Jer 11—God offers a renewal of His covenant under the Law of Moses
The Lord tells Jeremiah to go to the men (people) of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and offer/proclaim/remind them of His covenant to obey Him/His commandments—which if they did, they would be His people, He would be their God, and they would be given a land flowing with milk and honey: symbolizing a prosperous land, producing abundant agriculture (animals & crops, the basis of any nation’s prosperity). Otherwise, they will be cursed. It is a reiteration of the Exodus covenant, which included a blessing and a cursing—the natural consequences of obeying the Law of God given through Moses, or the disobedience/rejection of God’s laws. For what reason does God give commandments? Because in His wisdom/intelligence and compassion, He knows and tells us what will bring us happiness, peace, and prosperity, and what will bring our downfall/destruction/misery.
A couple notes: Jeremiah is to speak to the men, because they had charge/responsibility of/for the nation and its people (including their families, wives and children). In our culture we are more likely to speak of consequences rather than of curses, it’s a difference in our way of understanding life, the world, and even of God.
The people not only didn’t obey, didn’t listen, went after their own disparate goals, they conspired/agreed to do so. They were the ones who broke the covenant/sacred contract, so God is not obligated to fulfill His promises to them. He will allow bad/”evil” things to come, which they will not be able to escape (in olden times people considered anything bad as “evil”). Where is God’s mercy? God has worked with His people, been merciful to them, for hundreds of years—enough is enough. It is not Merciful not to be Just. A parent who is endlessly giving “2nd chances” (and 3rd, 4th, etc) is essentially an enabler, and isn’t doing his/her child any favors. A good parent must set boundaries and stick by them. Of course, mistakes can be made and repented of, if it is true repentance. But to pretend to repent merely to get a reprieve isn’t really repentance. Repentance means a change of heart, a change of behavior. Of course, we are imperfect beings, and God has offered means to make atonement for those imperfections, as much then as now.
When God doesn’t help the people of Judah they will go to their false gods, who can’t help them. Every city has had its favorite god, and Jerusalem has had altars to different gods in every street, and worse yet, to the particularly evil Baal (Jezebel’s god).
Again, God tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people. He’s not going to listen to their false pleas. He likens them to an adulterous wife with many lovers, who rejoices in them. He likens the nation to an olive tree that will be broken down and burned. He was the one that planted the tree, and He will be the one who will take it out, because of their worship of Baal.
Jeremiah speaks of his personal experience, in that God showed Him all this, and because he has spoken God’s word, they conspire to “sacrifice” him to their own devices (leading him like a lamb or bull to the slaughter). They intend to cut him down like a tree, so that he will not be remembered (perhaps that he will have no descendants). Jeremiah prays that God, who judges righteously, and tests every person’s heart (intentions, character, what one values and desires, as well as faithfulness to Him), will hear his cause, which he has laid out, and punish his adversaries for their wickedness—who tell him not to prophesy in the name of the Lord, or they will kill him. God answers Jeremiah that He will indeed punish them, in particular the men of Anathoth. Their young men will be killed in war, and their children will die from famine. The men of Anathoth (Jeremiah’s hometown) will have no descendants.
https://bibleatlas.org/anathoth.htm about Anathoth
Jer 12—God will punish Jeremiah’s kin for betraying him
Jeremiah acknowledges God’s righteousness, and yet, he wonders why wicked people prosper, and treacherous ones are happy. Perhaps we have all wondered, or felt that frustration. Jeremiah says, You know me, you know my heart . . . “How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, [God isn’t going to punish us, in the end].” It sounds like they were suffering a dearth/drought, and God was not revoking it.
Jeremiah uses figurative words that perhaps would have been proverbial in his time, that if someone is weary from running along with footmen carrying a VIP’s litter how can they keep up with a horse-drawn carriage? Likewise, if one trusts in the peace of the river (Jordan), what will one do during the season of flooding? This seems to have some reference to the betrayal of Jeremiah by his kin, “though they speak fair words” they harbor ill for him.
Jeremiah, and/or God, has turned his back on his people/kin. They are like a lion roaring after him with threats of devouring him, so he renounces his inheritance (see the end of the previous chapter). He likens his inheritance to a speckled bird, referring either to a small songbird (or possibly an imperfect specimen not suitable for a sacrifice unto the Lord, but the next sentence seems to make it about the former). Other, presumably larger, birds fly about her menacingly. Wild beasts come to devour her.
Many pastors (who should be tending the flock or fields) have destroyed them, or have oppressed the people (pastors and flocks used as a metaphor, like today, for the religious leaders and their congregations). These leaders don’t take it to heart when they despoil the people. In consequence, the whole land from one end to the other will be spoiled/destroyed by conquest. In another figure the Lord speaks of the leaders of the people sowing wheat (as they suppose to get rich thereby), but will reap thorns. All their efforts will go for nought (nothing), and their revenues will be embarrassing. This because the Lord is angry at them. God will pluck His people out of their land, but He will again have compassion on them, and return them to their heritage/inheritance. He is speaking, in particular, of the leaders/pastors of the people, who instead of teaching the people of God, have taught them of Baal. If those leaders would turn to God, and turn the people to God, they will be prospered among the people. If not, God will destroy the entire nation (God will allow the conquest of the nation, but it’s actually the people and their leaders who have destroyed the nation morally, which causes the material destruction of the nation.)
Jer 13—Can a leopard change its spots?
Prophets anciently often used theatrics to make their message powerful in the minds of the people. The Lord instructs Jeremiah to dramatize the relationship between Himself and Israel by taking a piece of intimate clothing and burying it in the bank of the Euphrates River, later digging it up again, and showing how it has become worthless. Likewise, Israel was close to the Lord: “This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.” 'Girdle' is a term that could mean something like a loincloth.
Using wine as a metaphor, Jeremiah speaks of Jerusalem as being so drunken that even fathers & sons will be slammed together in destruction. Next is the warning that Israel should turn to God, rather than stumble around in the darkness looking for light, but finding the shadow of death. “But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.” [God weeps for our suffering, even (or moreso) when it is the consequence of our own bad behavior/choices. He pleads with the king & queen to humble themselves before they are forcefully humbled, when armies from the north come and carry away their people captive like stolen flocks. They’ll be hurting like a woman giving birth. When you ask, Why? You can know that the greatness of your iniquities has uncovered you to shame.
Famous saying: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? If so, then even you that are accustomed to behaving badly can become good. Jeremiah uses the metaphor of the stubble of a harvested field blown away in the wind to the wilderness, and the visualization of a person caught with their skirts up in an adulterous act. Remember that in those days even men wore robes/skirts.
Jer 14—Jeremiah pleads to God vs a serious drought
A description of famine due to drought:
--the people mourn
--the wealthy send their young ones out of town into the countryside for water, but they find none
--the ground is parched for lack of rain
--farmers are embarrassed/ashamed by the failure of their crops
--domesticated animals leave their newborns to die in the field because there is no grass/feed for the females to produce milk to nourish their young
--donkeys sniff for water/grass from upon the hills, but there is none
Jeremiah prays/pleads for mercy, though Israel has sinned. “O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble . . .”, don’t just be a visitor or a sojourner that only stays for a night! We are called by Your name, don’t leave us! The Lord answers that the people have loved to stray from Him, and He will recompense them for their sins. He tells Jeremiah once again not to pray for them. He will not listen to their cries, nor take notice of their fasts and offerings. They’ll be devastated by war, famine, and disease.
Jeremiah replies that the prophets are promising the people peace and no famine. The Lord disavows those prophets who speak lies in His name. He denies that He has sent them; they are deceivers. The Lord says that those who say there will be no war and famine will be consumed by war and famine. Those that listen to them (eg rulers/leaders) will be tossed (dead) into the streets, and no one will bury them, not even their families. The Lord enjoins Jeremiah to tell them, “Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach [as in the wall of a city breached/broken through in a siege], with a very grievous blow.” If he goes into the country, he sees those killed in fighting, if he comes back into the city he sees people dying of famine. The prophets and priests are to be carried away to a foreign land. [A nation weakened by drought/famine would be easy prey for a marauding army, if they have their own supply line secure.]
