/>not staging a lavish religious production.


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Not doing what God tells you<br/>is far worse than fooling around in the occult.<br/>Getting self-important around God<br/>is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.<br/>Because you said No to God's command,<br/>he says No to your kingship.


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Saul gave in and confessed, "I've sinned. I've trampled roughshod over God's Word and your instructions. I cared more about pleasing the people. I let them tell me what to do.


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But Samuel refused: "No, I can't come alongside you in this. You rejected God's command. Now God has rejected you as king over Israel."


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Samuel said, "God has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are.


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Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says."


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Saul tried again, "I have sinned. But don't abandon me! Support me with your presence before the leaders and the people. Come alongside me as I go back to worship God."


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Then Samuel said, "Present King Agag of Amalek to me." Agag came, dragging his feet, muttering that he'd be better off dead.


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Samuel said, "Just as your sword made many a woman childless, so your mother will be childless among those women!" And Samuel cut Agag down in the presence of God right there in Gilgal.


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Samuel never laid eyes on Saul again in this life, although he grieved long and deeply over him. But God was sorry he had ever made Saul king in the first place.


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God addressed Samuel: "So, how long are you going to mope over Saul? You know I've rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your flask with anointing oil and get going. I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I've spotted the very king I want among his sons."


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"I can't do that," said Samuel. "Saul will hear about it and kill me."<br/>God said, "Take a heifer with you and announce, 'I've come to lead you in worship of God, with this heifer as a sacrifice.'


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Make sure Jesse gets invited. I'll let you know what to do next. I'll point out the one you are to anoint."


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Samuel did what God told him. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the town fathers greeted him, but apprehensively. "Is there something wrong?"


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"Nothing's wrong. I've come to sacrifice this heifer and lead you in the worship of God. Prepare yourselves, be consecrated, and join me in worship." He made sure Jesse and his sons were also consecrated and called to worship.


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But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart."


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Jesse then called up Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. Samuel said, "This man isn't God's choice either."


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Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel. Samuel was blunt with Jesse, "God hasn't chosen any of these."


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Then he asked Jesse, "Is this it? Are there no more sons?"<br/>"Well, yes, there's the runt. But he's out tending the sheep."<br/>Samuel ordered Jesse, "Go get him. We're not moving from this spot until he's here."


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Jesse sent for him. He was brought in, the very picture of health—bright-eyed, good-looking.<br/>God said, "Up on your feet! Anoint him! This is the one."


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Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life.<br/>Samuel left and went home to Ramah.


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At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and in its place a black mood sent by God settled on him. He was terrified.


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O master, let us help. Let us look for someone who can play the harp. When the black mood from God moves in, he'll play his music and you'll feel better."


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One of the young men spoke up, "I know someone. I've seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He's also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him."


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So Saul sent messengers to Jesse requesting, "Send your son David to me, the one who tends the sheep."


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Jesse took a donkey, loaded it with a couple of loaves of bread, a flask of wine, and a young goat, and sent his son David with it to Saul.


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David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.


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Saul sent word back to Jesse: "Thank you. David will stay here. He's just the one I was looking for. I'm very impressed by him."


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After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out his harp and played. That would calm Saul down, and he would feel better as the moodiness lifted.


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The Philistines drew up their troops for battle. They deployed them at Socoh in Judah, and set up camp between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim.


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Saul and the Israelites came together, camped at Oak Valley, and spread out their troops in battle readiness for the Philistines.


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The Philistines were on one hill, the Israelites on the opposing hill, with the valley between them.


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His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him.


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Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, "Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you're all committed to Saul, aren't you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me.


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If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you'll all become our slaves and serve us.


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Enter David. He was the son of Jesse the Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse, the father of eight sons, was himself too old to join Saul's army.


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Jesse's three older sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who had joined up with Saul were Eliab, the firstborn; next, Abinadab; and third, Shammah.


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David was the youngest son. While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul to tending his father's sheep in Bethlehem.


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One day, Jesse told David his son, "Take this sack of cracked wheat and these ten loaves of bread and run them down to your brothers in the camp.


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And take these ten wedges of cheese to the captain of their division. Check in on your brothers to see whether they are getting along all right, and let me know how they're doing


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—Saul and your brothers, and all the Israelites in their war with the Philistines in the Oak Valley."


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David was up at the crack of dawn and, having arranged for someone to tend his flock, took the food and was on his way just as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation, shouting the war cry.


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David left his bundles of food in the care of a sentry, ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers.


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While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him.


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The talk among the troops was, "Have you ever seen anything like this, this man openly and defiantly challenging Israel? The man who kills the giant will have it made. The king will give him a huge reward, offer his daughter as a bride, and give his entire family a free ride."


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David, who was talking to the men standing around him, asked, "What's in it for the man who kills that Philistine and gets rid of this ugly blot on Israel's honor? Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of God-Alive?"


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They told him what everyone was saying about what the king would do for the man who killed the Philistine.


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Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: "What are you doing here! Why aren't you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you're up to. You've come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!"


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Ignoring his brother, he turned to someone else, asked the same question, and got the same answer as before.


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Saul answered David, "You can't go and fight this Philistine. You're too young and inexperienced—and he's been at this fighting business since before you were born."


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David said, "I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock,


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I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it.


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Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive.


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God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine."<br/>Saul said, "Go. And God help you!"


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Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor.


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David tried to walk but he could hardly budge.<br/>David told Saul, "I can't even move with all this stuff on me. I'm not used to this." And he took it all off.


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Then David took his shepherd's staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath.


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The Philistine ridiculed David. "Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?" And he cursed him by his gods.


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"Come on," said the Philistine. "I'll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I'll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice."


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David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock.


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This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel.


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And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!"


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That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine.


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David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.


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That's how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David!


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Then David ran up to the Philistine and stood over him, pulled the giant's sword from its sheath, and finished the job by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their great champion was dead, they scattered, running for their lives.


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The men of Israel and Judah were up on their feet, shouting! They chased the Philistines all the way to the outskirts of Gath and the gates of Ekron.


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Wounded Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron. After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back and looted their camp.


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David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem. But the giant's weapons he placed in his own tent.


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When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Tell me about this young man's family."<br/>Abner said, "For the life of me, O King, I don't know."


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As soon as David came back from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him, the Philistine's head still in his hand, straight to Saul.


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Saul asked him, "Young man, whose son are you?"<br/>"I'm the son of your servant Jesse," said David, "the one who lives in Bethlehem."


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By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David—an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David's number-one advocate and friend.


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Whatever Saul gave David to do, he did it—and did it well. So well that Saul put him in charge of his military operations. Everybody, both the people in general and Saul's servants, approved of and admired David's leadership.


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As they returned home, after David had killed the Philistine, the women poured out of all the villages of Israel singing and dancing, welcoming King Saul with tambourines, festive songs, and lutes.


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This made Saul angry—very angry. He took it as a personal insult. He said, "They credit David with 'ten thousands' and me with only 'thousands.' Before you know it they'll be giving him the kingdom!"


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The next day an ugly mood was sent by God to afflict Saul, who became quite beside himself, raving. David played his harp, as he usually did at such times. Saul had a spear in his hand.


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Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall." David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice.


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So, Saul got David out of his sight by making him an officer in the army. David was in combat frequently.


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As Saul saw David becoming more successful, he himself grew more fearful. He could see the handwriting on the wall.


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One day Saul said to David, "Here is Merab, my eldest daughter. I want to give her to you as your wife. Be brave and bold for my sake. Fight God's battles!" But all the time Saul was thinking, "The Philistines will kill him for me. I won't have to lift a hand against him."


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David, embarrassed, answered, "Do you really mean that? I'm from a family of nobodies! I can't be son-in-law to the king."


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The wedding day was set, but as the time neared for Merab and David to be married, Saul reneged and married his daughter off to Adriel the Meholathite.


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Meanwhile, Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David. When Saul was told of this, he rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Ah, a second chance. I'll use Michal as bait to get David out where the Philistines will make short work of him." So again he said to David, "You're going to be my son-in-law."


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Saul ordered his servants, "Get David off by himself and tell him, 'The king is very taken with you, and everyone at court loves you. Go ahead, become the king's son-in-law!' "


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The king's servants told all this to David, but David held back. "What are you thinking of? I can't do that. I'm a nobody; I have nothing to offer."


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When the servants reported David's response to Saul, he told them to tell David this: "The king isn't expecting any money from you; only this: Go kill a hundred Philistines and bring evidence of your vengeance on the king's behalf. Avenge the king on his enemies." (Saul expected David to be killed in action.)


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On receiving this message, David was pleased. There was something he could do for the king that would qualify him to be his son-in-law! He lost no time but went right out, he and his men, killed the hundred Philistines, brought their evidence back in a sack, and counted it out before the king—mission completed! Saul gave Michal his daughter to David in marriage.


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As Saul more and more realized that God was with David, and how much his own daughter, Michal, loved him, his fear of David increased and settled into hate. Saul hated David.


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Whenever the Philistine warlords came out to battle, David was there to meet them—and beat them, upstaging Saul's men. David's name was on everyone's lips.


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Saul called his son Jonathan together with his servants and ordered them to kill David. But because Jonathan treasured David,


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he went and warned him: "My father is looking for a way to kill you. Here's what you are to do. Tomorrow morning, hide and stay hidden.


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I'll go out with my father into the field where you are hiding. I'll talk about you with my father and we'll see what he says. Then I'll report back to you."


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Jonathan brought up David with his father, speaking well of him. "Please," he said to his father, "don't attack David. He hasn't wronged you, has he? And just look at all the good he has done!


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He put his life on the line when he killed the Philistine. What a great victory God gave Israel that day! You were there. You saw it and were on your feet applauding with everyone else. So why would you even think of sinning against an innocent person, killing David for no reason whatever?"


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Saul listened to Jonathan and said, "You're right. As God lives, David lives. He will not be killed."


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Jonathan sent for David and reported to him everything that was said. Then he brought David back to Saul and everything was as it was before.


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War broke out again and David went out to fight Philistines. He beat them badly, and they ran for their lives.


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But then a black mood from God settled over Saul and took control of him. He was sitting at home, his spear in his hand, while David was playing music.


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Suddenly, Saul tried to skewer David with his spear, but David ducked. The spear stuck in the wall and David got away. It was night.


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Saul sent men to David's house to stake it out and then, first thing in the morning, to kill him. But Michal, David's wife, told him what was going on. "Quickly now—make your escape tonight. If not, you'll be dead by morning!"


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Then Michal took a dummy god and put it in the bed, placed a wig of goat's hair on its head, and threw a quilt over it.


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Saul stormed at Michal: "How could you play tricks on me like this? You sided with my enemy, and now he's gotten away!"<br/>Michal said, "He threatened me. He said, 'Help me out of here or I'll kill you.' "


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David made good his escape and went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel withdrew to the privacy of Naioth.


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He immediately sent his men to capture him. They saw a band of prophets prophesying with Samuel presiding over them. Before they knew it, the Spirit of God was on them, too, and they were ranting and raving right along with the prophets!


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That was reported back to Saul, and he dispatched more men. They, too, were soon prophesying. So Saul tried a third time—a third set of men—and they ended up mindlessly raving as well!


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Fed up, Saul went to Ramah himself. He came to the big cistern at Secu and inquired, "Where are Samuel and David?"<br/>A bystander said, "Over at Naioth in Ramah."


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As he headed out for Naioth in Ramah, the Spirit of God was on him, too. All the way to Naioth he was caught up in a babbling trance!


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He ripped off his clothes and lay there rambling gibberish before Samuel for a day and a night, stretched out naked. People are still talking about it: "Saul among the prophets! Who would have guessed?"


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David got out of Naioth in Ramah alive and went to Jonathan. "What do I do now? What wrong have I inflicted on your father that makes him so determined to kill me?"


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"Nothing," said Jonathan. "You've done nothing wrong. And you're not going to die. Really, you're not! My father tells me everything. He does nothing, whether big or little, without confiding in me. So why would he do this behind my back? It can't be."


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But David said, "Your father knows that we are the best of friends. So he says to himself, 'Jonathan must know nothing of this. If he does, he'll side with David.' But it's true—as sure as God lives, and as sure as you're alive before me right now—he's determined to kill me."


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David said, "Tomorrow marks the New Moon. I'm scheduled to eat dinner with the king. Instead, I'll go hide in the field until the evening of the third.


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If your father misses me, say, 'David asked if he could run down to Bethlehem, his hometown, for an anniversary reunion, and worship with his family.'


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If he says, 'Good!' then I'm safe. But if he gets angry, you'll know for sure that he's made up his mind to kill me.


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Oh, stick with me in this. You've entered into a covenant of God with me, remember! If I'm in the wrong, go ahead and kill me yourself. Why bother giving me up to your father?"


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"Never!" exclaimed Jonathan. "I'd never do that! If I get the slightest hint that my father is fixated on killing you, I'll tell you."


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Jonathan said, "As God, the God of Israel, is my witness, by this time tomorrow I'll get it out of my father how he feels about you. Then I'll let you know what I learn.


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May God do his worst to me if I let you down! If my father still intends to kill you, I'll tell you and get you out of here in one piece. And God be with you as he's been with my father!


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keep the covenant friendship with my family—forever. And when God finally rids the earth of David's enemies, stay loyal to Jonathan!"


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Jonathan repeated his pledge of love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!


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Jonathan then laid out his plan: "Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you'll be missed when you don't show up for dinner.


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On the third day, when they've quit expecting you, come to the place where you hid before, and wait beside that big boulder.


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Then I'll send off my servant, 'Go find the arrows.' If I yell after the servant, 'The arrows are on this side! Retrieve them!' that's the signal that you can return safely—as God lives, not a thing to fear!


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He sat where he always sat, the place against the wall, with Jonathan across the table and Abner at Saul's side. But David's seat was empty.


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Saul didn't mention it at the time, thinking, "Something's happened that's made him unclean. That's it—he's probably unclean for the holy meal."


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But the day after the New Moon, day two of the holiday, David's seat was still empty. Saul asked Jonathan his son, "So where's that son of Jesse? He hasn't eaten with us either yesterday or today."


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He said, 'Give me leave to attend a family reunion back home. My brothers have ordered me to be there. If it seems all right to you, let me go and see my brothers.' That's why he's not here at the king's table."


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Saul exploded in anger at Jonathan: "You son of a slut! Don't you think I know that you're in cahoots with the son of Jesse, disgracing both you and your mother?


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For as long as the son of Jesse is walking around free on this earth, your future in this kingdom is at risk. Now go get him. Bring him here. From this moment, he's as good as dead!"


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Saul threw his spear at him to kill him. That convinced Jonathan that his father was fixated on killing David.


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Jonathan stormed from the table, furiously angry, and ate nothing the rest of the day, upset for David and smarting under the humiliation from his father.


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In the morning, Jonathan went to the field for the appointment with David. He had his young servant with him.


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He told the servant, "Run and get the arrows I'm about to shoot." The boy started running and Jonathan shot an arrow way beyond him.


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As the boy came to the area where the arrow had been shot, Jonathan yelled out, "Isn't the arrow farther out?"


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He yelled again, "Hurry! Quickly! Don't just stand there!" Jonathan's servant then picked up the arrow and brought it to his master.


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After the servant was gone, David got up from his hiding place beside the boulder, then fell on his face to the ground—three times prostrating himself! And then they kissed one another and wept, friend over friend, David weeping especially hard.


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Jonathan said, "Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in God's name, saying, 'God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!' "


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David went on his way and Jonathan returned to town.<br/>David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest. Ahimelech was alarmed as he went out to greet David: "What are you doing here all by yourself—and not a soul with you?"


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David answered Ahimelech the Priest, "The king sent me on a mission and gave strict orders: 'This is top secret—not a word of this to a soul.' I've arranged to meet up with my men in a certain place.


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Now, what's there here to eat? Do you have five loaves of bread? Give me whatever you can scrounge up!"


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"I don't have any regular bread on hand," said the priest. "I only have holy bread. If your men have not slept with women recently, it's yours."


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David said, "None of us has touched a woman. I always do it this way when I'm on a mission: My men abstain from sex. Even when it is an ordinary mission we do that—how much more on this holy mission."


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So the priest gave them the holy bread. It was the only bread he had, Bread of the Presence that had been removed from God's presence and replaced by fresh bread at the same time.


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One of Saul's officials was present that day keeping a religious vow. His name was Doeg the Edomite. He was chief of Saul's shepherds.


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David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or sword of any kind around here? I didn't have a chance to grab my weapons. The king's mission was urgent and I left in a hurry."


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The priest said, "The sword of Goliath, the Philistine you killed at Oak Valley—that's here! It's behind the Ephod wrapped in a cloth. If you want it, take it. There's nothing else here."


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"Oh," said David, "there's no sword like that! Give it to me!"<br/>And at that, David shot out of there, running for his life from Saul. He went to Achish, king of Gath.


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When the servants of Achish saw him, they said, "Can this be David, the famous David? Is this the one they sing of at their dances?<br/>Saul kills by the thousand,<br/>David by the ten thousand!"


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When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst from Achish, king of Gath.


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So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard.


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Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, "Can't you see he's crazy? Why did you let him in here?


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Don't you think I have enough crazy people to put up with as it is without adding another? Get him out of here!"


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So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him.


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Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.


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Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, "Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me."


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David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.


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The prophet Gad told David, "Don't go back to the cave. Go to Judah." David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.


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Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials.


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He said, "Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don't think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he's going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs?


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Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this... outlaw!"


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Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul's officials, spoke up: "I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob.


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I saw Ahimelech pray with him for God's guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine."


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Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, along with the whole family of priests at Nob. They all came to the king.


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"Why have you ganged up against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword, even praying with him for God's guidance, setting him up as an outlaw, out to get me?"


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Ahimelech answered the king, "There's not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either.


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Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God's guidance? Hardly! But don't accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you're trying to get at with this 'outlaw' talk."


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The king ordered his henchmen, "Surround and kill the priests of God! They're hand in glove with David. They knew he was running away from me and didn't tell me." But the king's men wouldn't do it. They refused to lay a hand on the priests of God.


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Then the king told Doeg, "You do it—massacre the priests!" Doeg the Edomite led the attack and slaughtered the priests, the eighty-five men who wore the sacred robes.


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He then carried the massacre into Nob, the city of priests, killing man and woman, child and baby, ox, donkey, and sheep—the works.


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David said to Abiathar, "I knew it—that day I saw Doeg the Edomite there, I knew he'd tell Saul. I'm to blame for the death of everyone in your father's family.


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Stay here with me. Don't be afraid. The one out to kill you is out to kill me, too. Stick with me. I'll protect you."


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David went in prayer to God: "Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?"<br/>God said, "Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah."


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But David's men said, "We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?"


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So David went back to God in prayer. God said, "Get going. Head for Keilah. I'm placing the Philistines in your hands."


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David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He scattered their cattle, beat them decisively, and saved the people of Keilah.


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After Abiathar took refuge with David, he joined David in the raid on Keilah, bringing the Ephod with him.


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Saul learned that David had gone to Keilah and thought immediately, "Good! God has handed him to me on a platter! He's in a walled city with locked gates, trapped!"


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But David got wind of Saul's strategy to destroy him and said to Abiathar the priest, "Get the Ephod."


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Then David prayed to God: "God of Israel, I've just heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me.


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Will the city fathers of Keilah turn me over to him? Will Saul come down and do what I've heard? O God, God of Israel, tell me!"<br/>God replied, "He's coming down."


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"And will the head men of Keilah turn me and my men over to Saul?"<br/>And God said, "They'll turn you over."


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So David and his men got out of there. There were about six hundred of them. They left Keilah and kept moving, going here, there, wherever—always on the move.<br/>When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the raid.


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David continued to live in desert hideouts and the backcountry wilderness hills of Ziph. Saul was out looking for him day after day, but God never turned David over to him.


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David kept out of the way in the wilderness of Ziph, secluded at Horesh, since it was plain that Saul was determined to hunt him down.


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He said, "Don't despair. My father, Saul, can't lay a hand on you. You will be Israel's king and I'll be right at your side to help. And my father knows it."


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Some Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Did you know that David is hiding out near us in the caves and canyons of Horesh? Right now he's at Hakilah Hill just south of Jeshimon.


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Now go back and check everything out. Learn his routines. Observe his movements—where he goes, who he's with. He's very shrewd, you know.


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Scout out all his hiding places. Then meet me at Nacon and I'll go with you. If he is anywhere to be found in all the thousands of Judah, I'll track him down!"


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So the Ziphites set out on their reconnaissance for Saul.<br/>Meanwhile, David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the desert south of Jeshimon.


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Saul and his men arrived and began their search. When David heard of it, he went south to Rock Mountain, camping out in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard where he was and set off for the wilderness of Maon in pursuit.


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Saul was on one side of the mountain, David and his men on the other. David was in full retreat, running, with Saul and his men closing in, about to get him.


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Just then a messenger came to Saul and said, "Hurry! Come back! The Philistines have just attacked the country!"


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So Saul called off his pursuit of David and went back to deal with the Philistines. That's how that place got the name Narrow Escape.


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When Saul came back after dealing with the Philistines, he was told, "David is now in the wilderness of En Gedi."


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Saul took three companies—the best he could find in all Israel—and set out in search of David and his men in the region of Wild Goat Rocks.


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He came to some sheep pens along the road. There was a cave there and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were huddled far back in the same cave.


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David's men whispered to him, "Can you believe it? This is the day God was talking about when he said, 'I'll put your enemy in your hands. You can do whatever you want with him.' " Quiet as a cat, David crept up and cut off a piece of Saul's royal robe.


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He said to his men, "God forbid that I should have done this to my master, God's anointed, that I should so much as raise a finger against him. He's God's anointed!"


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David held his men in check with these words and wouldn't let them pounce on Saul. Saul got up, left the cave, and went on down the road.


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Then David stood at the mouth of the cave and called to Saul, "My master! My king!" Saul looked back. David fell to his knees and bowed in reverence.


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This very day with your very own eyes you have seen that just now in the cave God put you in my hands. My men wanted me to kill you, but I wouldn't do it. I told them that I won't lift a finger against my master—he's God's anointed.


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Oh, my father, look at this, look at this piece that I cut from your robe. I could have cut you—killed you!—but I didn't. Look at the evidence! I'm not against you. I'm no rebel. I haven't sinned against you, and yet you're hunting me down to kill me.


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An old proverb says, 'Evil deeds come from evil people.' So be assured that my hand won't touch you.


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"What does the king of Israel think he's doing? Who do you think you're chasing? A dead dog? A flea?


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God is our judge. He'll decide who is right. Oh, that he would look down right now, decide right now—and set me free of you!"


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When David had finished saying all this, Saul said, "Can this be the voice of my son David?" and he wept in loud sobs.


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"You're the one in the right, not me," he continued. "You've heaped good on me; I've dumped evil on you.


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And now you've done it again—treated me generously. God put me in your hands and you didn't kill me.


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Why? When a man meets his enemy, does he send him down the road with a blessing? May God give you a bonus of blessings for what you've done for me today!


text:
Samuel died. The whole country came to his funeral. Everyone grieved over his death, and he was buried in his hometown of Ramah. Meanwhile, David moved again, this time to the wilderness of Maon.


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There was a certain man in Maon who carried on his business in the region of Carmel. He was very prosperous—three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and it was sheep-shearing time in Carmel.


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The man's name was Nabal (Fool), a Calebite, and his wife's name was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and good-looking, the man brutish and mean.


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and sent ten of his young men off with these instructions: "Go to Carmel and approach Nabal. Greet him in my name, 'Peace!


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I heard that it's sheep-shearing time. Here's the point: When your shepherds were camped near us we didn't take advantage of them. They didn't lose a thing all the time they were with us in Carmel.


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Ask your young men—they'll tell you. What I'm asking is that you be generous with my men—share the feast! Give whatever your heart tells you to your servants and to me, David your son.' "


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Do you think I'm going to take good bread and wine and meat freshly butchered for my sheepshearers and give it to men I've never laid eyes on? Who knows where they've come from?"


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David said, "Strap on your swords!" They all strapped on their swords, David and his men, and set out, four hundred of them. Two hundred stayed behind to guard the camp.


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Meanwhile, one of the young shepherds told Abigail, Nabal's wife, what had happened: "David sent messengers from the backcountry to salute our master, but he tore into them with insults.


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Yet these men treated us very well. They took nothing from us and didn't take advantage of us all the time we were in the fields.


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They formed a wall around us, protecting us day and night all the time we were out tending the sheep.


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Do something quickly because big trouble is ahead for our master and all of us. Nobody can talk to him. He's impossible—a real brute!"


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Abigail flew into action. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep dressed out and ready for cooking, a bushel of roasted grain, a hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred fig cakes, and she had it all loaded on some donkeys.


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Then she said to her young servants, "Go ahead and pave the way for me. I'm right behind you." But she said nothing to her husband Nabal.


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As she was riding her donkey, descending into a ravine, David and his men were descending from the other end, so they met there on the road.


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David had just said, "That sure was a waste, guarding everything this man had out in the wild so that nothing he had was lost—and now he rewards me with insults. A real slap in the face!


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May God do his worst to me if Nabal and every cur in his misbegotten brood isn't dead meat by morning!"


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As soon as Abigail saw David, she got off her donkey and fell on her knees at his feet, her face to the ground in homage,


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Don't dwell on what that brute Nabal did. He acts out the meaning of his name: Nabal, Fool. Foolishness oozes from him.<br/>"I wasn't there when the young men my master sent arrived. I didn't see them.


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And now, my master, as God lives and as you live, God has kept you from this avenging murder—and may your enemies, all who seek my master's harm, end up like Nabal!


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Now take this gift that I, your servant girl, have brought to my master, and give it to the young men who follow in the steps of my master.


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"Forgive my presumption! But God is at work in my master, developing a rule solid and dependable. My master fights God's battles! As long as you live no evil will stick to you.


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If anyone stands in your way,<br/>if anyone tries to get you out of the way,<br/>Know this: Your God-honored life is tightly bound<br/>in the bundle of God-protected life;<br/>But the lives of your enemies will be hurled aside<br/>as a stone is thrown from a sling.


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"When God completes all the goodness he has promised my master and sets you up as prince over Israel,


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my master will not have this dead weight in his heart, the guilt of an avenging murder. And when God has worked things for good for my master, remember me."


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And blessed be your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and taking charge of looking out for me.


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A close call! As God lives, the God of Israel who kept me from hurting you, if you had not come as quickly as you did, stopping me in my tracks, by morning there would have been nothing left of Nabal but dead meat."


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Then David accepted the gift she brought him and said, "Return home in peace. I've heard what you've said and I'll do what you've asked."


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When Abigail got home she found Nabal presiding over a huge banquet. He was in high spirits—and very, very drunk. So she didn't tell him anything of what she'd done until morning.


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But in the morning, after Nabal had sobered up, she told him the whole story. Right then and there he had a heart attack and fell into a coma.


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When David heard that Nabal was dead he said, "Blessed be God who has stood up for me against Nabal's insults, kept me from an evil act, and let Nabal's evil boomerang back on him."<br/>Then David sent for Abigail to tell her that he wanted her for his wife.


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David's servants went to Abigail at Carmel with the message, "David sent us to bring you to marry him."


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She got up, and then bowed down, face to the ground, saying, "I'm your servant, ready to do anything you want. I'll even wash the feet of my master's servants!"


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Abigail didn't linger. She got on her donkey and, with her five maids in attendance, went with the messengers to David and became his wife.


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Some Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Did you know that David is hiding out on the Hakilah Hill just opposite Jeshimon?"


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Saul was on his feet in a minute and on his way to the wilderness of Ziph, taking three thousand of his best men, the pick of the crop, to hunt for David in that wild desert.


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He camped just off the road at the Hakilah Hill, opposite Jeshimon.<br/>David, still out in the backcountry, knew Saul had come after him.


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Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had set up camp and saw for himself where Saul and Abner, son of Ner, his general, were staying. Saul was safely inside the camp, encircled by the army.


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Taking charge, David spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother: "Who will go down with me and enter Saul's camp?"<br/>Abishai whispered, "I'll go with you."


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So David and Abishai entered the encampment by night, and there he was—Saul, stretched out asleep at the center of the camp, his spear stuck in the ground near his head, with Abner and the troops sound asleep on all sides.


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Abishai said, "This is the moment! God has put your enemy in your grasp. Let me nail him to the ground with his spear. One hit will do it, believe me; I won't need a second!"


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But David said to Abishai, "Don't you dare hurt him! Who could lay a hand on God's anointed and even think of getting away with it?"


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He went on, "As God lives, either God will strike him, or his time will come and he'll die in bed, or he'll fall in battle,


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but God forbid that I should lay a finger on God's anointed. Now, grab the spear at his head and the water jug and let's get out of here."


text:
David took the spear and water jug that were right beside Saul's head, and they slipped away. Not a soul saw. Not a soul knew. No one woke up! They all slept through the whole thing. A blanket of deep sleep from God had fallen on them.


text:
Then David went across to the opposite hill and stood far away on the top of the mountain. With this safe distance between them,


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he shouted across to the army and Abner son of Ner, "Hey Abner! How long do I have to wait for you to wake up and answer me?"<br/>Abner said, "Who's calling?"


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"Aren't you in charge there?" said David. "Why aren't you minding the store? Why weren't you standing guard over your master the king, when a soldier came to kill the king your master?


text:
Bad form! As God lives, your life should be forfeit, you and the entire bodyguard. Look what I have—the king's spear and water jug that were right beside his head!"


text:
By now, Saul had recognized David's voice and said, "Is that you, my son David?"<br/>David said, "Yes, it's me, O King, my master.


text:
Oh, my master, my king, listen to this from your servant: If God has stirred you up against me, then I gladly offer my life as a sacrifice. But if it's men who have done it, let them be banished from God's presence! They've expelled me from my rightful place in God's heritage, sneering, 'Out of here! Go get a job with some other god!'


text:
But you're not getting rid of me that easily; you'll not separate me from God in life or death. The absurdity! The king of Israel obsessed with a single flea! Hunting me down—a mere partridge—out in the hills!"


text:
Saul confessed, "I've sinned! Oh, come back, my dear son David! I won't hurt you anymore. You've honored me this day, treating my life as most precious. And I've acted the fool—a moral dunce, a real clown."


text:
It's God's business to decide what to do with each of us in regard to what's right and who's loyal. God put your life in my hands today, but I wasn't willing to lift a finger against God's anointed.


text:
Saul said to David, "Bless you, dear son David! Yes, do what you have to do! And, yes, succeed in all you attempt!"<br/>Then David went on his way, and Saul went home.


text:
David thought to himself, "Sooner or later, Saul's going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to Philistine country. Saul will count me a lost cause and quit hunting me down in every nook and cranny of Israel. I'll be out of his reach for good."


text:
They moved in and settled down in Gath, with Achish. Each man brought his household; David brought his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal of Carmel.


text:
Then David said to Achish, "If it's agreeable to you, assign me a place in one of the rural villages. It doesn't seem right that I, your mere servant, should be taking up space in the royal city."


text:
So Achish assigned him Ziklag. (This is how Ziklag got to be what it is now, a city of the kings of Judah.)


text:
From time to time David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—these people were longtime inhabitants of the land stretching toward Shur and on to Egypt.


text:
When David raided an area he left no one alive, neither man nor woman, but took everything else: sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, clothing—the works. Then he'd return to Achish.


text:
Achish would ask, "And whom did you raid today?"<br/>David would tell him, "Oh, the Negev of Judah," or "The Negev of Jerahmeel," or "The Negev of the Kenites."


text:
He never left a single person alive lest one show up in Gath and report what David had really been doing. This is the way David operated all the time he lived in Philistine country.


text:
Achish came to trust David completely. He thought, "He's made himself so repugnant to his people that he'll be in my camp forever."


text:
During this time the Philistines mustered their troops to make war on Israel. Achish said to David, "You can count on this: You're marching with my troops, you and your men."


text:
And David said, "Good! Now you'll see for yourself what I can do!"<br/>"Great!" said Achish. "I'm making you my personal bodyguard—for life!"


text:
Samuel was now dead. All Israel had mourned his death and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had long since cleaned out all those who held seances with the dead.


text:
The Philistines had mustered their troops and camped at Shunem. Saul had assembled all Israel and camped at Gilboa.


text:
So Saul ordered his officials, "Find me someone who can call up spirits so I may go and seek counsel from those spirits."<br/>His servants said, "There's a witch at Endor."


text:
Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes. Then, taking two men with him, he went under the cover of night to the woman and said, "I want you to consult a ghost for me. Call up the person I name."


text:
The woman said, "Just hold on now! You know what Saul did, how he swept the country clean of mediums. Why are you trying to trap me and get me killed?"


text:
The king told her, "You have nothing to fear... but what do you see?"<br/>"I see a spirit ascending from the underground."


text:
"And what does he look like?" Saul asked.<br/>"An old man ascending, robed like a priest."<br/>Saul knew it was Samuel. He fell down, face to the ground, and worshiped.


text:
Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by calling me up?"<br/>"Because I'm in deep trouble," said Saul. "The Philistines are making war against me and God has deserted me—he doesn't answer me any more, either by prophet or by dream. And so I'm calling on you to tell me what to do."


text:
God has done exactly what he told you through me—ripped the kingdom right out of your hands and given it to your neighbor.


text:
It's because you did not obey God, refused to carry out his seething judgment on Amalek, that God does to you what he is doing today.


text:
Worse yet, God is turning Israel, along with you, over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And, yes, indeed, God is giving Israel's army up to the Philistines."


text:
Saul dropped to the ground, felled like a tree, terrified by Samuel's words. There wasn't an ounce of strength left in him—he'd eaten nothing all day and all night.


text:
The woman, realizing that he was in deep shock, said to him, "Listen to me. I did what you asked me to do, put my life in your hands in doing it, carried out your instructions to the letter.


text:
It's your turn to do what I tell you: Let me give you some food. Eat it. It will give you strength so you can get on your way."


text:
He refused. "I'm not eating anything."<br/>But when his servants joined the woman in urging him, he gave in to their pleas, picked himself up off the ground, and sat on the bed.


text:
The woman moved swiftly. She butchered a grain-fed calf she had, and took some flour, kneaded it, and baked some flat bread.


text:
Then she served it all up for Saul and his servants. After dining handsomely, they got up from the table and were on their way that same night.


text:
The Philistines mustered all their troops at Aphek. Meanwhile Israel had made camp at the spring at Jezreel.


text:
As the Philistine warlords marched forward by regiments and divisions, David and his men were bringing up the rear with Achish.


text:
The Philistine officers said, "What business do these Hebrews have being here?"<br/>Achish answered the officers, "Don't you recognize David, ex-servant of King Saul of Israel? He's been with me a long time. I've found nothing to be suspicious of, nothing to complain about, from the day he defected from Saul until now."


text:
Angry with Achish, the Philistine officers said, "Send this man back to where he came from. Let him stick to his normal duties. He's not going into battle with us. He'd switch sides in the middle of the fight! What better chance to get back in favor with his master than by stabbing us in the back!


text:
Isn't this the same David they celebrate at their parties, singing,<br/>Saul kills by the thousand,<br/>David by the ten thousand!"


text:
So Achish had to send for David and tell him, "As God lives, you've been a trusty ally—excellent in all the ways you have worked with me, beyond reproach in the ways you have conducted yourself. But the warlords don't see it that way.


text:
So it's best that you leave peacefully, now. It's not worth it, displeasing the Philistine warlords."


text:
"But what have I done?" said David. "Have you had a single cause for complaint from the day I joined up with you until now? Why can't I fight against the enemies of my master the king?"


text:
"I agree," said Achish. "You're a good man—as far as I'm concerned, God's angel! But the Philistine officers were emphatic: 'He's not to go with us into battle.'


text:
So get an early start, you and the men who came with you. As soon as you have light enough to travel, go."


text:
David rose early, he and his men, and by daybreak they were on their way back to Philistine country. The Philistines went on to Jezreel.


text:
Three days later, David and his men arrived back in Ziklag. Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They tore Ziklag to pieces and then burned it down.


text:
They captured all the women, young and old. They didn't kill anyone, but drove them like a herd of cattle.


