#Benhadad

[thestreamofconsciousness777]

You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess: Jerusalem, this will happen because you followed the sinful example of kings Omri and Ahab. Now I will destroy you and your property. Then the people of every nation will make fun and insult you…

“In the thirty-first year of A’sa the king of Judah, Om’ri became king over Israel for twelve years. In Tir’zah he reigned six years. And he proceeded to buy the mountain of Sa·mar’i·a from She’mer for two talents of silver, and began to build [on] the mountain and call the name of the city that he built by the name of She’mer the master of the mountain, Sa·mar’i·a. And Om’ri kept doing what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah and came to do worse than all who were prior to him. And he went walking in all the way of Jer·o·bo’am the son of Ne’bat and in his sin with which he caused Israel to sin by offending Jehovah the God of Israel with their vain idols. As for the rest of the affairs of Om’ri, what he did and his mightiness with which he acted, are they not written in the book of the affairs of the days of the kings of Israel? Finally Om’ri lay down with his forefathers and was buried in Sa·mar’i·a; and A’hab his son began to reign in place of him.

And as for A’hab the son of Om’ri, he became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of A’sa the king of Judah; and A’hab the son of Om’ri continued to reign over Israel in Sa·mar’i·a twenty-two years. And A’hab the son of Om’ri proceeded to do worse in the eyes of Jehovah than all those who were prior to him. And it came about that, [as if it were] the most trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jer·o·bo’am the son of Ne’bat, he now took as wife Jez’e·bel the daughter of Eth·ba’al the king of the Si·do’ni·ans and began to go and serve Ba’al and to bow down to him. Further, he set up an altar to Ba’al at the house of Ba’al that he built in Sa·mar’i·a. And A’hab went on to make the sacred pole; and A’hab came to do more to offend Jehovah the God of Israel than all the kings of Israel that happened to be prior to him.

In his days Hi’el the Beth’el·ite built Jer’i·cho. At the forfeit of A·bi’ram his firstborn he laid the foundation of it, and at the forfeit of Se’gub his youngest he put up its doors, according to Jehovah’s word that he spoke by means of Joshua the son of Nun.  

And E·li’jah the Tish’bite from the inhabitants of Gil’e·ad proceeded to say to A’hab: “As Jehovah the God of Israel before whom I do stand is living, there will occur during these years neither dew nor rain, except at the order of my word!”

The word of Jehovah now came to him, saying: “Go away from here, and you must turn your way eastward and conceal yourself at the torrent valley of Che’rith that is east of the Jordan. And it must occur that from the torrent valley you should drink, and the ravens I shall certainly command to supply you food there.” Immediately he went and did according to the word of Jehovah, and so went and took up dwelling by the torrent valley of Che’rith that is east of the Jordan. And the ravens themselves were bringing him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and from the torrent valley he kept drinking. But it came about at the end of some days that the torrent valley became dry, because there had occurred no downpour upon the earth.

The word of Jehovah now came to him, saying: “Rise up, go to Zar’e·phath, which belongs to Si’don, and you must dwell there. Look! I shall certainly command there a woman, a widow, to supply you food.” Accordingly he rose up and went to Zar’e·phath and came into the entrance of the city; and, look! a woman, a widow, was there gathering up pieces of wood. So he called to her and said: “Please, get me a sip of water in a vessel that I may drink.” When she began to go and get it, he went on to call to her and say: “Please, get me a bit of bread in your hand.” At this she said: “As Jehovah your God is living, I have no round cake, but a handful of flour in the large jar and a little oil in the small jar; and here I am gathering up a few pieces of wood, and I must go in and make something for myself and my son, and we shall have to eat it and die.”

Then E·li’jah said to her: “Do not be afraid. Go in, do according to your word. Only from what is there make me a small round cake first, and you must bring it out to me, and for yourself and your son you can make something afterward. For this is what Jehovah the God of Israel has said, ‘The large jar of flour itself will not get exhausted, and the small jar of oil itself will not fail until the day of Jehovah’s giving a downpour upon the surface of the ground.’” So she went and did according to E·li’jah’s word; and she continued to eat, she together with him and her household, for days. The large jar of flour itself did not get exhausted, and the small jar of oil itself did not fail, according to Jehovah’s word that he had spoken by means of E·li’jah.

And it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick, and his sickness came to be so severe that there was no breath left in him. At this she said to E·li’jah: “What do I have to do with you, O man of the [true] God? You have come to me to bring my error to mind and to put my son to death.” But he said to her: “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the roof chamber, where he was dwelling, and laid him upon his own couch. And he began calling to Jehovah and saying: “O Jehovah my God, is it also upon the widow with whom I am residing as an alien that you must bring injury by putting her son to death?” And he proceeded to stretch himself upon the child three times and call to Jehovah and say: “O Jehovah my God, please, cause the soul of this child to come back within him.” Finally Jehovah listened to E·li’jah’s voice, so that the soul of the child came back within him and he came to life. E·li’jah now took the child and brought him down from the roof chamber into the house and gave him to his mother; and E·li’jah then said: “See, your son is alive.” Upon that the woman said to E·li’jah: “Now, indeed, I do know that you are a man of God and that Jehovah’s word in your mouth is true.”  

And it came about [after] many days that Jehovah’s own word came to E·li’jah in the third year, saying: “Go, show yourself to A’hab, as I am determined to give rain upon the surface of the ground.” Accordingly E·li’jah went to show himself to A’hab, while the famine was severe in Sa·mar’i·a.

Meantime, A’hab called O·ba·di’ah, who was over the household. (Now O·ba·di’ah himself had proved to be one greatly fearing Jehovah. Hence it came about that when Jez’e·bel cut off Jehovah’s prophets, O·ba·di’ah proceeded to take a hundred prophets and keep them hid by fifties in a cave, and he supplied them bread and water.) And A’hab went on to say to O·ba·di’ah: “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the torrent valleys. Perhaps we may find green grass, that we may preserve the horses and mules alive and may not have [any more] of the beasts cut off.” So they divided between themselves the land through which to pass. A’hab himself went alone by one way, and O·ba·di’ah himself went alone by another way.

As O·ba·di’ah continued on the way, why, there was E·li’jah to meet him. At once he recognized him and fell upon his face and said: “Is this you, my lord E·li’jah?” At this he said to him: “It is I. Go, say to your lord, ‘Here is E·li’jah.’” But he said: “What sin have I committed that you should be putting your servant into the hand of A’hab to put me to death? As Jehovah your God is living, there is not a nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to look for you. After they had said, ‘He is not [here],’ he made the kingdom and the nation swear that they could not find you. And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your lord: “Here is E·li’jah.”’ And it is bound to occur that, when I myself go from you, then the spirit of Jehovah itself will carry you away to where I shall not know; and I shall have come to tell A’hab, and he will not find you, and he will be bound to kill me, as your servant himself has feared Jehovah from his youth. Has not my lord been told what I did when Jez’e·bel killed the prophets of Jehovah, how I kept some of the prophets of Jehovah hid, a hundred men by fifties in a cave, and kept supplying them bread and water? And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your lord: “Here is E·li’jah.”’ And he will be bound to kill me.” However, E·li’jah said: “As Jehovah of armies before whom I do stand is living, today I shall show myself to him.”