Jeremiah again pleads with the Lord: Have You utterly rejected Judah? Do you loathe Zion/Jerusalem? Why have You hit us so hard that we can’t be healed? We looked/hoped for peace, and there’s nothing good in sight. We looked for healing and see only trouble. “We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor [hate] us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.” Jeremiah is pleading with the Lord that for His own reputation He shouldn’t abandon His people. Jeremiah continues, None of the foolish/false gods of the Gentiles can cause rain [remember the showdown between Elijah and wicked queen Jezebel’s priests]. Even nature is subject to the will of God in giving rain. Jeremiah affirms “therefore we will wait upon thee . . .” for God is the Creator of all. Jeremiah's we doesn't mean everyone.
Jer 15—the Lord to Jeremiah respecting the evils of King Manasseh and Jeremiah’s own cause
The Lord says, Even if Moses or Samuel (the epitome of righteous leaders who had pull with God) pled for the nation, His mind wouldn’t change for the sake of the people. If the people ask, Where shall we go? Tell them those slated for death to death; those for the sword (death in battle) to the sword, those for famine to famine, those for captivity to captivity. People will come to 4 ends: death in battle (by the sword), or predators/scavengers—dogs, birds, or beasts (either from war or famine). And they will be scattered to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of what king Manasseh did. Jeremiah’s calling came during the reign of good King Josiah, who was after wicked King Manasseh. But after Josiah the people returned to the wickedness of King Manasseh, led by their pastors/rulers.
Who will have pity on Jerusalem, or bemoan her, or ask after her welfare? The nation has forsaken the Lord, and He is weary of their pretenses to repentance. God will destroy them and take away their posterity because they haven’t really changed their ways. He will fan them in the gates of the land, perhaps a reference to the fan of a metallurgist getting the fire superheated to melting temperatures. There will be more widows than the sand of the sea, and even women with as many as 7 sons will lose them all to the sword (warfare).
Jeremiah speaks of his anguish in being born as a controversial person. Though he has neither lent nor borrowed, it seems like everyone curses him. (Perhaps one reason God forbad Israelites to lend with interest to their fellow Israelites was because of the bad feelings that tend to ensue between borrowers and lenders—each cursing the other as being dishonest/robbers). But the Lord promises good things for Jeremiah’s posterity, and that even his enemies will come to him in time of affliction.
Then the Lord returns to bad news for the nation of Judah, that it will be conquered, and its riches be despoiled, because of sin. The people will be taken captive to a land they haven’t heard of. He returns to the analogy of fire, as a symbol of His anger.
Jeremiah pleads again for himself. In that the Lord knows him, would He remember him, avenge him of his persecutors? He pleads for the Lord’s longsuffering/mercy, that he be not carried away captive, because he has suffered reproaches for God’s sake. Jeremiah internalized God’s word, “and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah reminds the Lord that he did not join those who mocked Him or His ways/commandments, and was alone because of it. He was indignant with those mockers. He cries out, Why must I be wounded and in perpetual pain, without healing? God, wilt Thou be a liar and like a dried up spring?
The Lord responds, If you’ll come back to me, I will bring you back again [perhaps out of their clutches] to stand before me. If you separate the good from the bad, you will be able to speak for me. They can come to you, but don’t you go to them [perhaps God is speaking of the king’s court]. I will make you like a brass fence/wall, and though they fight against you, they will not prevail, “for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord…I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.”
Possibly Jeremiah, in his efforts to persuade the powerful of his day, got caught up in their life. Perhaps God was telling him to bring those who would listen into his circle, and not to return to those who would not listen. They might come to him, but he was not to return to their company. Eventually, when the end did come, Jeremiah was indeed saved from captivity, because he was known for his opposition to those in positions of power in the nation of Judah (Jer 39:11-18).
Jer 16—the Lord tells Jeremiah not to have a family in the wicked land, that is to be destroyed
The Lord tells Jeremiah not to marry and have a family where he was, for they would die terrible deaths, unlamented and unburied. They would be like excrement, killed by sword and famine, their bodies food for birds and beasts (scavengers). The Lord tells Jeremiah not to mourn for the dead: “for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even lovingkindness and mercies.” The Lord lists the cultural ways of mourning at the time, indicating there would be none left to do so. The Lord tells Jeremiah not to go to feasts, including weddings, “For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth [merriment], and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.”
The Lord lets Jeremiah know ahead of time what people will say when he passes on what He tells him: Why is the Lord pronouncing all this terrible stuff on us? What have we done that’s so bad? Jeremiah is to say, Because your forebearers have forsaken me for other gods, and not kept my law, and you have done worse than them. Therefore, I [God] will throw you out of this land [the Land of Promise], to a land neither you nor your ancestors knew, and there you will have to serve their gods, and I won’t do you any favors.
One day, instead of saying, The God who brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt still lives, they’ll say “The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.”
The Lord sees all the people’s wicked ways, and He promises to requite them double for their sins, because they have defiled the Promised Land, and filled it with “the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.” No doubt the evidence of idol worship, including child sacrifice.
Jeremiah replies, “O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction,” the Gentiles from the ends of the earth will say it’s because they inherited lies and foolishness [a false faith/religion]. But God counters rhetorically, Should a person make his own false gods? They will know my power and what I do, and that I am [the True God].
Jer 17—Jeremiah’s teaching and prayer, particularly a re-emphasis on the Sabbath
This chapter continues regarding the sins of the kingdom of Judah, and its consequences, as well as Jeremiah’s prayer for God’s help and grace, and God’s call for Jeremiah to stand at the gates of the city and reteach them about keeping the Sabbath holy. But here are some other gems/highlights:
5 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. [deep roots provide water to the tree even through drought]
10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. [The Lord tests our mettle, not that He needs to know what we are made of, but that we need to know.]
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. [presumably a partridge caught for food]
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.Jer 18—God is like a potter, totally in charge, but He will change His intentions according to behavior
The Lord sends Jeremiah to a potter’s shop, and likens Himself to the potter, in that He has total power over the pot. And yet, even after He has pronounced bad things for a wicked nation, if they repent, He will change how He treats them. Likewise, if He has promised good things to a nation, but that nation go bad, He will refuse to bless them.
The Lord appeals to Judah & Jerusalem (and to every person) to return from their wicked ways. They say, Our lot is hopeless, so we’re going to rely on our own devices. Rhetorically the Lord asks whether it would make sense for a person to forsake a fresh spring in the mountain, implying that God’s people have forsaken the living waters that spring from Him. Because they have turned from Him, causing people to whistle and shake their heads at His inheritance, the Lord will blow them away. [As in previous instances, the Lord intends to wipe out the old inhabitants and start rebuilding afresh. Examples: the Flood, Abraham, Sodom & Gomorrah, the Canaanites, the Children of Israel wandering for 40 years in the desert until all the older generation had passed away . . . ]
Jeremiah recounts the opposition he has been facing, then prays to the Lord to witness what his enemies say and to remember that he prayed for them, that the Lord would turn away His anger from them [compare Matt 5:11 & 44]. Now he prays that as God has foretold, His will be done, in recompense for the way they have treated His prophet [not merely as a man, but as the mouthpiece of God].
Jer 19—with a pot as a teaching device/visual aid, Jeremiah is sent to prophesy destruction
Jeremiah is to get a pot from the potter, take it and the elders of the people and priests, and go to the valley of the son of Hinnom. There he is to prophesy desolation because of “the blood of innocents; They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal … Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.” The famine in the siege to come will be so bad that people will eat their own children and friends. Then to punctuate the point, Jeremiah is to break the earthenware bottle in front of his audience. Refer back to Jeremiah 7.