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By the time David and his men entered the village, it had been burned to the ground, and their wives, sons, and daughters all taken prisoner.


text:
David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest.


text:
And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him.<br/>David strengthened himself with trust in his God.


text:
He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David.


text:
Then David prayed to God, "Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?"<br/>The answer came, "Go after them! Yes, you'll catch them! Yes, you'll make the rescue!"


text:
David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They arrived at the Brook Besor, where some of them dropped out.


text:
David and four hundred men kept up the pursuit, but two hundred of them were too fatigued to cross the Brook Besor, and stayed there.


text:
Some who went on came across an Egyptian in a field and took him to David. They gave him bread and he ate. And he drank some water.


text:
They gave him a piece of fig cake and a couple of raisin muffins. Life began to revive in him. He hadn't eaten or drunk a thing for three days and nights!


text:
David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?"<br/>"I'm an Egyptian slave of an Amalekite," he said. "My master walked off and left me when I got sick—that was three days ago.


text:
David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?"<br/>"Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders."


text:
He led David to them. They were scattered all over the place, eating and drinking, gorging themselves on all the loot they had plundered from Philistia and Judah.


text:
David pounced. He fought them from before sunrise until evening of the next day. None got away except for four hundred of the younger men who escaped by riding off on camels.


text:
Nothing and no one was missing—young or old, son or daughter, plunder or whatever. David recovered the whole lot.


text:
Then David came to the two hundred who had been too tired to continue with him and had dropped out at the Brook Besor. They came out to welcome David and his band. As he came near he called out, "Success!"


text:
But all the mean-spirited men who had marched with David, the rabble element, objected: "They didn't help in the rescue, they don't get any of the plunder we recovered. Each man can have his wife and children, but that's it. Take them and go!"


text:
"Families don't do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!" said David as he broke up the argument. "You can't act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us.


text:
Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!"


text:
On returning to Ziklag, David sent portions of the plunder to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, with a note saying, "A gift from the plunder of God's enemies!"


text:
The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa.


text:
The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons.


text:
Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me."<br/>But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it.


text:
When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites.


text:
The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa.


text:
They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people.


text:
They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan.


text:
Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh.


text:
Three days later a man showed up unannounced from Saul's army camp.<br/>Disheveled and obviously in mourning, he fell to his knees in respect before David.


text:
"So what happened?" said David. "What's the news?"<br/>He said, "The Israelites have fled the battlefield, leaving a lot of their dead comrades behind. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead."


text:
David pressed the young soldier for details: "How do you know for sure that Saul and Jonathan are dead?"


text:
"I just happened by Mount Gilboa and came on Saul, badly wounded and leaning on his spear, with enemy chariots and horsemen bearing down hard on him.


text:
"So I did what he asked—I killed him. I knew he wouldn't last much longer anyway. I removed his royal headband and bracelet, and have brought them to my master. Here they are."


text:
They wept and fasted the rest of the day, grieving the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and also the army of God and the nation Israel, victims in a failed battle.


text:
Then David spoke to the young soldier who had brought the report: "Who are you, anyway?"<br/>"I'm from an immigrant family—an Amalekite."


text:
"You asked for it," David told him. "You sealed your death sentence when you said you killed God's anointed king."


text:
and gave orders that everyone in Judah learn it by heart. Yes, it's even inscribed in The Book of Jashar.


text:
Don't announce it in the city of Gath,<br/>don't post the news in the streets of Ashkelon.<br/>Don't give those coarse Philistine girls<br/>one more excuse for a drunken party!


text:
No more dew or rain for you, hills of Gilboa,<br/>and not a drop from springs and wells,<br/>For there the warriors' shields were dragged through the mud,<br/>Saul's shield left there to rot.


text:
Jonathan's bow was bold—<br/>the bigger they were the harder they fell.<br/>Saul's sword was fearless—<br/>once out of the scabbard, nothing could stop it.


text:
Saul and Jonathan—beloved, beautiful!<br/>Together in life, together in death.<br/>Swifter than plummeting eagles,<br/>stronger than proud lions.


text:
Women of Israel, weep for Saul.<br/>He dressed you in finest cottons and silks,<br/>spared no expense in making you elegant.


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The mighty warriors—fallen, fallen<br/>in the middle of the fight!<br/>Jonathan—struck down on your hills!


text:
O my dear brother Jonathan,<br/>I'm crushed by your death.<br/>Your friendship was a miracle-wonder,<br/>love far exceeding anything I've known—<br/>or ever hope to know.


text:
After all this, David prayed. He asked God, "Shall I move to one of the cities of Judah?"<br/>God said, "Yes, move."<br/>"And to which city?"<br/>"To Hebron."


text:
So David moved to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.


text:
David's men, along with their families, also went with him and made their home in and around Hebron.


text:
The citizens of Judah came to Hebron, and then and there made David king over the clans of Judah.<br/>A report was brought to David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had given Saul a decent burial.


text:
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead: "God bless you for this—for honoring your master, Saul, with a funeral.


text:
Strengthen your resolve and do what must be done. Your master, Saul, is dead. The citizens of Judah have made me their king."


text:
In the meantime, Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim


text:
and made him king over Gilead, over Asher, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin—king, as it turns out, over all Israel.


text:
Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he was made king over Israel. He lasted only two years. But the people of Judah stuck with David.


text:
One day Abner son of Ner set out from Mahanaim with the soldiers of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, headed for Gibeon.


text:
Joab son of Zeruiah, with David's soldiers, also set out. They met at the Pool of Gibeon, Abner's group on one side, Joab's on the other.


text:
Abner challenged Joab, "Put up your best fighters. Let's see them do their stuff."<br/>Joab said, "Good! Let them go at it!"


text:
So they lined up for the fight, twelve Benjaminites from the side of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve soldiers from David's side.


text:
The men from each side grabbed their opponents' heads and stabbed them with their daggers. They all fell dead—the whole bunch together. So, they called the place Slaughter Park. It's right there at Gibeon.


text:
The fighting went from bad to worse throughout the day. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten to a pulp by David's men.


text:
The three sons of Zeruiah were present: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, as fast as a wild antelope


text:
Abner said, "Let up on me. Pick on someone you have a chance of beating and be content with those spoils!" But Asahel wouldn't let up.


text:
When he refused to quit, Abner struck him in the belly with the blunt end of his spear so hard that it came out his back. Asahel fell to the ground and died at once. Everyone who arrived at the spot where Asahel fell and died stood and gaped—Asahel dead!


text:
But Joab and Abishai kept up the chase after Abner. As the sun began to set, they came to the hill of Ammah that faced Giah on the road to the backcountry of Gibeon.


text:
Abner called out to Joab, "Are we going to keep killing each other till doomsday? Don't you know that nothing but bitterness will come from this? How long before you call off your men from chasing their brothers?"


text:
Then he blew the ram's horn trumpet and the whole army of Judah stopped in its tracks. They quit chasing Israel and called off the fighting.


text:
Abner and his soldiers marched all that night up the Arabah Valley. They crossed the Jordan and, after a long morning's march, arrived at Mahanaim.


text:
After Joab returned from chasing Abner, he took a head count of the army. Nineteen of David's men (besides Asahel) were missing.


text:
They brought Asahel and buried him in the family tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men then marched all night, arriving in Hebron as the dawn broke.


text:
The war between the house of Saul and the house of David dragged on and on. The longer it went on the stronger David became, with the house of Saul getting weaker.


text:
During the Hebron years, sons were born to David:<br/>Amnon, born of Ahinoam of Jezreel—the firstborn;


text:
Kileab, born of Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow—his second;<br/>Absalom, born of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur—the third;


text:
Abner took advantage of the continuing war between the house of Saul and the house of David to gain power for himself.


text:
Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. One day Ish-Bosheth confronted Abner: "What business do you have sleeping with my father's concubine?"


text:
Abner lost his temper with Ish-Bosheth, "Treat me like a dog, will you! Is this the thanks I get for sticking by the house of your father, Saul, and all his family and friends? I personally saved you from certain capture by David, and you make an issue out of my going to bed with a woman!


text:
What God promised David, I'll help accomplish—transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and make David ruler over the whole country, both Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba. If not, may God do his worst to me."


text:
Abner went ahead and sent personal messengers to David: "Make a deal with me and I'll help bring the whole country of Israel over to you."


text:
"Great," said David. "It's a deal. But only on one condition: You're not welcome here unless you bring Michal, Saul's daughter, with you when you come to meet me."


text:
David then sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul: "Give me back Michal, whom I won as my wife at the cost of a hundred Philistine foreskins."


text:
But Paltiel followed her, weeping all the way, to Bahurim. There Abner told him, "Go home." And he went home.


text:
Abner got the elders of Israel together and said, "Only yesterday, it seems, you were looking for a way to make David your king.


text:
So do it—now! For God has given the go-ahead on David: 'By my servant David's hand, I'll save my people Israel from the oppression of the Philistines and all their other enemies.' "


text:
Abner took the Benjaminites aside and spoke to them. Then he went to Hebron for a private talk with David, telling him everything that Israel in general and Benjamin in particular were planning to do.


text:
When Abner and the twenty men who were with him met with David in Hebron, David laid out a feast for them.


text:
Abner then said, "I'm ready. Let me go now to rally everyone in Israel for my master, the king. They'll make a treaty with you, authorizing you to rule them however you see fit." Abner was sent off with David's blessing.


text:
Soon after that, David's men, led by Joab, came back from a field assignment. Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, having just been dismissed with David's blessing.


text:
As Joab and his raiding party arrived, they were told that Abner the son of Ner had been there with David and had been sent off with David's blessing.


text:
Joab went straight to the king: "What's this you've done? Abner shows up, and you let him walk away scot-free?


text:
You know Abner son of Ner better than that. This was no friendly visit. He was here to spy on you, figure out your comings and goings, find out what you're up to."


text:
Joab left David and went into action. He sent messengers after Abner; they caught up with him at the well at Sirah and brought him back. David knew nothing of all this.


text:
When Abner got back to Hebron, Joab steered him aside at the gate for a personal word with him. There he stabbed him in the belly, killed him in cold blood for the murder of his brother Asahel.


text:
Later on, when David heard what happened, he said, "Before God I and my kingdom are totally innocent of this murder of Abner son of Ner.


text:
Joab and his entire family will always be under the curse of this bloodguilt. May they forever be victims of crippling diseases, violence, and famine."


text:
(Joab and his brother, Abishai, murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.)


text:
David ordered Joab and all the men under him, "Rip your cloaks into rags! Wear mourning clothes! Lead Abner's funeral procession with loud lament!" King David followed the coffin.


text:
They buried Abner in Hebron. The king's voice was loud in lament as he wept at the side of Abner's grave. All the people wept, too.


text:
You were a free man, free to go and do as you wished—<br/>Yet you fell as a victim in a street brawl.<br/>And all the people wept—a crescendo of crying!


text:
They all came then to David, trying to get him to eat something before dark. But David solemnly swore, "I'll not so much as taste a piece of bread, or anything else for that matter, before sunset, so help me God!"


text:
Everyone at the funeral took notice—and liked what they saw. In fact everything the king did was applauded by the people.


text:
It was clear to everyone that day, including all Israel, that the king had nothing to do with the death of Abner son of Ner.


text:
The king spoke to his servants: "You realize, don't you, that today a prince and hero fell victim of foul play in Israel?


text:
And I, though anointed king, was helpless to do anything about it. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. God, requite the criminal for his crime!"


text:
Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. His heart sank. The whole country was shaken.


text:
Ish-Bosheth had two men who were captains of raiding bands—one was named Baanah, the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, a Benjaminite. (The people of Beeroth had been assigned to Benjamin


text:
It so happened that Saul's son, Jonathan, had a son who was maimed in both feet. When he was five years old, the report on Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran, but in her hurry to get away she fell, and the boy was maimed. His name was Mephibosheth.


text:
One day Baanah and Recab, the two sons of Rimmon, headed out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. They arrived at the hottest time of the day, just as he was taking his afternoon nap.


text:
They entered the house on a ruse, pretending official business. The maid guarding the bedroom had fallen asleep, so Recab and Baanah slipped by her


text:
and entered the room where Ish-Bosheth was asleep on his bed. They killed him and then cut off his head, carrying it off as a trophy. They traveled all night long, taking the route through the Arabah Valley.


text:
They presented the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron, telling the king, "Here's the head of Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, your enemy. He was out to kill you, but God has given vengeance to my master, the king—vengeance this very day on Saul and his children!"


text:
David answered the brothers Recab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As surely as God lives—the One who got me out of every trouble I've ever been in


text:
—when the messenger told me, 'Good news! Saul is dead!' supposing I'd be delighted, I arrested him and killed him on the spot in Ziklag. That's what he got for his so-called good news!


text:
And now you show up—evil men who killed an innocent man in cold blood, a man asleep in his own house! Don't think I won't find you guilty of murder and rid the country of you!"


text:
David then issued orders to his soldiers. They killed the two—chopped off their hands and feet, and hung the corpses at the pool in Hebron. But Ish-Bosheth's head they took and buried in Abner's tomb in Hebron.


text:
Before long all the tribes of Israel approached David in Hebron and said, "Look at us—your own flesh and blood!


text:
In time past when Saul was our king, you're the one who really ran the country. Even then God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel and you'll be the prince.' "


text:
All the leaders of Israel met with King David at Hebron, and the king made a treaty with them in the presence of God. And so they anointed David king over Israel.


text:
In Hebron he ruled Judah for seven and a half years. In Jerusalem he ruled all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.


text:
David and his men immediately set out for Jerusalem to take on the Jebusites, who lived in that country. But they said, "You might as well go home! Even the blind and the lame could keep you out. You can't get in here!" They had convinced themselves that David couldn't break through.


text:
But David went right ahead and captured the fortress of Zion, known ever since as the City of David.


text:
That day David said, "To get the best of these Jebusites, one must target the water system, not to mention this so-called lame and blind bunch that David hates." (In fact, he was so sick and tired of it, people coined the expression, "No lame and blind allowed in the palace.")


text:
David made the fortress city his home and named it "City of David." He developed the city from the outside terraces inward.


text:
David proceeded with a longer stride, a larger embrace since the God-of-the-Angel-Armies was with him.


text:
It was at this time that Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, along with timbers of cedar. He also sent carpenters and masons to build a house for David.


text:
David took this as a sign that God had confirmed him as king of Israel, giving his kingship world prominence for the sake of Israel, his people.


text:
David took on more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he left Hebron. And more sons and daughters were born to him.


text:
These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem:<br/>Shammua,<br/>Shobab,<br/>Nathan,<br/>Solomon,


text:
When the Philistines got word that David had been made king over all Israel, they came on the hunt for him. David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.


text:
"Go up," God replied. "Count on me. I'll help you beat them."<br/>David then went straight to Baal Perazim, and smashed them to pieces. Afterwards David said, "God exploded on my enemies like a gush of water." That's why David named the place Baal Perazim (The-Master-Who-Explodes).


text:
Later there was a repeat performance. The Philistines came up again and deployed their troops in the Rephaim Valley.


text:
David again prayed to God.<br/>This time God said, "Don't attack them head-on. Instead, circle around behind them and ambush them from the grove of sacred trees.


text:
When you hear the sound of shuffling in the trees, get ready to move out. It's a signal that God is going ahead of you to smash the Philistine camp."


text:
Together with his soldiers, David headed for Baalah to recover the Chest of God, which was called by the Name God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who was enthroned over the pair of angels on the Chest.


text:
They placed the Chest of God on a brand-new oxcart and removed it from Abinadab's house on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were driving the new cart


text:
David and the whole company of Israel were in the parade, singing at the top of their lungs and playing mandolins, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.


text:
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, so Uzzah reached out and grabbed the Chest of God.


text:
God blazed in anger against Uzzah and struck him hard because he had profaned the Chest. Uzzah died on the spot, right alongside the Chest.


text:
Then David got angry because of God's deadly outburst against Uzzah. That place is still called Perez Uzzah (The-Explosion-Against-Uzzah).


text:
David became fearful of God that day and said, "This Chest is too hot to handle. How can I ever get it back to the City of David?"


text:
He refused to take the Chest of God a step farther. Instead, David removed it off the road and to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


text:
The Chest of God stayed at the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. And God prospered Obed-Edom and his entire household.


text:
It was reported to King David that God had prospered Obed-Edom and his entire household because of the Chest of God. So David thought, "I'll get that blessing for myself," and went and brought up the Chest of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David, celebrating


text:
But as the Chest of God came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, happened to be looking out a window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before God, her heart filled with scorn.


text:
They brought the Chest of God and set it in the middle of the tent pavilion that David had pitched for it. Then and there David worshiped, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings.


text:
When David had completed the sacrifices of burnt and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies


text:
and handed out to each person in the crowd, men and women alike, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then everyone went home.


text:
David returned home to bless his family. Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to greet him: "How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today—exposing himself to the eyes of the servants' maids like some burlesque street dancer!"


text:
David replied to Michal, "In God's presence I'll dance all I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me prince over God's people, over Israel. Oh yes, I'll dance to God's glory


text:
—more recklessly even than this. And as far as I'm concerned... I'll gladly look like a fool... but among these maids you're so worried about, I'll be honored no end."


text:
Then one day King David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look at this: Here I am, comfortable in a luxurious house of cedar, and the Chest of God sits in a plain tent."


text:
"Go and tell my servant David: This is God's word on the matter: You're going to build a 'house' for me to live in?


text:
Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I've moved about with nothing but a tent.


text:
And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'


text:
"So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel.


text:
I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I'm making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth.


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And I'm going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have,


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even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I'm going to give you peace from all your enemies.<br/>"Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house!


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When your life is complete and you're buried with your ancestors, then I'll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I'll firmly establish his rule.


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I'll be a father to him, and he'll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I'll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life.


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But I'll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove.


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Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I'm keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid."


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King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: "Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life?


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But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master God!


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You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are—out of your very heart!—but you've let me in on it.


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"This is what makes you so great, Master God! There is none like you, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears.


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And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique in the earth, whom God set out to redeem for himself (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt?


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You established for yourself a people—your very own Israel!—your people permanently. And you, God, became their God.


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"So now, great God, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it permanently! Do exactly what you've promised!


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Then your reputation will flourish always as people exclaim, 'The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will remain sure and solid in your watchful presence.


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For you, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, told me plainly, 'I will build you a house.' That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.


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"And now, Master God, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me,


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please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master God! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"


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In the days that followed, David struck hard at the Philistines—brought them to their knees and took control of the countryside.


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He also fought and defeated Moab. He chose two-thirds of them randomly and executed them. The other third he spared. So the Moabites fell under David's rule and were forced to bring tribute.


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On his way to restore his sovereignty at the River Euphrates, David next defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob the king of Zobah.


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He captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand infantry. He hamstrung all the chariot horses, but saved back a hundred.


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When the Arameans from Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.


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David set up a puppet government in Aram-Damascus. The Arameans became subjects of David and were forced to bring tribute. God gave victory to David wherever he marched.


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David plundered the gold shields that belonged to the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.


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So he sent his son Joram to King David to greet and congratulate him for fighting and defeating them, for Toi and Hadadezer were old enemies. He brought with him gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.


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—from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and from Amalek, along with the plunder from Hadadezer son of Rehob king of Zobah.


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David built a victory monument on his return from defeating the Arameans.<br/>Abishai son of Zeruiah fought and defeated the Edomites in the Salt Valley. Eighteen thousand of them were killed.


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David set up a puppet government in Edom, and the Edomites became subjects under David.<br/>God gave David victory wherever he marched.


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Thus David ruled over all of Israel. He ruled well—fair and evenhanded in all his duties and relationships.


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One day David asked, "Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If so, I'd like to show him some kindness in honor of Jonathan."


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It happened that a servant from Saul's household named Ziba was there. They called him into David's presence. The king asked him, "Are you Ziba?"<br/>"Yes sir," he replied.


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The king asked, "Is there anyone left from the family of Saul to whom I can show some godly kindness?"<br/>Ziba told the king, "Yes, there is Jonathan's son, lame in both feet."


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King David didn't lose a minute. He sent and got him from the home of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.


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When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan (who was the son of Saul), came before David, he bowed deeply, abasing himself, honoring David.<br/>David spoke his name: "Mephibosheth."<br/>"Yes sir?"


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"Don't be frightened," said David. "I'd like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I'm returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you'll take all your meals at my table."


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Shuffling and stammering, not looking him in the eye, Mephibosheth said, "Who am I that you pay attention to a stray dog like me?"


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David then called in Ziba, Saul's right-hand man, and told him, "Everything that belonged to Saul and his family, I've handed over to your master's grandson.


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You and your sons and your servants will work his land and bring in the produce, provisions for your master's grandson. Mephibosheth himself, your master's grandson, from now on will take all his meals at my table." Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


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"All that my master the king has ordered his servant," answered Ziba, "your servant will surely do."<br/>And Mephibosheth ate at David's table, just like one of the royal family.


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Mephibosheth also had a small son named Mica. All who were part of Ziba's household were now the servants of Mephibosheth.


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Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, taking all his meals at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.


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David said, "I'd like to show some kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash—treat him as well and as kindly as his father treated me." So David sent Hanun condolences regarding his father.<br/>But when David's servants got to the land of the Ammonites,


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the Ammonite leaders warned Hanun, their head delegate, "Do you for a minute suppose that David is honoring your father by sending you comforters? Don't you think it's because he wants to snoop around the city and size it up that David has sent his emissaries to you?"


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So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half their beards, cut off their robes halfway up their buttocks, and sent them packing.


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When all this was reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, for they were seriously humiliated. The king told them, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow out. Only then come back."


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When it dawned on the Ammonites that as far as David was concerned they stunk to high heaven, they hired Aramean soldiers from Beth-Rehob and Zobah—twenty thousand infantry—and a thousand men from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.


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The Ammonites marched out and arranged themselves in battle formation at the city gate. The Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up a position out in the open fields.


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When Joab saw that he had two fronts to fight, before and behind, he took his pick of the best of Israel and deployed them to confront the Arameans.


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The rest of the army he put under the command of Abishai, his brother, and deployed them to confront the Ammonites.


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Then he said, "If the Arameans are too much for me, you help me. And if the Ammonites prove too much for you, I'll come and help you.


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Courage! We'll fight with might and main for our people and for the cities of our God. And God will do whatever he sees needs doing!"


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Then the Ammonites, seeing the Arameans run for dear life, took to their heels from Abishai and went into the city.<br/>So Joab left off fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.


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When the Arameans saw how badly they'd been beaten by Israel, they picked up the pieces and regrouped.


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Hadadezer sent for the Arameans who were across the River. They came to Helam. Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army, led them.


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All this was reported to David.<br/>So David mustered Israel, crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans went into battle formation, ready for David, and the fight was on.


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But the Arameans again scattered before Israel. David killed seven hundred chariot drivers and forty thousand cavalry. And he mortally wounded Shobach, the army commander, who died on the battlefield.


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When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace and became Israel's vassals. The Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites ever again.


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When that time of year came around again, the anniversary of the Ammonite aggression, David dispatched Joab and his fighting men of Israel in full force to destroy the Ammonites for good. They laid siege to Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem.


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One late afternoon, David got up from taking his nap and was strolling on the roof of the palace. From his vantage point on the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was stunningly beautiful.


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David sent to ask about her, and was told, "Isn't this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite?"


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David sent his agents to get her. After she arrived, he went to bed with her. (This occurred during the time of "purification" following her period.) Then she returned home.


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When he arrived, David asked him for news from the front—how things were going with Joab and the troops and with the fighting.


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Then he said to Uriah, "Go home. Have a refreshing bath and a good night's rest."<br/>After Uriah left the palace, an informant of the king was sent after him.


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But Uriah didn't go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance, along with the king's servants.


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David was told that Uriah had not gone home. He asked Uriah, "Didn't you just come off a hard trip? So why didn't you go home?"


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Uriah replied to David, "The Chest is out there with the fighting men of Israel and Judah—in tents. My master Joab and his servants are roughing it out in the fields. So, how can I go home and eat and drink and enjoy my wife? On your life, I'll not do it!"


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"All right," said David, "have it your way. Stay for the day and I'll send you back tomorrow." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem the rest of the day.<br/>The next day


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David invited him to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. But in the evening Uriah again went out and slept with his master's servants. He didn't go home.


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In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front lines where the fighting is the fiercest. Then pull back and leave him exposed so that he's sure to be killed."


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So Joab, holding the city under siege, put Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce enemy fighters.


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When the city's defenders came out to fight Joab, some of David's soldiers were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.


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He said, "The enemy was too much for us. They advanced on us in the open field, and we pushed them back to the city gate.


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But then arrows came hot and heavy on us from the city wall, and eighteen of the king's soldiers died."


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When the messenger completed his report of the battle, David got angry at Joab. He vented it on the messenger: "Why did you get so close to the city? Didn't you know you'd be attacked from the wall? Didn't you remember how Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth got killed? Wasn't it a woman who dropped a millstone on him from the wall and crushed him at Thebez? Why did you go close to the wall!"<br/>"By the way," said Joab's messenger, "your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead."<br/>Then David told the messenger, "Oh. I see. Tell Joab, 'Don't trouble yourself over this. War kills—sometimes one, sometimes another—you never know who's next. Redouble your assault on the city and destroy it.' Encourage Joab."


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When the time of mourning was over, David sent someone to bring her to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son.<br/>ut God was not at all pleased with what David had done,


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and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, "There were two men in the same city—one rich, the other poor.


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The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him.


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"One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest."


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David exploded in anger. "As surely as God lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this ought to be lynched!


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"You're the man!" said Nathan. "And here's what God, the God of Israel, has to say to you: I made you king over Israel. I freed you from the fist of Saul.


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I gave you your master's daughter and other wives to have and to hold. I gave you both Israel and Judah. And if that hadn't been enough, I'd have gladly thrown in much more.


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So why have you treated the word of God with brazen contempt, doing this great evil? You murdered Uriah the Hittite, then took his wife as your wife. Worse, you killed him with an Ammonite sword!


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And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite's wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family.


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This is God speaking, remember! I'll make trouble for you out of your own family. I'll take your wives from right out in front of you. I'll give them to some neighbor, and he'll go to bed with them openly.


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Then David confessed to Nathan, "I've sinned against God."<br/>Nathan pronounced, "Yes, but that's not the last word. God forgives your sin. You won't die for it.


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After Nathan went home, God afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he came down sick.


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David prayed desperately to God for the little boy. He fasted, wouldn't go out, and slept on the floor.


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The elders in his family came in and tried to get him off the floor, but he wouldn't budge. Nor could they get him to eat anything.


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On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him. They said, "What do we do now? While the child was living he wouldn't listen to a word we said. Now, with the child dead, if we speak to him there's no telling what he'll do."


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David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died.<br/>He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?"<br/>"Yes," they answered. "He's dead."


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David got up from the floor, washed his face and combed his hair, put on a fresh change of clothes, then went into the sanctuary and worshiped. Then he came home and asked for something to eat. They set it before him and he ate.


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His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."


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"While the child was alive," he said, "I fasted and wept, thinking God might have mercy on me and the child would live.


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But now that he's dead, why fast? Can I bring him back now? I can go to him, but he can't come to me."


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David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. God had a special love for him


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He sent messengers to David saying, "I'm fighting at Rabbah, and I've just captured the city's water supply.


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Hurry and get the rest of the troops together and set up camp here at the city and complete the capture yourself. Otherwise, I'll capture it and get all the credit instead of you."


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He took the crown from their king's head—very heavy with gold, and with a precious stone in it. It ended up on David's head. And they plundered the city, carrying off a great quantity of loot.


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David emptied the city of its people and put them to slave labor using saws, picks, and axes, and making bricks. He did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and the whole army returned to Jerusalem.


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Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David's son, was in love with her.


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Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her.


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Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise.


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He said to Amnon, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what's eating at you."<br/>"In a word, Tamar," said Amnon. "My brother Absalom's sister. I'm in love with her."


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"Here's what you do," said Jonadab. "Go to bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, 'Have my sister Tamar come and prepare some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.' "


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So Amnon took to his bed and acted sick. When the king came to visit, Amnon said, "Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Tamar come and make some nourishing dumplings here where I can watch her and be fed by her."


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David sent word to Tamar who was home at the time: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him."


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So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. She took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed.


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But when she took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn't eat.<br/>Amnon said, "Clear everyone out of the house," and they all cleared out.


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Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy." She took the nourishing dumplings she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.


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"No, brother!" she said, "Don't hurt me! This kind of thing isn't done in Israel! Don't do this terrible thing!


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Where could I ever show my face? And you—you'll be out on the street in disgrace. Oh, please! Speak to the king—he'll let you marry me."


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No sooner had Amnon raped her than he hated her—an immense hatred. The hatred that he felt for her was greater than the love he'd had for her. "Get up," he said, "and get out!"


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"Oh no, brother," she said. "Please! This is an even worse evil than what you just did to me!"<br/>But he wouldn't listen to her.


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He called for his valet. "Get rid of this woman. Get her out of my sight! And lock the door after her."


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The valet threw her out and locked the door behind her.<br/>She was wearing a long-sleeved gown. (That's how virgin princesses used to dress from early adolescence on.)


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Tamar poured ashes on her head, then she ripped the long-sleeved gown, held her head in her hands, and walked away, sobbing as she went.


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Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has your brother Amnon had his way with you? Now, my dear sister, let's keep it quiet—a family matter. He is, after all, your brother. Don't take this so hard." Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's home, bitter and desolate.


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but he didn't discipline Amnon. David doted on him because he was his firstborn. Absalom quit speaking to Amnon—not a word, whether good or bad—because he hated him for violating his sister Tamar.


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Two years went by. One day Absalom threw a sheep-shearing party in Baal Hazor in the vicinity of Ephraim and invited all the king's sons.


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He also went to the king and invited him. "Look, I'm throwing a sheep-shearing party. Come, and bring your servants."


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But the king said, "No, son—not this time, and not the whole household. We'd just be a burden to you." Absalom pushed, but David wouldn't budge. But he did give him his blessing.


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Then Absalom said, "Well, if you won't come, at least let my brother Amnon come."<br/>"And why," said the king, "should he go with you?"