Accordingly O·ba·di’ah went off to meet A’hab and told him; and so A’hab went to meet E·li’jah.

And it came about that, as soon as A’hab saw E·li’jah, A’hab immediately said to him: “Is this you, the bringer of ostracism upon Israel?”

To this he said: “I have not brought ostracism upon Israel, but you and the house of your father have, because YOU men have left the commandments of Jehovah, and you went following the Ba’als. And now send, collect together all Israel to me at Mount Car’mel and also the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al and the four hundred prophets of the sacred pole, who are eating at the table of Jez’e·bel.” And A’hab proceeded to send among all the sons of Israel and collect the prophets together at Mount Car’mel.

Then E·li’jah approached all the people and said: “How long will YOU be limping upon two different opinions? If Jehovah is the [true] God, go following him; but if Ba’al is, go following him.” And the people did not say a word in answer to him. And E·li’jah went on to say to the people: “I myself have been left as a prophet of Jehovah, I alone, while the prophets of Ba’al are four hundred and fifty men. Now let them give us two young bulls, and let them choose for themselves one young bull and cut it in pieces and put it upon the wood, but they should not put fire to it. And I myself shall dress the other young bull, and I must place it upon the wood, but I shall not put fire to it. And YOU must call upon the name of YOUR god, and I, for my part, shall call upon the name of Jehovah; and it must occur that the [true] God that answers by fire is the [true] God.” To this all the people answered and said: “The thing is good.”

E·li’jah now said to the prophets of Ba’al: “Choose for yourselves one young bull and dress it first, because YOU are the majority; and call upon the name of YOUR god, but YOU must not put fire to it.” Accordingly they took the young bull that he gave them. Then they dressed it, and they kept calling upon the name of Ba’al from morning till noon, saying: “O Ba’al, answer us!” But there was no voice, and there was no one answering. And they kept limping around the altar that they had made. And it came about at noon that E·li’jah began to mock them and say: “Call at the top of YOUR voice, for he is a god; for he must be concerned with a matter, and he has excrement and has to go to the privy. Or maybe he is asleep and ought to wake up!” And they began calling at the top of their voice and cutting themselves according to their custom with daggers and with lances, until they caused blood to flow out upon them. And it came about that, as soon as noon was past and they continued behaving as prophets until the going up of the grain offering, there was no voice, and there was no one answering, and there was no paying of attention.

At length E·li’jah said to all the people: “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. Then he proceeded to mend the altar of Jehovah that was torn down. So E·li’jah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Jehovah’s word had come, saying: “Israel is what your name will become.” And he went on to build the stones into an altar in the name of Jehovah and to make a trench, of about the area sowed with two seah measures of seed, all around the altar. After that he put the pieces of wood in order and cut the young bull in pieces and placed it upon the pieces of wood. He now said: “FILL four large jars with water and pour it upon the burnt offering and upon the pieces of wood.” Then he said: “Do it again.” So they did it again. But he said: “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. Thus the water went all around the altar, and the trench also he filled with water.

And it came about at the time that the grain offering goes up that E·li’jah the prophet began to approach and say: “O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant and it is by your word that I have done all these things. Answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, that this people may know that you, Jehovah, are the [true] God and you yourself have turned their heart back.”

At that the fire of Jehovah came falling and went eating up the burnt offering and the pieces of wood and the stones and the dust, and the water that was in the trench it licked up. When all the people saw it, they immediately fell upon their faces and said: “Jehovah is the [true] God! Jehovah is the [true] God!” Then E·li’jah said to them: “Seize the prophets of Ba’al! Do not let a single one of them escape!” At once they seized them, and E·li’jah then brought them down to the torrent valley of Ki’shon and slaughtered them there.

E·li’jah now said to A’hab: “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the turmoil of a downpour.” And A’hab proceeded to go up to eat and drink. As for E·li’jah, he went up to the top of Car’mel and began crouching to the earth and keeping his face put between his knees. Then he said to his attendant: “Go up, please. Look in the direction of the sea.” So he went up and looked and then said: “There is nothing at all.” And he went on to say, “Go back,” for seven times. And it came about at the seventh time that he got to say: “Look! There is a small cloud like a man’s palm ascending out of the sea.” He now said: “Go up, say to A’hab, ‘Hitch up! And go down that the downpour may not detain you!’” And it came about in the meantime that the heavens themselves darkened up with clouds and wind and a great downpour began to occur. And A’hab kept riding and made his way to Jez’re·el. And the very hand of Jehovah proved to be upon E·li’jah, so that he girded up his hips and went running ahead of A’hab all the way to Jez’re·el.  

Then A’hab told Jez’e·bel all that E·li’jah had done and all about how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. At that Jez’e·bel sent a messenger to E·li’jah, saying: “So may the gods do, and so may they add to it, if at this time tomorrow I shall not make your soul like the soul of each one of them!” And he became afraid. Consequently he rose up and began to go for his soul and came to Be’er-she’ba, which belongs to Judah. Then he left his attendant behind there. And he himself went into the wilderness a day’s journey, and at length came and sat down under a certain broom tree. And he began to ask that his soul might die and to say: “It is enough! Now, O Jehovah, take my soul away, for I am no better than my forefathers.”

Finally he lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree. But, look! now an angel was touching him. Then he said to him: “Rise up, eat.” When he looked, why, there at his head was a round cake upon heated stones and a jug of water. And he began to eat and drink, after which he lay down again. Later the angel of Jehovah came back a second time and touched him and said: “Rise up, eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he rose up and ate and drank, and he kept going in the power of that nourishment for forty days and forty nights as far as the mountain of the [true] God, Ho’reb.

There he finally entered into a cave, that he might spend the night there; and, look! there was Jehovah’s word for him, and it went on to say to him: “What is your business here, E·li’jah?” To this he said: “I have been absolutely jealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have left your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, so that I only am left; and they begin looking for my soul to take it away.” But it said: “Go out, and you must stand on the mountain before Jehovah.” And, look! Jehovah was passing by, and a great and strong wind was rending mountains and breaking crags before Jehovah. (Jehovah was not in the wind.) And after the wind there was a quaking. (Jehovah was not in the quaking.) And after the quaking there was a fire. (Jehovah was not in the fire.) And after the fire there was a calm, low voice. And it came about that as soon as E·li’jah heard it, he immediately wrapped his face in his official garment and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave; and, look! there was a voice for him, and it proceeded to say to him: “What is your business here, E·li’jah?” To this he said: “I have been absolutely jealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have left your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, so that I only am left; and they begin looking for my soul to take it away.”

Jehovah now said to him: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and you must come in and anoint Haz’a·el as king over Syria. And Je’hu the grandson of Nimʹshi you should anoint as king over Israel; and E·li’sha the son of Sha’phat from A’bel-me·ho’lah you should anoint as prophet in place of you. And it must occur that the one escaping from Haz’a·el’s sword, Je’hu will put to death; and the one escaping from Je’hu’s sword, E·li’sha will put to death. And I have let seven thousand remain in Israel, all the knees that have not bent down to Ba’al, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Accordingly he went from there and found E·li’sha the son of Sha’phat while he was plowing with twelve spans before him, and he with the twelfth. So E·li’jah crossed over to him and threw his official garment upon him. At that he left the bulls and went running after E·li’jah and said: “Let me, please, kiss my father and my mother. Then I will go following you.” At this he said to him: “Go, return; for what have I done to you?” So he returned from following him and then took a span of the bulls and sacrificed them, and with the implements of the bulls he boiled their flesh and then gave it to the people, and they proceeded to eat. After that he rose up and went following E·li’jah and began to minister to him.  