This is a pivotal time in the history of the House of Israel. It’s the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom of Israel. It includes some of the most powerful prophets of the Old Testament: Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Job. Some of the better kings reigned in the southern kingdom of Judah, and one of the worst. Ok, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” can be said of almost any time in the history of humankind, but powerful things were happening to Abraham’s seed, and the nations of what we call the Middle East as the Assyrian Empire rose to power.
It is also a difficult time to reconcile the relative dates of the kings of Israel and Judah. I tried with a year by year chart. It’s possible some of the gaps were periods of turmoil when no one was powerful enough to claim kingship in Israel
2 Kings 14:23-29—Jeroboam II, king of Israel23 ¶ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
This 2nd Jeroboam followed the example of the first Jeroboam, who set up golden calves in 2 places of worship for the northern kingdom of Israel, lest they be drawn back into the fold of the Davidic line of kings in Judah. Yet God worked through Jeroboam and helped him gain back some territory, and some victories over the kingdom of Judah (recovered the Syrian capital of Damascus to his rule).
And here we hear of Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet—see the Book of Jonah 1:1. Hosea was prophet during at least part of Jeroboam’s reign, as well as Amos. See Hosea 1:1, and Amos 1:1. Note the mention of an earthquake. It must have been a noteworthy occurrence. References to the darkening of the skies (the sun, moon, and stars) occur in Job 3:9, Job 9:7, Amos 8:9, Isa 13:10, Joel 2:10, Joel 2:31, Joel 3:15, Ezek 32:7-8, beside the references in the New Testament: Matt 24:29, Mark 13:24, Luke 21:25 (Luke 23:45 mentions an earthquake and obscuring of the sun at the death of Jesus), Acts 2:20, Rev 6:12. There’s a reference way back in Eccl 12:2 about the sun and moon darkened, which might have been influenced by a previous occurrence (the plagues of Exodus were not forgotten in all those hundreds of years, for example). See https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Darkening-Sun-Moon-And-Stars
2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chron 26:1-22—Azariah/Uzziah, king of Judah
Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah (son of Amoz) were all prophets during the reign of Azariah, variously called Uzziah.
2 Chron 263 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem…
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah [not the same as the writer of the Book of Zechariah], who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
Uzziah’s father Amaziah had turned away from God at the end of his reign (2 Chron 25:27-28), and had been killed by a conspiracy. “Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king [in place] of his father Amaziah.”
The “high places” were still a pernicious problem, where people went on worshipping.
Uzziah reconquered/restored Eloth on the Red Sea, in the land of Edom, where Solomon had a navy (1 Kings 9:26, 2 Chron 8:17). He warred successfully against the Philistines and took the city of Gath, built cities around Ashdod after he broke its walls. God helped him against the Philistines and the Arabians. The Ammonites were tributary to him. He had a reputation for strength all the way to Egypt. He rebuilt and fortified Jerusalem, and set engines of war on the walls. He built towers and dug wells in the desert to accommodate his extensive herds in the lowland plains. He loved grape agriculture, and had vineyards in the mountains (hill countries) and around Mt Carmel. His army officers numbered 2600, and his army was 307,500 fighting men strong, well-armed with armor, bows, and slings. But all this power went to his head.
16 ¶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.Azariah the priest [could this be a source of the confusion over the name of Uzziah?] along with 80 priests (“valiant men”—probably meaning they were Temple soldiers) confronted him. The sons of Aaron were consecrated to burn incense in God’s house, they reminded him. Uzziah was angry. While he was angry there in the Temple, leprosy arose on his forehead. The priests forced him out, and he was just as anxious to take his leave. He was a leper the rest of his days, had to live in a separate house, and his son Jotham reigned the last 4 years of his life, as co-regent. When he died, he was buried in a field with other kings, but not in the royal burial place, because he was a leper. (2 Kings 15:30 speaks of the 20th year of Jotham, son of Uzziah/Azariah, while the other citations say he was king 16 years).
2 Kings 15:8-31—a series of short reigning kings in Israel (the longest 20 years); Assyria flexes its muscles.
Meanwhile, in the 38th year of king Uzziah/Azariah in Judah, Jeroboam (the second)’s son Zachariah’s reign only lasted 6 months when he was killed by the conspirator Shallum. This fulfilled the prophecy made to Jehu that only 4 generations of his line would rule Israel. Shallum claims the kingship, but is only in power for a month before he is killed by Menahem, who takes his place. Menahem wreaks vengeance on the city of Tirzah because it wasn’t open to him, conquers it, and rips up the pregnant women. Not a nice guy. Menahem’s rule lasts 10 years. Pul, king of Assyria, comes against him, whom he buys off with the money of his wealthy citizens.
Menahem’s son Pekahiah only reigns 2 evil years when his captain/military leader Pekah conspires against him, kills him, and takes over the kingdom in the last year of Azariah/Uzziah’s rule in Judah. Pekah reigns for 20 years. As we shall see, he allies with the Syrian king against Judah. During his reign Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, carries a good part of his kingdom away captive. Hoshea conspires against him, but he will lose the rest of the rest of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria, as described below.
2 Kings 15:30, 32-38 and 2 Chron 27:1-9 Jotham reigns in Judah
As mentioned above, 2 Kings 15:30 speaks of the 20th year of Jotham, yet every other reference says that he ruled Judah for 16 years. I take this to mean that the first 4 years of his reign he was co-regent with his father Azariah/Uzziah, who had leprosy.
2 Chron 27
1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the Lord. And the people did yet corruptly [still sacrificing in the high places].
Jotham also has his building projects: at the Temple, as well as more cities, castles, and towers in the mountains/hills and forests of Judah. These are perilous times. Assyria is a rising superpower. The Ammonites try to rebel against Jotham, but are put back under tribute. Verse 7 speaks of wars, as though there were other battles to fight. 2 Kings 15:37 says, “In those days the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah [king of Israel].” But, “Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.” One wonders at his early death, at the age of 41. Though the scriptures don’t say what he died of, could it have been death in battle?
2 Kings 16:1-20 and 2 Chron 28:1-27—Ahaz the wicked son of good king Jotham reigns in Judah
Ahaz is only 20 years old when he begins his 16 year reign of terror & trouble, in the 17th year of the Israelite king Pekah. Hosea is still active as a prophet. Isaiah seems to have succeeded Amos (Isa 1:1 says he is son of Amoz) since the time of Uzziah/Amaziah, king of Judah. Jonah was mentioned in the reign of Jeroboam II, probably before Assyria became quite so high and mighty, because Ninevah repented, but there's no mention of him now.
2 Chron 28:1-41 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father: [David is still considered the epitome of a righteous king].
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
So, God did not back up Ahaz. The Syrian king Rezin carries away “a great multitude” of captives, retakes the city of Elath. Israel’s king Pekah kills 120,000 Jewish soldiers in one day, carries away 200,000 women and children, and booty to boot. They kill 1-2 of king Ahaz’s sons and the senior cabinet member(s). See also Isa 7.
But a prophet named Obed (seemingly living in Samaria, Israel’s capital) confronts the Israelite army as they arrive at Samaria with all their booty and captives, and they heed his words—one of the few good anecdotes from the northern kingdom of Israel:
2 Chron 289 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.
12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum [remember Shallum who had conspired and killed Jeroboam (the second)’s son Zachariah—they were probably a military family], and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
Even the Edomites came and carry away captives from the previously strong kingdom of Judah, and the Philistines invade the southern cities of Judah.