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Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. Then he instructed his servants, "Look sharp, now. When Amnon is well into the sauce and feeling no pain, and I give the order 'Strike Amnon,' kill him. And don't be afraid—I'm the one giving the command. Courage! You can do it!"


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Absalom's servants did to Amnon exactly what their master ordered. All the king's sons got out as fast as they could, jumped on their mules, and rode off.


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While they were still on the road, a rumor came to the king: "Absalom just killed all the king's sons—not one is left!"


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The king stood up, ripped his clothes to shreds, and threw himself on the floor. All his servants who were standing around at the time did the same.


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Just then, Jonadab, his brother Shimeah's son, stepped up. "My master must not think that all the young men, the king's sons, are dead. Only Amnon is dead. This happened because of Absalom's outrage since the day that Amnon violated his sister Tamar.


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So my master, the king, mustn't make things worse than they are, thinking that all your sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."


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Absalom fled.<br/>Just then the sentry on duty looked up and saw a cloud of dust on the road from Horonaim alongside the mountain. He came and told the king, "I've just seen a bunch of men on the Horonaim road, coming around the mountain."


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He had no sooner said the words than the king's sons burst in—loud laments and weeping! The king joined in, along with all the servants—loud weeping, many tears.


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David mourned the death of his son a long time.<br/>When Absalom fled, he went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur.


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So he sent to Tekoa for a wise woman who lived there and instructed her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in black and don't comb your hair, so you'll look like you've been grieving over a dead loved one for a long time.


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I had two sons. The two of them got into a fight out in the field and there was no one around to step between them. The one struck the other and killed him.


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Then the whole family ganged up against me and demanded, 'Hand over this murderer so we can kill him for the life of the brother he murdered!' They want to wipe out the heir and snuff out the one spark of life left to me. And then there would be nothing left of my husband—not so much as a name—on the face of the earth.<br/>"So now I've dared come to the king, my master, about all this. They're making my life miserable, and I'm afraid. I said to myself, 'I'll go to the king. Maybe he'll do something! When the king hears what's going on, he'll step in and rescue me from the abuse of the man who would get rid of me and my son and God's inheritance—the works!' As your handmaid, I decided ahead of time, 'The word of my master, the king, will be the last word in this, for my master is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil.' God be with you!"


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"I'll take all responsibility for what happens," the woman of Tekoa said. "I don't want to compromise the king and his reputation."


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"Bring the man who has been harassing you," the king continued. "I'll see to it that he doesn't bother you anymore."


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"Let the king invoke the name of God," said the woman, "so this self-styled vigilante won't ruin everything, to say nothing of killing my son."<br/>"As surely as God lives," he said, "not so much as a hair of your son's head will be lost."


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"Why, then," the woman said, "have you done this very thing against God's people? In his verdict, the king convicts himself by not bringing home his exiled son.


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We all die sometime. Water spilled on the ground can't be gathered up again. But God does not take away life. He works out ways to get the exile back."


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The king then said, "I'm going to ask you something. Answer me truthfully."<br/>"Certainly," she said. "Let my master, the king, speak."


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The king said, "Is the hand of Joab mixed up in this?"<br/>"On your life, my master king, a body can't veer an inch right or left and get by with it in the royal presence! Yes, it was your servant Joab who put me up to this, and put these very words in my mouth.


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It was because he wanted to turn things around that your servant Joab did this. But my master is as wise as God's angels in knowing how to handle things on this earth."


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Joab bowed deeply in reverence and blessed the king. "I'm reassured to know that I'm still in your good graces and have your confidence, since the king is taking the counsel of his servant."


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The king said, "He may return to his house, but he is not to see me face to face." So Absalom returned home, but was not permitted to see the king.


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This Absalom! There wasn't a man in all Israel talked about so much for his handsome good looks—and not a blemish on him from head to toe!


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When he cut his hair—he always cut it short in the spring because it had grown so heavy—the weight of the hair from his head was over two pounds!


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He sent for Joab to get him in to see the king, but Joab still wouldn't budge. He tried a second time and Joab still wouldn't.


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So he told his servants, "Listen. Joab's field adjoins mine, and he has a crop of barley in it. Go set fire to it." So Absalom's servants set fire to the field.


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That got him moving—Joab came to Absalom at home and said, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"


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Absalom answered him, "Listen, I sent for you saying, 'Come, and soon. I want to send you to the king to ask, "What's the point of my coming back from Geshur? I'd be better off still there!" Let me see the king face to face. If he finds me guilty, then he can put me to death.' "


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Joab went to the king and told him what was going on. Absalom was then summoned—he came and bowed deeply in reverence before him. And the king kissed Absalom.


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As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him.


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Early each morning he would take up his post beside the road at the city gate. When anyone showed up with a case to bring to the king for a decision, Absalom would call him over and say, "Where do you hail from?"<br/>And the answer would come, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."


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Then Absalom would say, "Look, you've got a strong case; but the king isn't going to listen to you."


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Then he'd say, "Why doesn't someone make me a judge for this country? Anybody with a case could bring it to me and I'd settle things fair and square."


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Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he'd shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important.


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Absalom did this to everyone who came to do business with the king and stole the hearts of everyone in Israel.


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After four years of this, Absalom spoke to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to pay a vow that I made to God.


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Your servant made a vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram saying, 'If God will bring me back to Jerusalem, I'll serve him with my life.' "


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Then Absalom sent undercover agents to all the tribes of Israel with the message, "When you hear the blast of the ram's horn trumpet, that's your signal: Shout, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!' "


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Two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem. But they had been called together knowing nothing of the plot and made the trip innocently.


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While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he managed also to involve Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, calling him away from his hometown of Giloh. The conspiracy grew powerful and Absalom's supporters multiplied.


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"Up and out of here!" called David to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem. "We've got to run for our lives or none of us will escape Absalom! Hurry, he's about to pull the city down around our ears and slaughter us all!"


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The king's servants said, "Whatever our master, the king, says, we'll do; we're with you all the way!"


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So the king and his entire household escaped on foot. The king left ten concubines behind to tend to the palace.


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as the whole army passed by him—all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had marched with him from Gath, went past.


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The king called out to Ittai the Gittite, "What are you doing here? Go back with King Absalom. You're a stranger here and freshly uprooted from your own country.


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You arrived only yesterday, and am I going to let you take your chances with us as I live on the road like a gypsy? Go back, and take your family with you. And God's grace and truth go with you!"


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But Ittai answered, "As God lives and my master the king lives, where my master is, that's where I'll be—whether it means life or death."


text:
"All right," said David, "go ahead." And they went on, Ittai the Gittite with all his men and all the children he had with him.


text:
The whole country was weeping in loud lament as all the people passed by. As the king crossed the Brook Kidron, the army headed for the road to the wilderness.


text:
Zadok was also there, the Levites with him, carrying God's Chest of the Covenant. They set the Chest of God down, Abiathar standing by, until all the people had evacuated the city.


text:
Then the king ordered Zadok, "Take the Chest back to the city. If I get back in God's good graces, he'll bring me back and show me where the Chest has been set down.


text:
The king directed Zadok the priest, "Here's the plan: Return to the city peacefully, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan, Abiathar's son, with you.


text:
I'll wait at a spot in the wilderness across the river, until I get word from you telling us what's up."


text:
while David went up the Mount of Olives weeping, head covered but barefooted, and the whole army was with him, heads covered and weeping as they ascended.


text:
David was told, "Ahithophel has joined the conspirators with Absalom." He prayed, "Oh, God—turn Ahithophel's counsel to foolishness."


text:
As David approached the top of the hill where God was worshiped, Hushai the Arkite, clothes ripped to shreds and dirt on his head, was there waiting for him.


text:
Go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'I'm ready to be your servant, O King; I used to be your father's servant, now I'm your servant.' Do that and you'll be able to confuse Ahithophel's counsel for me.


text:
The priests Zadok and Abiathar are already there; whatever information you pick up in the palace, tell them.


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Their two sons—Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan—are there with them—anything you pick up can be sent to me by them."


text:
Shortly after David passed the crest of the hill, Mephibosheth's steward Ziba met him with a string of pack animals, saddled and loaded with a hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of fresh fruit, and a skin of wine.


text:
The king said to Ziba, "What's all this?"<br/>"The donkeys," said Ziba, "are for the king's household to ride, the bread and fruit are for the servants to eat, and the wine is for drinking, especially for those overcome by fatigue in the wilderness."


text:
The king said, "And where is your master's grandson?"<br/>"He stayed in Jerusalem," said Ziba. "He said, 'This is the day Israel is going to restore my grandfather's kingdom to me.' "


text:
"Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth," said the king, "is now yours."<br/>Ziba said, "How can I ever thank you? I'll be forever in your debt, my master and king; may you always look on me with such kindness!"


text:
When the king got to Bahurim, a man appeared who had connections with Saul's family. His name was Shimei son of Gera. As he followed along he shouted insults


text:
God has paid you back for all your dirty work in the family of Saul and for stealing his kingdom. God has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look at you now—ruined! And good riddance, you pathetic old man!"


text:
Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "This mangy dog can't insult my master the king this way—let me go over and cut off his head!"


text:
But the king said, "Why are you sons of Zeruiah always interfering and getting in the way? If he's cursing, it's because God told him, 'Curse David.' So who dares raise questions?"


text:
"Besides," continued David to Abishai and the rest of his servants, "my own son, my flesh and bone, is right now trying to kill me; compared to that this Benjaminite is small potatoes. Don't bother with him; let him curse; he's preaching God's word to me.


text:
And who knows, maybe God will see the trouble I'm in today and exchange the curses for something good."


text:
David and his men went on down the road, while Shimei followed along on the ridge of the hill alongside, cursing, throwing stones down on them, and kicking up dirt.


text:
By the time they reached the Jordan River, David and all the men of the company were exhausted. There they rested and were revived.


text:
Soon after, Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, came and greeted Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"


text:
Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this the way you show devotion to your good friend? Why didn't you go with your friend David?"


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"Because," said Hushai, "I want to be with the person that God and this people and all Israel have chosen. And I want to stay with him.


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Besides, who is there to serve other than the son? Just as I served your father, I'm now ready to serve you."


text:
Ahithophel told Absalom, "Go and sleep with your father's concubines, the ones he left to tend to the palace. Everyone will hear that you have openly disgraced your father, and the morale of everyone on your side will be strengthened."


text:
So Absalom pitched a tent up on the roof in public view, and went in and slept with his father's concubines.


text:
The counsel that Ahithophel gave in those days was treated as if God himself had spoken. That was the reputation of Ahithophel's counsel to David; it was the same with Absalom.


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I'll come on him when he's bone tired and take him by complete surprise. The whole army will run off and I'll kill only David.


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Then I'll bring the army back to you—a bride brought back to her husband! You're only after one man, after all. Then everyone will be together in peace!"


text:
So Hushai came and Absalom put it to him, "This is what Ahithophel advised. Should we do it? What do you say?"


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You know your father and his men, brave and bitterly angry—like a bear robbed of her cubs. And your father is an experienced fighter; you can be sure he won't be caught napping at a time like this.


text:
Even while we're talking, he's probably holed up in some cave or other. If he jumps your men from ambush, word will soon get back, 'A slaughter of Absalom's army!'


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Even if your men are valiant with hearts of lions, they'll fall apart at such news, for everyone in Israel knows the kind of fighting stuff your father's made of, and also the men with him.


text:
"Here's what I'd advise: Muster the whole country, from Dan to Beersheba, an army like the sand of the sea, and you personally lead them.


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We'll smoke him out wherever he is, fall on him like dew falls on the earth, and, believe me, there won't be a single survivor.


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If he hides out in a city, then the whole army will bring ropes to that city and pull it down and into a gully—not so much as a pebble left of it!"


text:
Absalom and all his company agreed that the counsel of Hushai the Arkite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel. (God had determined to discredit the counsel of Ahithophel so as to bring ruin on Absalom.)


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Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel thus and thus, and I advised them thus and thus.


text:
Now send this message as quickly as possible to David: 'Don't spend the night on this side of the river; cross immediately or the king and everyone with him will be swallowed up alive.' "


text:
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting around at En Rogel. A servant girl would come and give them messages and then they would go and tell King David, for it wasn't safe to be seen coming into the city.


text:
But a soldier spotted them and told Absalom, so the two of them got out of there fast and went to a man's house in Bahurim. He had a well in his yard and they climbed into it.


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The wife took a rug and covered the well, then spread grain on it so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary.


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Shortly, Absalom's servants came to the woman's house and asked her, "Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?"<br/>The woman said, "They were headed toward the river."<br/>They looked but didn't find them, and then went back to Jerusalem.


text:
When the coast was clear, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went on to make their report to King David, "Get up and cross the river quickly; Ahithophel has given counsel against you!"


text:
David and his whole army were soon up and moving and crossed the Jordan. As morning broke there was not a single person who had not made it across the Jordan.


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When Ahithophel realized that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and left for his hometown. After making out his will and putting his house in order, he hanged himself and died. He was buried in the family tomb.


text:
About the time David arrived at Mahanaim, Absalom crossed the Jordan, and the whole army of Israel with him.


text:
Absalom had made Amasa head of the army, replacing Joab. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.)


text:
When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Ammonite Rabbah, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim


text:
brought beds and blankets, bowls and jugs filled with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans and lentils,


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honey, and curds and cheese from the flocks and herds. They presented all this to David and his army to eat, "because," they said, "the army must be starved and exhausted and thirsty out in this wilderness."


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Then David deployed his troops, a third under Joab, a third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite.<br/>The king then announced, "I'm marching with you."


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They said, "No, you mustn't march with us. If we're forced to retreat, the enemy won't give it a second thought. And if half of us die, they won't do so either. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better for us if you stay in the city and help from there."


text:
"If you say so," said the king. "I'll do what you think is best." And so he stood beside the city gate as the whole army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.


text:
Then the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." The whole army heard what the king commanded the three captains regarding Absalom.


text:
The army took the field to meet Israel. It turned out that the battle was joined in the Forest of Ephraim.


text:
The army of Israel was beaten badly there that day by David's men, a terrific slaughter—twenty thousand men!


text:
There was fighting helter-skelter all over the place—the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword!


text:
Absalom ran into David's men, but was out in front of them riding his mule, when the mule ran under the branches of a huge oak tree. Absalom's head was caught in the oak and he was left dangling between heaven and earth, the mule running right out from under him.


text:
Joab said to the man who told him, "If you saw him, why didn't you kill him then and there? I'd have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a fancy belt."


text:
The man told Joab, "Even if I'd had a chance at a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn't have laid a hand on the king's son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, 'For my sake, protect the young man Absalom.'


text:
Why, I'd be risking my life, for nothing is hidden from the king. And you would have just stood there!"


text:
Joab said, "I can't waste my time with you." He then grabbed three knives and stabbed Absalom in the heart while he was still alive in the tree;


text:
by then Absalom was surrounded by ten of Joab's armor bearers; they hacked away at him and killed him.


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They took Absalom, dumped him into a huge pit in the forest, and piled an immense mound of rocks over him.<br/>Meanwhile the whole army of Israel was in flight, each man making his own way home.


text:
While alive, Absalom had erected for himself a pillar in the Valley of the King, "because," he said, "I have no son to carry on my name." He inscribed the pillar with his own name. To this day it is called "The Absalom Memorial."


text:
Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, said, "Let me run to the king and bring him the good news that God has delivered him from his enemies."


text:
But Joab said, "You're not the one to deliver the good news today; some other day, maybe, but it's not 'good news' today." (This was because the king's son was dead.)


text:
Then Joab ordered a Cushite, "You go. Tell the king what you've seen."<br/>"Yes sir," said the Cushite, and ran off.


text:
Ahimaaz son of Zadok kept at it, begging Joab, "What does it matter? Let me run too, following the Cushite."<br/>Joab said, "Why all this 'Run, run'? You'll get no thanks for it, I can tell you."


text:
"I don't care; let me run."<br/>"Okay," said Joab, "run." So Ahimaaz ran, taking the lower valley road, and passed the Cushite.


text:
David was sitting between the two gates. The sentry had gone up to the top of the gate on the wall and looked around. He saw a solitary runner.


text:
The sentry called down and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, it must be good news!"<br/>As the runner came closer,


text:
the sentry saw another runner and called down to the gate, "Another runner all by himself."<br/>And the king said, "This also must be good news."


text:
Then the sentry said, "I can see the first man now; he runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok."<br/>"He's a good man," said the king. "He's bringing good news for sure."


text:
Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "Peace!" Then he bowed deeply before the king, his face to the ground. "Blessed be your God; he has handed over the men who rebelled against my master the king."


text:
The king asked, "But is the young man Absalom all right?"<br/>Ahimaaz said, "I saw a huge ruckus just as Joab was sending me off, but I don't know what it was about."


text:
Then the Cushite arrived and said, "Good news, my master and king! God has given victory today over all those who rebelled against you!"


text:
"But," said the king, "is the young man Absalom all right?"<br/>And the Cushite replied, "Would that all of the enemies of my master the king and all who maliciously rose against you end up like that young man."


text:
The king was stunned. Heartbroken, he went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he wept he cried out,<br/>O my son Absalom, my dear, dear son Absalom!<br/>Why not me rather than you, my death and not yours,<br/>O Absalom, my dear, dear son!


text:
The day's victory turned into a day of mourning as word passed through the army, "David is grieving over his son."


text:
And the king held his face in his hands and lamented loudly,<br/>O my son Absalom,<br/>Absalom my dear, dear son!


text:
But in private Joab rebuked the king: "Now you've done it—knocked the wind out of your loyal servants who have just saved your life, to say nothing of the lives of your sons and daughters, wives and concubines.


text:
What is this—loving those who hate you and hating those who love you? Your actions give a clear message: officers and soldiers mean nothing to you. You know that if Absalom were alive right now, we'd all be dead—would that make you happy?


text:
Get hold of yourself; get out there and put some heart into your servants! I swear to God that if you don't go to them they'll desert; not a soldier will be left here by nightfall. And that will be the worst thing that has happened yet."


text:
So the king came out and took his place at the city gate. Soon everyone knew: "Oh, look! The king has come out to receive us." And his whole army came and presented itself to the king. But the Israelites had fled the field of battle and gone home.


text:
Meanwhile, the whole populace was now complaining to its leaders, "Wasn't it the king who saved us time and again from our enemies, and rescued us from the Philistines? And now he has had to flee the country on account of Absalom.


text:
And now this Absalom whom we made king is dead in battle. So what are you waiting for? Why don't you bring the king back?"


text:
When David heard what was being said, he sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why are you so laggard in bringing the king back home?


text:
You're my brothers! You're my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to bring the king back home?'


text:
And tell Amasa, 'You, too, are my flesh and blood. As God is my witness, I'm making you the permanent commander of the army in place of Joab.' "


text:
He captured the hearts of everyone in Judah. They were unanimous in sending for the king: "Come back, you and all your servants."


text:
So the king returned. He arrived at the Jordan just as Judah reached Gilgal on their way to welcome the king and escort him across the Jordan.


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Even Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down to join the men of Judah so he could welcome the king,


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a thousand Benjaminites with him. And Ziba, Saul's steward, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, waded across the Jordan to meet the king


text:
and brought his entourage across, doing whatever they could to make the king comfortable.<br/>Shimei son of Gera bowed deeply in homage to the king as soon as he was across the Jordan


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and said, "Don't think badly of me, my master! Overlook my irresponsible outburst on the day my master the king left Jerusalem—don't hold it against me!


text:
I know I sinned, but look at me now—the first of all the tribe of Joseph to come down and welcome back my master the king!"


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Abishai son of Zeruiah interrupted, "Enough of this! Shouldn't we kill him outright? Why, he cursed God's anointed!"


text:
But David said, "What is it with you sons of Zeruiah? Why do you insist on being so contentious? Nobody is going to be killed today. I am again king over Israel!"


text:
Next Mephibosheth grandson of Saul arrived from Jerusalem to welcome the king. He hadn't combed his hair or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safe and sound.


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"My master the king," he said, "my servant betrayed me. I told him to saddle my donkey so I could ride it and go with the king, for, as you know, I am lame.


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And then he lied to you about me. But my master the king has been like one of God's angels: he knew what was right and did it.


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Wasn't everyone in my father's house doomed? But you took me in and gave me a place at your table. What more could I ever expect or ask?"


text:
"That's enough," said the king. "Say no more. Here's my decision: You and Ziba divide the property between you."


text:
Mephibosheth said, "Oh, let him have it all! All I care about is that my master the king is home safe and sound!"


text:
Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim. He crossed the Jordan with the king to give him a good send-off.


text:
Barzillai was a very old man—eighty years old! He had supplied the king's needs all the while he was in Mahanaim since he was very wealthy.


text:
But Barzillai declined the offer, "How long do you think I'd live if I went with the king to Jerusalem?


text:
I'm eighty years old and not much good anymore to anyone. Can't taste food; can't hear music. So why add to the burdens of my master the king?


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I'll just go a little way across the Jordan with the king. But why would the king need to make a great thing of that?


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Let me go back and die in my hometown and be buried with my father and mother. But my servant Kimham here; let him go with you in my place. But treat him well!"


text:
The king said, "That's settled; Kimham goes with me. And I will treat him well! If you think of anything else, I'll do that for you, too."


text:
The army crossed the Jordan but the king stayed. The king kissed and blessed Barzillai, who then returned home.


text:
Then the king, Kimham with him, crossed over at Gilgal.<br/>The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel processed with the king.


text:
The men of Israel came to the king and said, "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, taken over as if they owned the king, escorting the king and his family and close associates across the Jordan?"


text:
The men of Judah retorted, "Because the king is related to us, that's why! But why make a scene? You don't see us getting treated special because of it, do you?"


text:
The men of Israel shot back, "We have ten shares in the king to your one. Besides we're the firstborn—so why are we having to play second fiddle? It was our idea to bring him back."<br/>But the men of Judah took a harder line than the men of Israel.


text:
Just then a good-for-nothing named Sheba son of Bicri the Benjaminite blew a blast on the ram's horn trumpet, calling out,<br/>We've got nothing to do with David,<br/>there's no future for us with the son of Jesse!<br/>Let's get out of here, Israel—head for your tents!


text:
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed committed, sticking with their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.


text:
When David arrived home in Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to watch the palace and placed them in seclusion, under guard. He provided for their needs but didn't visit them. They were virtual prisoners until they died, widows as long as they lived.


text:
So David told Abishai, "Sheba son of Bicri is going to hurt us even worse than Absalom did. Take your master's servants and hunt him down before he gets holed up in some fortress city where we can't get to him."


text:
So under Abishai's command, all the best men—Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites—left Jerusalem to hunt down Sheba son of Bicri.


text:
They were near the boulder at Gibeon when Amasa came their way. Joab was wearing a tunic with a sheathed sword strapped on his waist, but the sword slipped out and fell to the ground.


text:
Joab greeted Amasa, "How are you, brother?" and took Amasa's beard in his right hand as if to kiss him.


text:
Amasa didn't notice the sword in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck him in the belly and his guts spilled to the ground. A second blow wasn't needed; he was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to chase Sheba son of Bicri.


text:
One of Joab's soldiers took up his post over the body and called out, "Everyone who sides with Joab and supports David, follow Joab!"


text:
Amasa was lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the road; the man realized that the whole army was going to stop and take a look, so he pulled Amasa's corpse off the road into the field and threw a blanket over him so it wouldn't collect spectators.


text:
As soon as he'd gotten him off the road, the traffic flowed normally, following Joab in the chase after Sheba son of Bicri.


text:
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel as far as Abel Beth Maacah; all the Bicrites clustered and followed him into the city.


text:
Joab's army arrived and laid siege to Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege-ramp up against the city's fortification. The plan was to knock down the wall.


text:
But a shrewd woman called out from the city, "Listen, everybody! Please tell Joab to come close so I can talk to him."


text:
When he had come, the woman said, "Are you Joab?"<br/>He said, "I am."<br/>"Then," she said, "listen to what I have to say."<br/>He said, "I'm listening."


text:
"There's an old saying in these parts: 'If it's answers you want, come to Abel and get it straight.'


text:
We're a peaceful people here, and reliable. And here you are, trying to tear down one of Israel's mother cities. Why would you want to mess with God's legacy like that?"


text:
Joab protested, "Believe me, you've got me all wrong. I'm not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life!


text:
But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we'll get out of here."<br/>The woman told Joab, "Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall."


text:
The woman presented her strategy to the whole city and they did it: They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and tossed it down to Joab. He then blew a blast on the ram's horn trumpet and the soldiers all went home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.


text:
Joab was again commander of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites;


text:
There was a famine in David's time. It went on year after year after year—three years. David went to God seeking the reason.<br/>God said, "This is because there is blood on Saul and his house, from the time he massacred the Gibeonites."


text:
So the king called the Gibeonites together for consultation. (The Gibeonites were not part of Israel; they were what was left of the Amorites, and protected by a treaty with Israel. But Saul, a fanatic for the honor of Israel and Judah, tried to kill them off.)


text:
David addressed the Gibeonites: "What can I do for you? How can I compensate you so that you will bless God's legacy of land and people?"


text:
The Gibeonites replied, "We don't want any money from Saul and his family. And it's not up to us to put anyone in Israel to death."<br/>But David persisted: "What are you saying I should do for you?"


text:
Then they told the king, "The man who tried to get rid of us, who schemed to wipe us off the map of Israel


text:
—well, let seven of his sons be handed over to us to be executed—hanged before God at Gibeah of Saul, the holy mountain."<br/>And David agreed, "I'll hand them over to you."


text:
The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the promise David and Jonathan had spoken before God.


text:
But the king selected Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons that Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, plus the five sons that Saul's daughter Merab had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


text:
He turned them over to the Gibeonites who hanged them on the mountain before God—all seven died together. Harvest was just getting underway, the beginning of the barley harvest, when they were executed.


text:
Rizpah daughter of Aiah took rough burlap and spread it out for herself on a rock from the beginning of the harvest until the heavy rains started. She kept the birds away from the bodies by day and the wild animals by night.


text:
He then went and got the remains of Saul and Jonathan his son from the leaders at Jabesh Gilead (who had rescued them from the town square at Beth Shan where the Philistines had hung them after striking them down at Gilboa).


text:
He gathered up their remains and brought them together with the dead bodies of the seven who had just been hanged.


text:
The bodies were taken back to the land of Benjamin and given a decent burial in the tomb of Kish, Saul's father.<br/>They did everything the king ordered to be done. That cleared things up: from then on God responded to Israel's prayers for the land.


text:
War broke out again between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went down to fight. David became exhausted.


text:
Ishbi-Benob, a warrior descended from Rapha, with a spear weighing nearly eight pounds and outfitted in brand-new armor, announced that he'd kill David.


text:
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to the rescue, struck the Philistine, and killed him.<br/>Then David's men swore to him, "No more fighting on the front-lines for you! Don't snuff out the lamp of Israel!"


text:
Later there was another skirmish with the Philistines at Gob. That time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, another of the warriors descended from Rapha.


text:
At yet another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaar, the weaver of Bethlehem, killed Goliath the Gittite whose spear was as big as a flagpole.


text:
Still another fight broke out in Gath. There was a giant there with six fingers on his hands and six toes on his feet—twenty-four fingers and toes! He was another of those descended from Rapha.


text:
My God—the high crag<br/>where I run for dear life,<br/>hiding behind the boulders,<br/>safe in the granite hideout;<br/>My mountaintop refuge,<br/>he saves me from ruthless men.


text:
A hostile world! I called to God,<br/>to my God I cried out.<br/>From his palace he heard me call;<br/>my cry brought me right into his presence—<br/>a private audience!


text:
Earth wobbled and lurched;<br/>the very heavens shook like leaves,<br/>Quaked like aspen leaves<br/>because of his rage.


text:
His nostrils flared, billowing smoke;<br/>his mouth spit fire.<br/>Tongues of fire darted in and out;


text:
The secret sources of ocean were exposed,<br/>the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered<br/>The moment God roared in protest,<br/>let loose his hurricane anger.


text:
God made my life complete<br/>when I placed all the pieces before him.<br/>When I cleaned up my act,<br/>he gave me a fresh start.


text:
What a God! His road<br/>stretches straight and smooth.<br/>Every God-direction is road-tested.<br/>Everyone who runs toward him<br/>Makes it.


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You rescued me from a squabbling people;<br/>you made me a leader of nations.<br/>People I'd never heard of served me;


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He rescued me from enemy anger.<br/>You pulled me from the grip of upstarts,<br/>You saved me from the bullies.


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That's why I'm thanking you, God,<br/>all over the world.<br/>That's why I'm singing songs<br/>that rhyme your name.


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God's king takes the trophy;<br/>God's chosen is beloved.<br/>I mean David and all his children—<br/>always.


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These are David's last words:<br/>The voice of the son of Jesse,<br/>the voice of the man God took to the top,<br/>Whom the God of Jacob made king,<br/>and Israel's most popular singer!


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The God of Israel spoke to me,<br/>Israel's Rock-Mountain said,<br/>"Whoever governs fairly and well,<br/>who rules in the Fear-of-God,


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Is like first light at daybreak<br/>without a cloud in the sky,<br/>Like green grass carpeting earth,<br/>glistening under fresh rain."


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And this is just how my regime has been,<br/>for God guaranteed his covenant with me,<br/>Spelled it out plainly<br/>and kept every promised word—<br/>My entire salvation,<br/>my every desire.


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Better not try to touch them;<br/>keep your distance with a rake or hoe.<br/>They'll make a glorious bonfire!


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This is the listing of David's top men.<br/>Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite. He was chief of the Three. He once put his spear to work against eight hundred—killed them all in a day.


text:
Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite was the next of the elite Three. He was with David when the Philistines poked fun at them at Pas Dammim. When the Philistines drew up for battle, Israel retreated.


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But Eleazar stood his ground and killed Philistines right and left until he was exhausted—but he never let go of his sword! A big win for God that day. The army then rejoined Eleazar, but all there was left to do was the clean-up.


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Shammah son of Agee the Hararite was the third of the Three. The Philistines had mustered for battle at Lehi, where there was a field full of lentils. Israel fled before the Philistines


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, but Shammah took his stand at the center of the field, successfully defended it, and routed the Philistines. Another great victory for God!


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One day during harvest, the Three parted from the Thirty and joined David at the Cave of Adullam. A squad of Philistines had set up camp in the Valley of Rephaim.


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David had a sudden craving and said, "Would I ever like a drink of water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem!"


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So the Three penetrated the Philistine lines, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David wouldn't drink it; he poured it out as an offering to God,


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saying, "There is no way, God, that I'll drink this! This isn't mere water, it's their life-blood—they risked their very lives to bring it!" So David refused to drink it.<br/>This is the sort of thing that the Three did.


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Abishai brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah was the head of the Thirty. He once got credit for killing three hundred with his spear, but he was never named in the same breath as the Three.


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He was the most respected of the Thirty and was their captain, but never got included among the Three.


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Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a vigorous man who accomplished a great deal. He once killed two lion cubs in Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion.


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Another time he killed a formidable Egyptian. The Egyptian was armed with a spear and Benaiah went against him with nothing but a walking stick; he seized the spear from his grip and killed him with his own spear.


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These are the things that Benaiah son of Jehoiada is famous for. But neither did he ever get ranked with the Three.


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He was held in greatest respect among the Thirty, but he never got included with the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.


text:
Once again God's anger blazed out against Israel. He tested David by telling him, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."


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So David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, "Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number."


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But Joab resisted the king: "May your God multiply people by the hundreds right before the eyes of my master the king, but why on earth would you do a thing like this?"


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Nevertheless, the king insisted, and so Joab and the army officers left the king to take a census of Israel.


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They covered Fort Tyre and all the Hivite and Canaanite cities, and finally reached the Negev of Judah at Beersheba.


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Joab gave the results of the census to the king: 800,000 able-bodied fighting men in Israel; in Judah 500,000.


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But when it was all done, David was overwhelmed with guilt because he had counted the people, replacing trust with statistics. And David prayed to God, "I have sinned badly in what I have just done. But now God forgive my guilt—I've been really stupid."


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When David got up the next morning, the word of God had already come to Gad the prophet, David's spiritual advisor,


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"Go and give David this message: 'God has spoken thus: There are three things I can do to you; choose one out of the three and I'll see that it's done.' "


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Gad came to deliver the message: "Do you want three years of famine in the land, or three months of running from your enemies while they chase you down, or three days of an epidemic on the country? Think it over and make up your mind. What shall I tell the one who sent me?"


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David told Gad, "They're all terrible! But I'd rather be punished by God, whose mercy is great, than fall into human hands."


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So God let loose an epidemic from morning until suppertime. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died.


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But when the angel reached out over Jerusalem to destroy it, God felt the pain of the terror and told the angel who was spreading death among the people, "Enough's enough! Pull back!"<br/>The angel of God had just reached the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel hovering between earth and sky, sword drawn and about to strike Jerusalem. David and the elders bowed in prayer and covered themselves with rough burlap.


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When David saw the angel about to destroy the people, he prayed, "Please! I'm the one who sinned; I, the shepherd, did the wrong. But these sheep, what did they do wrong? Punish me and my family, not them."