As for Ben-ha’dad the king of Syria, he collected all his military forces together and also thirty-two kings with him and horses and chariots, and he proceeded to go up and lay siege to Sa·mar’i·a and fight against it. Then he sent messengers to A’hab the king of Israel at the city. And he went on to say to him: “This is what Ben-ha’dad has said, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your sons, the best looking, are mine.’” To this the king of Israel answered and said: “According to your word, my lord the king, yours I am with all that belongs to me.”

Later the messengers came back and said: “This is what Ben-ha’dad has said, ‘I sent to you, saying: “Your silver and your gold and your wives and your sons you will give me. But about this time tomorrow I shall send my servants to you, and they must carefully search your house and the houses of your servants; and it must occur that everything desirable to your eyes they will put in their hand, and they must take it away.”’”

At that the king of Israel called all the older men of the land and said: “Take note, please, and see that it is calamity that this one is seeking; for he sent to me for my wives and my sons and my silver and my gold, and I did not hold them back from him.” Then all the older men and all the people said to him: “Do not obey, and you should not consent.” So he said to the messengers of Ben-ha’dad: “Say to my lord the king, ‘All that you sent to your servant at first I shall do; but this thing I am not able to do.’” With that the messengers went off and brought word back to him.

Ben-ha’dad now sent to him and said: “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add to it, if the dust of Sa·mar’i·a will be sufficient for handfuls for all the people that follow me!” In turn the king of Israel answered and said: “YOU men, speak [to him], ‘Do not let one girding on boast about himself like one unfastening.’” And it came about that as soon as he heard this word, while he himself and the kings were drinking in the booths, he immediately said to his servants: “Get set!” And they began to get set against the city.

And, look! a certain prophet approached A’hab the king of Israel and then said: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘Have you seen all this great crowd? Here I am giving it into your hand today, and you will certainly know that I am Jehovah.’” Then Aʹhab said: “By whom?” to which he said: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘By the young men of the princes of the jurisdictional districts.’” Finally he said: “Who will open the battle engagement?” to which he said: “You!”

And he proceeded to take the count of the young men of the princes of the jurisdictional districts, and they came to be two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he took the count of all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand. And they began to go out at noon while Ben-ha’dad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he together with the kings, the thirty-two kings that were helping him. When the young men of the princes of the jurisdictional districts came out first, Ben-ha’dad at once sent out; and they came telling him, saying: “There are men that have come out from Sa·mar’i·a.” At that he said: “Whether it is for peace that they have come out, YOU should seize them alive; or whether it is for battle that they have come out, alive is how YOU should seize them.” And these were the ones that came out from the city, the young men of the princes of the jurisdictional districts and the military forces that were behind them. And they began to strike down each one his man; and the Syrians took to flight, and Israel went in pursuit of them, but Ben-ha’dad the king of Syria got to escape upon a horse together with the horsemen. But the king of Israel went out and kept striking down the horses and the chariots, and he struck down the Syrians with a great slaughter.

Later the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him: “Go, strengthen yourself and take note and see what you are going to do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria is coming up against you.”

As for the servants of the king of Syria, they said to him: “Their God is a God of mountains. That is why they proved stronger than we were. So, on the other hand, let us fight against them on the level land [and see] whether we shall not prove stronger than they are. And do this thing: Remove the kings each one from his place and put in governors instead of them. As for you, you should number a military force for yourself equal to the military force that fell from your side, with horse for horse and chariot for chariot; and let us fight against them on the level land [and see] whether we shall not prove stronger than they are.” Accordingly he listened to their voice and did just that way.

And it came about at the return of the year that Ben-ha’dad proceeded to muster the Syrians and to go up to A’phek for battle against Israel. As for the sons of Israel, they were mustered and supplied and began to go out to meet them; and the sons of Israel went into camp in front of them like two tiny flocks of goats, while the Syrians, for their part, filled the earth. Then the man of the [true] God approached and said to the king of Israel, yes, he went on to say: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘For the reason that the Syrians have said: “Jehovah is a God of mountains, and he is not a God of low plains,” I shall have to give all this great crowd into your hand, and YOU men will certainly know that I am Jehovah.’”

And they continued encamped for seven days, these in front of those. And it came about on the seventh day that the engagement in battle began; and the sons of Israel went striking down the Syrians, a hundred thousand men on foot in one day. And those that were left went fleeing to A’phek, to the city; and the wall came falling down upon twenty-seven thousand men that were left. As for Ben-ha’dad, he fled and finally came into the city into the innermost chamber.

So his servants said to him: “Here, now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are kings of loving-kindness. Please, let us carry sackcloth upon our loins and ropes upon our heads, and let us go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will preserve your soul alive.” Accordingly they girded sackcloth about their loins, with ropes upon their heads, and came in to the king of Israel and said: “Your servant Ben-ha’dad has said, ‘Please, let my soul live.’” To this he said: “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” So the men themselves took it as an omen and quickly took it as a decision of his own accord, and they went on to say: “Ben-ha’dad is your brother.” At that he said: “Come, fetch him.” Then Ben-ha’dad went out to him; and he at once had him get up into the chariot.

[Ben-ha’dad] now said to him: “The cities that my father took from your father I shall return; and streets you will assign to yourself in Damascus the same as my father assigned in Sa·mar’i·a.” “And as for me, in a covenant I shall send you away. ”With that he concluded a covenant with him and sent him away.

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his friend by the word of Jehovah: “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. Therefore he said to him: “For the reason that you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah, here you are going away from me, and a lion will certainly strike you down.” After that he went away from beside him, and the lion got to find him and strike him down. And he went on to find another man and to say: “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, striking and wounding.

Then the prophet went and stood still for the king by the road, and he kept himself disguised with a bandage over his eyes. And it came about that as the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and proceeded to say: “Your servant himself went out into the thick of the battle; and, look! a man was leaving the line, and he came bringing a man to me and then said, ‘Guard this man. If he should in any way be missing, your soul will also have to take the place of his soul, or else a talent of silver you will weigh out.’ And it came about that as your servant was active here and there, why, he himself was gone.” At this the king of Israel said to him: “Thus your own judgment is. You yourself have decided.” Upon that he hurriedly removed the bandage from over his eyes, and the king of Israel got to recognize him, that he was from the prophets. He now said to him: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘For the reason that you have let go out of your hand the man devoted to me for destruction, your soul must take the place of his soul, and your people the place of his people.’” At that the king of Israel went on his way toward his house, sullen and dejected, and came to Sa·marʹi·a.”

- 1 Kings 16:23-34 & 17-20, NWT

How Long Will You Be Limping Upon Two Different Opinions?