So, Ahaz sends to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria for help. He gifts him the treasures of the Temple, his own house, and the princes of the people. The king of Assyria conquers the king of Syria, Rezin, and takes away the people of Damascus as captives. King Ahaz meets the Assyrian king in Damascus and admires the altar there, sends the pattern of it to Urijah the priest, who has it built for him in Jerusalem. When Ahaz returns, he offers sacrifices on it. He moves the brass altar from the Temple, alters the brass “sea”, and orders how the sacrifices are to be done. Urijah accommodates his wishes. Ahaz makes a gift of the holy fixtures of the Temple of God to the king of Assyria.
2 Chron 28:21 says that the king of Assyria didn’t help Ahaz. And in the verses following, it says, “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.”
When he dies, they bury him in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
2 Kings 17:1-41—Hoshea is king of Israel, Shalmaneser King of Assyria takes Israel captive and replaces the inhabitants of Samaria with other people, who worship their own gods, as well as the Lord God
“In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samari over Israel nine years.” He wasn’t a good guy, but not as bad as those before him. Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, comes against him, and he buys him off, becoming tributary to Assyria. But he sends messengers to So, king of Egypt, looking for an alliance. He quits paying tribute to Assyria, so Shalmaneser besieges Samaria 3 awful years. “In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.”
Verses 7-23 recounts all the wickedness of the kingdom of Israel over the years, and Judah as well—even sacrificing their own children to false gods.
“And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.” At first these newcomers don’t think anything of the Lord God of Israel, but after trouble with lions in the land, they figure they need to learn about the God of the land, and ask the Assyrian king for help. He sends priests of God back to them to teach them about Him in Beth-el. They continue to honor their own gods, but make allowance for the God of Israel. “They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. . . So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.”
Thus, the beginning of the enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and the end of the 10 tribes as a recognizable group—see Hosea 9:17 (the kingdom of Israel is also called “Ephraim”: the first Jeroboam who split the 10 tribes away from Rehoboam (son of Solomon and king of Judah) was from the tribe of Ephraim. There was a rivalry between Judah and Ephraim for hundreds of years).
The Assyrians conquered not just the Israelites, but all the nations around them (see Isa 15-16 Moab, Isa 19-20 Egypt, Isa 23 Tyre; Amos 1 the house of Hazael/Damascus is Syria, Gaza/Ashdod/Ashkelon/Ekron are Philistine cities, Tyrus is Tyre, and then there are the nations of Edom and Ammon). They came right to the gates of Jerusalem under king Hezekiah, but Hezekiah was a good man (despite his father), and God saved His people from the Assyrians. What was left of Israel was reunited under the lineage of David once again. More about Hezekiah next post.
Elisha (background: 1 Kings 19-2 Kings 13)
Elisha was anointed Elijah’s companion after Elijah’s extreme despondency over the wickedness of Israel, and his cave experience where God taught him through the still small voice. (1 Kings 19) Elisha succeeded Elijah in 2 Kings 2.
2 Kings 2
After Elisha returns to Jericho, the men of the city say, This city is in a pleasant location, but the waters are bad, so the ground is a waste. Elisha says, Bring me a container of salt. He tosses the salt into the local spring and promises there won’t be any more death or barren land. The waters were healed ever after.
As Elisha went from there to Beth-el, some kids came out of a town and were making fun of him for his baldness. He turns to look at them, and curses them in the name of God. Two female bears come from the wood and mangle 42 of them.
From there Elisha went to Mt Carmel (where Elijah had rebuilt God’s altar and had the showdown with the priests of Baal), then he back to Samaria, capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel.
2 Kings 3Jehoram the son of Ahab began his reign over the kingdom of Israel in the 18th year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Jehoram’s reign lasted 12 years. He was a bad guy, but not as bad as his parents, Ahab & Jezebel. He gets rid of the image of Baal his father had put up. Still, Jehoram follows in the sins of Jeroboam (worshipping a golden calf set up in 2 places).
Once Ahab has died, the Moabite king Mesha rebels from Israel’s subjection (which has costed 100,000 lambs, 100,000 rams, and the wool thereof). Jehoram sends to Jehoshaphat requesting a joint operation. Jehoshaphat says, I’m all in.
They pass through Edom, and gather that army, but after 7 days’ journey they have no access to water. The king of Israel laments that they’ll all perish. The king of Judah says let’s inquire of a prophet of God. One of Jehoram’s servants says, Here’s Elisha, who was Elijah’s caretaker. They go to him.
Elisha responds to Jehoram, What do you want? Go ask your parents’ prophets. Jehoram says, This is God’s doing, to bring we three kings to defeat by the hand of Moab. Elisha replies, If it weren’t for Jehoshaphat I’d ignore you. Bring a musician here. As the musician performs, Elisha is inspired to give them instructions to fill the valley with ditches. He tells them, You won’t see any wind or rain, and yet the valley will be filled with water for yourselves and animals. And that’s nothing to the Lord, he will make you victorious over the Moabites, cutting down every fenced/walled city, every good tree, blocking up all their wells, and ruining every good piece of land with stones. Next morning during the meat offering/sacrifice water comes from Edom and fills the area.
The Moabites come to the fight with all that could wear armor. When they rise with the morning, they see the water red as blood from the reflection of the sun. They figure their adversaries have fallen out amongst themselves and wiped each other out, so they head for the booty. When the Moabites reach the Israelite camp, the Israelites rise up and come off victors, chasing them through their land, beating down the cities, ruining the good land (every man tossing a stone on it), blocking the wells, cutting down the good trees.
The king of Moab sees he’s hopelessly lost and he takes 700 of his men to try to get to the king of Edom, but can’t manage it. He takes his eldest son and heir, and offers him as a sacrifice on the city wall. Israel’s allies are disgusted and return home.
Chapter 4
A widow of one of the sons of the prophets comes to Elisha saying, My husband is dead, and you know he was a good man. But the creditor is come to take our 2 sons and sell them into slavery to pay the debt.
Elisha says, What do you want me to do? What do you have left in the house? She replies, I haven’t got anything but a pot of oil. Elisha then tells her to go to her neighbors and borrow a bunch of empty pots. When she gets home she is to close the doors and pour the oil she has into all of them. She does as told, and when the last vessel/container is full, that’s the end of the oil. She goes to Elisha and tells him, and he tells her to sell the oil, pay her debts, and live with her sons on the rest of the income.
One day when Elisha passes through Shunem (near Jezreel), a woman of some worth insists that he stop and eat. So whenever he passes that way, he eats at her home. She tells her husband that this guy who keeps coming by is a holy man of God, and they should make up a room for him. That way he’ll always have a place to stop. (No doubt she is thinking that he will be a blessing to them).
Elisha has a servant named Gehazi, and he tells him one time as they are staying there, to go to the woman. As she stands before him, he asks her what she’d like as a return for her kindnesses. A good word to the king or his top military man? She replies that she’s living with her own people. But Gehazi tells Elisha that she has no children, and her husband is old.
Elisha has her come to his door and promises that in about a year she will have a son. She says, Please, O man of God, don’t give me false hope, But it happens just as Elisha had promised.
One day the boy goes out to his father while the reapers are at work. The text doesn’t give the details, but for some reason the child cries out to his father about his head—whether he got cut with the tools of reaping or what. The father has the servants carry him home to his mother. She holds him on her lap ‘til noon, when he dies. She takes him up to Elisha’s room and lays the child on Elisha’s bed, goes out and shuts the door.
The woman goes to her husband asking for a young man and an ass to go see the man of God, then she’ll return. Her husband asks, Why today? It’s not a holy day. She says, All is going to be ok.
She gets on the saddled ass and tells the servant to drive the animal as fast as possible, not slacking up for her sake unless she says so. They go to Mt Carmel, and when Elisha sees her afar off, he sends Gehazi to meet her quickly and ask if all is well with herself, her husband, and her son. She responds to Gehazi that everything is fine, but when she reaches Elisha she catches him by the feet. Gehazi is about to push her away, but Elisha says to leave her alone, because she is so upset, and “the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.”