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That same day Gad came to David and said, "Go and build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."


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Araunah looked up and saw David and his men coming his way; he met them, bowing deeply, honoring the king


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and saying, "Why has my master the king come to see me?"<br/>"To buy your threshing floor," said David, "so I can build an altar to God here and put an end to this disaster."


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"Oh," said Araunah, "let my master the king take and sacrifice whatever he wants. Look, here's an ox for the burnt offering and threshing paddles and ox-yokes for fuel


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But the king said to Araunah, "No. I've got to buy it from you for a good price; I'm not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice."<br/>So David bought the threshing floor and the ox, paying out fifty shekels of silver.


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He built an altar to God there and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. God was moved by the prayers and that was the end of the disaster.


text:
King David grew old. The years had caught up with him. Even though they piled blankets on him, he couldn't keep warm.


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So his servants said to him, "We're going to get a young virgin for our master the king to be at his side and look after him; she'll get in bed with you and arouse our master the king."


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So they searched the country of Israel for the most ravishing girl they could find; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.


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The girl was stunningly beautiful; she stayed at his side and looked after the king, but the king did not have sex with her.


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At this time Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, puffed himself up saying, "I'm the next king!" He made quite a splash, with chariots and riders and fifty men to run ahead of him.


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His father had spoiled him rotten as a child, never once reprimanding him. Besides that, he was very good-looking and the next in line after Absalom.


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Adonijah talked with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they threw their weight on his side.


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But neither the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor Nathan the prophet, nor Shimei and Rei, nor David's personal bodyguards supported Adonijah.


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Next Adonijah held a coronation feast, sacrificing sheep, cattle, and grain-fed heifers at the Stone of Zoheleth near the Rogel Spring. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and everyone in Judah who had position and influence—


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Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you know that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has taken over as king, and our master David doesn't know a thing about it?


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Go immediately to King David. Speak up: 'Didn't you, my master the king, promise me, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne"? So why is Adonijah now king?'


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Bathsheba went at once to the king in his palace bedroom. He was so old! Abishag was at his side making him comfortable.


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"My master," she said, "you promised me in God's name, 'Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne.'


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And now look what's happened—Adonijah has taken over as king, and my master the king doesn't even know it!


text:
He has thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle and grain-fed heifers and sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab head of the army. But your servant Solomon was not invited.


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My master the king, every eye in Israel is watching you to see what you'll do—to see who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.


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and was announced: "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the king, honoring him by bowing deeply, his face touching the ground.


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"My master the king," Nathan began, "did you say, 'Adonijah shall be king after me and sit on my throne'?


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Because that's what's happening. He's thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle, grain-fed heifers, sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the army officers, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a grand time, eating and drinking and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'


text:
But I wasn't invited, nor was the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.


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Is this something that my master the king has done behind our backs, not telling your servants who you intended to be king after you?"


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I'll do exactly what I promised in God's name, the God of Israel: Your son Solomon will be king after me and take my place on the throne. And I'll make sure it happens this very day."


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Bathsheba bowed low, her face to the ground. Kneeling in reverence before the king she said, "Oh, may my master, King David, live forever!"


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King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They came to the king.


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Then he ordered, "Gather my servants, then mount my son Solomon on my royal mule and lead him in procession down to Gihon.


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When you get there, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the ram's horn trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'


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You will then accompany him as he enters and takes his place on my throne, succeeding me as king. I have named him ruler over Israel and Judah."


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Benaiah son of Jehoiada backed the king: "Yes! And may God, the God of my master the king, confirm it!


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Just as God has been with my master the king, may he also be with Solomon and make his rule even greater than that of my master King David!"


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Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's personal bodyguard (the Kerethites and Pelethites) went down, mounted Solomon on King David's mule, and paraded with him to Gihon.


text:
Zadok the priest brought a flask of oil from the sanctuary and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn trumpet and everyone shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"


text:
Everyone joined the fanfare, the band playing and the people singing, the very earth reverberating to the sound.


text:
Adonijah and his retinue of guests were just finishing their "coronation" feast when they heard it. When Joab heard the blast of the ram's horn trumpet he said, "What's going on here? What's all this uproar?"


text:
Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, showed up. Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must have good news."


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And the king has surrounded him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Kerethites and Pelethites; and they've mounted Solomon on the royal mule.


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Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon and the parade is headed up this way singing—a great fanfare! The city is rocking! That's what you're hearing.


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And that's not all: The king's servants have come to give their blessing to our master King David saying, 'God make Solomon's name even more honored than yours, and make his rule greater than yours!' On his death bed the king worshiped God


text:
and prayed, 'Blessed be God, Israel's God, who has provided a successor to my throne, and I've lived to see it!' "


text:
But Adonijah himself, afraid for his life because of Solomon, fled to the sanctuary and grabbed the horns of the Altar.


text:
Solomon was told, "Adonijah, fearful of King Solomon, has taken sanctuary and seized the horns of the Altar and is saying, 'I'm not leaving until King Solomon promises that he won't kill me.' "


text:
Solomon then said, "If he proves to be a man of honor, not a hair of his head will be hurt; but if there is evil in him, he'll die."


text:
Solomon summoned him and they brought him from the Altar. Adonijah came and bowed down, honoring the king. Solomon dismissed him, "Go home."


text:
Do what God tells you. Walk in the paths he shows you: Follow the life-map absolutely, keep an eye out for the signposts, his course for life set out in the revelation to Moses; then you'll get on well in whatever you do and wherever you go.


text:
Then God will confirm what he promised me when he said, 'If your sons watch their step, staying true to me heart and soul, you'll always have a successor on Israel's throne.'


text:
"And don't forget what Joab son of Zeruiah did to the two commanders of Israel's army, to Abner son of Ner and to Amasa son of Jether. He murdered them in cold blood, acting in peacetime as if he were at war, and has been stained with that blood ever since.


text:
"But be generous to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite—extend every hospitality to them; that's the way they treated me when I was running for my life from Absalom your brother.


text:
"You also will have to deal with Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim, the one who cursed me so viciously when I was on my way to Mahanaim. Later, when he welcomed me back at the Jordan, I promised him under God, 'I won't put you to death.'


text:
But neither should you treat him as if nothing ever happened. You're wise, you know how to handle these things. You'll know what to do to make him pay before he dies."


text:
Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She said, "Do you come in peace?"<br/>He said, "In peace."


text:
"You know that I had the kingdom right in my hands and everyone expected me to be king, and then the whole thing backfired and the kingdom landed in my brother's lap—God's doing.


text:
Bathsheba went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request. The king got up and welcomed her, bowing respectfully, and returned to his throne. Then he had a throne put in place for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.


text:
She said, "I have a small favor to ask of you. Don't refuse me."<br/>The king replied, "Go ahead, Mother; of course I won't refuse you."


text:
King Solomon answered his mother, "What kind of favor is this, asking that Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah? Why don't you just ask me to hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older brother and has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side!"


text:
Then King Solomon swore under God, "May God do his worst to me if Adonijah doesn't pay for this with his life!


text:
As surely as God lives, the God who has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in charge of the kingdom just as he promised, Adonijah will die for this—today!"


text:
The king then told Abiathar the priest, "You're exiled to your place in Anathoth. You deserve death but I'm not going to kill you—for now anyway—because you were in charge of the Chest of our ruling God in the company of David my father, and because you shared all the hard times with my father."


text:
Solomon stripped Abiathar of his priesthood, fulfilling God's word at Shiloh regarding the family of Eli.


text:
When this news reached Joab, this Joab who had conspired with Adonijah (although he had remained loyal in the Absalom affair), he took refuge in the sanctuary of God, seizing the horns of the Altar and holding on for dear life.


text:
King Solomon was told that Joab had escaped to the sanctuary of God and was clinging to the Altar; he immediately sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada with orders, "Kill him."


text:
Benaiah went to the sanctuary of God and said, "King's orders: Come out."<br/>He said, "No—I'll die right here."<br/>Benaiah went back to the king and reported, "This was Joab's answer."


text:
The king said, "Go ahead then, do what he says: Kill him and bury him. Absolve me and my father's family of the guilt from Joab's senseless murders.


text:
God is avenging those bloody murders on Joab's head. Two men he murdered, men better by far than he ever was: Behind my father's back he brutally murdered Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.


text:
Responsibility for their murders is forever fixed on Joab and his descendants; but for David and his descendants, his family and kingdom, the final verdict is God's peace."


text:
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went back, struck Joab, and killed him. He was buried in his family plot out in the desert.


text:
The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.


text:
The king next called in Shimei and told him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but you are not to leave the area.


text:
If you so much as cross the Brook Kidron, you're as good as dead—you will have decreed your own death sentence."


text:
Shimei answered the king, "Oh, thank you! Your servant will do exactly as my master the king says." Shimei lived in Jerusalem a long time.


text:
But it so happened that three years later, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, "Your slaves are in Gath."


text:
Shimei sprang into action, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish in Gath looking for his slaves. And then he came back, bringing his slaves.


text:
Solomon then called for Shimei and said, "Didn't I make you promise me under God, and give you a good warning besides, that you would not leave this area? That if you left you would have decreed your own death sentence? And didn't you say, 'Oh, thank you—I'll do exactly as you say'?


text:
Then the king told Shimei, "Deep in your heart you know all the evil that you did to my father David; God will now avenge that evil on you.


text:
The king then gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he went out and struck Shimei dead.<br/>The kingdom was now securely in Solomon's grasp.


text:
Solomon arranged a marriage contract with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He married Pharaoh's daughter and brought her to the City of David until he had completed building his royal palace and God's Temple and the wall around Jerusalem.


text:
Meanwhile, the people were worshiping at local shrines because at that time no temple had yet been built to the Name of God.


text:
Solomon loved God and continued to live in the God-honoring ways of David his father, except that he also worshiped at the local shrines, offering sacrifices and burning incense.


text:
The king went to Gibeon, the most prestigious of the local shrines, to worship. He sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on that altar.


text:
That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask."


text:
Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him—and this very day!—a son to sit on his throne.


text:
"And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job.


text:
And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count.


text:
"Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?"


text:
And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well,


text:
I'll give you what you've asked for—I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after.


text:
As a bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for—there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark.


text:
And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life."


text:
Solomon woke up—what a dream! He returned to Jerusalem, took his place before the Chest of the Covenant of God, and worshiped by sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings. Then he laid out a banquet for everyone in his service.


text:
The one woman said, "My master, this woman and I live in the same house. While we were living together, I had a baby.


text:
Three days after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone—there wasn't anyone else in the house except for the two of us.


text:
She got up in the middle of the night and took my son—I was sound asleep, mind you!—and put him at her breast and put her dead son at my breast.


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When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, here was this dead baby! But when I looked at him in the morning light, I saw immediately that he wasn't my baby."


text:
"Not so!" said the other woman. "The living one's mine; the dead one's yours."<br/>The first woman countered, "No! Your son's the dead one; mine's the living one."<br/>They went back and forth this way in front of the king.


text:
The king said, "What are we to do? This woman says, 'The living son is mine and the dead one is yours,' and this woman says, 'No, the dead one's yours and the living one's mine.' "


text:
The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her son and said, "Oh no, master! Give her the whole baby alive; don't kill him!"<br/>But the other one said, "If I can't have him, you can't have him—cut away!"


text:
The king gave his decision: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Nobody is going to kill this baby. She is the real mother."


text:
The word got around—everyone in Israel heard of the king's judgment. They were all in awe of the king, realizing that it was God's wisdom that enabled him to judge truly.


text:
Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the regional managers;<br/>Zabud son of Nathan—priest and friend to the king;


text:
Solomon had twelve regional managers distributed throughout Israel. They were responsible for supplying provisions for the king and his administration. Each was in charge of bringing supplies for one month of the year.


text:
Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah over to Jokmeam;


text:
Ben-Geber in Ramoth Gilead—this included the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead and the region of Argob in Bashan with its sixty large walled cities with bronze-studded gates;


text:
Geber son of Uri in Gilead—this was the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and also of Og king of Bashan; he managed the whole district by himself.


text:
Judah and Israel were densely populated—like sand on an ocean beach! All their needs were met; they ate and drank and were happy.


text:
Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the River Euphrates in the east to the country of the Philistines in the west, all the way to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and were vassals of Solomon all his life.


text:
One day's food supply for Solomon's household was: 185 bushels of fine flour 375 bushels of meal grain-fed cattle range cattle 100 sheep<br/>and miscellaneous deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl.


text:
Solomon was sovereign over everything, countries and kings, west of the River Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza. Peace reigned everywhere.


text:
Throughout Solomon's life, everyone in Israel and Judah lived safe and sound, all of them from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—content with what they had.


text:
The district managers, each according to his assigned month, delivered food supplies for King Solomon and all who sat at the king's table; there was always plenty.


text:
God gave Solomon wisdom—the deepest of understanding and the largest of hearts. There was nothing beyond him, nothing he couldn't handle.


text:
Solomon's wisdom outclassed the vaunted wisdom of wise men of the East, outshone the famous wisdom of Egypt.


text:
He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, wiser than Heman, wiser than Calcol and Darda the sons of Mahol. He became famous among all the surrounding nations.


text:
He knew all about plants, from the huge cedar that grows in Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows in the cracks of a wall. He understood everything about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.


text:
Sent by kings from all over the earth who had heard of his reputation, people came from far and near to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.


text:
Hiram king of Tyre sent ambassadors to Solomon when he heard that he had been crowned king in David's place. Hiram had loved David his whole life.


text:
"You know that David my father was not able to build a temple in honor of God because of the wars he had to fight on all sides, until God finally put them down.


text:
"Now here is what I want to do: Build a temple in honor of God, my God, following the promise that God gave to David my father, namely, 'Your son whom I will provide to succeed you as king, he will build a house in my honor.'


text:
And here is how you can help: Give orders for cedars to be cut from the Lebanon forest; my loggers will work alongside yours and I'll pay your men whatever wage you set. We both know that there is no one like you Sidonians for cutting timber."


text:
When Hiram got Solomon's message, he was delighted, exclaiming, "Blessed be God for giving David such a wise son to rule this flourishing people!"


text:
Then he sent this message to Solomon: "I received your request for the cedars and cypresses. It's as good as done—your wish is my command.


text:
My lumberjacks will haul the timbers from the Lebanon forest to the sea, assemble them into log rafts, float them to the place you set, then have them disassembled for you to haul away. All I want from you is that you feed my crew."


text:
In his turn, Solomon gave Hiram 125,000 bushels of wheat and 115,000 gallons of virgin olive oil. He did this every year.


text:
And God, for his part, gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised. The healthy peace between Hiram and Solomon was formalized by a treaty.


text:
He sent them in shifts of 10,000 each month to the Lebanon forest; they would work a month in Lebanon and then be at home two months. Adoniram was in charge of the work crew.


text:
Following the king's orders, they quarried huge blocks of the best stone—dressed stone for the foundation of The Temple.


text:
Solomon and Hiram's construction workers, assisted by the men of Gebal, cut and prepared the timber and stone for building The Temple.


text:
Four hundred and eighty years after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's rule over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, Solomon started building The Temple of God.


text:
The Temple that King Solomon built to God was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high.


text:
The lower floor was seven and a half feet wide, the middle floor nine feet, and the third floor ten and a half feet. He had projecting ledges built into the outside Temple walls to support the buttressing beams.


text:
The stone blocks for the building of The Temple were all dressed at the quarry so that the building site itself was reverently quiet—no noise from hammers and chisels and other iron tools.


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The entrance to the ground floor was at the south end of The Temple; stairs led to the second floor and then to the third.


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The supporting structure along the outside walls was attached to The Temple with cedar beams and the rooms in it were seven and a half feet tall.


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"About this Temple you are building—what's important is that you live the way I've set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I'll complete in you the promise I made to David your father.


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He paneled the interior walls from floor to ceiling with cedar planks; for flooring he used cypress.


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The thirty feet at the rear of The Temple he made into an Inner Sanctuary, cedar planks from floor to ceiling—the Holy of Holies.


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The entire interior of The Temple was cedar, with carvings of fruits and flowers. All cedar—none of the stone was exposed.


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This Inner Sanctuary was a cube, thirty feet each way, all plated with gold. The Altar of cedar was also gold-plated.


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Everywhere you looked there was pure gold: gold chains strung in front of the gold-plated Inner Sanctuary


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The outstretched wings of the cherubim (they were identical in size and shape) measured another fifteen feet. He placed the two cherubim, their wings spread, in the Inner Sanctuary. The combined wingspread stretched the width of the room, the wing of one cherub touched one wall, the wing of the other the other wall, and the wings touched in the middle.


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He then carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on all the walls of both the Inner and the Main Sanctuary.


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He constructed doors of olivewood for the entrance to the Inner Sanctuary; the lintel and doorposts were five-sided.


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Similarly, he built the entrance to the Main Sanctuary using olivewood for the doorposts but these doorposts were four-sided.


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These also were carved with cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, and plated with finely hammered gold leaf.


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He built the inner court with three courses of dressed stones topped with a course of planed cedar timbers.


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It was completed in the eleventh year in the month of Bul (the eighth month) down to the last detail, just as planned. It took Solomon seven years to build it.


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He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high.


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There were four rows of cedar columns supporting forty-five cedar beams, fifteen in each row, and then roofed with cedar.


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He built a colonnaded courtyard seventy-five feet long and forty-five wide. It had a roofed porch at the front with ample eaves.


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He built a court room, the Hall of Justice, where he would decide judicial matters, and paneled it with cedar.


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He built his personal residence behind the Hall on a similar plan. Solomon also built another one just like it for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married.


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No expense was spared—everything here, inside and out, from foundation to roof was constructed using high-quality stone, accurately cut and shaped and polished.


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The foundation stones were huge, ranging in size from twelve to fifteen feet, and of the very best quality.


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The courtyard was enclosed with a wall made of three layers of stone and topped with cedar timbers, just like the one in the porch of The Temple of God.


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Hiram's mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a Tyrian and a master worker in bronze. Hiram was a real artist—he could do anything with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the bronze work.


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First he cast two pillars in bronze, each twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference.


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He then cast two capitals in bronze to set on the pillars; each capital was seven and a half feet high


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and flared at the top in the shape of a lily. Each capital was dressed with an elaborate filigree of seven braided chains and a double row of two hundred pomegranates, setting the pillars off magnificently.


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He set the pillars up in the entrance porch to The Temple; the pillar to the south he named Security (Jachin) and the pillar to the north Stability (Boaz).


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Hiram's next project was to make the Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet tall, and forty-five feet in circumference.


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Just under the rim there were two bands of decorative gourds, ten gourds to each foot and a half. The gourds were cast in one piece with the Sea.


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The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the bulls faced outward supporting the Sea on their hindquarters.


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The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or like a lily. It held about 11,500 gallons.


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Lions, bulls, and cherubim were represented on the panels and uprights. Beveled wreath-work bordered the lions and bulls above and below.


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Each stand was mounted on four bronze wheels with bronze axles. The uprights were cast with decorative relief work.


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Each stand held a basin on a circular engraved support a foot and a half deep set on a pedestal two and a quarter feet square. The washstand itself was square.


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The axles were attached under the stand and the wheels fixed to them. The wheels were twenty-seven inches in diameter;


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There was a handle at the four corners of each washstand, the handles cast in one piece with the stand.


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At the top of the washstand there was a ring about nine inches deep. The uprights and handles were cast with the stand.


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Everything and every available surface was engraved with cherubim, lions, and palm trees, bordered by arabesques.


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He also made ten bronze washbasins, each six feet in diameter with a capacity of 230 gallons, one basin for each of the ten washstands.


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He arranged five stands on the south side of The Temple and five on the north. The Sea was placed at the southeast corner of The Temple.


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Hiram then fashioned the various utensils: buckets and shovels and bowls.<br/>Hiram completed all the work he set out to do for King Solomon on The Temple of God:


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four hundred pomegranates for the two filigrees<br/>(a double row of pomegranates for each filigree);


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miscellaneous buckets, shovels, and bowls.<br/>All these artifacts that Hiram made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were of burnished bronze.


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These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used.


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Solomon was also responsible for all the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God:<br/>the gold Altar;<br/>the gold Table that held the Bread of the Presence;


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the pure gold candelabras, five to the right and five to the<br/>left in front of the Inner Sanctuary;<br/>the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs;


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the pure gold dishes, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers;<br/>the gold sockets for the doors of the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, used also for the doors of the Main Sanctuary.


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That completed all the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God. He then brought in the items consecrated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God's Temple.


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Bringing all this to a climax, King Solomon called in the leaders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the family patriarchs, to bring up the Chest of the Covenant of God from Zion, the City of David.


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And they came, all Israel before King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month, for the great autumn festival.


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King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel were there at the Chest worshiping and sacrificing huge numbers of sheep and cattle—so many that no one could keep track.


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Then the priests brought the Chest of the Covenant of God to its place in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim.


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The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the entrance to the Inner Sanctuary, but were not noticeable farther out. They're still there today.


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There was nothing in the Chest but the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb where God made a covenant with Israel after bringing them up from Egypt.


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The priests couldn't carry out their priestly duties because of the cloud—the glory of God filled The Temple of God!


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"Blessed be God, the God of Israel, who spoke personally to my father David. Now he has kept the promise he made when he said,


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'From the day I brought my people Israel from Egypt, I haven't set apart one city among the tribes of Israel to build a Temple to fix my Name there. But I did choose David to rule my people Israel.'


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"God has done what he said he would do: I have succeeded David my father and ruled over Israel just as God promised; and now I've built a Temple to honor God, the God of Israel,


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and I've secured a place for the Chest that holds the covenant of God, the covenant that he made with our ancestors when he brought them up from the land of Egypt."


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Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took a position before the Altar, spread his hands out before heaven,


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and prayed, O God, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and relentlessly loves them as they sincerely live in obedience to your way.


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You kept your word to David my father, your personal word. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today!


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Keep it up, God, O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have."


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Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built.


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Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God, my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now.


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Keep your eyes open to this Temple night and day, this place of which you said, "My Name will be honored there,"


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and listen to the prayers that I pray at this place.<br/>Listen from your home in heaven<br/>and when you hear, forgive.


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When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple,


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listen from heaven and act accordingly: Judge your servants, making the offender pay for his offense and setting the offended free of any charges.


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When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they've sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple,


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Listen from your home in heaven,<br/>forgive the sin of your people Israel,<br/>return them to the land you gave their ancestors.


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When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quitting their sins because you have scourged them,


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Listen from your home in heaven,<br/>forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel.<br/>Then start over with them: Train them to live right and well; send rain on the land you gave your people as an inheritance.


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When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort


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—any prayer that's prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, hearts penetrated by the disaster, hands and arms thrown out to this Temple for help,


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Listen from your home in heaven.<br/>Forgive and go to work on us. Give what each deserves, for you know each life from the inside (you're the only one with such "inside knowledge"!)


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so that they'll live before you in lifelong reverent and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors.


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And don't forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation.


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People are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonder-working power, who come to pray at this Temple.


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Listen from your home in heaven.<br/>Honor the prayers of the foreigner so that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like and will live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do; so they'll know that you personally make this Temple that I've built what it is.


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When your people go to war against their enemies at the time and place you send them and they pray to God toward the city you chose and this Temple I've built to honor your Name,


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When they sin against you—and they certainly will; there's no one without sin!—and in anger you turn them over to the enemy and they are taken captive to the enemy's land, whether far or near,


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but repent in the country of their captivity and pray with changed hearts in their exile, "We've sinned; we've done wrong; we've been most wicked,"


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and turn back to you heart and soul in the land of the enemy who conquered them, and pray to you toward their homeland, the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and this Temple I have built to the honor of your Name,


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Listen from your home in heaven<br/>to their prayers desperate and devout<br/>and do what is best for them.


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Forgive your people who have sinned against you; forgive their gross rebellions and move their captors to treat them with compassion.


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They are, after all, your people and your precious inheritance whom you rescued from the heart of that iron-smelting furnace, Egypt!


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O be alert and attentive to the needy prayers of me, your servant, and your dear people Israel; listen every time they cry out to you!


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You handpicked them from all the peoples on earth to be your very own people, as you announced through your servant Moses when you, O God, in your masterful rule, delivered our ancestors from Egypt.


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Having finished praying to God—all these bold and passionate prayers—Solomon stood up before God's Altar where he had been kneeling all this time, his arms stretched upward to heaven.


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"Blessed be God, who has given peace to his people Israel just as he said he'd do. Not one of all those good and wonderful words that he spoke through Moses has misfired.


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May God, our very own God, continue to be with us just as he was with our ancestors—may he never give up and walk out on us.


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May he keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors.


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"And let these words that I've prayed in the presence of God be always right there before him, day and night, so that he'll do what is right for me, to guarantee justice for his people Israel day after day after day.


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And you, your lives must be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path he has cleared, alert and attentive to everything he has made plain this day."


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Solomon offered Peace-Offerings, sacrificing to God twenty-two thousand cattle, a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. This is how the king and all Israel dedicated The Temple of God.


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That same day, the king set apart the central area of the Courtyard in front of God's Temple for sacred use and there sacrificed the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, and fat from the Peace-Offerings—the bronze Altar was too small to handle all these offerings.


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This is how Solomon kept the great autumn feast, and all Israel with him, people there all the way from the far northeast (the Entrance to Hamath) to the far southwest (the Brook of Egypt)—a huge congregation. They started out celebrating for seven days—and then did it another seven days! Two solid weeks of celebration!


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Then he dismissed them. They blessed the king and went home, exuberant with heartfelt gratitude for all the good God had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.


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After Solomon had completed building The Temple of God and his own palace, all the projects he had set his heart on doing,


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And God said to him, "I've listened to and received all your prayers, your ever-so-passionate prayers. I've sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always.


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As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments,


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then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel, make it a sure thing on a solid foundation. The same guarantee I gave David your father I'm giving you: 'You can count on always having a descendant on Israel's throne.'


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"But if you or your sons betray me, ignoring my guidance and judgments, taking up with alien gods by serving and worshiping them,


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then the guarantee is off: I'll wipe Israel right off the map and repudiate this Temple I've just sanctified to honor my Name. And Israel will become nothing but a bad joke among the peoples of the world.


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And this Temple, splendid as it now is, will become an object of contempt; visitors will shake their heads, saying, 'Whatever happened here? What's the story behind these ruins?'


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Then they'll be told, 'The people who used to live here betrayed their God, the very God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt; they took up with alien gods, worshiping and serving them. That's what's behind this God-visited devastation.' "


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At the end of twenty years, having built the two buildings, The Temple of God and his personal palace,


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Solomon rewarded Hiram king of Tyre with a gift of twenty villages in the district of Galilee. Hiram had provided him with all the cedar and cypress and gold that he had wanted.


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But when Hiram left Tyre to look over the villages that Solomon had given him, he didn't like what he saw.


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He said, "What kind of reward is this, my friend? Twenty backwoods hick towns!" People still refer to them that way.


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This is the work record of the labor force that King Solomon raised to build The Temple of God, his palace, the defense complex (the Millo), the Jerusalem wall, and the fortified cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.


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Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer, torched it, and killed all the Canaanites who lived there. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, Solomon's wife.


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storehouse villages, and villages for chariots and horses. Solomon built widely and extravagantly in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and wherever he fancied.


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The remnants from the original inhabitants of the land (Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—all non-Israelites),


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survivors of the holy wars, were rounded up by Solomon for his gangs of slave labor, a policy still in effect.


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But true Israelites were not treated this way; they were used in his army and administration—government leaders and commanders of his chariots and charioteers.


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They were also the project managers responsible for Solomon's building operations—550 of them in charge of the workforce.


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It was after Pharaoh's daughter ceremonially ascended from the City of David and took up residence in the house built especially for her that Solomon built the defense complex (the Millo).


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Three times a year Solomon worshiped at the Altar of God, sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, and burning incense in the presence of God. Everything that had to do with The Temple he did generously and well; he didn't skimp.


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The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and his connection with the Name of God. She came to put his reputation to the test by asking tough questions.


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She made a grand and showy entrance into Jerusalem—camels loaded with spices, a huge amount of gold, and precious gems. She came to Solomon and talked about all the things that she cared about, emptying her heart to him.


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When the queen of Sheba experienced for herself Solomon's wisdom and saw with her own eyes the palace he had built,


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the meals that were served, the impressive array of court officials and sharply dressed waiters, the lavish crystal, and the elaborate worship extravagant with Whole-Burnt-Offerings at the steps leading up to The Temple of God, it took her breath away.


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She said to the king, "It's all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed.


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I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself; they didn't exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined.


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Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand!


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And blessed be God, your God, who took such a liking to you and made you king. Clearly, God's love for Israel is behind this, making you king to keep a just order and nurture a God-pleasing people."


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She then gave the king four and a half tons of gold, and also sack after sack of spices and expensive gems. There hasn't been a cargo of spices like that since that shipload the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.


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The ships of Hiram also imported gold from Ophir along with tremendous loads of fragrant sandalwood and expensive gems.


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The king used the sandalwood for fine cabinetry in The Temple of God and the palace complex, and for making harps and dulcimers for the musicians. Nothing like that shipment of sandalwood has been seen since.


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King Solomon for his part gave the queen of Sheba all her heart's desire—everything she asked for, on top of what he had already so generously given her. Satisfied, she returned home with her train of servants.


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This was above and beyond the taxes and profit on trade with merchants and assorted kings and governors.


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King Solomon crafted two hundred body-length shields of hammered gold—seven and a half pounds of gold to each shield


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—and three hundred smaller shields about half that size. He stored the shields in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps leading up to it, its back shaped like an arch. The armrests on each side were flanked by lions.


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Lions, twelve of them, were placed at either end of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any of the surrounding kingdoms.


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King Solomon's chalices and tankards were made of gold and all the dinnerware and serving utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold—nothing was made of silver; silver was considered common and cheap.


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The king had a fleet of ocean-going ships at sea with Hiram's ships. Every three years the fleet would bring in a cargo of gold, silver, and ivory, and apes and peacocks.


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And everyone who came brought gifts—artifacts of gold and silver, fashionable robes and gowns, the latest in weapons, exotic spices, and horses and mules—parades of visitors, year after year.


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Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot cities as well as in Jerusalem.


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Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarter pounds of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.


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King Solomon was obsessed with women. Pharaoh's daughter was only the first of the many foreign women he loved—Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite.


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He took them from the surrounding pagan nations of which God had clearly warned Israel, "You must not marry them; they'll seduce you into infatuations with their gods." Solomon fell in love with them anyway, refusing to give them up.


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He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines—a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God.


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As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn't stay true to his God as his father David had done.


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Solomon took up with Ashtoreth, the whore goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites.


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He went on to build a sacred shrine to Chemosh, the horrible god of Moab, and to Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites, on a hill just east of Jerusalem.


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He built similar shrines for all his foreign wives, who then polluted the countryside with the smoke and stench of their sacrifices.


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God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him


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and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God's orders.


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God said to Solomon, "Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I'm going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else.


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But out of respect for your father David I won't do it in your lifetime. It's your son who will pay—I'll rip it right out of his grasp.


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Even then I won't take it all; I'll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem."


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Years earlier, when David devastated Edom, Joab, commander of the army, on his way to bury the dead, massacred all the men of Edom.


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Their escape route took them through Midian to Paran. They picked up some men in Paran and went on to Egypt and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, food, and even land.


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She bore Hadad a son named Genubath who was raised like one of the royal family. Genubath grew up in the palace with Pharaoh's children.


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While living in Egypt, Hadad heard that both David and Joab, commander of the army, were dead. He approached Pharaoh and said, "Send me off with your blessing—I want to return to my country."


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"But why?" said Pharaoh. "Why would you want to leave here? Hasn't everything been to your liking?"<br/>"Everything has been just fine," said Hadad, "but I want to go home—give me a good send-off!"


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Then God incited another adversary against Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had deserted from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah.


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After David's slaughter of the Arameans, Rezon collected a band of outlaws and became their leader. They later settled in Damascus, where Rezon eventually took over as king.


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Like Hadad, Rezon was a thorn in Israel's side all of Solomon's life. He was king over Aram, and he hated Israel.


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And then, the last straw: Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah, his mother a widow named Zeruah. He served in Solomon's administration.


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This is why he rebelled. Solomon had built the outer defense system (the Millo) and had restored the fortifications that were in disrepair from the time of his father David.


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Jeroboam stood out during the construction as strong and able. When Solomon observed what a good worker he was, he put the young man in charge of the entire workforce of the tribe of Joseph.


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One day Jeroboam was walking down the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh, wearing a brand-new cloak, met him. The two of them were alone on that remote stretch of road.


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Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten of these pieces for yourself; this is by order of the God of Israel: See what I'm doing—I'm ripping the kingdom out of Solomon's hands and giving you ten of the tribes.


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In honor of my servant David and out of respect for Jerusalem, the city I especially chose, he will get one tribe.


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And here's the reason: He faithlessly abandoned me and went off worshiping Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh god of the Moabites, and Molech god of the Ammonites. He hasn't lived the way I have shown him, hasn't done what I have wanted, and hasn't followed directions or obeyed orders as his father David did.