[walkwithgod07]

6 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

27 And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Judgment on Israel's Neighbors

1 The words of Amos be these, that was in the shepherds’ things of Tekoa, which he saw on Israel, in the days of Uzziah, that is, Azariah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, son of Jehoash , king of Israel, before two years of the earth-moving. (These be the words of Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa, what he said about Israel, in the days of Uzziah, the king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, the king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.)

2 And he said, The Lord shall roar from Zion, and shall give his voice from Jerusalem; and the fair things of shepherds mourned, and the top of Carmel was made dry (and the pastures of the shepherds were parched, and the top of Mount Carmel was made dry).

3 The Lord saith these things, On three great trespasses of Damascus, and on four, I shall not convert it, for it threshed Gilead in iron wains. (The Lord saith these things, For the three great trespasses of Damascus, and for the fourth, I shall not turn away their punishment, for they carved, or sliced, up the people of Gilead with iron wagons, or with iron sleds.)

4 And I shall send fire into the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the houses of Benhadad.

5 And I shall all-break the bar(s), [or locks,] of Damascus, and I shall lose a dweller from the field of idol, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of lust and of lechery; and the people of Syria shall be translated to Kir, saith the Lord. (And I shall altogether break the locks of Damascus, and I shall destroy the inhabitants of the field of Aven, and him who holdeth the sceptre of the house of Eden; and the people of Syria, or of Aram, shall be carried away captive to Kir, saith the Lord.)

6 And the Lord saith these things, On three great trespasses of Gaza, and on four, I shall not convert it, for it translated perfect captivity, to close that together in Idumea. (And the Lord saith these things, For the three great trespasses of Gaza, and for the fourth, I shall not turn away their punishment, for they carried away their Israelite captives, and delivered up, or sold, them to Edom.)

7 And I shall send fire into the wall of Gaza, and it shall devour the houses thereof. (And I shall send fire onto the city walls of Gaza, and it shall devour the houses there.)

8 And I shall lose the dwellers of Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre of Ashkelon; and I shall turn mine hand on Ekron, and the remnants of Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God. (And I shall destroy the inhabitants of Ashdod, and him who holdeth the sceptre of Ashkelon; and I shall turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnants of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God.)

9 The Lord God saith these things, On three great trespasses of Tyre, and on four, I shall not convert it, for they closed together perfect captivity in Idumea, and had not mind on the bond of peace of brethren. (The Lord God saith these things, For the three great trespasses of Tyre, and for the fourth, I shall not turn away their punishment, for they delivered up, or sold, their Israelite captives to Edom, and did not remember their covenant with their kinsmen.)

10 And I shall send fire into the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour the houses thereof. (And I shall send fire onto the city walls of Gaza, and it shall devour the houses there.)

11 The Lord saith these things, On three great trespasses of Edom, and on four, I shall not convert it, for it pursued by sword his brother, and defouled the mercy of him, and poured further his strong vengeance, and kept his indignation till into without end. (The Lord saith these things, For the three great trespasses of Edom, and for the fourth, I shall not turn away their punishment, for they pursued their own kinsmen with swords, and defiled their own mercy/and gave them no mercy, and poured out more of their strong vengeance, and kept their indignation kindled forevermore.)

12 And I shall send fire into Teman, and it shall devour the houses of Bozrah.

13 The Lord saith these things, On three great trespasses of the sons of Ammon, and on four, I shall not convert him, for he carved the women with child of Gilead, for to alarge his term. (The Lord saith these things, For the three great trespasses of Ammon, and for the fourth, I shall not turn away their punishment, for they carved up the women with child in Gilead, in order to enlarge their boundaries.)

14 And I shall kindle fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the houses thereof, in yelling in the day of battle, and in whirlwind in the day of moving together. (And I shall send fire onto the city walls of Rabbah, and it shall devour its houses, and there shall be shouting on the day of battle, and in the great moving, or in the tumult, on the day of the whirlwind.)

15 And Malcham shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord. (And their king shall go into captivity, he and his leaders together, saith the Lord.) — Amos 1 | Wycliffe's Bible (WYC) The Wycliffe Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Deuteronomy 3:11; 1 Samuel 6:17; 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 14:2; 1 Kings 20:1; 2 Kings 6:24; 2 Kings 10:33; 2 Kings 13:7; 2 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 15:16; 2 Kings 16:9; 2 Chronicles 26:6; Psalm 46:6; Psalm 81:14; Isaiah 5:8; Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 22:6; Isaiah 34:5; Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 63:1; Jeremiah 47:4-5; Jeremiah 49:3; Ezekiel 25:7; Ezekiel 26:4; Ezekiel 30:8; Matthew 11:21-22; Luke 10:13-14

[just-bible-musings]

And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.  Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:  But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.  I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord.  Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:  But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:  And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God.  Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:  But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.  Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:  But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.  Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:  But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:  And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:  But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:  And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord. Amos 1:2-2:3

This discusses what God will do to those who go against Israel. Interestingly enough, the KJV mentions Gaza by name! This passage also speaks of nations who "pursue their brother"- remember that Ishmael was the founder of the Muslims, a son of Abraham, and a half-brother to Isaac, who was the father of the Jews; and speaks of those who "ripped up the women with child," which is something that news reports have claimed the Hamas did to the Israelites.

Take heart. God promised, in Genesis 13:15, to give the land of Israel to Abraham for an inheritance FOR EVER. The nation of Israel will not fall, the Jewish people will not be exterminated, not now or ever. God will not allow it. These are His people, and His covenant from almost 4000 years ago still stands.

The only thing we should be worried about is our role in this. God may do nothing if we stand by and watch it happen. But any nation that takes the side of Israel's enemies WILL share in the punishment that God doles out to those enemies.

I don't want war any more than anyone else, but... we should be in this one. We should be bombing Gaza.

[charleshaddonspurgeon]

Voor Iedere Dag | Ochtend Overdenking Ze kwamen bij de koning van Israël en zeiden: Uw dienaar Benhadad zegt: Laat mij toch in leven. En hij zei: Leeft hij dan nog? Hij is mijn broeder… En hij zei: Ga hem halen. Toen ging Benhadad naar hem toe, en Achab liet hem op de wagen klimmen. (1 Koningen 20:32—33) Lees verder Lukas 18:9—17. Hoe komt je kind naar je toe als hij iets wil? Doet hij een groot boek open en begint hij te lezen, “Mijn lieve, gewaardeerde en geachte ouders, in de glans van uw ouderlijke weldadigheid…”? Nee, hij zegt, “Papa, mijn kleren zijn versleten, wilt u alstublieft een nieuwe jas voor mij kopen?” Of hij zegt, “Ik heb zo’n honger, mag ik iets eten?” Dat is de manier waarop we moeten bidden en er is geen gebed wat God aanvaard dan zo’n gebed — regelrecht uit het hart, regelrecht in Gods hart. We missen het doel wanneer we mooie woorden verzamelen. Mooie woorden van de lippen van een arme zondaar? Nette zinnen van een opstandeling? Nee. Er ligt meer zeggingskracht in “O God, wees mij zondaar genadig,” dan in alle boeken van vroomheid die bischoppen, aartsbisschoppen en geestelijken ooit samengesteld hebben. “Uw dienaar Benhadad zegt: Laat mij toch in leven.” Ik voel een verlangen om te stoppen en je te vragen om je hoofd te buigen en dat gebed te bidden, “O God, uw dienaar zegt, ik bid U laat mij toch in leven! Doe mij niet weg als de stenen in de akker, laat mij leven. Ik ben dood in zonden en misdaden, maak mij levend, O Heere, laat mij leven. En wanneer U komt om de goddelozen op deze aarde te doden, ik bid U, laat mij dan leven. Wanneer U de goddelozen vernietigd en ze wegveegt met de bezem van vernietiging in de bodemloze put, ik bid U, laat mij dan leven.” Zie je, er is geen woord van verdienste, er is niets wat de mens heeft gedaan. Benhadad noemt zichzelf alleen een dienaar. “Maak mij als één van uw dagloners” (Lukas 15:19). “Uw dienaar Benhadad zegt: Laat mij toch in leven. Ter overdenking Er zijn drie gebeden die geen indruk maken op God. Gebeden om gezien te worden (Mattheüs 6:5), rijk opgevulde gebeden (Mattheüs 6:7) en schijn gebeden (Markus 12:40). Jezus gebood Zijn discipelen om alleen en gericht te bidden (Mattheüs 6:6,9–13). Heb je echt gebeden voor de vergeving van je zonden (Lukas 11:4)? Preek 535, 11 oktober 1863