When she can speak, the woman says, Did I ask you for a son? Didn’t I say not to deceive me? Elisha sends Gehazi with his staff, tells him not to stop to greet or be greeted by anyone, and lay the staff on the child’s face. The mother says to Elisha with a vow, I won’t leave you.
So Elisha goes with her, Gehazi going on ahead and laying the staff on the child’s face. The child doesn’t seem to respond, and Gehazi goes back to tell Elisha so. When Elisha arrives he shuts the door on himself and the child and prays. He lays on the child, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. The child’s flesh warms. He goes down into the main house and walks to and fro, then goes back up to check on the child. Elisha repeats his efforts, the child sneezes 7 times (was it the field dust that had afflicted the child?), then opens his eyes.
Elisha sends Gehazi to call for the woman, and Elisha tells her to take her son. She falls at Elisha’s feet in thanks, then takes back her son.
Elisha comes to Gilgal, and there’s a famine. The sons of the prophets are sitting before him. He has his servant Gehazi set on a great pot to make pottage for them. One goes to gather herbs (or vegetables) and finds a wild gourd vine. He brings a lap full of the gourds, which are shredded into the pot unbeknownst to the others.
When the sons of the prophets are served, they cry out that the pot of pottage is deadly, they can’t eat it. Elisha asks for some meal (milled grain), which he tosses into the pot. He then has the people served, and there is no longer any problem in it.
A man comes bringing bread from his firstfruits/harvest: 20 barley loaves, and full ears of grain still in the husk. Elisha says to set it before the people. The man says, What, can this feed 100 men? Elisha reiterates his instruction with the promise that God has said they would all eat and there would be leftovers. (Reminds one of Jesus feeding the 5000).
2 Kings 5
This is the well-known story of Naaman, the Syrian general who was a leper, but a good and honorable man, a valiant man. His wife’s little captive Israelite servant girl was a believer in God, as well as the goodness of her master. She wishes her master could go to the prophet in Samaria and be healed.
The general is told of her words, and he gets permission from the Syrian king to go, carrying a letter to give to the Israelite king. Naaman takes 10 talents of silver, 6000 pieces of gold, and 10 sets of clothes. He brings the letter to the king of Israel, who is distraught. He figures the Syrian king is just seeking a quarrel as a pretext to invade--and maybe the Syrian king is hoping for that.
Elisha hears about the king tearing his clothes in dismay. He sends the king a message that he should send Naaman to him, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel.
Naaman comes with all his retinue to Elisha’s door. Elisha sends a message to him to wash in the Jordan river 7 times, and he’ll be made clean. Naaman leaves angrily. He reasons, The guy should have come out to me, called on his God, hit his hand on the leprosy. Aren’t the 2 rivers of Damascus (capital of Syria) better than all the waters of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be clean?
But Naaman’s servants come to him respectfully, saying, If he had asked you to do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, if you do this simple thing? Naaman is humble enough, or wise enough to listen to them, follows Elisha’s instructions, and comes out with skin clean as a little child. He takes all his retinue back to Elisha, saying,
“Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore I pray thee, take a blessing [gratuity] of thy servant.” Elisha refuses to take any gift. Naaman asks then for 2 mule-loads of Israelite soil to take back home on which he will sacrifice to God alone. Yet he asks pardon that when he is required to attend his king in worship of the Syrian god of wind, rain, and storm, God will not be angry. Elisha sends him away in peace.
When Naaman is gone just a little way, Elisha’s servant Gehazi is determined to get something from the rich guy. When Naaman sees Gehazi running after him, he gets down out of his chariot and asks if everything is ok. Gehazi lies and says that 2 sons of the prophets have just shown up, and would Naaman give a silver talent and two sets of clothes for them. Naaman generously gives 2 talents along with the changes of clothes. He sends them with 2 of his servants to carry them. When they come to the tower (of the town?), Gehazi takes the gifts from them and puts them away in the house, then lets the servants go.
Elisha asks Gehazi where he’s been. Gehazi again lies, saying he hasn’t gone anywhere. Elisha reproves him for taking gifts: “Is it a time to receive . . .? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed fore ever.” Gehazi leaves as a leper.
2 Kings 6
The sons of the prophets come to Elisha saying, This dwelling is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan (a source of wood) and each bring home a beam to make a bigger place to live. Elisha says, Go ahead. One of them asks that Elisha accompany them, and he agrees to go with them.
But while they are cutting down wood, one of the axe heads falls into the water. Oh no! The man cries out, it was borrowed! An axe head would be rather expensive in those days, and these men are poor.
Elisha asks to be shown where it fell. He cuts down a stick and tosses it in the spot, “and the iron did swim.” The man retrieves it.
The king of Syria decides to make a war with Israel after all. He proposes a plan and place from which to attack. Elisha sends a message to the king about where the Syrians will come. Three times, it seems, Elisha thus saves his nation. The Syrian king deduces that he’s got a leak, a traitor, amongst his top military command or counselors. One of his servants says that Elisha the prophet must be telling the Israelite king, even things that he speaks in the privacy of his own bedroom.
So the Syrian king sends someone to spy out where Elisha is. They find out he’s in Dothan (where hundreds of years earlier Joseph’s brothers were grazing their flocks, and when he came to check on them they tossed him in a pit, threatening to kill him, but then sell him into slavery instead—about Dothan, see https://www.gotquestions.org/Dothan-in-the-Bible.html ). A Syrian army, including chariots, is sent to Dothan, and encircles the city by night.
When Elisha’s servant rises early next morning he sees the situation and asks Elisha, What shall we do? Elisha’s classic answer is “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Elisha prays that God will open the young man’s eyes. The servant sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire to protect Elisha. Elisha then prays that the opposing army be smitten with blindness, and it is done. Possibly their blindness was in not being able to recognize Elisha.
Elisha tells his opponents that he will lead them to the guy they are seeking, but he takes them to Samaria (Israelite capital). When they are inside the city Elisha prays God that their eyes be opened, which He does. The Israelite king asks Elisha if he should kill them. Elisha says, No, would you do that if you had captured them in battle? Sit them down to bread and water, and send them home. One wonders if Naaman is among them. Israel’s king provides well for his captives and sends them home. Perhaps it was only the officers, because how could thousands fit in the city and be fed? But maybe . . .
After that, the Syrians leave Israel alone.
Yet, king Ben-hadad in the next breath gathers all his armies and besieges Samaria such that the famine was so bad that the head of an ass is selling for 80 pieces of silver, and even a quarter of a cab (bulb?) of “dove’s dung” sells for 5 pieces of silver. Explanations/commentary at
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Doves-Dung
And https://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_kings/6-25.htm
And https://www.bibliaplus.org/en/dictionaries/4/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/doves-dung
The king of Israel, walking along the wall, is accosted by a woman asking for help. He says to her, “If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?” He sarcastically asks if she wants help out of the barnfloor or the winepress (this during a famine). Then he asks what’s her problem. She explains that she and another woman had agreed that they would kill and eat her son first, then the other woman’s son. They boiled and ate her son, but the other woman hid her son.
When the king hears that, he tears his clothes, and it is seen that he wears sackcloth against his skin, rough underwear! He vows to take Elisha’s head (obviously blaming Elisha for the whole trouble). He sends a messenger for him.
Elisha is sitting with the elders in his house, and before the messenger arrives he announces, “See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head?” He bids them shut the door and not let the messenger nor his master behind him in. While he’s still talking the messenger arrives, and Elisha says, “Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
2 Kings 7
Elisha then speaks, “Hear ye the word of the Lord . . .” by this time tomorrow a measure of fine flour will sell for a shekel, and 2 measures of barley for shekel at the gate of Samaria. This is astounding, considering the exorbitant price for the worst food today. One of the nobles that the king leans on replies sarcastically, How could such a thing happen, even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven? Elisha affirms, you will see it with your eyes, but won’t get to eat it.