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"Still, I won't take the whole kingdom away from him. I'll stick with him through his lifetime because of my servant David whom I chose and who did follow my directions and obey my orders.


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I'll leave one tribe to his son, to maintain a witness to my servant David in Jerusalem, the city I chose as a memorial to my Name.


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If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I'll stick with you no matter what. I'll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!


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Solomon ordered the assassination of Jeroboam, but he got away to Egypt and found asylum there with King Shishak. He remained in exile there until Solomon died.


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The rest of Solomon's life and rule, his work and his wisdom, you can read for yourself in The Chronicles of Solomon.


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Jeroboam had been in Egypt, where he had taken asylum from King Solomon; when he got the report of Solomon's death he had come back.


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"Your father made life hard for us—worked our fingers to the bone. Give us a break; lighten up on us and we'll willingly serve you."


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King Rehoboam talked it over with the elders who had advised his father when he was alive: "What's your counsel? How do you suggest that I answer the people?"


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They said, "If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you."


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But he rejected the counsel of the elders and asked the young men he'd grown up with who were now currying his favor,


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"What do you think? What should I say to these people who are saying, 'Give us a break from your father's harsh ways—lighten up on us'?"


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The young turks he'd grown up with said, "These people who complain, 'Your father was too hard on us; lighten up'—well, tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.


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If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with whips; I'll beat you bloody with chains!' "


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Three days later Jeroboam and the people showed up, just as Rehoboam had directed when he said, "Give me three days to think it over, then come back."


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and went with the advice of the younger set, "If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with whips; I'll beat you bloody with chains!"


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Rehoboam turned a deaf ear to the people. God was behind all this, confirming the message that he had given to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah of Shiloh.


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When all Israel realized that the king hadn't listened to a word they'd said, they stood up to him and said,<br/>Get lost, David!<br/>We've had it with you, son of Jesse!<br/>Let's get out of here, Israel, and fast!<br/>From now on, David, mind your own business.<br/>And with that, they left.


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When King Rehoboam next sent out Adoniram, head of the workforce, the Israelites ganged up on him, pelted him with stones, and killed him. King Rehoboam jumped in his chariot and fled to Jerusalem as fast as he could.


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When the word was out that Jeroboam was back and available, the assembled people invited him and inaugurated him king over all Israel. The only tribe left to the Davidic dynasty was Judah.


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When Rehoboam got back to Jerusalem, he called up the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand of their best soldiers, to go to war against Israel and recover the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.


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"Tell this to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, along with everyone in Judah and Benjamin and anyone else who is around:


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This is God's word: Don't march out; don't fight against your brothers the Israelites; go back home, every last one of you; I'm in charge here." And they did it; they did what God said and went home.


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Jeroboam made a fort at Shechem in the hills of Ephraim, and made that his headquarters. He also built a fort at Penuel.


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As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they'll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They'll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam."


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So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, "It's too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!"


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And that wasn't the end of it. Jeroboam built forbidden shrines all over the place and recruited priests from wherever he could find them, regardless of whether they were fit for the job or not.


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To top it off, he created a holy New Year festival to be held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month to replace the one in Judah, complete with worship offered on the Altar at Bethel and sacrificing before the calves he had set up there. He staffed Bethel with priests from the local shrines he had made.


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This was strictly his own idea to compete with the feast in Judah; and he carried it off with flair, a festival exclusively for Israel, Jeroboam himself leading the worship at the Altar.


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And then this happened: Just as Jeroboam was at the Altar, about to make an offering, a holy man came from Judah by God's command


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and preached (these were God's orders) to the Altar: "Altar, Altar! God's message! 'A son will be born into David's family named Josiah. The priests from the shrines who are making offerings on you, he will sacrifice—on you! Human bones burned on you!' "


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At the same time he announced a sign: "This is the proof God gives—the Altar will split into pieces and the holy offerings spill into the dirt."


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When the king heard the message the holy man preached against the Altar at Bethel, he reached out to grab him, yelling, "Arrest him!" But his arm was paralyzed and hung useless.


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At the same time the Altar broke apart and the holy offerings all spilled into the dirt—the very sign the holy man had announced by God's command.


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The king pleaded with the holy man, "Help me! Pray to your God for the healing of my arm." The holy man prayed for him and the king's arm was healed—as good as new!


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The holy man told the king, "Not on your life! You couldn't pay me enough to get me to sit down with you at a meal in this place.


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I'm here under God's orders, and he commanded, 'Don't eat a crumb, don't drink a drop, and don't go back the way you came.' "


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There was an old prophet who lived in Bethel. His sons came and told him the story of what the holy man had done that day in Bethel, told him everything that had happened and what the holy man had said to the king.


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Their father said, "Which way did he go?" His sons pointed out the road that the holy man from Judah had taken.


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and rode after the holy man. He found him sitting under an oak tree.<br/>He asked him, "Are you the holy man who came from Judah?"<br/>"Yes, I am," he said.


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"Sorry, I can't do that," the holy man said. "I can neither go back with you nor eat with you in this country.


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I'm under strict orders from God: 'Don't eat a crumb; don't drink a drop; and don't come back the way you came.' "


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But he said, "I am also a prophet, just like you. And an angel came to me with a message from God: 'Bring him home with you, and give him a good meal!' " But the man was lying.


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There they were, sitting at the table together, when the word of God came to the prophet who had brought him back.


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He confronted the holy man who had come from Judah: "God's word to you: You disobeyed God's command; you didn't keep the strict orders your God gave you;


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you came back and sat down to a good meal in the very place God told you, 'Don't eat a crumb; don't drink a drop.' For that you're going to die far from home and not be buried in your ancestral tomb."


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Down the road a way, a lion met him and killed him. His corpse lay crumpled on the road, the lion on one side and the donkey on the other.


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Some passersby saw the corpse in a heap on the road, with the lion standing guard beside it. They went to the village where the old prophet lived and told what they had seen.


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When the prophet who had gotten him off track heard it, he said, "It's the holy man who disobeyed God's strict orders. God turned him over to the lion who knocked him around and killed him, just as God had told him."


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He rode out and found the corpse in a heap in the road, with the lion and the donkey standing there. The lion hadn't bothered either the corpse or the donkey.


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The old prophet loaded the corpse of the holy man on his donkey and returned it to his own town to give it a decent burial.


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After the funeral, the prophet said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the same tomb where the holy man is buried, my bones alongside his bones.


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The message that he preached by God's command against the Altar at Bethel and against all the sex-and-religion shrines in the towns of Samaria will come true."


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After this happened, Jeroboam kept right on doing evil, recruiting priests for the forbidden shrines indiscriminately—anyone who wanted to could be a priest at one of the local shrines.


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Jeroboam said to his wife, "Do something. Disguise yourself so no one will know you are the queen and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet lives there, the same Ahijah who told me I'd be king over this people.


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Take along ten loaves of bread, some sweet rolls, and a jug of honey. Make a visit to him and he'll tell you what's going on with our boy."


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Jeroboam's wife did as she was told; she went straight to Shiloh and to Ahijah's house. Ahijah was an old man at this time, and blind,


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but God had warned Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is on her way to consult with you regarding her sick son; tell her this and this and this."<br/>When she came in she was disguised.


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Ahijah heard her come through the door and said, "Welcome, wife of Jeroboam! But why the deception? I've got bad news for you.


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Go and deliver this message I received firsthand from God, the God of Israel, to Jeroboam: I raised you up from obscurity and made you the leader of my people Israel.


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I ripped the kingdom from the hands of David's family and gave it to you, but you weren't at all like my servant David who did what I told him and lived from his undivided heart, pleasing me.


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Instead you've set a new record in works of evil by making alien gods—tin gods! Pushing me aside and turning your back—you've made me mighty angry.


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"And I'll not put up with it: I'm bringing doom on the household of Jeroboam, killing the lot of them right down to the last male wretch in Israel, whether slave or free. They've become nothing but garbage and I'm getting rid of them.


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The ones who die in the city will be eaten by stray dogs; the ones who die out in the country will be eaten by carrion crows. God's decree!


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Everyone will come to his burial, mourning his death. He is the only one in Jeroboam's family who will get a decent burial; he's the only one for whom God, the God of Israel, has a good word to say.


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"Then God will appoint a king over Israel who will wipe out Jeroboam's family, wipe them right off the map—doomsday for Jeroboam!


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He will hit Israel hard, as a storm slaps reeds about; he'll pull them up by the roots from this good land of their inheritance, weeding them out, and then scatter them to the four winds. And why? Because they made God so angry with Asherah sex-and-religion shrines.


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He'll wash his hands of Israel because of Jeroboam's sins, which have led Israel into a life of sin."


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Jeroboam's wife left and went home to Tirzah. The moment she stepped through the door, the boy died.


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They buried him and everyone mourned his death, just as God had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.


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The rest of Jeroboam's life, the wars he fought and the way he ruled, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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He ruled for twenty-two years. He died and was buried with his ancestors. Nadab his son was king after him.


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Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he took the throne and was king for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city God selected from all the tribes of Israel for the worship of his Name. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, an Ammonite.


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Judah was openly wicked before God, making him very angry. They set new records in sin, surpassing anything their ancestors had done.


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They built Asherah sex-and-religion shrines and set up sacred stones all over the place—on hills, under trees, wherever you looked.


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Worse, they had male sacred prostitutes, polluting the country outrageously—all the stuff that God had gotten rid of when he brought Israel into the land.


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He plundered The Temple of God and the royal palace of their treasures, cleaned them out—even the gold shields that Solomon had made.


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Whenever the king went to God's Temple, the guards carried the shields but always returned them to the guardroom.


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The rest of Rehoboam's life, what he said and did, is all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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Rehoboam died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite. His son Abijah ruled after him.


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He continued to sin just like his father before him. He was not truehearted to God as his grandfather David had been.


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But despite that, out of respect for David, his God graciously gave him a lamp, a son to follow him and keep Jerusalem secure.


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For David had lived an exemplary life before God all his days, not going off on his own in willful defiance of God's clear directions (except for that time with Uriah the Hittite).


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The rest of Abijah's life, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. But the war with Jeroboam was the dominant theme.


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He cleaned house: He got rid of the sacred prostitutes and threw out all the idols his predecessors had made.


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Asa spared nothing and no one; he went so far as to remove Queen Maacah from her position because she had built a shockingly obscene memorial to the whore goddess Asherah. Asa tore it down and burned it up in the Kidron Valley.


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Unfortunately, he didn't get rid of the local sex-and-religion shrines. But he was well-intentioned—his heart was in the right place, in tune with God.


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All the gold and silver vessels and artifacts that he and his father had consecrated for holy use he installed in The Temple.


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Baasha king of Israel started it by building a fort at Ramah and closing the border between Israel and Judah so no one could enter or leave Judah.


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Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of The Temple of God and the royal palace, gave it to his servants, and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, with this message:


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"Let's make a treaty like the one between our fathers. I'm showing my good faith with this gift of silver and gold. Break your deal with Baasha king of Israel so he'll quit fighting against me."


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Ben-Hadad went along with King Asa and sent out his troops against the towns of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and the entire region of Kinnereth, including Naphtali.


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Then King Asa issued orders to everyone in Judah—no exemptions—to haul away the logs and stones Baasha had used in the fortification of Ramah and use them to fortify Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah.


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A full account of Asa's life, all the great things he did and the fortifications he constructed, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. In his old age he developed severe gout.


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Then Asa died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoshaphat became king after him.


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Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa's rule in Judah. He was king of Israel two years.


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He was openly evil before God—he followed in the footsteps of his father who both sinned and made Israel sin.


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Baasha son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar ganged up on him and attacked him at the Philistine town of Gibbethon while Nadab and the Israelites were doing battle there.


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As soon as he was king he killed everyone in Jeroboam's family. There wasn't a living soul left to the name of Jeroboam; Baasha wiped them out totally, just as God's servant Ahijah of Shiloh had prophesied


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—punishment for Jeroboam's sins and for making Israel sin, for making the God of Israel thoroughly angry.


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The rest of Nadab's life, everything else he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king in Tirzah over all Israel. He ruled twenty-four years.


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He was openly evil before God, walking in the footsteps of Jeroboam, who both sinned and made Israel sin.


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"I took you from nothing—a complete nobody—and set you up as the leader of my people Israel, but you plodded along in the rut of Jeroboam, making my people Israel sin and making me seethe over their sin.


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And now the consequences—I will burn Baasha and his regime to cinders, the identical fate of Jeroboam son of Nebat.


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Baasha's people who die in the city will be eaten by scavenger dogs; carrion crows will eat the ones who die in the country."


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The rest of Baasha's life, the record of his regime, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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That's the way it was with Baasha: Through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani, God's word came to him and his regime because of his life of open evil before God and his making God so angry—a chip off the block of Jeroboam, even though God had destroyed him.


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In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began his rule. He was king in Tirzah only two years.


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One day when he was at the house of Arza the palace manager, drinking himself drunk, Zimri, captain of half his chariot-force, conspired against him.


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Zimri slipped in, knocked Elah to the ground, and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Zimri then became the king.


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Zimri had no sooner become king than he killed everyone connected with Baasha, got rid of them all like so many stray dogs—relatives and friends alike.


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Zimri totally wiped out the family of Baasha, just as God's word delivered by the prophet Jehu had said


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—wages for the sins of Baasha and his son Elah; not only for their sins but for dragging Israel into their sins and making the God of Israel angry with their stupid idols.


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Zimri was king in Tirzah for all of seven days during the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Asa king of Judah. The Israelite army was on maneuvers near the Philistine town of Gibbethon at the time.


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When they got the report, "Zimri has conspired against the king and killed him," right there in the camp they made Omri, commander of the army, king.


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When Zimri saw that he was surrounded and as good as dead, he entered the palace citadel, set the place on fire, and died.


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It was a fit end for his sins, for living a flagrantly evil life before God, walking in the footsteps of Jeroboam, sinning and then dragging Israel into his sins.


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As for the rest of Zimri's life, along with his infamous conspiracy, it's all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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After that the people of Israel were split right down the middle: Half favored Tibni son of Ginath as king, and half wanted Omri.


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Omri took over as king of Israel in the thirty-first year of the reign of Asa king of Judah. He ruled for twelve years, the first six in Tirzah.


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He then bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He developed the hill and named the city that he built Samaria, after its original owner Shemer.


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He walked in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who not only sinned but dragged Israel into his sins, making God angry—such an empty-headed, empty-hearted life!


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The rest of Omri's life, the mark he made on his times, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah. Ahab son of Omri was king over Israel for twenty-two years. He ruled from Samaria.


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It wasn't enough for him to copy the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat; no, he went all out, first by marrying Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then by serving and worshiping the god Baal.


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Worse, he went on and built a shrine to the sacred whore Asherah. He made the God of Israel angrier than all the previous kings of Israel put together.


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It was under Ahab's rule that Hiel of Bethel refortified Jericho, but at a terrible cost: He ritually sacrificed his firstborn son Abiram at the laying of the foundation, and his youngest son Segub at the setting up of the gates. This is exactly what Joshua son of Nun said would happen.


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And then this happened: Elijah the Tishbite, from among the settlers of Gilead, confronted Ahab: "As surely as God lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise."


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"Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River.


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Elijah obeyed God's orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan.


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And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook.


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"Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you."


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So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, "Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink."


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As she went to get it, he called out, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?"


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She said, "I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die."


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Elijah said to her, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what's left for you and your son.


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This is the word of the God of Israel: 'The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.' "


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And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family.


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The jar of meal didn't run out and the bottle of oil didn't become empty: God's promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!


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Later on the woman's son became sick. The sickness took a turn for the worse—and then he stopped breathing.


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The woman said to Elijah, "Why did you ever show up here in the first place—a holy man barging in, exposing my sins, and killing my son?"


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Elijah said, "Hand me your son."<br/>He then took him from her bosom, carried him up to the loft where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.


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Then he prayed, "O God, my God, why have you brought this terrible thing on this widow who has opened her home to me? Why have you killed her son?"


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Three times he stretched himself out full-length on the boy, praying with all his might, "God, my God, put breath back into this boy's body!"


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Elijah picked the boy up, carried him downstairs from the loft, and gave him to his mother. "Here's your son," said Elijah, "alive!"


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The woman said to Elijah, "I see it all now—you are a holy man. When you speak, God speaks—a true word!"


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A long time passed. Then God's word came to Elijah. The drought was now in its third year. The message: "Go and present yourself to Ahab; I'm about to make it rain on the country."


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Earlier, when Jezebel had tried to kill off all the prophets of God, Obadiah had hidden away a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in a cave, and then supplied them with food and water.


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Ahab ordered Obadiah, "Go through the country; locate every spring and every stream. Let's see if we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules from dying."


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Obadiah went his way and suddenly there he was—Elijah! Obadiah fell on his knees, bowing in reverence, and exclaimed, "Is it really you—my master Elijah?"


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As surely as your God lives, there isn't a country or kingdom where my master hasn't sent out search parties looking for you. And if they said, 'We can't find him; we've looked high and low,' he would make that country or kingdom swear that you were not to be found.


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The minute I leave you the Spirit of God will whisk you away to who knows where. Then when I report to Ahab, you'll have disappeared and Ahab will kill me. And I've served God devoutly since I was a boy!


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Hasn't anyone told you what I did when Jezebel was out to kill the prophets of God, how I risked my life by hiding a hundred of them, fifty to a cave, and made sure they got food and water?


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And now you're telling me to draw attention to myself by announcing to my master, 'Elijah's been found.' Why, he'll kill me for sure."


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Elijah said, "As surely as God-of-the-Angel-Armies lives, and before whom I take my stand, I'll meet with your master face to face this very day."


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"It's not I who has caused trouble in Israel," said Elijah, "but you and your government—you've dumped God's ways and commands and run off after the local gods, the Baals.


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Here's what I want you to do: Assemble everyone in Israel at Mount Carmel. And make sure that the special pets of Jezebel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of the local gods, the Baals, and the four hundred prophets of the whore goddess Asherah, are there."


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Elijah challenged the people: "How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!"<br/>Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.


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Then Elijah said, "I'm the only prophet of God left in Israel; and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.


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Let the Baal prophets bring up two oxen; let them pick one, butcher it, and lay it out on an altar on firewood—but don't ignite it. I'll take the other ox, cut it up, and lay it on the wood. But neither will I light the fire.


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Then you pray to your gods and I'll pray to God. The god who answers with fire will prove to be, in fact, God."<br/>All the people agreed: "A good plan—do it!"


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Elijah told the Baal prophets, "Choose your ox and prepare it. You go first, you're the majority. Then pray to your god, but don't light the fire."


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So they took the ox he had given them, prepared it for the altar, then prayed to Baal. They prayed all morning long, "O Baal, answer us!" But nothing happened—not so much as a whisper of breeze. Desperate, they jumped and stomped on the altar they had made.


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By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, "Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he's off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he's gotten involved in a project, or maybe he's on vacation. You don't suppose he's overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?"


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They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood.


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This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened—not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.


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Then Elijah told the people, "Enough of that—it's my turn. Gather around." And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins.


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Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, "From now on your name is Israel."


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He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar.


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He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, "Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood."


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When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, "O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I'm doing what I'm doing under your orders.


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Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance."


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Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.


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All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, "God is the true God! God is the true God!"


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Elijah told them, "Grab the Baal prophets! Don't let one get away!"<br/>They grabbed them. Elijah had them taken down to the Brook Kishon and they massacred the lot.


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Elijah said to Ahab, "Up on your feet! Eat and drink—celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming."


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Ahab did it: got up and ate and drank. Meanwhile, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bowed deeply in prayer, his face between his knees.


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Then he said to his young servant, "On your feet now! Look toward the sea."<br/>He went, looked, and reported back, "I don't see a thing."<br/>"Keep looking," said Elijah, "seven times if necessary."


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And sure enough, the seventh time he said, "Oh yes, a cloud! But very small, no bigger than someone's hand, rising out of the sea."<br/>"Quickly then, on your way. Tell Ahab, 'Saddle up and get down from the mountain before the rain stops you.' "


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Things happened fast. The sky grew black with wind-driven clouds, and then a huge cloudburst of rain, with Ahab hightailing it in his chariot for Jezreel.


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And God strengthened Elijah mightily. Pulling up his robe and tying it around his waist, Elijah ran in front of Ahab's chariot until they reached Jezreel.


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Jezebel immediately sent a messenger to Elijah with her threat: "The gods will get you for this and I'll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you'll be as dead as any one of those prophets."


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When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there


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and then went on into the desert another day's journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: "Enough of this, God! Take my life—I'm ready to join my ancestors in the grave!"


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Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush.<br/>Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, "Get up and eat!"


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He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.


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The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, "Get up and eat some more—you've got a long journey ahead of you."


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He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb.


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When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.<br/>Then the word of God came to him: "So Elijah, what are you doing here?"


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"I've been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies," said Elijah. "The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."


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Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."<br/>A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake;


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and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.


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When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, "So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?"


text:
Elijah said it again, "I've been working my heart out for God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."


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God said, "Go back the way you came through the desert to Damascus. When you get there anoint Hazael; make him king over Aram.


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Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi; make him king over Israel. Finally, anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.


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Anyone who escapes death by Hazael will be killed by Jehu; and anyone who escapes death by Jehu will be killed by Elisha.


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Meanwhile, I'm preserving for myself seven thousand souls: the knees that haven't bowed to the god Baal, the mouths that haven't kissed his image."


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Elijah went straight out and found Elisha son of Shaphat in a field where there were twelve pairs of yoked oxen at work plowing; Elisha was in charge of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him.


text:
Elisha deserted the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please! Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye—then I'll follow you."<br/>"Go ahead," said Elijah, "but, mind you, don't forget what I've just done to you."


text:
So Elisha left; he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man.


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At about this same time Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his troops. He recruited in addition thirty-two local sheiks, all outfitted with horses and chariots. He set out in force and surrounded Samaria, ready to make war.


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The king of Israel accepted the terms: "As you say, distinguished lord; I and everything I have is yours."


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But then the envoy returned a second time, saying, "On second thought, I want it all—your silver and gold and all your wives and sons. Hand them over—the whole works.


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I'll give you twenty-four hours; then my servants will arrive to search your palace and the houses of your officials and loot them; anything that strikes their fancy, they'll take."


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The king of Israel called a meeting of all his tribal elders. He said, "Look at this—outrageous! He's just looking for trouble. He means to clean me out, demanding all my women and children. And after I already agreed to pay him off handsomely!"


text:
So he sent an envoy to Ben-Hadad, "Tell my distinguished lord, 'I agreed to the terms you delivered the first time, but this I can't do—this I won't do!' "<br/>The envoy went back and delivered the answer.


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Ben-Hadad shot back his response: "May the gods do their worst to me, and then worse again, if there'll be anything left of Samaria but rubble."


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It happened that when Ben-Hadad heard this retort he was into some heavy drinking, boozing it up with the sheiks in their field shelters. Drunkenly, he ordered his henchmen, "Go after them!" And they attacked the city.


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Just then a lone prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, "God's word: Have you taken a good look at this mob? Well, look again—I'm turning it over to you this very day. And you'll know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I am God."


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Ahab said, "Really? And who is going to make this happen?"<br/>God said, "The young commandos of the regional chiefs."<br/>"And who," said Ahab, "will strike the first blow?"<br/>God said, "You."


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Ahab looked over the commandos of the regional chiefs; he counted 232. Then he assessed the available troops—7,000.


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At noon they set out after Ben-Hadad who, with his allies, the thirty-two sheiks, was busy at serious drinking in the field shelters.


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The commandos of the regional chiefs made up the vanguard.<br/>A report was brought to Ben-Hadad: "Men are on their way from Samaria."


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He said, "If they've come in peace, take them alive as hostages; if they've come to fight, the same—take them alive as hostages."


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They hit hard in hand-to-hand combat. The Arameans scattered from the field, with Israel hard on their heels. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram got away on horseback, along with his cavalry.


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Sometime later the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, "On the alert now—build up your army, assess your capabilities, and see what has to be done. Before the year is out, the king of Aram will be back in force."


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Meanwhile the advisors to the king of Aram said, "Their god is a god of the mountains—we don't stand a chance against them there. So let's engage them on the plain where we'll have the advantage.


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Here's the strategy: Remove each sheik from his place of leadership and replace him with a seasoned officer.


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Then recruit a fighting force equivalent in size to the army that deserted earlier—horse for horse, chariot for chariot. And we'll fight them on the plain—we're sure to prove stronger than they are."<br/>It sounded good to the king; he did what they advised.


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The Israelite army prepared to fight and took the field to meet Aram. They moved into battle formation before Aram in two camps, like two flocks of goats. The plain was seething with Arameans.


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Just then a holy man approached the king of Israel saying, "This is God's word: Because Aram said, 'God is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,' I'll hand over this huge mob of an army to you. Then you'll know that I am God."


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The two armies were poised in a standoff for seven days. On the seventh day fighting broke out. The Israelites killed 100,000 of the Aramean infantry in one day.


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The rest of the army ran for their lives back to the city, Aphek, only to have the city wall fall on 27,000 of the survivors.<br/>Ben-Hadad escaped into the city and hid in a closet.


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Then his advisors told him, "Look, we've heard that the kings of Israel play by the rules; let's dress in old gunnysacks, carry a white flag of truce, and present ourselves to the king of Israel on the chance that he'll let you live."


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So that's what they did. They dressed in old gunnysacks and carried a white flag, and came to the king of Israel saying, "Your servant Ben-Hadad said, 'Please let me live.' "<br/>Ahab said, "You mean to tell me that he's still alive? If he's alive, he's my brother."


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The men took this as a good sign and concluded that everything was going to be all right: "Ben-Hadad is most certainly your brother!"<br/>The king said, "Go and get him." They went and brought him back by chariot.


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Ahab said, "I am prepared to return the cities that my father took from your father. And you can set up your headquarters in Damascus just as my father did in Samaria; I'll send you home under safe conduct." Then he made a covenant with him and sent him off.


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A man who was one of the prophets said to a bystander, "Hit me; wound me. Do it for God's sake—it's his command. Hit me; wound me." But the man wouldn't do it.


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So he told him, "Because you wouldn't obey God's orders, as soon as you leave me a lion will attack you." No sooner had the man left his side than a lion met him and attacked.


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He then found another man and said, "Hit me; wound me." That man did it—hit him hard in the face, drawing blood.


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Then the prophet went and took a position along the road, with a bandage over his eyes, waiting for the king.


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It wasn't long before the king happened by. The man cried out to the king, "Your servant was in the thick of the battle when a man showed up and turned over a prisoner to me, saying, 'Guard this man with your life; if he turns up missing you'll pay dearly.'


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But I got busy doing one thing after another and the next time I looked he was gone."<br/>The king of Israel said, "You've just pronounced your own verdict."


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At that, the man ripped the bandage off his eyes and the king recognized who he was—one of the prophets!


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The man said to the king, "God's word: Because you let a man go who was under sentence by God, it's now your life for his, your people for his."


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And then, to top it off, came this: Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel that bordered the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.


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One day Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard so I can use it as a kitchen garden; it's right next to my house—so convenient. In exchange I'll give you a far better vineyard, or if you'd prefer I'll pay you money for it."


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Ahab went home in a black mood, sulking over Naboth the Jezreelite's words, "I'll never turn over my family inheritance to you." He went to bed, stuffed his face in his pillow, and refused to eat.


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Jezebel his wife came to him. She said, "What's going on? Why are you so out of sorts and refusing to eat?"


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He told her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite. I said, 'Give me your vineyard—I'll pay you for it or, if you'd rather, I'll give you another vineyard in exchange.' And he said, 'I'll never give you my vineyard.' "


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Jezebel said, "Is this any way for a king of Israel to act? Aren't you the boss? On your feet! Eat! Cheer up! I'll take care of this; I'll get the vineyard of this Naboth the Jezreelite for you."


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She wrote letters over Ahab's signature, stamped them with his official seal, and sent them to the elders in Naboth's city and to the civic leaders.


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Then seat a couple of stool pigeons across from him who, in front of everybody will say, 'You! You blasphemed God and the king!' Then they'll throw him out and stone him to death."


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And they did it. The men of the city—the elders and civic leaders—followed Jezebel's instructions that she wrote in the letters sent to them.


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Then they brought in two stool pigeons and seated them opposite Naboth. In front of everybody the two degenerates accused him, "He blasphemed God and the king!" The company threw him out in the street, stoned him mercilessly, and he died.


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When Jezebel got word that Naboth had been stoned to death, she told Ahab, "Go for it, Ahab—take the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for your own, the vineyard he refused to sell you. Naboth is no more; Naboth is dead."


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The minute Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he set out for the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and claimed it for his own.


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"On your feet; go down and confront Ahab of Samaria, king of Israel. You'll find him in the vineyard of Naboth; he's gone there to claim it as his own.


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Say this to him: 'God's word: What's going on here? First murder, then theft?' Then tell him, 'God's verdict: The very spot where the dogs lapped up Naboth's blood, they'll lap up your blood—that's right, your blood.' "


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Ahab answered Elijah, "My enemy! So, you've run me down!"<br/>"Yes, I've found you out," said Elijah. "And because you've bought into the business of evil, defying God.


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'I will most certainly bring doom upon you, make mincemeat of your descendants, kill off every sorry male wretch who's even remotely connected with the name Ahab.


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And I'll bring down on you the same fate that fell on Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah—you've made me that angry by making Israel sin.' "


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Anyone tainted by Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by stray dogs; corpses in the country will be eaten by carrion crows."


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Ahab, pushed by his wife Jezebel and in open defiance of God, set an all-time record in making big business of evil.


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He indulged in outrageous obscenities in the world of idols, copying the Amorites whom God had earlier kicked out of Israelite territory.


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When Ahab heard what Elijah had to say, he ripped his clothes to shreds, dressed in penitential rough burlap, and fasted. He even slept in coarse burlap pajamas. He tiptoed around, quiet as a mouse.


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"Do you see how penitently submissive Ahab has become to me? Because of his repentance I'll not bring the doom during his lifetime; Ahab's son, though, will get it."


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Israel's king remarked to his aides, "Do you realize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, and we're sitting around on our hands instead of taking it back from the king of Aram?"


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He turned to Jehoshaphat and said, "Will you join me in fighting for Ramoth Gilead?"<br/>Jehoshaphat said, "You bet. I'm with you all the way—my troops are your troops, my horses are your horses."


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The king of Israel got the prophets together—all four hundred of them—and put the question to them: "Should I attack Ramoth Gilead? Or should I hold back?"<br/>"Go for it," they said. "God will hand it over to the king."


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But Jehoshaphat dragged his heels: "Is there still another prophet of God around here we can consult?"


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The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "As a matter of fact, there is still one such man. But I hate him. He never preaches anything good to me, only doom, doom, doom—Micaiah son of Imlah."<br/>"The king shouldn't talk about a prophet like that," said Jehoshaphat.


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Meanwhile, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat were seated on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes, resplendent in front of the Samaria city gates. All the prophets were staging a prophecy-performance for their benefit.


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Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had even made a set of iron horns, and brandishing them called out, "God's word! With these horns you'll gore Aram until there's nothing left of him!"


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The messenger who went to get Micaiah said, "The prophets have all said Yes to the king. Make it unanimous—vote Yes!"


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With Micaiah before him, the king asked him, "So Micaiah—do we attack Ramoth Gilead, or do we hold back?"<br/>"Go ahead," he said. "An easy victory. God's gift to the king."


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"Not so fast," said the king. "How many times have I made you promise under oath to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth?"


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"All right," said Micaiah, "since you insist.<br/>I saw all of Israel scattered over the hills,<br/>sheep with no shepherd.<br/>Then God spoke: 'These poor people<br/>have no one to tell them what to do.<br/>Let them go home and do<br/>the best they can for themselves.' "


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Then the king of Israel turned to Jehoshaphat, "See! What did I tell you? He never has a good word for me from God, only doom."


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Micaiah kept on: "I'm not done yet; listen to God's word:<br/>I saw God enthroned,<br/>and all the angel armies of heaven<br/>Standing at attention<br/>ranged on his right and his left.


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And God said, 'How can we seduce Ahab<br/>into attacking Ramoth Gilead?'<br/>Some said this,<br/>and some said that.


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Then a bold angel stepped out,<br/>stood before God, and said,<br/>'I'll seduce him.'<br/>'And how will you do it?' said God.


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'Easy,' said the angel,<br/>'I'll get all the prophets to lie.'<br/>'That should do it,' said God.<br/>'On your way—seduce him!'


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"And that's what has happened. God filled the mouths of your puppet prophets with seductive lies. God has pronounced your doom."


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Just then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came up and punched Micaiah in the nose, saying, "Since when did the Spirit of God leave me and take up with you?"


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Micaiah said, "You'll know soon enough; you'll know it when you're frantically and futilely looking for a place to hide."


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The king of Israel had heard enough: "Get Micaiah out of here! Turn him over to Amon the city magistrate and to Joash the king's son


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with this message, 'King's orders: Lock him up in jail; keep him on bread and water until I'm back in one piece.' "


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Micaiah said, "If you ever get back in one piece, I'm no prophet of God."<br/>He added,"When it happens, O people, remember where you heard it!"