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

6/25/2023 DAB Chronological Transcription

1 Kings 15-24 and 2 Chronicles 13-16

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. I'm China. Today is the 25th day of June. Welcome. So great to be here with you today. Today we are...it's so crazy, like I leave you for a week. I come back and we are still in First Kings and Second Chronicles, but we are slowly making our way through. Slowly but surely. And we are in First Kings 15 chapters one through 24, and Second Chronicles chapters 13-16. And since it is a new week, we switch up the translation and we will be in the New English translation for this week.

Commentary:

Today we read about Abijah and his reign over Judah. And we read very little about Abijah and who he was and what happens, but if you want to read them, then all the rest of the events of Abijaha's reign, including all of his accomplishments, they're recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. And so Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. Abijah passes away. He's buried. His son Asa replaces him as king. And so we get into Asa 's reign over Judah. And we see that he rules for 41 years. Now he did what the Lord approved of as his ancestor David had done. He gets in and he's like, OK, we're going to remove all of the prostitutes from the land. We're going to get rid of all of these disgusting idols that ancestors had made. He removed his grandma from her position as queen mother because she had made a really terrible asherah pole. So he cuts em down. He burns them. But all the high places were not eliminated yet he was wholehearted, wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord in his lifetime.Which is interesting to me because it is still allowing this, like he's aware of this, It's not like he's not fully like, oh, I didn't know that. I never go up that so that way, you know? Or like he didn't hear those things. He's aware of it yet he's he's wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. And he brings holy items that he and his father had made in the Lord's temple, including the silver and gold and other articles. And then we read about Asa's religious and military accomplishments and how he's...and we we see throughout his lifetime that he is praying. And he's asking the Lord, Lord, would you help us? Can we rely on you Lord? You are our God. Help us. And the Lord does. He strikes down the Cushites of Judah- we chased after them as far as Gerar. Cushites get wiped out. They were shattered before the Lord and his army and so they carry off the men of Judah. They carry out a huge amount of plunder. But then God's spirit comes upon Ahaziah, and he he meets us with Asa and is like, listen, the Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you. If you reject him, he's going to reject you. And for a long time, Israel has not sought after God. Or a priest to instruct them with a law, as in their distress, they turned back to the Lord of- Lord God of Israel. They saw him and he responded to them. And he just goes through and he's like, listen they're...this is like what we have been reading time after time after time, right? It's the Lord continually extending this that he made, this covenant promised he made with David. And he's like, he's like you can hear it in the Lord even through all the messengers that he's telling or directly from himself that he wants his people to succeed. He wants his people, he wants to be with them, or else he wouldn't be giving them so many chances. Or when they cry out to him that he responds and then he's with them, you know? But then, shortly after, we read there's no more war until the 35th year of Asa's reign and in the 36th year King Basha of Israel, he attacks Judah and he establishes a military outpost and Asa takes all the silver and gold that was left and he is like hey I want to make a treaty, or he, sorry he sends it to King Benhadad of Syria ruler of Damascus along with this message, hey I'd like to make a treaty with you, like when our father's made. Send you gold and silver. Break your treaty with King Basha of Israel so he will retreat from my land. Benhad accepts this offer and they go to attack the cities of Israel. They conquer. And then the prophet, he visits Asa and he says, listen, because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. And he reminds him, listen, like when you relied on the Lord for this last time, he handed them over to you. The Lord watches over the whole earth carefully, and he's ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. But you've acted foolishly and from now on you're gonna have war. He gets so angry with him, he put him in jail as if like that removes everything that he just said or made it untrue. But this is like literally what another prophet had just told him. You stay true to the Lord, the Lord's gonna stay true to you, and that worked out for him. You know he put this into play. He tasted and he saw that the Lord was good, that he could rely on the Lord, that when he calls out to the Lord, the Lord answers. And so I'm so curious what got to him? You know, like was it just a lack of continuation of relationship with him? Maybe so many different things and I guess it doesn't necessarily matter, but to sit here and like, try to guess it and try to think of it, but at the end of the day he forgets that he can rely on the Lord. He gets scared of King BenHaddad trying to come in and overthrow him that he's like, OK, how do I make this work? How do I oh, I'll just take some gold and silver and say, hey, let's make a treaty like our dads did. And it works for him for a little bit, but ultimately it doesn't work for him because now he has, has this prophecy that like this word of warning and correction. You know, hey, you messed up. And then Asa he, he stops consulting the Lord. He gets a really gross foot disease and he just consults the doctors. He doesn't even consult the Lord and he has a lot of bitterness. I mean, we can see immediately he has bitterness because he's throwing this prophet in jail. But we see that he's obviously feeling remorseful, feeling like shouldn't have done that, but instead of repentance to the Lord and trying to repair that and to really turn away from that and be a man of God, like, you know, we're not perfect. We're not always going to get it right, We're not going to ever get it 100%. And I think the Lord knows that. But he's also like, listen, there's a good reason why I'm giving you these guidelines. He doesn't even try. He's just like, I have this weird foot thing and I'm gonna consult the doctors,  I'm not gonna consult the Lord. You know much bitterness in your heart, how much anger you have to have in your heart to not consult the Lord up to the point that you're dying? That's so intense.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that our hearts would not be hardened like Asa's. Where if we get it wrong, if we mess up as you know, as we know we're going to do, God I pray that we would humble ourselves and come before you and say, Lord, I got it wrong, I messed up. I thought I could do this in my own strength I...it slipped my mind to come and contact you, but would like I....help me come back to you. Help me with this. And God, I just thank you that you meet us in that. And I pray that we would know, taste and see your goodness first and foremost that we would remember as truth even in the mundane or even in the the highs and the lows. And God I pray that we would be people who are solid in our faith. And we would just actually be intentional about building faith in our relationship with you so that when we get it wrong, we don't run and hide and try to further continue to do things in our own strength on our own- that we'd recognize you as sovereign and king of kings and Lord of Lords. And it's in your name we pray. Amen.