One could chuckle at how this occurred (since we are far from the desperation of the situation). Four lepers sit at the city gate. They reason, Why should we sit here ‘til we die? If we go into the city, we’ll die of the famine there. If we stay here we’ll die. Let’s go to the Syrian army, and if they don’t kill us, we’ll live. If they kill us, we’ll die just as we would here anyway. At twilight they go to the edge of the Syrian camp, but no one is there! God had made the Syrian army hear a noise that sounded like a huge army with chariots and horses. They assumed the king of Israel had hired mercenaries from the Hittites and Egyptians, so they left everything and skidaddled!
The lepers help themselves to eat and drink and hide a bunch of booty. But then they consider, “We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.” They call the city porter and let him know. Word gets to the king’s house.
The king thinks it’s a trick the Syrians have played to draw them out of the city so they can ambush them and get into the city. One of his servants suggests sending the 5 last horses left in the city to go see. The king sends 2 chariot horses to check out the situation. They follow the fleeing army all the way to the Jordan River, and all along the way are clothes and vessels the Syrian army has left in their hurry to get away. The messengers return, the people go out and spoil the Syrian encampment, and the prophecy is fulfilled.
The king had put the doubting/sarcastic noble in charge of keeping order at the gate, but he was trampled by the people desperate to get food.
2 Kings 8
Elisha warns the woman whose son he had healed of an impending 7 year famine. She goes to live amongst the Philistines for those 7 years. When she returns, she has to petition the king for her house & land to be restored to her. It happens that the king was just then listening to Gehazi, who was servant to Elisha, retell (at the king’s request) some of the things Elisha has done, including raising the woman’s dead son. The king orders her lands, and even the income of them while she was gone, to be restored to her.
Elisha comes to Damascus, the Syrian capital. King Ben-hadad is sick, and when he hears of Elisha being in town, he sends Hazael with a gift requiring 40 camels to carry it all—the best of Syria—asking if he will live. Elisha tells him to tell the king he will recover, and yet he will die. He prophecies that Hazael will reign in his place and commit horrendous atrocities. Hazael denies that he’s that kind of guy.
Hazael returns to Ben-hadad and gives him the news that he’ll recover, but then next day he soaks a thick cloth with water and uses it to smother Ben-hadad, becoming his successor.
Jehoshaphat’s sonJehoram begins his reign in Judah in the 5th year of Ahaz’s son Jehoram in Israel. He is 32, and reigns 8 years. His wife is Ahab’s (or Omri’s) daughter Athaliah, and he carries on just like his wife’s family.
Edom revolts from the rule of Judah, and sets up their own king. Jehoram gives them battle, but is unsuccessful. Libnah likewise revolts.
When Jehoram of Judah dies, his son 22 year old Ahaziah is made king of Judah, in the 12th year of the Israelite king Jehoram, son of Ahab. Ahaziah, son of Athaliah, only lasts a year. Ahaziah had allied with the Israelite king Jehoram against Hazael king of Syria. Jehoram is wounded and returns to Jezreel to heal, Ahaziah goes to see him.
2 Chron 22
Ahaziah age 42 (note discrepancy of his age), last remaining son of Jehoram is made king in Judah. His mother was Athaliah, daughter of Omri. She influences him to follow the example of wicked king Ahab of Israel. He only lasts 1 year. He joins Jehoram, son of Ahab, king of Israel in a war against Hazael, king of Syria. Jehoram is wounded and returns to Jezreel to heal. Ahaziah goes to see him, and he and his ministers are killed, along with Jehoram of Israel and all the house of Ahab, by Jehu.
2 Kings 9
Elisha calls one of the children of the prophets to go secretly anoint Jehu (son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi) next king of Israel, then to quickly flee. Jehu is sitting in counsel with other military leaders, and excuses himself. He is not only anointed next king, but tasked with destroying all the posterity of Ahab, as well as Jezebel. When the man flees, Jehu returns to his fellow officers. They ask him what’s up. He says he’s been anointed king of Israel and they all immediately proclaim Jehu king, but keep word from reaching Jehoram of Israel recovering in Jezreel.
The watchman on the tower of Jezreel sends word of the coming army of Jehu to Jehoram the king of Israel. The king sends a messenger out to ask if they come in peace. Jehu says, You’d better get in line and join us. The watchman sends word that the messenger hasn’t returned. The king sends another, and the same happens. And the watchman says, “… the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.”
So the kings of Israel and Judah (who was visiting the king of Israel) meet Jehu and his men in the old field of Naboth (whose land Jezebel conspired to get for her husband Ahab). Jehoram asks Jehu if he comes in peace, and Jehu replies there will be no peace because of the whoredoms and witchcrafts of Jezebel.
Jehoram flees with a warning to Ahaziah. Jehu draws a bow and shoots Jehoram so that it exits through his heart. He orders the king tossed off into Naboth’s field, as had been prophesied.
Ahaziah also tries to flee, but he is wounded on his way and dies in Megiddo. His body is taken back to Jerusalem for burial.
Jezebel hears tidings of all this, and paints her face and has her hair done up. She sees Jehu entering the gate and calls to him, “Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?” In other words, Zimri killed his king and didn’t die in peace, do you expect any different? Jehu looks up and asks who is on his side. Two or three of Jezebel’s eunuch servants toss her out the window at the behest of Jehu. Her blood splatters on the wall and on the horses, and Jehu rides his horse over her corpse.
While Jehu is eating and drinking inside afterward, he says, Despite herself, she was, after all, a king’s daughter. Go bury her. But they only found her skull and the feet and palms of her hands. Jehu rehearses Elijah’s prophetic words that her carcass would be eaten by the dogs. Thus she could never have a burial spot by which to be remembered.
2 Kings 10
Jehu sends to the guardians of Ahab’s 70 sons, and the rulers and elders of Samaria & Jezreel that they enthrone the most likely of candidates as next king and defend him with their horses, chariots, armor, and the city defenses. But they are all in fear, knowing he has just bested 2 kings (Israel and Judah). They all surrender to Jehu. He sends them a second letter asking for the sons’ heads. They send them to him in baskets. He has them put in heaps at the city gate.
Next morn, Jehu says, Yes, I conspired against my master, but who killed all these? They know of course that they are complicit. Jehu cites the prophecies of the Lord through Elijah about the house of Ahab. Then he kills all the relatives, counselors, and priests of Ahab.
On his way back to Samaria, capital city of Israel, he meets the brethren (either blood brothers, or the elders of Judah) of Ahaziah, king of Judah. They are going to greet the children of the king and queen (Ahab & Jezebel’s posterity, I suppose, thinking among them is the heir to the throne of Israel, with whom they intend to renew an alliance). Jehu says to take them alive, and then he has them all killed—42 men.
Jehu consolidates his power, then says “Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.” He calls together all the prophets of Baal for a grand sacrifice. Any who don’t come are to be executed. A proclamation is sent throughout Israel, and the house of Baal is full to the brim. He has the priestly clothing brought out for them. He has a search made that only prophets of Baal are there, none of God’s. It’s all been a ruse, for now he sets 80 men on guard around the house, and orders them to kill every one of them when the offerings are over. They bring out the images of Baal and burn them, break down the house of Baal, and destroyed it all. “Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.”
But Jehu yet worships the golden calves Jeroboam had set up in Beth-el and Dan.
God rewards Jehu’s destruction of Baal worship allowing his lineage on the Israelite throne for 4 generations. “But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.” I suppose, like Jeroboam, he felt it politically expedient to keep his people from any loyalty to the worship of God in Jerusalem.
32 ¶ In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel . . .”