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The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Wear my kingly robe; I'm going into battle disguised." So the king of Israel entered the battle in disguise.


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Meanwhile, the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders (there were thirty-two of them): "Don't bother with anyone, whether small or great; go after the king of Israel and him only."


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When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat they said, "There he is! The king of Israel!" and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out,


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and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man—it wasn't the king of Israel after all. They let him go.


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Just then someone, without aiming, shot an arrow randomly into the crowd and hit the king of Israel in the chink of his armor. The king told his charioteer, "Turn back! Get me out of here—I'm wounded."


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All day the fighting continued, hot and heavy. Propped up in his chariot, the king watched from the sidelines. He died that evening. Blood from his wound pooled in the chariot.


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They washed down the chariot at the pool of Samaria where the town whores bathed, and the dogs lapped up the blood, just as God's word had said.


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The rest of Ahab's life—everything he did, the ivory palace he built, the towns he founded, and the defense system he built up—is all written up in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.


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He continued the kind of life characteristic of his father Asa—no detours, no dead ends—pleasing God with his life. But he failed to get rid of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines. People continued to pray and worship at these idolatrous shrines.


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The rest of Jehoshaphat's life, his achievements and his battles, is all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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Jehoshaphat built ocean-going ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But they never made it; they shipwrecked at Ezion Geber.


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During that time Ahaziah son of Ahab proposed a joint shipping venture, but Jehoshaphat wouldn't go in with him.


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Then Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the family cemetery in the City of David his ancestor. Jehoram his son was the next king.


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Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled Israel for two years.


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As far as God was concerned, he lived an evil life, reproducing the bad life of his father and mother, repeating the pattern set down by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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Worshiping at the Baal shrines, he made God, the God of Israel, angry, oh, so angry. If anything, he was worse than his father.


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One day Ahaziah fell through the balcony railing on the rooftop of his house in Samaria and was injured. He sent messengers off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, "Am I going to recover from this accident?"


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God's angel spoke to Elijah the Tishbite: "Up on your feet! Go out and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria with this word, 'Is it because there's no God in Israel that you're running off to consult Baal-Zebub god of Ekron?'


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Here's a message from the God you've tried to bypass: 'You're not going to get out of that bed you're in—you're as good as dead already.' " Elijah delivered the message and was gone.


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They told him, "A man met us and said, 'Turn around and go back to the king who sent you; tell him, God's message: Is it because there's no God in Israel that you're running off to consult Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? You needn't bother. You're not going to get out of that bed you're in—you're as good as dead already.' "


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The king said, "Tell me more about this man who met you and said these things to you. What was he like?"


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"Shaggy," they said, "and wearing a leather belt."<br/>He said, "That has to be Elijah the Tishbite!"


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The king sent a captain with fifty men to Elijah. Meanwhile Elijah was sitting, big as life, on top of a hill. The captain said, "O Holy Man! King's orders: Come down!"


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Elijah answered the captain of the fifty, "If it's true that I'm a 'holy man,' lightning strike you and your fifty men!" Out of the blue lightning struck and incinerated the captain and his fifty.


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The king sent another captain with his fifty men, "O Holy Man! King's orders: Come down. And right now!"


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Elijah answered, "If it's true that I'm a 'holy man,' lightning strike you and your fifty men!" Immediately a divine lightning bolt struck and incinerated the captain and his fifty.


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The king then sent a third captain with his fifty men. For a third time, a captain with his fifty approached Elijah. This one fell on his knees in supplication: "O Holy Man, have respect for my life and the souls of these fifty men!


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Twice now lightning from out of the blue has struck and incinerated captains with their fifty men; please, I beg you, respect my life!"


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The angel of God told Elijah, "Go ahead; and don't be afraid." Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.


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Elijah told him, "God's word: Because you sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, as if there were no God in Israel to whom you could pray, you'll never get out of that bed alive—already you're as good as dead."


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And he died, exactly as God's word spoken by Elijah had said.<br/>Because Ahaziah had no son, his brother Joram became the next king. The succession took place in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.


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Just before God took Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on a walk out of Gilgal.


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Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here. God has sent me on an errand to Bethel."<br/>Elisha said, "Not on your life! I'm not letting you out of my sight!" So they both went to Bethel.


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The guild of prophets at Bethel met Elisha and said, "Did you know that God is going to take your master away from you today?"<br/>"Yes," he said, "I know it. But keep it quiet."


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Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here. God has sent me on an errand to Jericho."<br/>Elisha said, "Not on your life! I'm not letting you out of my sight!" So they both went to Jericho.


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The guild of prophets at Jericho came to Elisha and said, "Did you know that God is going to take your master away from you today?"<br/>"Yes," he said, "I know it. But keep it quiet."


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Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here. God has sent me on an errand to the Jordan."<br/>Elisha said, "Not on your life! I'm not letting you out of my sight!" And so the two of them went their way together.


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Meanwhile, fifty men from the guild of prophets gathered some distance away while the two of them stood at the Jordan.


text:
Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with it. The river divided and the two men walked through on dry land.


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When they reached the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, "What can I do for you before I'm taken from you? Ask anything."<br/>Elisha said, "Your life repeated in my life. I want to be a holy man just like you."


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"That's a hard one!" said Elijah. "But if you're watching when I'm taken from you, you'll get what you've asked for. But only if you're watching."


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And so it happened. They were walking along and talking. Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire came between them and Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven.


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Elisha saw it all and shouted, "My father, my father! You—the chariot and cavalry of Israel!" When he could no longer see anything, he grabbed his robe and ripped it to pieces.


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Then he picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him, returned to the shore of the Jordan, and stood there.


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He took Elijah's cloak—all that was left of Elijah!—and hit the river with it, saying, "Now where is the God of Elijah? Where is he?"<br/>When he struck the water, the river divided and Elisha walked through.


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The guild of prophets from Jericho saw the whole thing from where they were standing. They said, "The spirit of Elijah lives in Elisha!" They welcomed and honored him.


text:
They then said, "We're at your service. We have fifty reliable men here; let's send them out to look for your master. Maybe God's spirit has swept him off to some mountain or dropped him into a remote ravine."<br/>Elisha said, "No. Don't send them."


text:
But they pestered him until he caved in: "Go ahead then. Send them."<br/>So they sent the fifty men off. For three days they looked, searching high and low. Nothing.


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One day the men of the city said to Elisha, "You can see for yourself, master, how well our city is located. But the water is polluted and nothing grows."


text:
He then went to the spring, sprinkled the salt into it, and proclaimed, "God's word: I've healed this water. It will no longer kill you or poison your land."


text:
Another time, Elisha was on his way to Bethel and some little kids came out from the town and taunted him, "What's up, old baldhead! Out of our way, skinhead!"


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Elisha turned, took one look at them, and cursed them in the name of God. Two bears charged out of the underbrush and knocked them about, ripping them limb from limb—forty-two children in all!


text:
Joram son of Ahab began his rule over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He was king for twelve years.


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In God's sight he was a bad king. But he wasn't as bad as his father and mother—to his credit he destroyed the obscene Baal stone that his father had made.


text:
But he hung on to the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat, the ones that had corrupted Israel for so long. He wasn't about to give them up.


text:
King Mesha of Moab raised sheep. He was forced to give the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and another hundred thousand rams.


text:
His first move was to send a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Would you join me and fight him?"<br/>"I'm with you all the way," said Jehoshaphat. "My troops are your troops, my horses are your horses.


text:
The king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom started out on what proved to be a looping detour. After seven days they had run out of water for both army and animals.


text:
The king of Israel said, "Bad news! God has gotten us three kings out here to dump us into the hand of Moab."


text:
But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there a prophet of God anywhere around through whom we can consult God?"<br/>One of the servants of the king of Israel said, "Elisha son of Shaphat is around somewhere—the one who was Elijah's right-hand man."


text:
Jehoshaphat said, "Good! A man we can trust!" So the three of them—the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom—went to meet him.


text:
Elisha addressed the king of Israel, "What do you and I have in common? Go consult the puppet-prophets of your father and mother."<br/>"Never!" said the king of Israel. "It's God who has gotten us into this fix, dumping all three of us kings into the hand of Moab."


text:
Elisha said, "As God-of-the-Angel-Armies lives, and before whom I stand ready to serve, if it weren't for the respect I have for Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I wouldn't give you the time of day.


text:
Here's what will happen—you won't hear the wind, you won't see the rain, but this valley is going to fill up with water and your army and your animals will drink their fill.


text:
You will ravage the country: Knock out its fortifications, level the key villages, clear-cut the orchards, clog the springs, and litter the cultivated fields with stones."


text:
In the morning—it was at the hour of morning sacrifice—the water had arrived, water pouring in from the west, from Edom, a flash-flood filling the valley with water.


text:
By this time everyone in Moab had heard that the kings had come up to make war against them. Everyone who was able to handle a sword was called into service and took a stand at the border.


text:
They were up and ready early in the morning when the sun rose over the water. From where the Moabites stood, the water reflecting the sun looked red, like blood.


text:
"Blood! Look at the blood!" they said. "The kings must have fought each other—a bloody massacre! Go for the loot, Moab!"


text:
When Moab entered the camp of Israel, the Israelites were up on their feet killing Moabites right and left, the Moabites running for their lives, Israelites relentless in pursuit—a slaughter.


text:
They leveled the towns, littered the cultivated fields with rocks, clogged the springs, and clear-cut the orchards. Only the capital, Kir Hareseth, was left intact, and that not for long; it too was surrounded and attacked with thrown and flung rocks.


text:
When the king of Moab realized that he was fighting a losing battle, he took seven hundred swordsmen to hack a corridor past the king of Edom, but they didn't make it.


text:
Then he took his son, his firstborn who would succeed him as king, and sacrificed him on the city wall. That set off furious anger against Israel. Israel pulled back and returned home.


text:
One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to God. And now the man to whom he was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves."


text:
Elisha said, "I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?"<br/>"Nothing," she said. "Well, I do have a little oil."


text:
"Here's what you do," said Elisha. "Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from all your neighbors. And not just a few—all you can get.


text:
Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it aside."


text:
She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as they brought the containers to her, she filled them.


text:
When all the jugs and bowls were full, she said to one of her sons, "Another jug, please."<br/>He said, "That's it. There are no more jugs."<br/>Then the oil stopped.


text:
She went and told the story to the man of God. He said, "Go sell the oil and make good on your debts. Live, both you and your sons, on what's left."


text:
One day Elisha passed through Shunem. A leading lady of the town talked him into stopping for a meal. And then it became his custom: Whenever he passed through, he stopped by for a meal.


text:
"I'm certain," said the woman to her husband, "that this man who stops by with us all the time is a holy man of God.


text:
Why don't we add on a small room upstairs and furnish it with a bed and desk, chair and lamp, so that when he comes by he can stay with us?"


text:
Then he said to his servant Gehazi, "Tell the Shunammite woman I want to see her." He called her and she came to him.


text:
Through Gehazi Elisha said, "You've gone far beyond the call of duty in taking care of us; what can we do for you? Do you have a request we can bring to the king or to the commander of the army?"<br/>She replied, "Nothing. I'm secure and satisfied in my family."


text:
Elisha conferred with Gehazi: "There's got to be something we can do for her. But what?"<br/>Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is an old man."


text:
Elisha said to her, "This time next year you're going to be nursing an infant son."<br/>"O my master, O Holy Man," she said, "don't play games with me, teasing me with such fantasies!"


text:
The servant took him in his arms and carried him to his mother. He lay on her lap until noon and died.


text:
She then called her husband, "Get me a servant and a donkey so I can go to the Holy Man; I'll be back as soon as I can."


text:
"But why today? This isn't a holy day—it's neither New Moon nor Sabbath."<br/>She said, "Don't ask questions; I need to go right now. Trust me."


text:
She went ahead and saddled the donkey, ordering her servant, "Take the lead—and go as fast as you can; I'll tell you if you're going too fast."


text:
And so off she went. She came to the Holy Man at Mount Carmel.<br/>The Holy Man, spotting her while she was still a long way off, said to his servant Gehazi, "Look out there; why, it's the Shunammite woman!


text:
Quickly now. Ask her, 'Is something wrong? Are you all right? Your husband? Your child?' "<br/>She said, "Everything's fine."


text:
But when she reached the Holy Man at the mountain, she threw herself at his feet and held tightly to him.<br/>Gehazi came up to pull her away, but the Holy Man said, "Leave her alone—can't you see that she's in distress? But God hasn't let me in on why; I'm completely in the dark."


text:
Then she spoke up: "Did I ask for a son, master? Didn't I tell you, 'Don't tease me with false hopes'?"


text:
He ordered Gehazi, "Don't lose a minute—grab my staff and run as fast as you can. If you meet anyone, don't even take time to greet him, and if anyone greets you, don't even answer. Lay my staff across the boy's face."


text:
The boy's mother said, "As sure as God lives and you live, you're not leaving me behind." And so Gehazi let her take the lead, and followed behind.


text:
But Gehazi arrived first and laid the staff across the boy's face. But there was no sound—no sign of life. Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and said, "The boy hasn't stirred."


text:
He then got into bed with the boy and covered him with his body, mouth on mouth, eyes on eyes, hands on hands. As he was stretched out over him like that, the boy's body became warm.


text:
Elisha got up and paced back and forth in the room. Then he went back and stretched himself upon the boy again. The boy started sneezing—seven times he sneezed!—and opened his eyes.


text:
He called Gehazi and said, "Get the Shunammite woman in here!" He called her and she came in.<br/>Elisha said, "Embrace your son!"


text:
She fell at Elisha's feet, face to the ground in reverent awe. Then she embraced her son and went out with him.


text:
Elisha went back down to Gilgal. There was a famine there. While he was consulting with the guild of prophets, he told his servant, "Put a large pot on the fire and cook up some stew for the prophets."


text:
One of the men went out into the field to get some herbs; he came across a wild vine and picked gourds from it, filling his gunnysack. He brought them back, sliced them up, and put them in the stew, even though no one knew what kind of plant it was.


text:
The stew was then served up for the men to eat. They started to eat, and then exclaimed, "Death in the pot, O man of God! Death in the pot!" Nobody could eat it.


text:
Elisha ordered, "Get me some meal." Then he sprinkled it into the stew pot.<br/>"Now serve it up to the men," he said. They ate it, and it was just fine—nothing wrong with that stew!


text:
One day a man arrived from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God twenty loaves of fresh baked bread from the early harvest, along with a few apples from the orchard.<br/>Elisha said, "Pass it around to the people to eat."


text:
His servant said, "For a hundred men? There's not nearly enough!"<br/>Elisha said, "Just go ahead and do it. God says there's plenty."


text:
Naaman was general of the army under the king of Aram. He was important to his master, who held him in the highest esteem because it was by him that God had given victory to Aram: a truly great man, but afflicted with a grievous skin disease.


text:
It so happened that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to Naaman's wife.


text:
One day she said to her mistress, "Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of his skin disease."


text:
"Well then, go," said the king of Aram. "And I'll send a letter of introduction to the king of Israel."<br/>So he went off, taking with him about 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothes.


text:
Naaman delivered the letter to the king of Israel. The letter read, "When you get this letter, you'll know that I've personally sent my servant Naaman to you; heal him of his skin disease."


text:
When the king of Israel read the letter, he was terribly upset, ripping his robe to pieces. He said, "Am I a god with the power to bring death or life that I get orders to heal this man from his disease? What's going on here? That king's trying to pick a fight, that's what!"


text:
Elisha the man of God heard what had happened, that the king of Israel was so distressed that he'd ripped his robe to shreds. He sent word to the king, "Why are you so upset, ripping your robe like this? Send him to me so he'll learn that there's a prophet in Israel."


text:
Elisha sent out a servant to meet him with this message: "Go to the River Jordan and immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you'll be as good as new."


text:
Naaman lost his temper. He turned on his heel saying, "I thought he'd personally come out and meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and get rid of the disease.


text:
The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I'd at least get clean." He stomped off, mad as a hornet.


text:
But his servants caught up with him and said, "Father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn't you have done it? So why not this simple 'wash and be clean'?"


text:
So he did it. He went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, following the orders of the Holy Man. His skin was healed; it was like the skin of a little baby. He was as good as new.


text:
He then went back to the Holy Man, he and his entourage, stood before him, and said, "I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no God anywhere on earth other than the God of Israel. In gratitude let me give you a gift."


text:
"As God lives," Elisha replied, "the God whom I serve, I'll take nothing from you." Naaman tried his best to get him to take something, but he wouldn't do it.


text:
"If you won't take anything," said Naaman, "let me ask you for something: Give me a load of dirt, as much as a team of donkeys can carry, because I'm never again going to worship any god other than God.


text:
But there's one thing for which I need God's pardon: When my master, leaning on my arm, enters the shrine of Rimmon and worships there, and I'm with him there, worshiping Rimmon, may you see to it that God forgive me for this."


text:
when Gehazi, servant to Elisha the Holy Man, said to himself, "My master has let this Aramean Naaman slip through his fingers without so much as a thank-you. By the living God, I'm going after him to get something or other from him!"


text:
And Gehazi took off after Naaman.<br/>Naaman saw him running after him and jumped down from his chariot to greet him, "Is something wrong?"


text:
"Nothing's wrong, but something's come up. My master sent me to tell you: 'Two young men just showed up from the hill country of Ephraim, brothers from the guild of the prophets. Supply their needs with a gift of seventy-five pounds of silver and a couple of sets of clothes.' "


text:
Naaman said, "Of course, how about a hundred and fifty pounds?" Naaman insisted. He tied up the money in two sacks and gave him the two sets of clothes; he even gave him two servants to carry the gifts back with him.


text:
When they got to the fort on the hill, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants, stored them inside, then sent the servants back.


text:
He returned and stood before his master. Elisha said, "So what have you been up to, Gehazi?"<br/>"Nothing much," he said.


text:
Elisha said, "Didn't you know I was with you in spirit when that man stepped down from his chariot to greet you? Tell me, is this a time to look after yourself, lining your pockets with gifts?


text:
Naaman's skin disease will now infect you and your family, with no relief in sight."<br/>Gehazi walked away, his skin flaky and white like snow.


text:
One day the guild of prophets came to Elisha and said, "You can see that this place where we're living under your leadership is getting cramped—we have no elbow room.


text:
Give us permission to go down to the Jordan where each of us will get a log. We'll build a roomier place."<br/>Elisha said, "Go ahead."


text:
As one of them was felling a timber, his axhead flew off and sank in the river.<br/>"Oh no, master!" he cried out. "And it was borrowed!"


text:
The Holy Man said, "Where did it sink?"<br/>The man showed him the place.<br/>He cut off a branch and tossed it at the spot. The axhead floated up.


text:
One time when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, after consulting with his officers, he said, "At such and such a place I want an ambush set."


text:
The Holy Man sent a message to the king of Israel: "Watch out when you're passing this place, because Aram has set an ambush there."


text:
So the king of Israel sent word concerning the place of which the Holy Man had warned him.<br/>This kind of thing happened all the time.


text:
The king of Aram was furious over all this. He called his officers together and said, "Tell me, who is leaking information to the king of Israel? Who is the spy in our ranks?"


text:
But one of his men said, "No, my master, dear king. It's not any of us. It's Elisha the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel everything you say, even what you whisper in your bedroom."


text:
The king said, "Go and find out where he is. I'll send someone and capture him."<br/>The report came back, "He's in Dothan."


text:
Then he dispatched horses and chariots, an impressive fighting force. They came by night and surrounded the city.


text:
Early in the morning a servant of the Holy Man got up and went out. Surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, "Oh, master! What shall we do?"


text:
Then Elisha prayed, "O God, open his eyes and let him see."<br/>The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha!


text:
When the Arameans attacked, Elisha prayed to God, "Strike these people blind!" And God struck them blind, just as Elisha said.


text:
Then Elisha called out to them, "Not that way! Not this city! Follow me and I'll lead you to the man you're looking for." And he led them into Samaria.


text:
As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, "O God, open their eyes so they can see where they are." God opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria!


text:
"Not on your life!" said Elisha. "You didn't lift a hand to capture them, and now you're going to kill them? No sir, make a feast for them and send them back to their master."


text:
So he prepared a huge feast for them. After they ate and drank their fill he dismissed them. Then they returned home to their master. The raiding bands of Aram didn't bother Israel anymore.


text:
At a later time, this: Ben-Hadad king of Aram pulled together his troops and launched a siege on Samaria.


text:
This brought on a terrible famine, so bad that food prices soared astronomically. Eighty shekels for a donkey's head! Five shekels for a bowl of field greens!


text:
One day the king of Israel was walking along the city wall. A woman cried out, "Help! Your majesty!"


text:
He answered, "If God won't help you, where on earth can I go for help? To the granary? To the dairy?"


text:
The king continued, "Tell me your story."<br/>She said, "This woman came to me and said, 'Give up your son and we'll have him for today's supper; tomorrow we'll eat my son.'


text:
So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her, 'Your turn—bring your son so we can have him for supper.' But she had hidden her son away."


text:
When the king heard the woman's story he ripped apart his robe. Since he was walking on the city wall, everyone saw that next to his skin he was wearing coarse burlap.


text:
And he called out, "God do his worst to me—and more—if Elisha son of Shaphat still has a head on his shoulders at this day's end."


text:
Elisha was sitting at home, the elders sitting with him. The king had already dispatched an executioner, but before the man arrived Elisha spoke to the elders: "Do you know that this murderer has just now sent a man to take off my head? Look, when the executioner arrives, shut the door and lock it. Don't I even now hear the footsteps of his master behind him?"


text:
While he was giving his instructions, the king showed up, accusing, "This trouble is directly from God! And what's next? I'm fed up with God!"


text:
Elisha said, "Listen! God's word! The famine's over. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The market at the city gate will be buzzing."


text:
The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, "You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?"<br/>"You'll watch it with your own eyes," he said, "but you will not eat so much as a mouthful!"


text:
It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. They said to one another, "What are we doing sitting here at death's door?


text:
If we enter the famine-struck city we'll die; if we stay here we'll die. So let's take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us we'll live, if they kill us we'll die. We've got nothing to lose."


text:
So after the sun went down they got up and went to the camp of Aram. When they got to the edge of the camp, surprise! Not a man in the camp!


text:
The Master had made the army of Aram hear the sound of horses and a mighty army on the march. They told one another, "The king of Israel hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!"


text:
Panicked, they ran for their lives through the darkness, abandoning tents, horses, donkeys—the whole camp just as it was—running for dear life.


text:
These four lepers entered the camp and went into a tent. First they ate and drank. Then they grabbed silver, gold, and clothing, and went off and hid it. They came back, entered another tent, and looted it, again hiding their plunder.


text:
Finally they said to one another, "We shouldn't be doing this! This is a day of good news and we're making it into a private party! If we wait around until morning we'll get caught and punished. Come on! Let's go tell the news to the king's palace!"


text:
So they went and called out at the city gate, telling what had happened: "We went to the camp of Aram and, surprise!—the place was deserted. Not a soul, not a sound! Horses and donkeys left tethered and tents abandoned just as they were."


text:
Roused in the middle of the night, the king told his servants, "Let me tell you what Aram has done. They knew that we were starving, so they left camp and have hid in the field, thinking, 'When they come out of the city, we'll capture them alive and take the city.' "


text:
One of his advisors answered, "Let some men go and take five of the horses left behind. The worst that can happen is no worse than what could happen to the whole city. Let's send them and find out what's happened."


text:
They took two chariots with horses. The king sent them after the army of Aram with the orders, "Scout them out; find out what happened."


text:
They went after them all the way to the Jordan. The whole way was strewn with clothes and equipment that Aram had dumped in their panicked flight. The scouts came back and reported to the king.


text:
The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped overnight—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel—God's word to the letter!


text:
The king ordered his attendant, the one he leaned on for support, to be in charge of the city gate. The people, turned into a mob, poured through the gate, trampling him to death. It was exactly what the Holy Man had said when the king had come to see him.


text:
Every word of the Holy Man to the king—"A handful of meal for a shekel, two handfuls of grain for a shekel this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria,"


text:
with the attendant's sarcastic reply to the Holy Man, "You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?" followed by the response, "You'll watch it with your own eyes, but you won't eat so much as a mouthful"—proved true.


text:
Years before, Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought to life, "Leave here and go, you and your family, and live someplace else. God has ordered a famine in the land; it will last for seven years."


text:
The woman did what the Holy Man told her and left. She and her family lived as aliens in the country of Philistia for seven years.


text:
Then, when the seven years were up, the woman and her family came back. She went directly to the king and asked for her home and farm.


text:
The king was talking with Gehazi, servant to the Holy Man, saying, "Tell me some stories of the great things Elisha did."


text:
It so happened that as he was telling the king the story of the dead person brought back to life, the woman whose son was brought to life showed up asking for her home and farm.<br/>Gehazi said, "My master the king, this is the woman! And this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!"


text:
The king wanted to know all about it, and so she told him the story. The king assigned an officer to take care of her, saying, "Make sure she gets everything back that's hers, plus all profits from the farm from the time she left until now."


text:
Elisha traveled to Damascus. Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, was sick at the time. He was told, "The Holy Man is in town."


text:
The king ordered Hazael, "Take a gift with you and go meet the Holy Man. Ask God through him, 'Am I going to recover from this sickness?' "


text:
Hazael went and met with Elisha. He brought with him every choice thing he could think of from Damascus—forty camel-loads of items! When he arrived he stood before Elisha and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, sent me here to ask you, 'Am I going to recover from this sickness?' "


text:
Elisha answered, "Go and tell him, 'Don't worry; you'll live.' The fact is, though—God showed me—that he's doomed to die."


text:
Elisha then stared hard at Hazael, reading his heart. Hazael felt exposed and dropped his eyes. Then the Holy Man wept.


text:
Hazael said, "Why does my master weep?"<br/>"Because," said Elisha, "I know what you're going to do to the children of Israel:<br/>burn down their forts,<br/>murder their youth,<br/>smash their babies,<br/>rip open their pregnant women."


text:
Hazael said, "Am I a mongrel dog that I'd do such a horrible thing?"<br/>"God showed me," said Elisha, "that you'll be king of Aram."


text:
Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master, who asked, "So, what did Elisha tell you?"<br/>"He told me, 'Don't worry; you'll live.' "


text:
But the very next day, someone took a heavy quilt, soaked it in water, covered the king's face, and suffocated him.<br/>Now Hazael was king.


text:
In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.


text:
He copied the way of life of the kings of Israel, marrying into the Ahab family and continuing the Ahab line of sin—from God's point of view, an evil man living an evil life.


text:
But despite that, because of his servant David, God was not ready to destroy Judah. He had, after all, promised to keep a lamp burning through David's descendants.


text:
Jehoram responded by taking his army of chariots to Zair.<br/>Edom surrounded him, but in the middle of the night he and his charioteers broke through the lines and hit Edom hard. But his infantry deserted him.


text:
Edom continues in revolt against Judah right up to the present. Even little Libnah revolted at that time.


text:
The rest of the life and times of Jehoram, the record of his rule, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


text:
Jehoram died and was buried in the family grave in the City of David. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.


text:
In the twelfth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began his reign.


text:
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king; he ruled only a year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.


text:
He lived and ruled just like the Ahab family had done, continuing the same evil-in-God's-sight line of sin, related by both marriage and sin to the Ahab clan.


text:
He joined Joram son of Ahab king of Israel in a war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The archers wounded Joram.


text:
Joram pulled back to Jezreel to convalesce from the injuries he had received in the fight with Hazael. Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah paid a visit to Joram son of Ahab on his sickbed in Jezreel.


text:
One day Elisha the prophet ordered a member of the guild of prophets, "Get yourself ready, take a flask of oil, and go to Ramoth Gilead.


text:
Look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi. When you find him, get him away from his companions and take him to a back room.


text:
Take your flask of oil and pour it over his head and say, 'God's word: I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and get out of there as fast as you can. Don't wait around."


text:
On arrival he found the army officers all sitting around. He said, "I have a matter of business with you, officer."<br/>Jehu said, "Which one of us?"<br/>"With you, officer."


text:
He got up and went inside the building. The young prophet poured the oil on his head and said, "God's word, the God of Israel: I've anointed you to be king over the people of God, over Israel.


text:
Your assignment is to attack the regime of Ahab your master. I am avenging the massacre of my servants the prophets—yes, the Jezebel-massacre of all the prophets of God.


text:
I'll see to it that the family of Ahab experiences the same fate as the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah.


text:
As for Jezebel, the dogs will eat her carcass in the open fields of Jezreel. No burial for her!" Then he opened the door and made a run for it.


text:
Jehu went back out to his master's officers. They asked, "Is everything all right? What did that crazy fool want with you?"<br/>He said, "You know that kind of man—all talk."


text:
"That's a lie!" they said. "Tell us what's going on."<br/>He said, "He told me this and this and this—in effect, 'God's word: I anoint you king of Israel!' "


text:
They sprang into action. Each man grabbed his robe; they piled them at the top of the steps for a makeshift throne. Then they blew the trumpet and declared, "Jehu is king!"


text:
That ignited the conspiracy of Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi against Joram.<br/>Meanwhile, Joram and the entire army were defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram.


text:
Except that Joram had pulled back to Jezreel to convalesce from the injuries he got from the Arameans in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.<br/>Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, don't let anyone sneak out of the city and blab the news in Jezreel."


text:
Then Jehu mounted a chariot and rode to Jezreel, where Joram was in bed, resting. King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.


text:
A sentry standing duty on the watchtower in Jezreel saw the company of Jehu arrive. He said, "I see a band of men."<br/>Joram said, "Get a horseman and send him out to meet them and inquire, 'Is anything wrong?' "


text:
The horseman rode out to meet Jehu and said, "The king wants to know if there's anything wrong."<br/>Jehu said, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in behind me."<br/>The sentry said, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning."


text:
The king then sent a second horseman. When he reached them he said, "The king wants to know if there's anything wrong."<br/>Jehu said, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in behind me."


text:
The sentry said, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning. The driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi—crazy!"


text:
Joram ordered, "Get my chariot ready!" They hitched up his chariot. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah, each in his own chariot, drove out to meet Jehu. They met in the field of Naboth of Jezreel.


text:
When Joram saw Jehu he called out, "Good day, Jehu!"<br/>Jehu answered, "What's good about it? How can there be anything good about it as long as the promiscuous whoring and sorceries of your mother Jezebel pollute the country?"


text:
Jehu pulled on his bow and released an arrow; it hit Joram between the shoulder blades and went right through his heart. He slumped to his knees in his chariot.


text:
Jehu ordered Bidkar, his lieutenant, "Quick—throw him into the field of Naboth of Jezreel. Remember when you and I were driving our chariots behind Ahab his father? That's when God pronounced this doom upon him:


text:
'As surely as I saw the blood of murdered Naboth and his sons yesterday, you'll pay for it on this exact piece of ground. God's word!' So take him and throw him out in the field. God's instructions carried out to the letter!"


text:
Ahaziah king of Judah saw what was going on and made his escape on the road toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, yelling out, "Get him, too!" Jehu's troops shot and wounded him in his chariot on the hill up to Gur, near Ibleam. He was able to make it as far as Megiddo; there he died.


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When Jezebel heard that Jehu had arrived in Jezreel, she made herself up—put on eyeshadow and arranged her hair—and posed seductively at the window.


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When Jehu came through the city gate, she called down, "So, how are things, 'Zimri,' you dashing king-killer?"


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Jehu looked up at the window and called, "Is there anybody up there on my side?" Two or three palace eunuchs looked out.


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He ordered, "Throw her down!" They threw her out the window. Her blood spattered the wall and the horses, and Jehu trampled her under his horse's hooves.


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Then Jehu went inside and ate his lunch. During lunch he gave orders, "Take care of that damned woman; give her a decent burial—she is, after all, a king's daughter."


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They came back and told Jehu. He said, "It's God's word, the word spoken by Elijah the Tishbite:<br/>In the field of Jezreel,<br/>dogs will eat Jezebel;


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The body of Jezebel will be like<br/>dog-droppings on the ground in Jezreel.<br/>Old friends and lovers will say,<br/>'I wonder, is this Jezebel?' "


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Ahab had seventy sons still living in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters addressed to the officers of Jezreel, the city elders, and those in charge of Ahab's sons, and posted them to Samaria.


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The letters read: This letter is fair warning. You're in charge of your master's children, chariots, horses, fortifications, and weapons.


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Pick the best and most capable of your master's sons and put him on the throne. Prepare to fight for your master's position.


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They were absolutely terrified at the letter. They said, "Two kings have already been wiped out by him; what hope do we have?"


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So they sent the warden of the palace, the mayor of the city, the elders, and the guardians to Jehu with this message: "We are your servants. Whatever you say, we'll do. We're not making anyone king here. You're in charge—do what you think best."


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Then Jehu wrote a second letter: If you are on my side and are willing to follow my orders, here's what you do: Decapitate the sons of your master and bring the heads to me by this time tomorrow in Jezreel.<br/>The king's sons numbered seventy. The leaders of the city had taken responsibility for them.


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When they got the letter, they took the king's sons and killed all seventy. Then they put the heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.