Announcements:

Dailyaudiobible.com is our website. It's a place of connection, so be sure to check that out. There's things that we as a community can call in and pray over you and encourage you in. We have a prayer request line and that is exactly what it's used for. Only is for prayer requests and for people to call in, pray over you and encourage you and you know, be the body of Christ. You can call in at 800-583-2164. And if you listen through the app, you can also record and send them in through there as well. That is all for today. I'm China. I love you, and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Line:

Hi DABC. It's Emmy from Illinois calling in with an update. My father-in-law moved in this weekend. I can't remember if I called in for an update, but he was in a car accident a month ago and decided he shouldn't live alone anymore. So we officially moved him in this weekend and now we're trying to update our house to put on the market in the next couple of weeks as well as trying to find a home that will now accommodate 5 bedrooms and three dogs. Which is not easy to find from a rental or purchase perspective in our price range. And then just prayers. My relationship with God is struggling right now. I'm just feel like I'm in a wilderness of just lost. I can't find the time or the energy to give God time. And my husband has no faith right now and wants nothing to do with God or church. Which just makes it even more of a struggle to find the time because I feel like I need to be doing helping around the house and doing things with my daughter. And I'm so tired that I can't get up in the morning. Um, and I stay up late to get everything else done, so I'm even more tired to try to do something at night and I'm just struggling. Life is just chaotic and I can see God in in working in our relationship. And our like, it's been six weeks, almost two months, and things are going a lot better between us. We've still got a lot to work on that I feel like is not really ever going to be fixed until my husband's relationship with God gets fixed. And it's just frustrating. So if you could just continue to pray. Thank you.

Hey siblings, this is Minita my Chronological family. I love you guys so much. Straight from the Norm, thank you. I'm rejoicing with you. May the Lord continue to use you. OK. Umm, I love you. And He'll give you wisdom to continue to be a blessing to to others and the gentleman and everyone else God put in your in your path. Tanya, I'm excited for you, girl. You reported separation back in September, I think last year your husband and now you guys are together. That's awesome. Wow. No divorce. Yay. I know the devil is trying to destroy our marriages. You know, they, you know, I divorce myself, but I'm taking my time with this ministry and just being a blessing to you guys because you guys are blessing to me. God bless your marriage. And my sister from Australia, we will be praying for the mental health for Jacob. We will continue to pray for him. Things are looking good. Praise the Lord for that God hears us. He's so good for those who put our trust in Him. I love you. We will continue to pray for him. And Diana (My daughter's name is Diana) from Florida. Yeah, we are praying for Thomas. He had this terrible motorcycle accident. Wow, we will continue to pray for him and for his recovery, yeah, I am with you. And yeah, God works for us, not against us, you know. So yeah, I just took this time off from work and I just listening to thank God, by the grace of God, I'm up to date with Brian and Jill and China. I just love my community. You guys are my family. I love you guys. Take care- a big hug and a big kiss. Have a nice day.

Hi, this is Chastity from Kansas. I wanted to call and say thank you so much to Diana from Florida for calling and praying for my twin sister and I with the anniversary of our dad passing. That meant so much and I cried hearing it. I thank you so much. I've been trying for about the past year, so year and a half to get my sister to listen to Daily Audio Bible with me. Just because it's been such an encouragement to me, I went through one of the hardest times of my life since my dad passed last year. Just some things that we walked through in my family that were really hard. And Daily Audio Bible is honestly, I feel like such a godsend that really helped me get through that very, very difficult time. But I wanted to let you know, Diana, that my sister- I played the recording of your prayer for us for her. And she said in response. She said, OK, now I want to listen to Daily Audio Bible. I want to be involved in this community that is beautiful and I'm so thankful that she prayed for us. So I wanted to encourage you with that and just thank you so much for being such an amazing prayer warrior. Thank you for everybody who prays, whether you call or not they, they're felt by everybody you pray for. You know we can feel your prayers and I pray for all of you whenever I hear them- the calls. I love all of you so much and I pray often for this entire community and you are all just so very near to my heart. I love all of you and really quick I'd like to ask for prayer for a friend of mine named Alisa. She recently became a stepmom to her little boy who I believe is 3. And this little boy has been through a lot of abuse and trauma in his short 3 years of life, so they’re trying to find a counselor for him. So please pray for them. This family is just needing prayer. I love you all. 

Hi, this is Amy calling from Wisconsin. I’m calling in to pray for Sonya’s daughter Samantha who suffers with migraines. I, too, have a daughter named Samantha who is 22 and has suffered from chronic headaches and migraines since about the age of 7. It is so hard to watch your kids go through chronic pain like this and frustrating to not be able to find a cause or cure. I pray for both our Samantha’s that God heals their pain and completely takes away their migraines. I pray for your daughter to have a great delivery and healthy baby and that she doesn’t get anymore migraines during this time. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray this. Amen.

[dailyaudiobible]

06/19/2023 DAB Transcript

1 Kings 20:1-21:29, Acts 12:24-13:15, Psalms 137:1-9, Proverbs 17:16

Today is the 19th day of June welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today from the lush, rolling hills of Tennessee and excited, excited that we’re here around the Global Campfire, excited for our next step forward. And that next step leads us back to where we left off and that happens to at this point be in the book of first Kings where we are moving chronologically through all of the different leaders of the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah, or the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah, the northern and southern kingdoms. Today we’ll read first Kings chapter 20 and 21.

Commentary:

Okay, so we just read the 137th Psalm, a Psalm or song of lament from the Israelites who were in exile. And that is actually out in front of us. That's still in the future as we move through the Bible. But this Psalm is showing us where the story is going. So…so really to appreciate and even to consider in our own lives, we just need to remind ourselves of the story that we’re on or in. We started this journey back in the book of Genesis back in the month of January and we’ve the moving day by day step-by-step since then. And, so, we’ve moved through a lot of territory and learned about a lot of people and a lot of things. We met Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We saw Jacob change…his name changed to Israel. And he had children, and they were the children of Israel. And we followed the story of Joseph and the slavery in Egypt and the Exodus from slavery in Egypt and the wilderness journey and that conquering of the promised land and the time of the judges and then finally they wanted a king, and so we met King Saul and all of his story and the intermingling with king David who was his successor, and then all the intrigue of David's life and then king Solomon brought us to this kind of mountaintop apex moment and we…we…it just went by so fast. We talked about it. Like we just reached the top of this story. It’s kind of gonna slide downward from here. And that's where we are in the story now. We’re watching the fact that the children of Israel, they decided to divide themselves into two nations - the northern kingdom of Israel, the southern kingdom of Judah - each having their own government, their own monarch, their own king. We've seen at times they've been friendly toward one another. They are family after all. We’ve seen other times where they are absolutely at war with each other. We have begun to see the prophetic voices in and among the kings like Elijah. We even watched the Lord rescue Samaria from Benhadad the Syrian king, only to watch king Ahab kill Naboth to get his property. Although once he was confronted he was repentant. Nevertheless, this kingdom that we spent our time in today, the northern kingdom with the capital city of Samaria, eventually…eventually they won't be able to hold out. Eventually the northern kingdom of Israel will be conquered by the Assyrian Empire and following that the kingdom of Judah will have its time in exile. They will be conquered by the Babylonian Empire. And, so, we get into Psalm 137 today and it's a song written from exile because exile was the way of building an empire in those days. One of the methods used for conquering and resettling the people. So, in the case of the northern kingdom…and we’ll go through all the story and talk about this again when we get there. The Assyrians conquered the northern 10 tribes of Israel and displaced them, carted them off, made them leave their homeland, made them settle in a different land, a different land that had been conquered by the Assyrian Empire. They…they were moving people around, intermingling people displacing them from this possession of a homeland so that over the course of centuries as the generations would continue, because people were still going to continue to have children and families, eventually the homeland and the story and the identity of it would be forgotten so that all that would be left of it would be the stories of the Empire. This is the posture that this Psalm, Psalm 137 is written, from people who have been conquered and have had to gather whatever they could and be forcibly removed from their homeland and re-settled somewhere else. Families being split apart, people being lost never to be seen again, drug away into a new land where you're supposed to build a new life as part of this empire that just conquered you. When we know that and we begin to read this Psalm it's so sad. By the rivers of Babylon, we sat down. There and wept when we remembered Zion. On the Willows nearby we hung our harps. Those who captured us told us to sing. They told us to entertain them. Sing as a song about Zion. How can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land? May I never be able to play the harp again if I forget you Jerusalem. May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you, if I do not think of you as my greatest joy. Now we can appreciate where this Psalm is coming from. It's coming from a deep place of disorientated pain and anguish that everything seems lost, that they are now in a place they don't even recognize, told build a life and entertain the people with the songs of their homeland. We can certainly appreciate the depth of emotion that's coming from the Psalms today. But have we…have we ever felt that way? Now certainly most of us have never had the experience of being conquered and being on the run for our lives. Although I know that's true of…of many that I have heard from in the community around the Global Campfire throughout the years. So, I know some people have actually had that experience and can read this Psalm in a way that most of us can't. But we can understand the situation. Even though we haven’t been conquered and on the run for our lives we have felt like life has tipped upside down and we don't recognize what's going on exactly anymore. We don't know exactly where we are or how we got here. What's familiar is not familiar and we’re in a world where we see people that should be familiar, but something's changed…likes things changed. Things changed through death or things changed through betrayal. And all the sudden the people we thought we knew we didn't or any kind of thing that crushes our spirit. We've faced these kinds of pain before where we feel disoriented enough to not know what we’re looking at and not know exactly where to go from here. The Psalm we read today allows us to have language. It allows us to see that we’re not alone, not the only ones who have these kinds of feelings or that have ever felt this way. And as with so many beautiful things in the Bible, Psalm 137 doesn't put a bow on what's going on. It's simply acknowledging what's going on. In other words, it's simply being honest about what's going on. And maybe there's a lesson in there for us when we feel that way, when we have those feelings exile, when we feel disoriented and upside down and confused. Maybe the first move is to get honest, honest with what we’re feeling and what it's connected to and what it actually feels like to be in it instead of numbing it or running away from it, to be in it just for a minute to look at it in the eye, to look at it face to face, to see what this monster of emotion is. What is going on here? To be honest with ourselves and to be honest with God. Because when we find ourselves in these wilderness experiences where things are disoriented and upside down, usually we are closer to ourselves and to God then…then we realize and that we normally are. And, so, taking the pain of it, the experience of it and becoming honest in it and inviting God into it. If we remember, the wilderness was not the end of the story for the children of Israel. And even though exile is out in front of us in this story it's not the end of their story either. And when we have these kinds of experiences and these kinds of emotions it's not the end of our story either. It's just that the fastest way through these kinds of things is to be honest and learn the lesson that is there for us so that it's a place that we visited but never returned to. Our Psalm today, Psalm 137 is honest and may it compel us to be honest in the seasons that are disorienting to us.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You into that. These things come, they go, they last, they’re short or long. We are disoriented, so we just don't even know. And yet, You are always in north star. You are always the place to get oriented, the place to get right side up again, to get oriented again that we might see clearly. And, so, we run to You, father asking for Your interpretation of what's going on. We’re making ourselves crazy trying to figure it out and we lose sight that…that there is a long story of life that we are walking through and this is but a chapter and so we stay stuck. We need You. We’re never gonna navigate anywhere successfully without You. And, so, Holy Spirit come into the seasons that are difficult and that are hard to understand and may we walk in complete trust in You as we put one foot in front of the other. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com, it’s home base and that is the website and that is where you find out what is happening around here. So, certainly check it out.

Check out the different sections like the Community section. This is where the Prayer Wall lives. And the Prayer Wall is there for us to go and invite people into our stories and pray for us but it’s also there for us to go and be involved in other people’s stories by praying for them and encouraging them. And that can be found in the Community section whether using the Daily Audio Bible app or visiting on the website. And, so, certainly be familiar with that. Check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if you find this mission to bring God's spoken word read fresh every day and offered freely to whoever may encounter it wherever they may be whatever time of day or night it may be, whatever part of the earth they may be on and to build community around the rhythm of showing up every day for each other here around the Global Campfire, if that is good news, if that is life-giving, if that is encouraging into your life then thank you humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the home page at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit outline button in the that's the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

This is Doctor John in Illinois. I'm just calling in this morning for our sister Victoria Soldier with her sister-in-law. And how often that she has held up the DAB family and how many times that she's made an effort to pray for people and be consistent in her prayer. And so, our sister, our dear sister is asking for help. So, I'll be in agreement with you sister. God bless you for your caring and for your love and your grace and your mercy to all of us. And we share your hurt and your heartache but we want to share your joy and your hope in God's perfect work. And this is a prayer also for Ethan who’s called in for help. He doesn't know which way to go. He's struggling with situations or maybe habits or just trying to make a change in his life and he's having a hard time making those changes. So, brother, I want to pray with you too. Heavenly Father we just thank You for Your mercy to us. And I guess most of all God the gift that we have that You hear us and You're mindful of our needs since You know our hearts. Your word says that You know our needs before we ask. So, Father I'm asking for my sister right now. I'm asking for my brother that You would meet their needs. And Father I guess most important that You would show Yourself to them, You reveal Yourself to them in a mighty way and give them the peace and assurance that You're always there, that You're always listening, that Your ways are not our ways, and Your thoughts are not our thoughts but they're always good. And truly all things do work for good for them that love You and are called according to Your purpose. So, Father would You hear, would You listen? God, bless You DAB. God bless You sister and brother. Father we thank You for Your mercy to us in Jesus…

Hello this is Kay from Ohio I wanted to pray for Ethan. Man I don't know how old you are but you remind me so much of both of my boys. So I'm gonna say my son instead of my brother. My son, I'm praying for you. I hear you. Oh God that You will restore, renew, refresh Your Spirit in him right now. He feels alone like…like he's disappointed every. I can't remember if he even mentioned himself but he's…he needs a breakthrough. God, he feels like the waves are crashing in on him. He can barely keep his head above waters. Oh God that you would come and see about him great Jehovah. Only you can do it. If you don't do it, it can't be done, and we know that you can do it. God come and see about Ethan. Let him feel your presence right now as the prayer request floods in about other people, that he will pray for them and feel that his problem starts to lessen because he took the focus off himself. But lord we ask that those prayer…answered prayers start coming in, that we're praying for her my son Ethan, that he will feel You that he will draw closer to You and leave it at Your feet, and that heaviness on his heart will start to dissipate because he left it in Your hands, Your capable hands. Father, we know You're able. We know You can do it. We asked that it ne in your divine will God and we’re asking for those suddenly and immediate prayers to come through in Jesus’ name. God bless you.