Jehu is succeeded after 28 years by his son Jehoahaz
2 Kings 13
It was in the 23rd year of Joash, son of Azariah, king of Judah, that Jehu began to reign in Samaria, capitol of Israel. He reigns 17 years. “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.” Apparently this Ben-hadad was the grandson of Ben-hadad, the father of Hazael. (Something seems off here, didn't Jehu begin his reign when Athaliah did? Maybe he wasn't able to consolidate his power until some years later?)
2 Chron 22
When Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, hears of his death, she kills all the royals and takes power. But one of the daughters of Ahaziah saves Joash from “among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah . . . And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Chron 23
Jehoiada the priest strengthens his position, gets the military behind him, and the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the elders of the people, and before all the people announces Joash age 7 as king. He arms the Levites and makes them constant guards of Joash, whom he keeps in the Temple—allowing only the Levites & priests into the Temple.
2 Kings 11
In the 7th year the priest Jehoida brings about the overthrow of Athaliah, and has Joash, the son of Ahaziah, crowned king. Athaliah hears all the noise, and comes to the Temple to see what’s going on, as the trumpets blare and the people clap for joy. She tears her clothes and cries, Treason!
Jehoida has her taken out of the Temple and killed (not to profane the sacred ground).
17 ¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; between the king also and the people.
18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.
Jehoida has the military bring Joash/Jehoash, age 7, brought to the king’s house, and “all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet”.
2 Chron 23
The people destroy the house of Baal and his altars and images, kill the priest of Baal. Jehoiada reinstitutes the priestly offices that King David had set for the Temple worship, as written in the Law of Moses “with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.”
Jehoiada has all the military, nobles, governors, and the people accompany Joash to the throne. “And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.”
2 Kings 12
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.”
Joash/Jehoash orders a collection be made for repairing the Temple, but after 3 years the Temple has not been repaired. Joash confronts Jehoida, and they set a chest with a hole at the door of the Temple (perhaps the previous effort wasn’t successful). When much had been collected in this way the king’s scribe and the high priest count the money and hire the work to be done: carpenters, builders, masons, stone hewers, stone and timber. The construction workers are so honest and faithful that they are not audited.
The Syrian King Hazael has conquered Gath and is headed for Jerusalem. But Joash/Jehoash buys him off with the sacred treasures 3 generations of his ancestors had dedicated to the Temple, as well as the treasures of his own house.
2 Chron 24
“And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” He reigned from age 7, for 40 years. He decides to repair the Temple, so orders the Levites & priests to go out among all the cities of Judah to gather funds. They delay, so he confronts Jehoiada, and they set up a chest at the gate of the Temple with a proclamation for all to bring funds required by the Law of Moses. The people joyfully respond, and work gets done.
But when Jehoiada dies at age 130 years old, The princes come and convince Joash to let them return to serving other gods. God sends prophets to warn them, but they ignore them. Jehoiada’s son rebukes them, but they stone him by order of the king in the Temple.
God sends Syria against Jerusalem, and with a small force they defeat Judah’s great army.
Joash is killed by conspiracy in his sickbed. He is buried in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
2 Kings 13Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, beseeches God for his kingdom’s sake, and God helps them out, but only 10 chariots, 50 horsemen, and 10,000 foot soldiers are left. And Israel continues “the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.”
Jehoahaz of Israel is succeeded by his son Joash in the 37th year of Joash king of Judah. He reigns 16 years. . It’s no wonder that the names of kings become confusing . . . The kings of Israel and Judah are all interrelated and named after each other, beside differences in spelling the same man’s name.
Joash/Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, is a mere side note in this chapter, only that he continued the worship of the golden calves, and that he warred against Amaziah, king of Judah.
2 Chron 25Amaziah age 25, son of Joash, succeeds him. He reigns in Judah 29 years. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.”
Amaziah puts the conspirators who had killed his father to death, but not their children, as written in the Law of Moses: “The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.”
Amaziah gathers an army of 300,000 good men of war from Judah, and then hires 100,000 mercenaries from Israel/Ephraim for 100 silver talents. A man of God comes to him and encourages him to battle, but not to include the mercenaries. The king says, But I’ve already paid! The man of God says, Don’t worry, “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.”
So Amaziah sends the mercenaries home, and they are angry about it. Amaziah is victorious against Edom (killing 20,000 in total), but the mercenaries hit several cities of Judah, kill 3000, and take “much spoil.”
Unfortunately, Amaziah brings back the gods of Edom and worships them. God is not happy about this, and sends a prophet, who says, Why would you worship these gods who couldn’t even save their own people from you? The king says, Hold your peace, why should you be killed? The prophet leaves him with one last word, “I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.”
Under advisement, Amaziah decides to make war with Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel. He sends an invitation to the Israelite king, who replies with a metaphor that the thistle said to the cedar, Give your daughter to my son as wife, but a wild beast stomped the thistle to nothing. You think you’re so great for your victory over Edom, but let that suffice. Why stir up your own trouble?
Amaziah disregards the warning, and he and the king of Israel meet for battle. Judah is defeated, the Israelite king brings Amaziah back to Jerusalem, breaks a great breach in the wall, takes all the treasures out of the Temple and the king’s house, as well as hostages, and returns to Samaria, his capital.
Amaziah outlives the Israelite king 15 years, but a conspiracy had developed from the time he turned away from God, and at last he has to flee to Lachish. He was followed and killed, brought back to Jerusalem to be buried.
2 Kings 13Elisha falls sick. Joash, king of Israel comes to see him, weeping for him. How different from Ahab & Jezebel vs Elijah, Elisha’s predecessor! Elisha tells the king to take a bow and put Elisha’s hands on the king’s hands (as a blessing). Then Elisha has the king shoot an arrow out the window, and prophecies the deliverance of Israel from Syria. Elisha says to take the other arrows and hit the ground with them. The king hits the ground 3 times, but Elisha angrily rebukes him for not doing it 5-6 times, wherein Syria would have been destroyed. Since it was only 3, Israel will only be victorious 3 times against Syria. Joash/Jehoash would be able to recover the Israelite cities that the Syrians had taken.
Elisha dies of his sickness and is buried.
At the beginning of a new year the Moabites invade. A little anecdote is told of a man being buried when they see the invading force. They toss his body into Elisha’s sepulchre (and run, no doubt), whereupon the man is revived.
Ahab & Jezebel, Elijah, and Jehoshaphat lived contemporaneously. Jehoshaphat became king of Judah in the 4th year of Ahab’s reign over Israel. Jehoshaphat was 35 and reigned 25 years. Ahab was killed before Jehoshaphat died, so part of Jehoshaphat’s reign was during Ahab’s sons’ reigns. Elijah outlived them both. The link below is a chronology of the Old Testament, but Old Testament dates are by no means without differences of opinion.
https://biblehub.com/timeline/old.htm
1 Kings 17—Elijah vs Ahab & the drought/famine
Elijah the Tishbite (of Gilead, east of the Jordan River) comes to Ahab and makes a serious pronouncement to Ahab, invoking God’s authority: there will be no rain, nor even dew, until Elijah says so. This is not going to endear him to Ahab.
God tells Elijah to hide out at the brook Cherith, on the east side of the Jordan River valley. There he will have water from the brook and be fed by ravens. A documentary I saw years ago showed that ravens would drop the bones of an animal that has been killed from high in flight so that on hitting the ground they would be broken open and reveal the nutrition inside.
But eventually that brook dries up, and God sends Elijah to Zarephath, belonging to Zidon/Sidon (a Phoenician city on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea). We don’t have any background on this woman, except that she is a widow, had a son & household (of which she was mistress), and Elijah encountered her at the gate of the city gathering sticks for her kitchen fire. We might speculate whether or not she was an Israelite living in exile during the famine (as Naomi had done), whether she was some relative of Elijah’s, or whether she might have been a type of innkeeper (if her house was at the city gate, though we don’t know if that was the case, that’s just where Elijah met her). We find in this chapter that Elijah lived in her loft.