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A messenger reported to Jehu: "They've delivered the heads of the king's sons."<br/>He said, "Stack them in two piles at the city gate until morning."


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In the morning Jehu came out, stood before the people, and addressed them formally: "Do you realize that this very day you are participants in God's righteous workings? True, I am the one who conspired against my master and assassinated him. But who, do you suppose, is responsible for this pile of skulls?


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Know this for certain: Not a single syllable that God spoke in judgment on the family of Ahab is canceled; you're seeing it with your own eyes—God doing what, through Elijah, he said he'd do."


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Then Jehu proceeded to kill everyone who had anything to do with Ahab's family in Jezreel—leaders, friends, priests. He wiped out the entire lot.


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That done, he brushed himself off and set out for Samaria. Along the way, at Beth Eked (Binding House) of the Shepherds,


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he met up with some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah.<br/>Jehu said, "Who are you?"<br/>They said, "We're relatives of Ahaziah and we've come down to a reunion of the royal family."


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"Grab them!" ordered Jehu. They were taken and then massacred at the well of Beth Eked. Forty-two of them—no survivors.


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He went on from there and came upon Jehonadab the Recabite who was on his way to meet him. Greeting him, he said, "Are we together and of one mind in this?"<br/>Jehonadab said, "We are—count on me."<br/>"Then give me your hand," said Jehu.<br/>They shook hands on it and Jehonadab stepped up into the chariot with Jehu.


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"Come along with me," said Jehu, "and witness my zeal for God." Together they proceeded in the chariot.


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When they arrived in Samaria, Jehu massacred everyone left in Samaria who was in any way connected with Ahab—a mass execution, just as God had told Elijah.


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Next, Jehu got all the people together and addressed them:<br/>Ahab served Baal small-time;<br/>Jehu will serve him big-time.


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"Get all the prophets of Baal here—everyone who served him, all his priests. Get everyone here; don't leave anyone out. I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal. If you don't show up, you won't live to tell about it." (Jehu was lying, of course. He planned to destroy all the worshipers of Baal.)


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Jehu then summoned everyone in Israel. They came in droves—every worshiper of Baal in the country. Nobody stayed home. They came and packed the temple of Baal to capacity.


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Jehu directed the keeper of the wardrobe, "Get robes for all the servants of Baal." He brought out their robes.


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Jehu and Jehonadab the Recabite now entered the temple of Baal and said, "Double-check and make sure that there are no worshipers of God in here; only Baal-worshipers are allowed."


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Then they launched the worship, making the sacrifices and burnt offerings.<br/>Meanwhile, Jehu had stationed eighty men outside with orders: "Don't let a single person escape; if you do, it's your life for his life."


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When Jehu had finished with the sacrificial solemnities, he signaled to the officers and guards, "Enter and kill! No survivors!"<br/>And the bloody slaughter began. The officers and guards threw the corpses outside and cleared the way to enter the inner shrine of Baal.


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But for all that, Jehu didn't turn back from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, the sins that had dragged Israel into a life of sin—the golden calves in Bethel and Dan stayed.


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God commended Jehu: "You did well to do what I saw was best. You did what I ordered against the family of Ahab. As reward, your sons will occupy the throne of Israel for four generations."


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Even then, though, Jehu wasn't careful to walk in God's ways and honor the God of Israel from an undivided heart. He didn't turn back from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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from the Jordan to the east—all the territory of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh from Aroer near the Brook Arnon. In effect, all Gilead and Bashan.


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The rest of the life and times of Jehu, his accomplishments and fame, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah. When she saw that her son was dead, she took over. She began by massacring the entire royal family.


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But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah's son Joash and kidnapped him from among the king's sons slated for slaughter. She hid him and his nurse in a private room away from Athaliah. He didn't get killed.


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He was there with her, hidden away for six years in The Temple of God. Athaliah, oblivious to his existence, ruled the country.


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In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the captains of the bodyguards and the Palace Security Force. They met him in The Temple of God. He made a covenant with them, swore them to secrecy, and only then showed them the young prince.


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Then he commanded them, "These are your instructions: Those of you who come on duty on the Sabbath and guard the palace, and those of you who go off duty on the Sabbath and guard The Temple of God, are to join forces at the time of the changing of the guard and form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going."


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The captains obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took his men, those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and presented them to Jehoiada the priest.


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The priest armed the officers with spears and shields originally belonging to King David, stored in The Temple of God.


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Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple.


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Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God's covenant, and made him king. As they anointed him, everyone applauded and shouted, "Long live the king!"


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Athaliah heard the shouting of guards and people and came to the crowd gathered at The Temple of God.


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Astonished, she saw the king standing beside the throne, flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"


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Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God.")


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Jehoiada now made a covenant between God and the king and the people: They were God's people. Another covenant was made between the king and the people.


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The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest in front of the altar.<br/>Jehoiada then stationed sentries in The Temple of God.


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He arranged for the officers of the bodyguard and the palace security, along with the people themselves, to escort the king down from The Temple of God through the Gate of the Guards and into the palace. There he sat on the royal throne.


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Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed—they had killed Athaliah with the royal sword.


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In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash began his kingly rule. He was king for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle. She was from Beersheba.


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(Even so, he didn't get rid of the sacred fertility shrines—people still frequented them, sacrificing and burning incense.)


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Joash instructed the priests: "Take the money that is brought into The Temple of God for holy offerings—both mandatory offerings and freewill offerings—


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and, keeping a careful accounting, use them to renovate The Temple wherever it has fallen into disrepair."


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But by the twenty-third year of Joash's rule, the priests hadn't done one thing—The Temple was as dilapidated as ever.


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King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the company of priests and said, "Why haven't you renovated this sorry-looking Temple? You are forbidden to take any more money for Temple repairs—from now on, hand over everything you get."


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Then Jehoiada took a single chest and bored a hole in the lid and placed it to the right of the main entrance into The Temple of God. All the offerings that were brought to The Temple of God were placed in the chest by the priests who guarded the entrance.


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When they saw that a large sum of money had accumulated in the chest, the king's secretary and the chief priest would empty the chest and count the offerings.


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They would give the money accounted for to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn would pay the carpenters, construction workers,


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masons, stoneworkers, and the buyers of timber and quarried stone for the repair and renovation of The Temple of God—any expenses connected with fixing up The Temple.


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But none of the money brought into The Temple of God was used for liturgical "extras" (silver chalices, candle snuffers, trumpets, various gold and silver vessels, etc.).


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And no one even had to check on the men who handled the money given for the project—they were honest men.


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Offerings designated for Compensation Offerings and Absolution Offerings didn't go into the building project—those went directly to the priests.


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Around this time Hazael king of Aram ventured out and attacked Gath, and he captured it. Then he decided to try for Jerusalem.


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Joash king of Judah countered by gathering up all the sacred memorials—gifts dedicated for holy use by his ancestors, the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, along with the holy memorials he himself had received, plus all the gold that he could find in the temple and palace storerooms—and sent it to Hazael king of Aram. Appeased, Hazael went on his way and didn't bother Jerusalem.


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The rest of the life and times of Joash and all that he did are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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At the last his palace staff formed a conspiracy and assassinated Joash as he was strolling along the ramp of the fortified outside city wall.


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Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer were the assassins. And so Joash died and was buried in the family plot in the City of David. His son Amaziah was king after him.


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In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria—a rule of seventeen years.


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He lived an evil life before God, walking step for step in the tracks of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into a life of sin, swerving neither left or right.


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Exasperated, God was furious with Israel and turned them over to Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad son of Hazael. This domination went on for a long time.


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Then Jehoahaz prayed for a softening of God's anger, and God listened. He realized how wretched Israel had become under the brutalities of the king of Aram.


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So God provided a savior for Israel who brought them out from under Aram's oppression. The children of Israel were again able to live at peace in their own homes.


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But it didn't make any difference: They didn't change their lives, didn't turn away from the Jeroboam-sins that now characterized Israel, including the sex-and-religion shrines of Asherah still flourishing in Samaria.


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Nothing was left of Jehoahaz's army after Hazael's oppression except for fifty cavalry, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry. The king of Aram had decimated the rest, leaving behind him mostly chaff.


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The rest of the life and times of Jehoahaz, the record of his accomplishments, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria—a reign of sixteen years.


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In God's eyes he lived an evil life. He didn't deviate one bit from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin. He plodded along in the same tracks, step after step.


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The rest of the life and times of Jehoash, the record of his accomplishments and his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Jehoash died and joined his ancestors. Jeroboam took over his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria in the royal cemetery.


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Elisha came down sick. It was the sickness of which he would soon die. Jehoash king of Israel paid him a visit. When he saw him he wept openly, crying, "My father, my father! Chariot and horsemen of Israel!"


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Then he told the king, "Put your hand on the bow." He put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hand over the hand of the king.


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Elisha said, "Now open the east window." He opened it.<br/>Then he said, "Shoot!" And he shot.<br/>"The arrow of God's salvation!" exclaimed Elisha. "The arrow of deliverance from Aram! You will do battle against Aram until there's nothing left of it."


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"Now pick up the other arrows," said Elisha. He picked them up.<br/>Then he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground."<br/>The king struck the ground three times and then quit.


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The Holy Man became angry with him: "Why didn't you hit the ground five or six times? Then you would beat Aram until he was finished. As it is, you'll defeat him three times only."


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Then Elisha died and they buried him.<br/>Some time later, raiding bands of Moabites, as they often did, invaded the country.


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One day, some men were burying a man and spotted the raiders. They threw the man into Elisha's tomb and got away. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came alive, stood up, and walked out on his own two feet.


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But God was gracious and showed mercy to them. He stuck with them out of respect for his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He never gave up on them, never even considered discarding them, even to this day.


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Jehoash son of Jehoahaz turned things around and took back the cities that Ben-Hadad son of Hazael had taken from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash went to war three times and defeated him each time, recapturing the cites of Israel.


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In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddin. She was from Jerusalem.


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He lived the way God wanted and did the right thing. But he didn't come up to the standards of his ancestor David; instead he lived pretty much as his father Joash had;


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When he had the affairs of the kingdom well in hand, he executed the palace guard that had assassinated his father the king.


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But he didn't kill the sons of the assassins. He was obedient to what God commanded, written in the Word revealed to Moses, that parents shouldn't be executed for their children's sins, nor children for those of their parents. We each pay personally for our sins.


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Amaziah roundly defeated Edom in the Valley of Salt to the tune of ten thousand dead. In another battle he took The Rock and renamed it Joktheel, the name it still bears.


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One day Amaziah sent envoys to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, challenging him to a fight: "Come and meet with me—I dare you. Let's have it out face to face!"


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Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah, "One day a thistle in Lebanon sent word to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But then a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it.


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Just because you've defeated Edom in battle, you now think you're a big shot. Go ahead and be proud, but stay home. Why press your luck? Why bring defeat on yourself and Judah?"


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Amaziah wouldn't take No for an answer. So Jehoash king of Israel gave in and agreed to a battle between him and Amaziah king of Judah. They met at Beth Shemesh, a town of Judah.


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Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. But Jehoash didn't stop there; he went on to attack Jerusalem. He demolished the wall of Jerusalem all the way from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a stretch of about 600 feet.


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He looted the gold, silver, and furnishings—anything he found that was worth taking—from both the palace and The Temple of God. And, for good measure, he took hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.


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The rest of the life and times of Jehoash, his significant accomplishments and the fight with Amaziah king of Judah, are all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Jehoash died and was buried in Samaria in the cemetery of the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became the next king.


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Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah continued as king fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.


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At the last they cooked up a plot against Amaziah in Jerusalem and he had to flee to Lachish. But they tracked him down in Lachish and killed him there.


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They brought him back on horseback and buried him in Jerusalem, with his ancestors in the City of David.


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Azariah—he was only sixteen years old at the time—was the unanimous choice of the people of Judah to succeed his father Amaziah as king.


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In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for forty-one years.


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As far as God was concerned he lived an evil life, never deviating an inch from all the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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But he did restore the borders of Israel to Lebo Hamath in the far north and to the Dead Sea in the south, matching what God, the God of Israel, had pronounced through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.


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God was fully aware of the trouble in Israel, its bitterly hard times. No one was exempt, whether slave or citizen, and no hope of help anywhere was in sight.


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But God wasn't yet ready to blot out the name of Israel from history, so he used Jeroboam son of Jehoash to save them.


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The rest of the life and times of Jeroboam, his victories in battle and how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath which had belonged to Judah, these are all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Jeroboam died and was buried with his ancestors in the royal cemetery. His son Zechariah became the next king.


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He was sixteen years old when he began his rule and he was king for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah. She was from Jerusalem.


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But he also failed to get rid of the local sex-and-religion shrines; they continued to be popular with the people.


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God afflicted the king with a bad skin disease until the day of his death. He lived in the palace but no longer acted as king; his son Jotham ran the government and ruled the country.


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The rest of the life and times of Azariah, everything he accomplished, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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Azariah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Jotham his son was king after him.


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In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in Samaria. He lasted only six months.


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He lived a bad life before God, no different from his ancestors. He continued in the line of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into a life of sin.


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Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him, assassinated him in public view, and took over as king.


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The rest of the life and times of Zechariah is written plainly in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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That completed the word of God that was given to Jehu, namely, "For four generations your sons will sit on the throne of Israel." Zechariah was the fourth.


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Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah. He was king in Samaria for only a month.


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Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh and killed him. He then became king.


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The rest of the life and times of Shallum and the account of the conspiracy are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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Using Tirzah as his base, Menahem opened his reign by smashing Tiphsah, devastating both the town and its suburbs because they didn't welcome him with open arms. He savagely ripped open all the pregnant women.


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In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He ruled from Samaria for ten years.


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As far as God was concerned he lived an evil life. Sin for sin, he repeated the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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Then Tiglath-Pileser III king of Assyria showed up and attacked the country. But Menahem made a deal with him: He bought his support by handing over about thirty-seven tons of silver.


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He raised the money by making every landowner in Israel pay fifty shekels to the king of Assyria. That satisfied the king of Assyria, and he left the country.


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The rest of the life and times of Menahem, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for two years.


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In God's eyes he lived an evil life. He stuck to the old sin tracks of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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And then his military aide Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him—killed him in cold blood while he was in his private quarters in the royal palace in Samaria. He also killed Argob and Arieh. Fifty Gadites were in on the conspiracy with him. After the murder he became the next king.


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The rest of the life and times of Pekahiah, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for twenty years.


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In God's view he lived an evil life; he didn't deviate so much as a hair's breadth from the path laid down by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin.


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During the reign of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser III king of Assyria invaded the country. He captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee—the whole country of Naphtali—and took everyone captive to Assyria.


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But then Hoshea son of Elah mounted a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him and took over as king. This was in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.


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The rest of the life and times of Pekah, everything he did, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah became king in Judah.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.


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But he didn't interfere with the traffic to the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines; they continued, as popular as ever. The construction of the High Gate to The Temple of God was his work.


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The rest of the life and times of Jotham, the record of his work, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


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It was during these years that God began sending Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah.


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Jotham died and joined his ancestors. They buried him in the family cemetery in the City of David. His son Ahaz was the next king.


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Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king and he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn't behave in the eyes of his God; he wasn't at all like his ancestor David.


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Instead he followed in the track of the kings of Israel. He even indulged in the outrageous practice of "passing his son through the fire"—a truly abominable act he picked up from the pagans God had earlier thrown out of the country.


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He also participated in the activities of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines that flourished all over the place.


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Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel ganged up against Jerusalem, throwing a siege around the city, but they couldn't make further headway against Ahaz.


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At about this same time and on another front, the king of Edom recovered the port of Elath and expelled the men of Judah. The Edomites occupied Elath and have been there ever since.


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Ahaz sent envoys to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria with this message: "I'm your servant and your son. Come and save me from the heavy-handed invasion of the king of Aram and the king of Israel. They're attacking me right now."


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Then Ahaz robbed the treasuries of the palace and The Temple of God of their gold and silver and sent them to the king of Assyria as a bribe.


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The king of Assyria responded to him. He attacked and captured Damascus. He deported the people to Nineveh as exiles. Rezin he killed.


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King Ahaz went to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria in Damascus. The altar in Damascus made a great impression on him. He sent back to Uriah the priest a drawing and set of blueprints of the altar.


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Uriah the priest built the altar to the specifications that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. By the time the king returned from Damascus, Uriah had completed the altar.


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The minute the king saw the altar he approached it with reverence and arranged a service of worship with a full course of offerings:


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Whole-Burnt-Offerings with billows of smoke, Grain-Offerings, libations of Drink-Offerings, the sprinkling of blood from the Peace-Offerings—the works.


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But the old bronze Altar that signaled the presence of God he displaced from its central place and pushed it off to the side of his new altar.


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Then King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest: "From now on offer all the sacrifices on the new altar, the great altar: morning Whole-Burnt-Offerings, evening Grain-Offerings, the king's Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Grain-Offerings, the people's Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Grain-Offerings, and also their Drink-Offerings. Splash all the blood from the burnt offerings and sacrifices against this altar. The old bronze Altar will be for my personal use.


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Then King Ahaz proceeded to plunder The Temple furniture of all its bronze. He stripped the bronze from The Temple furnishings, even salvaged the four bronze oxen that supported the huge basin, The Sea, and set The Sea unceremoniously on the stone pavement.


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Finally, he removed any distinctive features from within The Temple that were offensive to the king of Assyria.


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Ahaz died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Hezekiah became the next king.


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In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for nine years.


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As far as God was concerned, he lived a bad life, but not nearly as bad as the kings who had preceded him.


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Then Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked. Hoshea was already a puppet of the Assyrian king and regularly sent him tribute,


text:
but Shalmaneser discovered that Hoshea had been operating traitorously behind his back—having worked out a deal with King So of Egypt. And, adding insult to injury, Hoshea was way behind on his annual payments of tribute to Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and threw him in prison,


text:
then proceeded to invade the entire country. He attacked Samaria and threw up a siege against it. The siege lasted three years.


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In the ninth year of Hoshea's reign the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took the people into exile in Assyria. He relocated them in Halah, in Gozan along the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes.


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The exile came about because of sin: The children of Israel sinned against God, their God, who had delivered them from Egypt and the brutal oppression of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They took up with other gods,


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fell in with the ways of life of the pagan nations God had chased off, and went along with whatever their kings did.


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They did all kinds of things on the sly, things offensive to their God, then openly and shamelessly built local sex-and-religion shrines at every available site.


text:
Everywhere you looked there was smoke from their pagan offerings to the deities—the identical offerings that had gotten the pagan nations off into exile. They had accumulated a long list of evil actions and God was fed up,


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fed up with their persistent worship of gods carved out of deadwood or shaped out of clay, even though God had plainly said, "Don't do this—ever!"


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God had taken a stand against Israel and Judah, speaking clearly through countless holy prophets and seers time and time again, "Turn away from your evil way of life. Do what I tell you and have been telling you in The Revelation I gave your ancestors and of which I've kept reminding you ever since through my servants the prophets."


text:
But they wouldn't listen. If anything, they were even more bullheaded than their stubborn ancestors, if that's possible.


text:
They were contemptuous of his instructions, the solemn and holy covenant he had made with their ancestors, and of his repeated reminders and warnings. They lived a "nothing" life and became "nothings"—just like the pagan peoples all around them. They were well-warned: God said, "Don't!" but they did it anyway.


text:
They threw out everything God, their God, had told them, and replaced him with two statue-gods shaped like bull-calves and then a phallic pole for the whore goddess Asherah. They worshiped cosmic forces—sky gods and goddesses—and frequented the sex-and-religion shrines of Baal.


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They even sank so low as to offer their own sons and daughters as sacrificial burnt offerings! They indulged in all the black arts of magic and sorcery. In short, they prostituted themselves to every kind of evil available to them. And God had had enough.


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God was so thoroughly angry that he got rid of them, got them out of the country for good until only one tribe was left—Judah.


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(Judah, actually, wasn't much better, for Judah also failed to keep God's commands, falling into the same way of life that Israel had adopted.)


text:
God rejected everyone connected with Israel, made life hard for them, and permitted anyone with a mind to exploit them to do so. And then this final No as he threw them out of his sight.


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Back at the time that God ripped Israel out of their place in the family of David, they had made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam debauched Israel—turned them away from serving God and led them into a life of total sin.


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The children of Israel went along with all the sins that Jeroboam did, never murmured so much as a word of protest.


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In the end, God spoke a final No to Israel and turned his back on them. He had given them fair warning, and plenty of time, through the preaching of all his servants the prophets. Then he exiled Israel from her land to Assyria. And that's where they are now.


text:
The king of Assyria brought in people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and relocated them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the exiled Israelites. They moved in as if they owned the place and made themselves at home.


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When the Assyrians first moved in, God was just another god to them; they neither honored nor worshiped him. Then God sent lions among them and people were mauled and killed.


text:
This message was then sent back to the king of Assyria: "The people you brought in to occupy the towns of Samaria don't know what's expected of them from the god of the land, and now he's sent lions and they're killing people right and left because nobody knows what the god of the land expects of them."


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The king of Assyria ordered, "Send back some priests who were taken into exile from there. They can go back and live there and instruct the people in what the god of the land expects of them."


text:
One of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came back and moved into Bethel. He taught them how to honor and worship God.


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But each people that Assyria had settled went ahead anyway making its own gods and setting them up in the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines that the citizens of Samaria had left behind—a local custom-made god for each people:


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for Avva, Nibhaz and Tartak;<br/>for Sepharvaim, Adrammelech and Anammelech (people burned their children in sacrificial offerings to these gods!).


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They honored and worshiped God, but not exclusively—they also appointed all sorts of priests, regardless of qualification, to conduct a variety of rites at the local fertility shrines.


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They honored and worshiped God, but they also kept up their devotions to the old gods of the places they had come from.


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And they're still doing it, still worshiping any old god that has nostalgic appeal to them. They don't really worship God—they don't take seriously what he says regarding how to behave and what to believe, what he revealed to the children of Jacob whom he named Israel.


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God made a covenant with his people and ordered them, "Don't honor other gods: Don't worship them, don't serve them, don't offer sacrifices to them.


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Worship God, the God who delivered you from Egypt in great and personal power. Reverence and fear him. Worship him. Sacrifice to him. And only him!


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All the things he had written down for you, directing you in what to believe and how to behave—well, do them for as long as you live. And whatever you do, don't worship other gods!


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As it turned out, all the time these people were putting on a front of worshiping God, they were at the same time involved with their local idols. And they're still doing it. Like father, like son.


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In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz began his rule over Judah.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.


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He got rid of the local fertility shrines, smashed the phallic stone monuments, and cut down the sex-and-religion Asherah groves. As a final stroke he pulverized the ancient bronze serpent that Moses had made; at that time the Israelites had taken up the practice of sacrificing to it—they had even dignified it with a name, Nehushtan (The Old Serpent).


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Hezekiah put his whole trust in the God of Israel. There was no king quite like him, either before or after.


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He held fast to God—never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter everything God had commanded Moses.


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And God, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures.<br/>He revolted against the king of Assyria; he refused to serve him one more day.


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And he drove back the Philistines, whether in sentry outposts or fortress cities, all the way to Gaza and its borders.


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In the fourth year of Hezekiah and the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked Samaria. He threw a siege around it


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and after three years captured it. It was in the sixth year of Hezekiah and the ninth year of Hoshea that Samaria fell to Assyria.


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The king of Assyria took Israel into exile and relocated them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in towns of the Medes.


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All this happened because they wouldn't listen to the voice of their God and treated his covenant with careless contempt. They refused either to listen or do a word of what Moses, the servant of God, commanded.


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In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the outlying fortress cities of Judah and captured them.


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King Hezekiah sent a message to the king of Assyria at his headquarters in Lachish: "I've done wrong; I admit it. Pull back your army; I'll pay whatever tribute you set."<br/>The king of Assyria demanded tribute from Hezekiah king of Judah—eleven tons of silver and a ton of gold.


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Hezekiah turned over all the silver he could find in The Temple of God and in the palace treasuries.


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Hezekiah even took down the doors of The Temple of God and the doorposts that he had overlaid with gold and gave them to the king of Assyria.


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So the king of Assyria sent his top three military chiefs (the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh) from Lachish with a strong military force to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the laundry commons.


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They called loudly for the king. Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the royal secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the court historian went out to meet them.


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The third officer, the Rabshakeh, was spokesman. He said, "Tell Hezekiah: A message from The Great King, the king of Assyria: You're living in a world of make-believe, of pious fantasy.


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Do you think that mere words are any substitute for military strategy and troops? Now that you've revolted against me, who can you expect to help you?


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You thought Egypt would, but Egypt's nothing but a paper tiger—one puff of wind and she collapses; Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluff and bluster.


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Or are you going to tell me, 'We rely on God'? But Hezekiah has just eliminated most of the people's access to God by getting rid of all the local God-shrines, ordering everyone in Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship at the Jerusalem altar only.'


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"So be reasonable. Make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I'll give you two thousand horses if you think you can provide riders for them.


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You can't do it? Well, then, how do you think you're going to turn back even one raw buck private from my master's troops? How long are you going to hold on to that figment of your imagination, these hoped-for Egyptian chariots and horses?


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"Do you think I've come up here to destroy this country without the express approval of God? The fact is that God expressly ordered me, 'Attack and destroy this country!' "


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Eliakim son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please, speak to us in the Aramaic language. We understand Aramaic. Don't speak in Hebrew—everyone crowded on the city wall can hear you."


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But the Rabshakeh said, "We weren't sent with a private message to your master and you; this is public—a message to everyone within earshot. After all, they're involved in this as well as you; if you don't come to terms, they'll be eating their own turds and drinking their own pee right along with you."


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Then he stepped forward and spoke in Hebrew loud enough for everyone to hear, "Listen carefully to the words of The Great King, the king of Assyria:


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And don't let Hezekiah give you that line about trusting in God, telling you, 'God will save us—this city will never be abandoned to the king of Assyria.'


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Don't listen to Hezekiah—he doesn't know what he's talking about. Listen to the king of Assyria—deal with me and live the good life; I'll guarantee everyone your own plot of ground—a garden and a well!


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I'll take you to a land sweeter by far than this one, a land of grain and wine, bread and vineyards, olive orchards and honey. You only live once—so live, really live!<br/>"No. Don't listen to Hezekiah. Don't listen to his lies, telling you 'God will save us.'


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Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? And Samaria—did their gods save them?


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Can you name a god who saved anyone anywhere from me, the king of Assyria? So what makes you think that God can save Jerusalem from me?"


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The people were silent. No one spoke a word for the king had ordered, "Don't anyone say a word—not one word!"


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Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, and Shebna the royal secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the court historian went back to Hezekiah. They had ripped their robes in despair; they reported to Hezekiah the speech of the Rabshakeh.


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When Hezekiah heard it all, he too ripped his robes apart and dressed himself in rough burlap. Then he went into The Temple of God.


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He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, all of them dressed in rough burlap, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.


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They said to him, "A message from Hezekiah: 'This is a black day, a terrible day—doomsday!<br/>Babies poised to be born,<br/>No strength to birth them.


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" 'Maybe God, your God, has been listening to the blasphemous speech of the Rabshakeh who was sent by the king of Assyria, his master, to humiliate the living God; maybe God, your God, won't let him get by with such talk; and you, maybe you will lift up prayers for what's left of these people.' "


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Isaiah answered them, "Tell your master, 'God's word: Don't be at all concerned about what you've heard from the king of Assyria's bootlicking errand boys—these outrageous blasphemies.


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Here's what I'm going to do: Afflict him with self-doubt. He's going to hear a rumor and, frightened for his life, retreat to his own country. Once there, I'll see to it that he gets killed.' "


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The Rabshakeh left and found that the king of Assyria had pulled up stakes from Lachish and was now fighting against Libnah.


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Then Sennacherib heard that Tirhakah king of Cush was on his way to fight against him. So he sent another envoy with orders to deliver this message to Hezekiah king of Judah:


text:
"Don't let that god that you think so much of keep stringing you along with the line, 'Jerusalem will never fall to the king of Assyria.' That's a barefaced lie.


text:
You know the track record of the kings of Assyria—country after country laid waste, devastated. And what makes you think you'll be an exception?


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Take a good look at these wasted nations, destroyed by my ancestors; did their gods do them any good? Look at Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, the people of Eden at Tel Assar. Ruins.


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And what's left of the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of Sepharvaim, of Hena, of Ivvah? Bones."


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Hezekiah took the letter from the envoy and read it. He went to The Temple of God and spread it out before God.


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And Hezekiah prayed—oh, how he prayed!<br/>God, God of Israel, seated<br/>in majesty on the cherubim-throne.<br/>You are the one and only God,<br/>sovereign over all kingdoms on earth,<br/>Maker of heaven,<br/>maker of earth.


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Open your ears, God, and listen,<br/>open your eyes and look.<br/>Look at this letter Sennacherib has sent,<br/>a brazen insult to the living God!


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But now O God, our God,<br/>save us from raw Assyrian power;<br/>Make all the kingdoms on earth know<br/>that you are God, the one and only God.


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It wasn't long before Isaiah son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah:<br/>God's word: You've prayed to me regarding Sennacherib king of Assyria; I've heard your prayer.


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This is my response to him:<br/>The Virgin Daughter of Zion<br/>holds you in utter contempt;<br/>Daughter Jerusalem<br/>thinks you're nothing but scum.


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Who do you think it is you've insulted?<br/>Who do you think you've been bad-mouthing?<br/>Before whom do you suppose you've been strutting?<br/>The Holy One of Israel, that's who!


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You dispatched your errand boys<br/>to humiliate the Master.<br/>You bragged, "With my army of chariots<br/>I've climbed the highest mountains,<br/>snow-peaked alpine Lebanon mountains!<br/>I've cut down its giant cedars,<br/>chopped down its prize pine trees.<br/>I've traveled the world,<br/>visited the finest forest retreats.


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I've dug wells in faraway places<br/>and drunk their exotic waters;<br/>I've waded and splashed barefoot<br/>in the rivers of Egypt."


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Did it never occur to you<br/>that I'm behind all this?<br/>Long, long ago I drew up the plans,<br/>and now I've gone into action,<br/>Using you as a doomsday weapon,<br/>reducing proud cities to piles of rubble,


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Leaving their people dispirited,<br/>slumped shoulders, limp souls.<br/>Useless as weeds, fragile as grass,<br/>insubstantial as wind-blown chaff.


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I know when you sit down, when you come<br/>and when you go;<br/>And, yes, I've marked every one<br/>of your temper tantrums against me.


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It's because of your temper,<br/>your blasphemous foul temper,<br/>That I'm putting my hook in your nose<br/>and my bit in your mouth<br/>And turning you back<br/>to where you came from.


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And this, Hezekiah, will be for you the confirming sign:<br/>This year you'll eat the gleanings, next year<br/>whatever you can beg, borrow, or steal;<br/>But the third year you'll sow and harvest,<br/>plant vineyards and eat grapes.


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The remnant will come from Jerusalem,<br/>the survivors from Mount Zion.<br/>The Zeal of God<br/>will make it happen.


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To sum up, this is what God says regarding the king of Assyria:<br/>He won't enter this city,<br/>nor shoot so much as a single arrow there;<br/>Won't brandish a shield,<br/>won't even begin to set siege;


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And it so happened that that very night an angel of God came and massacred a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians. When the people of Jerusalem got up next morning, there it was—a whole camp of corpses!


text:
Sennacherib king of Assyria got out of there fast, headed straight home for Nineveh, and stayed put.


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One day when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer murdered him and then escaped to the land of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon became the next king.


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Some time later Hezekiah became deathly sick. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz paid him a visit and said, "Put your affairs in order; you're about to die—you haven't long to live."


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Remember, O God, who I am, what I've done!<br/>I've lived an honest life before you,<br/>My heart's been true and steady,<br/>I've lived to please you; lived for your approval.<br/>And then the tears flowed. Hezekiah wept.


text:
"Go back and tell Hezekiah, prince of my people, 'God's word, Hezekiah! From the God of your ancestor David: I've listened to your prayer and I've observed your tears. I'm going to heal you. In three days you will walk on your own legs into The Temple of God.


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I've just added fifteen years to your life; I'm saving you from the king of Assyria, and I'm covering this city with my shield—for my sake and my servant David's sake.' "


text:
Isaiah then said, "Prepare a plaster of figs."<br/>They prepared the plaster, applied it to the boil, and Hezekiah was on his way to recovery.


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Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "How do I know whether this is of God and not just the fig plaster? What confirming sign is there that God is healing me and that in three days I'll walk into The Temple of God on my own legs?"


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"This will be your sign from God," said Isaiah, "that God is doing what he said he'd do: Do you want the shadow to advance ten degrees on the sundial or go back ten degrees? You choose."


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Hezekiah said, "It would be easy to make the sun's shadow advance ten degrees. Make it go back ten degrees."


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Shortly after this, Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan king of Babylon, having heard that the king was sick, sent a get-well card and a gift to Hezekiah.


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Hezekiah was pleased and showed the messengers around the place—silver, gold, spices, aromatic oils, his stockpile of weapons—a guided tour of all his prized possessions. There wasn't a thing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah didn't show them.