Hey DAB family this is DJ from Ohio. This is probably my second time calling, second year DABber but I always listen daily and pray for everyone. I'm calling because I just wanted to give everyone encouragement to keep praying. Prayer is so important, and it just really solidifies how well God can really do great things in our life. I really was thinking about first Kings 3:5-4 where God had appeared to Solomon in his dream at Gibeon and where He just said ask Me for what you need, and I will answer it. It also made me think about John 14, if you ask for anything in My name, I will do it. Just encourage everyone to go continue praying. Even when you feel like it's not being heard or you feel like it's just not going anywhere continue to pray, continue to stay faithful in God. Every day I write in my journal to stay prayerful, stay hopeful, and stay faithful. So, everyone continue to pray. God will see it through. He will continue to bless you, He will continue to bless us. And just remember that we call in daily to pray for others and we call in daily to ask for prayer for ourselves. So, prayer is so powerful. So, I just want to encourage you all to continue to pray. I love you all and…

Hey DAB this is White as Snow from Tennessee and just giving an update on my daughter Rachel who's on the strict diet trying to heal herself with her stomach issues. She switched to potatoes. She was eating just fruit. Now she's on potatoes so it's a little better. But we just went on a trip and she kind of broke down at one point and confided in us that she deals with fear quite a bit. You know, she feels like she needs to be doing things but her mind, you know, is telling her that she can't do it. So, just asking for prayers for that. We're thankful that she kind of opened up to us and confided in us and, you know, we…and I'm thankful that we got to spend some time with her. But yeah, just appreciate your prayers with that. Thanks so much.

Hello this is Purchased and Owned by him from Texas my first time calling in. I've been listening for about a year now. Please pray for the salvation of my daughter Rebecca and family who live in the UK. My other daughter and her husband are going to visit them the first week of July. Also please pray for restoration and healing of my relationship with one of my sons. And here's a prayer from Colossians 1. How about praise you, Lord for the love for each other that the Holy Spirit gives us. I ask you God to give us all spiritual wisdom and understanding so then the way we live will always honor and please you and that our lives by your power will produce every kind of good fruit. I also pray that we will be strengthened through all Your glorious power, that we will have the insurance and the patience we need to live in the way You want. May we be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit so that we can always be thanking You Abba Father for You have been enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to Your people for You have rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into Your Kingdom, the Kingdom of Your dear son Jesus who has purchased our freedom and forgiven us all of our sins. Amen.

[tissotbiblesketches]

Phillip Medhurst presents 315/402 "Benhadad and the kings drinking in the tent" (1 Kings 20:16) drawing by James Tissot at the John Rylands Library; gouache on board by Charles Hoffbauer after James Tissot Jewish Museum New York.

[techno-kidda]

The glory of the temple that we will talk about today is very different. This temple signals the coming of rain just before it comes, It Located in Kanpur, UP.

[swhayward]

Israel Victory Over Syrian Benhadad. I Kings 20

Israel Victory Over Syrian Benhadad. I Kings 20

Israel Victory Over Syrian Benhadad. I Kings 20   As God said, the victory by the youth of Israel. Benhadad flees on his horse. But he’ll be back.   Jesus Christ, will fight his enemies and win at the 2nd Advent.   Youtube: https://youtu.be/th7MdIqmO8s   Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/allaboutthetruth/israel-victory-over-syrian-benhadad-i-kings-20   Write To Us: Jesus Christ The Blessed…

[thestreamofconsciousness777]

“This is what Jehovah has said, ‘“On account of three revolts of Damascus, and on account of four, I shall not turn it back, on account of their threshing Gilʹe·ad even with iron threshing instruments. And I will send a fire onto the house of Hazʹa·el, and it must devour the dwelling towers of Ben-haʹdad. And I will break the bar of Damascus and cut off [the] inhabitant from Bikʹath-aʹven, and the holder of [the] scepter from Beth-eʹden; and the people of Syria will have to go as exiles to Kir,” Jehovah has said.’"

-Amos 1:3-5, NWT

[walkwithgod07]

16 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.

9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.

13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Shunammite's Land Restored

1 Then spoke Elisha to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn: for the LORD has called for a famine; and it shall also come on the land seven years. 2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry to the king for her house and for her land. 4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray you, all the great things that Elisha has done. 5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here. 8 And the king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 10 And Elisha said to him, Go, say to him, You may certainly recover: however, the LORD has showed me that he shall surely die. 11 And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, Why weeps my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: their strong holds will you set on fire, and their young men will you slay with the sword, and will dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 13 And Hazael said, But what, is your servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD has showed me that you shall be king over Syria. 14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to you? And he answered, He told me that you should surely recover. 15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

Jehoram's Wicked Reign in Judah (2 Chronicles 21:1-7)

16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Je hoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him always a light, and to his children.

Edom and Libnah Revolt (2 Chronicles 21:8-11)

20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Ahaziah Reigns Wickedly in Judah (2 Chronicles 22:1-4)

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

28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. — 2 Kings 8 | American King James Version (KJVUS) The American King James Version is Produced by Stone Engelbrite. It is a simple word for modern word update from the King James English. Cross References: Genesis 11:20; Genesis 24:48; Genesis 27:40; Genesis 41:27; 1 Samuel 9:7; 1 Samuel 17:43; 1 Kings 1:2; 1 Kings 11:24; 1 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 19:17; 1 Kings 22:3; 1 Kings 22:44; 2 Kings 2:17; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Kings 4:12; 2 Kings 4:35; 2 Kings 9:16; 2 Kings 9:29; 2 Kings 10:13; 2 Chronicles 21:1; 2 Chronicles 22:3; Psalm 132:17; Luke 21:20

[miajolensdevotion]

May 22, 2021

Verse: 2 kings 8 Write/ Copy Gods words :

8 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. 2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. 4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. 5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. 7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead. 16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Je hoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children. 20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. 25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab. 28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

What is your Favorite verse(s):

16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Je hoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children. 20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

Explain in your own words what you just read:

2 Kings 4 describes Elisha’s previous dealings with this woman. She and her husband were godly, generous people who helped the prophet. Through Elisha’s prayer they were blessed with a son, who was also brought miraculously back to life.

Commitment / what will i do : I will advice of the prophet, the woman and her family left Israel because of a coming famine

[enkamsi]

Benhadad told him, “I will give back the towns my father took from your father. You may set up trading centers in Damascus as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab said, “If you will put this into a treaty, I will let you go.” So Ahab made a treaty with Benhadad and let him go.

1 Kings 20:34 GW

[4thegloryofgodmosthigh]

1 Kings 20:23

“And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, `Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.ʼ” ~1 Kings 20:23 The king of Syria, Benhadad has come against the ten tribes of Israel under king Ahab. God used Ahab to defeat the Syrian army. The Syrian servants of Benhadad do not know…