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And then Isaiah the prophet showed up: "And just what were these men doing here? Where did they come from and why?"<br/>Hezekiah said, "They came from far away—from Babylon."


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"And what did they see in your palace?"<br/>"Everything," said Hezekiah. "There isn't anything I didn't show them—I gave them the grand tour."


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The day is coming when everything you own and everything your ancestors have passed down to you, right down to the last cup and saucer, will be cleaned out of here—plundered and packed off to Babylon. God's word!


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Worse yet, your sons, the progeny of sons you've begotten, will end up as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."


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Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "If God says it, it must be good." But he was thinking to himself, "It won't happen during my lifetime—I'll enjoy peace and security as long as I live."


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The rest of the life and times of Hezekiah, along with his projects, especially the way he engineered the Upper Pool and brought water into the city, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


text:
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah.


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In God's judgment he was a bad king—an evil king. He reintroduced all the moral rot and spiritual corruption that had been scoured from the country when God dispossessed the pagan nations in favor of the children of Israel.


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He rebuilt all the sex-and-religion shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he built altars and phallic images for the sex god Baal and sex goddess Asherah, exactly what Ahaz king of Israel had done. He worshiped the cosmic powers, taking orders from the constellations.


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He even built these pagan altars in The Temple of God, the very Jerusalem Temple dedicated exclusively by God's decree ("in Jerusalem I place my Name") to God's Name.


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He burned his own son in a sacrificial offering. He practiced black magic and fortunetelling. He held s-ances and consulted spirits from the underworld. Much evil—in God's judgment, a career in evil. And God was angry.


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As a last straw he placed the carved image of the sex goddess Asherah in The Temple of God, a flagrant and provocative violation of God's well-known statement to both David and Solomon, "In this Temple and in this city Jerusalem, my choice out of all the tribes of Israel, I place my Name—exclusively and forever.


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Never again will I let my people Israel wander off from this land I gave to their ancestors. But here's the condition: They must keep everything I've commanded in the instructions my servant Moses passed on to them."


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But the people didn't listen. Manasseh led them off the beaten path into practices of evil even exceeding the evil of the pagan nations that God had earlier destroyed.


text:
"Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these outrageous sins, eclipsing the sin-performance of the Amorites before him, setting new records in evil, using foul idols to debase Judah into a nation of sinners,


text:
this is my judgment, God's verdict: I, the God of Israel, will visit catastrophe on Jerusalem and Judah, a doom so terrible that when people hear of it they'll shake their heads in disbelief, saying, 'I can't believe it!'


text:
"I'll visit the fate of Samaria on Jerusalem, a rerun of Ahab's doom. I'll wipe out Jerusalem as you would wipe out a dish, wiping it out and turning it over to dry.


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I'll get rid of what's left of my inheritance, dumping them on their enemies. If their enemies can salvage anything from them, they're welcome to it.


text:
They've been nothing but trouble to me from the day their ancestors left Egypt until now. They pushed me to my limit; I won't put up with their evil any longer."


text:
The final word on Manasseh was that he was an indiscriminate murderer. He drenched Jerusalem with the innocent blood of his victims. That's on top of all the sins in which he involved his people. As far as God was concerned, he'd turned them into a nation of sinners.


text:
The rest of the life and times of Manasseh, everything he did and his sorry record of sin, is written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.


text:
Manasseh died and joined his ancestors. He was buried in the palace garden, the Garden of Uzza. His son Amon became the next king.


text:
Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king. He was king for two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz. She was from Jotbah.


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He followed in the footsteps of his father, serving and worshiping the same foul gods his father had served.


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But the people, in their turn, killed the conspirators against King Amon and then crowned Josiah, Amon's son, as king


text:
Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.


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He lived the way God wanted. He kept straight on the path blazed by his ancestor David, not one step to either left or right.


text:
One day in the eighteenth year of his kingship, King Josiah sent the royal secretary Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to The Temple of God with instructions:


text:
"Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought to The Temple of God that the doormen have collected from the people.


text:
Have them turn it over to the foremen who are managing the work on The Temple of God so they can pay the workers who are repairing God's Temple,


text:
all the carpenters, construction workers, and masons. Also, authorize them to buy the lumber and dressed stone for The Temple repairs.


text:
The high priest Hilkiah reported to Shaphan the royal secretary, "I've just found the Book of God's Revelation, instructing us in God's ways. I found it in The Temple!" He gave it to Shaphan and Shaphan read it.


text:
Then Shaphan the royal secretary came back to the king and gave him an account of what had gone on: "Your servants have bagged up the money that has been collected for The Temple; they have given it to the foremen to pay The Temple workers."


text:
Then Shaphan the royal secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest gave me a book." Shaphan proceeded to read it to the king.


text:
And then he called for Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the royal secretary, and Asaiah the king's personal aide. He ordered them all:


text:
"Go and pray to God for me and for this people—for all Judah! Find out what we must do in response to what is written in this book that has just been found! God's anger must be burning furiously against us—our ancestors haven't obeyed a thing written in this book, followed none of the instructions directed to us."


text:
Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went straight to Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, who was in charge of the palace wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter. The five men consulted with her.


text:
that I'm on my way to bring the doom of judgment on this place and this people. Every word written in the book read by the king of Judah will happen.


text:
And why? Because they've deserted me and taken up with other gods, made me thoroughly angry by setting up their god-making businesses. My anger is raging white-hot against this place and nobody is going to put it out.


text:
"And also tell the king of Judah, since he sent you to ask God for direction; tell him this, God's comment on what he read in the book:


text:
'Because you took seriously the doom of judgment I spoke against this place and people, and because you responded in humble repentance, tearing your robe in dismay and weeping before me, I'm taking you seriously. God's word:


text:
I'll take care of you. You'll have a quiet death and be buried in peace. You won't be around to see the doom that I'm going to bring upon this place.' "<br/>The men took her message back to the king.


text:
Then the king proceeded to The Temple of God, bringing everyone in his train—priests and prophets and people ranging from the famous to the unknown. Then he read out publicly everything written in the Book of the Covenant that was found in The Temple of God.


text:
The king stood by the pillar and before God solemnly committed them all to the covenant: to follow God believingly and obediently; to follow his instructions, heart and soul, on what to believe and do; to put into practice the entire covenant, all that was written in the book. The people stood in affirmation; their commitment was unanimous.


text:
Then the king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, his associate priest, and The Temple sentries to clean house—to get rid of everything in The Temple of God that had been made for worshiping Baal and Asherah and the cosmic powers. He had them burned outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and then disposed of the ashes in Bethel.


text:
He fired the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had hired to supervise the local sex-and-religion shrines in the towns of Judah and neighborhoods of Jerusalem. In a stroke he swept the country clean of the polluting stench of the round-the-clock worship of Baal, sun and moon, stars—all the so-called cosmic powers.


text:
He took the obscene phallic Asherah pole from The Temple of God to the Valley of Kidron outside Jerusalem, burned it up, then ground up the ashes and scattered them in the cemetery.


text:
He tore out the rooms of the male sacred prostitutes that had been set up in The Temple of God; women also used these rooms for weavings for Asherah.


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He swept the outlying towns of Judah clean of priests and smashed the sex-and-religion shrines where they worked their trade from one end of the country to the other—all the way from Geba to Beersheba. He smashed the sex-and-religion shrine that had been set up just to the left of the city gate for the private use of Joshua, the city mayor.


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Even though these sex-and-religion priests did not defile the Altar in The Temple itself, they were part of the general priestly corruption and had to go.


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Then Josiah demolished the Topheth, the iron furnace griddle set up in the Valley of Ben Hinnom for sacrificing children in the fire. No longer could anyone burn son or daughter to the god Molech.


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He hauled off the horse statues honoring the sun god that the kings of Judah had set up near the entrance to The Temple. They were in the courtyard next to the office of Nathan-Melech, the warden. He burned up the sun-chariots as so much rubbish.


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The king smashed all the altars to smithereens—the altar on the roof shrine of Ahaz, the various altars the kings of Judah had made, the altars of Manasseh that littered the courtyard of The Temple—he smashed them all, pulverized the fragments, and scattered their dust in the Valley of Kidron.


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The king proceeded to make a clean sweep of all the sex-and-religion shrines that had proliferated east of Jerusalem on the south slope of Abomination Hill, the ones Solomon king of Israel had built to the obscene Sidonian sex goddess Ashtoreth, to Chemosh the dirty-old-god of the Moabites, and to Milcom the depraved god of the Ammonites.


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He tore apart the altars, chopped down the phallic Asherah-poles, and scattered old bones over the sites.


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Next, he took care of the altar at the shrine in Bethel that Jeroboam son of Nebat had built—the same Jeroboam who had led Israel into a life of sin. He tore apart the altar, burned down the shrine leaving it in ashes, and then lit fire to the phallic Asherah-pole.


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As Josiah looked over the scene, he noticed the tombs on the hillside. He ordered the bones removed from the tombs and had them cremated on the ruined altars, desacralizing the evil altars. This was a fulfillment of the word of God spoken by the Holy Man years before when Jeroboam had stood by the altar at the sacred convocation.


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Then the king said, "And that memorial stone—whose is that?"<br/>The men from the city said, "That's the grave of the Holy Man who spoke the message against the altar at Bethel that you have just fulfilled."


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Josiah said, "Don't trouble his bones." So they left his bones undisturbed, along with the bones of the prophet from Samaria.


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But Josiah hadn't finished. He now moved through all the towns of Samaria where the kings of Israel had built neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines, shrines that had so angered God. He tore the shrines down and left them in ruins—just as at Bethel.


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He killed all the priests who had conducted the sacrifices and cremated them on their own altars, thus desacralizing the altars. Only then did Josiah return to Jerusalem.


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The king now commanded the people, "Celebrate the Passover to God, your God, exactly as directed in this Book of the Covenant."


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This commanded Passover had not been celebrated since the days that the judges judged Israel—none of the kings of Israel and Judah had celebrated it.


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But in the eighteenth year of the rule of King Josiah this very Passover was celebrated to God in Jerusalem.


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Josiah scrubbed the place clean and trashed spirit-mediums, sorcerers, domestic gods, and carved figures—all the vast accumulation of foul and obscene relics and images on display everywhere you looked in Judah and Jerusalem. Josiah did this in obedience to the words of God's Revelation written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in The Temple of God.


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There was no king to compare with Josiah—neither before nor after—a king who turned in total and repentant obedience to God, heart and mind and strength, following the instructions revealed to and written by Moses. The world would never again see a king like Josiah.


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But despite Josiah, God's hot anger did not cool; the raging anger ignited by Manasseh burned unchecked.


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And God, not swerving in his judgment, gave sentence: "I'll remove Judah from my presence in the same way I removed Israel. I'll turn my back on this city, Jerusalem, that I chose, and even from this Temple of which I said, 'My Name lives here.' "


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Josiah's death came about when Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched out to join forces with the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. When King Josiah intercepted him at the Plain of Megiddo, Neco killed him.


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Josiah's servants took his body in a chariot, returned him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. By popular choice Jehoahaz son of Josiah was anointed and succeeded his father as king.


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Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to rule. He was king in Jerusalem for a mere three months. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah. She came from Libnah.


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Pharaoh Neco captured Jehoahaz at Riblah in the country of Hamath and put him in chains, preventing him from ruling in Jerusalem. He demanded that Judah pay tribute of nearly four tons of silver and seventy-five pounds of gold.


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Then Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah the successor to Josiah, but changed his name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was carted off to Egypt and eventually died there.


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Meanwhile Jehoiakim, like a good puppet, dutifully paid out the silver and gold demanded by Pharaoh. He scraped up the money by gouging the people, making everyone pay an assessed tax.


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Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to rule; he was king for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah. She had come from Rumah.


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It was during his reign that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the country. Jehoiakim became his puppet. But after three years he had had enough and revolted.


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God dispatched a succession of raiding bands against him: Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite. The strategy was to destroy Judah. Through the preaching of his servants and prophets, God had said he would do this, and now he was doing it.


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None of this was by chance—it was God's judgment as he turned his back on Judah because of the enormity of the sins of Manasseh—Manasseh, the killer-king,


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who made the Jerusalem streets flow with the innocent blood of his victims. God wasn't about to overlook such crimes.


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The threat from Egypt was now over—no more invasions by the king of Egypt—for by this time the king of Babylon had captured all the land between the Brook of Egypt and the Euphrates River, land formerly controlled by the king of Egypt.


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Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king. His rule in Jerusalem lasted only three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.


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The next thing to happen was that the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and put it under siege.


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While his officers were laying siege to the city, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon paid a personal visit.


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And Jehoiachin king of Judah, along with his mother, officers, advisors, and government leaders, surrendered.<br/>In the eighth year of his reign Jehoiachin was taken prisoner by the king of Babylon.


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Nebuchadnezzar emptied the treasuries of both The Temple of God and the royal palace and confiscated all the gold furnishings that Solomon king of Israel had made for The Temple of God. This should have been no surprise—God had said it would happen.


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And then he emptied Jerusalem of people—all its leaders and soldiers, all its craftsmen and artisans. He took them into exile, something like ten thousand of them! The only ones he left were the very poor.


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He took Jehoiachin into exile to Babylon. With him he took the king's mother, his wives, his chief officers, the community leaders,


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anyone who was anybody—in round numbers, seven thousand soldiers plus another thousand or so craftsmen and artisans, all herded off into exile in Babylon.


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Then the king of Babylon made Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, his puppet king, but changed his name to Zedekiah.


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Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he started out as king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah. Her hometown was Libnah.


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The source of all this doom to Jerusalem and Judah was God's anger—God turned his back on them as an act of judgment. And then Zedekiah revolted against the king of Babylon.


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The revolt dates from the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah's reign. Nebuchadnezzar set out for Jerusalem immediately with a full army. He set up camp and sealed off the city by building siege mounds around it.


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By the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, on the ninth day of the month, the famine was so bad that there wasn't so much as a crumb of bread for anyone.


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Then there was a breakthrough. At night, under cover of darkness, the entire army escaped through an opening in the wall (it was the gate between the two walls above the King's Garden). They slipped through the lines of the Babylonians who surrounded the city and headed for the Jordan on the Arabah Valley road.


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But the Babylonians were in pursuit of the king and they caught up with him in the Plains of Jericho. By then Zedekiah's army had deserted and was scattered.


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The Babylonians took Zedekiah prisoner and marched him off to the king of Babylon at Riblah, then tried and sentenced him on the spot.


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Zedekiah's sons were executed right before his eyes; the summary murder of his sons was the last thing he saw, for they then blinded him. Securely handcuffed, he was hauled off to Babylon.


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In the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, on the seventh day of the fifth month, Nebuzaradan, the king of Babylon's chief deputy, arrived in Jerusalem.


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He burned The Temple of God to the ground, went on to the royal palace, and then finished off the city—burned the whole place down.


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Finally, he rounded up everyone left in the city, including those who had earlier deserted to the king of Babylon, and took them off into exile.


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The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the bronze washstands, and the huge bronze basin (the Sea) that were in The Temple of God and hauled the bronze off to Babylon.


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They also took the various bronze-crafted liturgical accessories used in the services of Temple worship,


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as well as the gold and silver censers and sprinkling bowls. The king's deputy didn't miss a thing—he took every scrap of precious metal he could find.


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The amount of bronze they got from the two pillars, the Sea, and all the washstands that Solomon had made for The Temple of God was enormous—they couldn't weigh it all!


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Each pillar stood twenty-seven feet high, plus another four and a half feet for an ornate capital of bronze filigree and decorative fruit.


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The king's deputy took a number of special prisoners: Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the associate priest, three wardens,


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the chief remaining army officer, five of the king's counselors, the accountant, the chief recruiting officer for the army, and sixty men of standing from among the people.


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And there at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon killed the lot of them in cold blood.<br/>Judah went into exile, orphaned from her land.


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Regarding the common people who were left behind in Judah, this: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as their governor.


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When veteran army officers among the people heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Among them were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and some of their followers.


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Gedaliah assured the officers and their men, giving them his word, "Don't be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Go back to your farms and families and respect the king of Babylon. Trust me, everything is going to be all right."


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Some time later—it was in the seventh month—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama (he had royal blood in him), came back with ten men and killed Gedaliah, the traitor Jews, and the Babylonian officials who were stationed at Mizpah—a bloody massacre.


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But then, afraid of what the Babylonians would do, they all took off for Egypt, leaders and people, small and great.


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When Jehoiachin king of Judah had been in exile for thirty-seven years, Evil-Merodach became king in Babylon and let Jehoiachin out of prison. This release took place on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month.


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The king treated him most courteously and gave him preferential treatment beyond anything experienced by the other political prisoners held in Babylon.


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Jehoiachin took off his prison garb and for the rest of his life ate his meals in company with the king.


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Eber had two sons: Peleg (Division) because in his time the earth was divided up; his brother was Joktan.


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Abraham's family tree developed along these lines: Ishmael had Nebaioth (his firstborn), then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,


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Keturah, Abraham's concubine, gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Then Jokshan had Sheba and Dedan.


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A list of the kings who ruled in the country of Edom before Israel had a king: Bela son of Beor; his city was Dinhabah.


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Husham died; Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, was the next king; his city was Avith.


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Baal-Hanan died; Hadad was the next king; his city was Pau and his wife was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.


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Last of all Hadad died. The chieftains of Edom after that were Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth,


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Judah had Er, Onan, and Shelah; their mother was Bathshua the Canaanite. Er, Judah's firstborn, was so bad before God that God killed him.


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Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah gave birth to three sons: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel;


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Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah and also by Jerioth. Azubah's sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.


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Some time later Hezron married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead; he was sixty years old when he married her; she gave birth to Segub.


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Geshur and Aram captured the nomadic villages of Jair and Kenath and their satellite settlements—sixty towns. These all belonged to Makir the father of Gilead.


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After the death of Hezron, Caleb married Ephrathah the wife of his father Hezron; she then gave birth to Ashhur the father of Tekoa.


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The sons of Jerahmeel, Hezron's firstborn: Ram his firstborn, followed by Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah.


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Jerahmeel's brother Caleb had a son, his firstborn, named Mesha; Mesha had Ziph; Ziph's son was Mareshah the father of Hebron.


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She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah and Sheva the father of Macbenah and Gibea. Caleb's daughter was Acsah.


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These made up the Caleb branch of the family tree. The sons of Hur, Ephrathah's firstborn: Shobal who had Kiriath Jearim,


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the families of Kiriath Jearim, the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites. The Zorathites and Eshtaolites also came from this line.


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The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half of the Manahathites, the Zorites,


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and the families of Sopherim who lived at Jabez—the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. They made up the Kenites who came from Hammath the father of the house of Recab.


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These are the sons that David had while he lived at Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel; second, Daniel by Abigail of Carmel;


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He had these six sons while he was in Hebron; he was king there for seven years and six months. He went on to be king in Jerusalem for another thirty-three years.


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These are the sons he had in Jerusalem: first Shammua, then Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel was the mother of these four.


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Pedaiah had Zerubbabel and Shimei; Zerubbabel had Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister.


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Hananiah's sons were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah. There were also sons of Rephaiah, sons of Arnan, sons of Obadiah, and sons of Shecaniah.


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Reaiah, Shobal's son, had Jahath; and Jahath had Ahumai and Lahad. These made up the families of the Zorathites.


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Penuel had Gedor and Ezer had Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, firstborn son of Ephrathah, who was the father of Bethlehem.


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Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, "A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!"


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Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: "Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don't let evil hurt me." God gave him what he asked.


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Eshton had Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, who founded Ir Nahash (City of Smiths). These were known as the men of Recah.


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The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. One of Mered's wives, Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.


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His Judean wife gave birth to Jered father of Gedor, Heber father of Soco, and Jekuthiel father of Zanoah.


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The sons of Hodiah's wife, Naham's sister: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.


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The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the family of linen workers at Beth Ashbea,


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Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from very old traditions.)


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Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers were not nearly as prolific and never became a large family like Judah.


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Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. They lived in these towns until David became king.


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and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept good family records.


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and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah


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so that they had to go as far as Gedor (Gerar) to the east of the valley looking for pasture for their flocks.


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And they found it—lush pasture, lots of elbow room, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there in former times.


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But the men in these family trees came when Hezekiah was king of Judah and attacked the Hamites, tearing down their tents and houses. There was nothing left of them, as you can see today. Then they moved in and took over because of the great pastureland.


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Five hundred of these Simeonites went on and invaded the hill country of Seir, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.


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The family of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Though Reuben was Israel's firstborn, after he slept with his father's concubine, a defiling act, his rights as the firstborn were passed on to the sons of Joseph son of Israel. He lost his "firstborn" place in the family tree.


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And even though Judah became the strongest of his brothers and King David eventually came from that family, the firstborn rights stayed with Joseph.


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and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was the prince of the Reubenites.


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then Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. Joel lived in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon.


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His family occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that goes all the way to the Euphrates River, since their growing herds of livestock spilled out of Gilead.


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During Saul's reign they fought and defeated the Hagrites; they then took over their tents and lived in them on the eastern frontier of Gilead.


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Their brothers, by families, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.


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These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.


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The family of Gad lived in Gilead and Bashan, including the outlying villages and extending as far as the pastures of Sharon.


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They were all written into the official family tree during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.


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The families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men trained for war—physically fit and skilled in handling shield, sword, and bow.


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God helped them as they fought. God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him.


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They plundered the Hagrite herds and flocks: 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people.


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The half-tribe of Manasseh had a large population. They occupied the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).


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The heads of their families were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—brave warriors, famous, and heads of their families.


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But they were not faithful to the God of their ancestors. They took up with the ungodly gods of the peoples of the land whom God had gotten rid of before they arrived.


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So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria) to take the families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He deported them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan. They've been there ever since.


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The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.


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These are the persons David appointed to lead the singing in the house of God after the Chest was placed there.


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They were the ministers of music in the place of worship, which was the Tent of Meeting until Solomon built The Temple of God in Jerusalem. As they carried out their work, they followed the instructions given to them.


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These are the persons, together with their sons, who served by preparing for and directing worship: from the family of the Kohathites was Heman the choirmaster, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,


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Of the sons of Merari, the associates who stood at his left hand, was Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,


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The rest of the Levites were assigned to all the other work in the place of worship, the house of God.


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Aaron and his sons offered the sacrifices on the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense; they were in charge of all the work surrounding the Holy of Holies. They made atonement for Israel following the instructions commanded by Moses, servant of God.


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And these are the places where the priestly families were assigned to live. The first assignment went by lot to the sons of Aaron of the Kohathite family;


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The family of Aaron was also given the cities of refuge, with pastures included: Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa,


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They were also given Geba from the tribe of Benjamin, Alemeth, and Anathoth, all with pastures included. In all, thirteen cities were distributed among the Kohathite families.


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The rest of the Kohathites were given another ten cities, distributed by lot from the half-tribe of Manasseh.


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The sons of Gershon were given, family by family, thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan.


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The sons of Merari, family by family, were assigned by lot twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.


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The rest of the sons of Kohath were given Aner and Bileam with their pastures from the half-tribe of Manasseh.


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The sons of Gershon were given, family by family, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth;


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The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel—the chiefs of their families. During David's reign, the Tola family counted 22,600 warriors in their lineage.


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The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah; the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah—five sons and all of them chiefs.


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They counted 36,000 warriors in their lineage because they had more wives and sons than their brothers.


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The extended families of Issachar accounted for 87,000 warriors—all of them listed in the family tree.


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Bela had five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, all of them chiefs and warriors. They counted 22,034 names in their family tree.


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Jediael's son was Bilhan and the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar


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The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum; they are listed under the maternal line of Bilhah, their grandfather's concubine.


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Makir got his wife from the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister's name was Maacah. Another son, Zelophehad, had only daughters.


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Makir's wife Maacah bore a son whom she named Peresh; his brother's name was Sheresh and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.


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Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead, cattle-rustlers, killed on one of their raids by the natives of Gath.


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Then he slept with his wife again. She conceived and produced a son. He named him Beriah (Unlucky), because of the bad luck that had come to his family.


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They occupied Bethel and the neighboring country from Naaran on the east to Gezer and its villages on the west, along with Shechem and its villages, and extending as far as Ayyah and its villages.


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Stretched along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor, together with their satellite villages. The families descended from Joseph son of Israel lived in all these places.


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These were Asher's sons, all of them responsible, excellent in character, and brave in battle—good leaders. They listed 26,000 combat-ready men in their family tree.


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Ulam's sons were warriors well known as archers. They had lots of sons and grandsons—at least 150. These were all in Benjamin's family tree.


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This is the complete family tree for all Israel, recorded in the Royal Annals of the Kings of Israel and Judah at the time they were exiled to Babylon because of their unbelieving and disobedient lives.


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The first Israelites to return from exile to their homes and cities were the priests, the Levites, and the temple support staff.


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Returning to Jerusalem from the families of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh were the following:


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Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the line of Perez son of Judah;


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and Ibneiah son of Jeroham, and Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Micri, and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.


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Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, who was in charge of taking care of the house of God;


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Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; also Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.


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The priests, all of them heads of families, numbered 1,760, skilled and seasoned servants in the work of worshiping God.


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From the Levites were Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;


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also Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and finally Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.


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and up to now the security guard at the King's Gate on the east. They also served as security guards at the camps of Levite families.


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Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, along with his brothers in the Korahite family, were in charge of the services of worship as doorkeepers of the Tent, as their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the camp of God.


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The number of those who had been chosen to be security guards was 212—they were officially registered in their own camps. David and Samuel the seer handpicked them for their dependability.


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They and their sons had the permanent responsibility for guarding the gates of God's house, the house of worship;


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their brothers in the villages were scheduled to give them relief weekly—the four main security guards were responsible for round-the-clock surveillance.


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Being Levites, they were responsible for the security of all supplies and valuables in the house of God.


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Some were in charge of the articles used in The Temple worship—they counted them both when they brought them in and when they took them out.


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The Levite Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was responsible for baking the bread for the services of worship.


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Some of the brothers, sons of the Kohathites, were assigned to preparing the bread set out on the table each Sabbath.


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And then there were the musicians, all heads of Levite families. They had permanent living quarters in The Temple; because they were on twenty-four-hour duty,


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they were exempt from all other duties. These were the heads of Levite families as designated in their family tree. They lived in Jerusalem.


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The Philistines went to war against Israel; the Israelites ran for their lives from the Philistines but fell, slaughtered on Mount Gilboa.


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The Philistines zeroed in on Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua.


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Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and finish me off before these pagan pigs get to me and make a sport of my body." But his armor bearer, restrained by both reverence and fear, wouldn't do it.<br/>So Saul took his own sword and killed himself.


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When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and ran off; the Philistines came and moved in.


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The next day the Philistines came to plunder the dead bodies and found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.


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They stripped Saul, removed his head and his armor, and put them on exhibit throughout Philistia, reporting the victory news to their idols and the people.


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Then they put Saul's armor on display in the temple of their gods and placed his skull as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon.


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All of their fighting men went into action—retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh, gave them a dignified burial under the oak at Jabesh, and mourned their deaths for seven days.


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Saul died in disobedience, disobedient to God. He didn't obey God's words. Instead of praying, he went to a witch to seek guidance.


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Because he didn't go to God for help, God took his life and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.


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Then all Israel assembled before David at Hebron. "Look at us," they said. "We're your very flesh and blood.


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In the past, yes, even while Saul was king, you were the real leader of Israel. God told you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel; you are to be the ruler of my people Israel.' "


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When all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made a covenant with them in the presence of God at Hebron. Then they anointed David king over Israel exactly as God had commanded through Samuel.


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The citizens of Jebus told David, "No trespassing—you can't come here." David came on anyway and captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.


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David had said, "The first person to kill a Jebusite will be commander-in-chief." Joab son of Zeruiah was the first; and he became the chief.


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David fortified the city all the way around, both the outer bulwarks (the Millo) and the outside wall. Joab rebuilt the city gates.


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These are the chiefs of David's Mighty Men, the ones who linked arms with him as he took up his kingship, with all Israel joining in, helping him become king in just the way God had spoken regarding Israel.


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The list of David's Mighty Men:<br/>Jashobeam son of Hacmoni was chief of the Thirty. Singlehandedly he killed three hundred men, killed them all in one skirmish.


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He was with David at Pas Dammim, where the Philistines had mustered their troops for battle. It was an area where there was a field of barley. The army started to flee from the Philistines


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and then took its stand right in that field—and turned the tide! They slaughtered the Philistines, God helping them—a huge victory.


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The Big Three from the Thirty made a rocky descent to David at the Cave of Adullam while a company of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.


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David had a sudden craving: "What I wouldn't give for a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem, the one at the gate!"


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The Three penetrated the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the Bethlehem gate, shouldered it, and brought it to David. And then David wouldn't drink it! He poured it out as a sacred offering to God,


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saying, "I'd rather be damned by God than drink this! It would be like drinking the lifeblood of these men—they risked their lives to bring it." So he refused to drink it. These are the kinds of things that the Big Three of the Mighty Men did.


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Abishai brother of Joab was the chief of the Thirty. Singlehandedly he fought three hundred men, and killed the lot, but he never made it into the circle of the Three.


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Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a Mighty Man from Kabzeel with many exploits to his credit: he killed two famous Moabites; he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day;


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and he killed an Egyptian, a giant seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a ship's boom but Benaiah went at him with a mere club, tore the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it.


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He was highly honored among the Thirty, but didn't measure up to the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard.


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These are the men who joined David in Ziklag; it was during the time he was banished by Saul the son of Kish; they were among the Mighty Men, good fighters.


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They were armed with bows and could sling stones and shoot arrows either right– or left-handed. They hailed from Saul's tribe, Benjamin.


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The first was Ahiezer; then Joash son of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;


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Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a Mighty Man among the Thirty, a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;


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There were some Gadites there who had defected to David at his wilderness fortress; they were seasoned and eager fighters who knew how to handle shield and spear. They were wild in appearance, like lions, but as agile as gazelles racing across the hills.


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These Gadites were the cream of the crop—any one of them was worth a hundred lesser men, and the best of them were worth a thousand.


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They were the ones who crossed the Jordan when it was at flood stage in the first month, and put everyone in the lowlands to flight, both east and west.


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There were also men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah who joined David in his wilderness fortress.


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When David went out to meet them, this is what he said: "If you have come in peace and to help me, you are most welcome to join this company; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, innocent as I am, the God of our ancestors will see through you and bring judgment on you."


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Just then Amasai chief of the Thirty, moved by God's Spirit, said,<br/>We're on your side, O David,<br/>We're committed, O son of Jesse;<br/>All is well, yes, all is well with you,<br/>And all's well with whoever helps you.<br/>Yes, for your God has helped and does help you.<br/>So David took them on and assigned them a place under the chiefs of the raiders.


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Some from the tribe of Manasseh also defected to David when he started out with the Philistines to go to war against Saul. In the end, they didn't actually fight because the Philistine leaders, after talking it over, sent them home, saying, "We can't trust them with our lives—they'll betray us to their master Saul."


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The men from Manasseh who defected to David at Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, all leaders among the families of Manasseh.


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They helped David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters and good leaders among his raiders.


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Hardly a day went by without men showing up to help—it wasn't long before his band seemed as large as God's own army!


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Here are the statistics on the battle-seasoned warriors who came down from the north to David at Hebron to hand over Saul's kingdom, in accord with God's word:


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from Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel's duties, 200 leaders with their families;


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and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.


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All these soldiers came to David at Hebron, ready to fight if necessary; they were both united and determined to make David king over all Israel. And everyone else in Israel was of the same mind—"Make David king!"


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They were with David for three days of feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families.


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Neighbors ranging from as far north as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali arrived with donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded down with food for the party: flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep—joy in Israel!


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Then David addressed the entire assembly of Israel, "If it seems right to you, and it is God's will, let's invite all our relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives, including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures, to join us.


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And let's bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of sight, out of mind during the days of Saul."


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So David gathered all Israel together, from Egypt's Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim.


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Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back the Chest of God, the "Cherubim-Throne-of-God," where God's Name is invoked.


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They moved the Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio in charge.


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In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments.


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When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off.


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God erupted in anger against Uzzah and killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of God.


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David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah).


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David was terrified of God that day; he said, "How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?"


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So David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


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The Chest of God was in storage in the house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything around him.


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King Hiram of Tyre sent an envoy to David, along with cedar lumber, masons, and carpenters to build him a royal palace.


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Then David knew for sure that God had confirmed him as king over Israel, because of the rising reputation that God was giving his kingdom for the benefit of his people Israel.


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The minute the Philistines heard that David had been made king over a united Israel, they went out in force to capture David. When David got the report, he marched out to confront them.


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David prayed to God: "Is this the right time to attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?"<br/>God answered, "Attack; I'll give you the victory."


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David attacked at Baal Perazim and slaughtered them. David said, "God exploded my enemies, as water explodes from a burst pipe." That's how the place got its name, Baal Perazim (Baal-Explosion).


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David again prayed to God. God answered, "This time don't attack head-on; circle around and come at them out of the balsam grove.


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When you hear a sound like shuffling feet in the tops of the balsams, attack; God will be two steps ahead of you, slaughtering the Philistines."