God has told Elijah that He has commanded that widow to take care of him. That doesn’t mean necessarily that God spoke to her (though He may have), she may have got the message from Elijah, and in fact the command may have been God’s decree spoken or ordained in heaven.
Elijah, by whatever means, recognizes who to call to. He asks her for a drink. No doubt he’s very thirsty from the road/travel. As she’s going for that he calls to her again and asks for a little bread. She protests that she doesn’t have any (bread was made in a flat shape similar to a modern pancake—though not with the same leavening agent). She’s got only a handful of flour and a little oil, for which she is gathering 2 sticks to make a fire for their last meal before starving to death. It may be that she was exaggerating a bit (surely she’d need more than 2 sticks for a fire to cook on) to excuse herself from taking on another mouth to feed, but because she had been willing to get him a drink, and after all agrees to Elijah’s request (believing his promise), we are inclined to believe that she and her son/household really were in dire straights due to the famine/drought.
Elijah tells her not to fear, and tests her faith with the request to feed him first. This would not go over well in today’s society, and probably wouldn’t have been popular then either. But Elijah makes a promise in God’s name that she’ll never run out of flour/meal or oil until God sends rain. She does as he says, and is rewarded in that her whole household never runs out of food. Now this could mean that a miracle similar to turning water to wine or feeding 5000 with a few fish and loaves of bread occurred, or nearly as miraculous in that they were perhaps always able to procure what they needed to live during such destitute, desperate times.
But another test comes, in that the widow’s son becomes so desperately ill that he stops breathing. She’s not shy in her reproach of both Elijah and herself. Whatever her sin was, small or great, she’s afraid she’s being punished for it. Elijah says, Give me the boy. He carries him up to his own loft room, puts him on his own bed and prays for him, and for her. Three times he stretches out on the boy, pleading for God to restore him. He may have felt that the warmth of his body, or the weight of it, would bring back the boy’s breath—God willing. And God was willing. Now the woman is sure that Elijah really is a man of God, who speaks God’s word.
1 Kings 18—Elijah vs Ahab & the priests of Baal, a showdown
Many days later (the 3rd year of drought—no small emergency at any time, but especially in an agrarian society), God sends Elijah to Ahab, with the promise of rain to come. Elijah was a man of extraordinary courage/faith. He would be persona non grata with Ahab, who was not known for gentleness.
Ahab has a steward over his house named Obadiah, a God-fearing man. He had ventured his own position and life to save 100 prophets of God from Queen Jezebel, hiding them in a couple caves and feeding them. Ahab sends this steward out searching everywhere for some place that has enough water to grow feed for Ahab’s horses & mules. Ahab goes one way, Obadiah goes the other way.
Elijah meets Obadiah, who guesses who he is. Elijah confirms his identity, and Obadiah pays him respect. But then Elijah asks an hard thing of Obadiah. It’s one thing to do something secretly, but Elijah is asking him to go face to face with Ahab. Is Elijah setting him up to be put to death? Ahab has been searching high and low for Elijah, making every kingdom/nation swear that Elijah is not among them (and the implication is that if they found him they had better turn him over). You can almost hear the man’s anxious answer: And now you’re asking me to go tell Ahab where you are? As soon as I do, the Spirit of the Lord will whisk you away somewhere, so that when I bring Ahab he’ll kill me. And yet I have been true to God since I was young! Haven’t you heard that I saved 100 of God’s prophets from Jezebel and took care of them?
Elijah promises with an oath on God that he will show himself to Ahab the very day, and Obadiah goes to get the king. “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Elijah answers, “I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house…” Because they have led Israel astray to worship Baalim.
Elijah tells Ahab to bring the 450 prophets of Baal as well as the 400 prophets of the groves (places of worship in the woods) to Mt Carmel. All these eat at Jezebel’s table (a hefty tax burden on the people). So they all come for a showdown.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
The challenge is set: the 450 prophets of Baal will have a bull to sacrifice, and Elijah will have a bull to sacrifice. Each bull will be cut in pieces and laid on the wood without fire. Each will call on their deities, and whichever answers with fire will be proof of who is the true God. Everybody says, Fair enough.
Elijah sits by while the prophets of Baal call on him all morning. No response. They leap on the altar, cut themselves “till the blood gushed out”. Elijah makes fun of them . . . “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.”
Evening comes. Elijah calls the people over. He repairs God’s altar that has been broken down, either on purpose or through neglect. He takes 12 stones, for the 12 tribes of Israel, and builds an altar in God’s name. He digs (or has dug) a trench around the altar large enough to hold 2 measures of seed (what measure is not explained). He puts the wood on the altar, and the cut up beef. He has them pour 4 barrels of water over the meat and the wood. A 2nd and a third time he has them drench the meat and fuel. The trench is full of the run-off. Elijah prays that God will hear his plea, show the people that He is God, and that Elijah speaks for him. He prays that the people’s hearts will be brought back to worship the true God.
Fire falls and consumes not only the meat sacrifice, but the wood, the stones, the dust, and the trench full of water. The people fall on their faces in worship and acknowledgement that “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God,” perhaps a well-known phrase they recite.
Elijah has the people take the prophets of Baal, nor let any escape. Elijah takes them down to the brook Kishon, and kills them (or has them killed).
Elijah tells Ahab to start feasting/celebrating because it’s going to rain in abundance. Ahab does so, and Elijah climbs to the top of Mt Carmel. He drops to the ground with his face between his knees. He sends his servant to look for clouds toward the Mediterranean, only a few miles away. Nothing. Seven times he sends him, and at last a little cloud rises from the sea, the size of a man’s hand. Elijah tells him to go tell Ahab to get down off the mountain before he is stopped by the rain. Meanwhile the sky becomes black with clouds, wind, and rain. Ahab goes to Jezreel. Elijah beats him there and meets him at the entrance.
1 Kings 19—Elijah vs Ahab & Jezebel, Elijah flees for his life, despondent in a cave
Ahab tells the whole story to Jezebel, who had not made the effort to go. Jezebel is incensed for the killing of her prophets, and sends a threat to Elijah that she means to do the same to him by the same time the next day. Elijah flees for his life all the way down to Beer-sheba, south in Judah.
Elijah is discouraged to death. He leaves his servant in Beer-sheba, and travels a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sits under a juniper tree and asks God to take his life. He says he’s no better than his ancestors. He falls asleep, and an angel wakes him with a touch, saying, “Arise and eat.” There is a cake/bread on the coals and a cruse of water. He eats and drinks and lies down again.
Again, the angel of God wakes him, saying, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great [arduous] for thee.” Elijah gets up and eats, and it gives him enough strength for 40 days and nights until he gets to Mt Horeb, “the Mountain of God”. Forty days and nights may be an idiom meaning many, but to travel from Beer-sheba to Mt Horeb was still a considerable trek. (Mt Horeb/Sinai was where the 10 commandments were given, exact location uncertain).
https://bibleatlas.org/mount_horeb.htm
Elijah finds a cave on the mountain in which to stay. God asks, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replies sorrowfully, “I have been so anxious for Thee, because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and killed thy prophets . . . I’m the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well." God tells Elijah to stand on the mount before Him . . .
“And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
When Elijah hears God’s voice, he wraps his face in his cloak (lest he see God and be destroyed) and goes to the cave entrance. The Voice again asks him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah repeats himself . . . he’s done all he can, and the people just won’t listen, and they are after his life. God sends him back up to the wilderness of Damascus, where he is to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as his own successor (Elijah would serve as mentor to Elisha for some while before succeeding him). God says that whoever escapes death by Hazael, will be killed by Jehu, and whoever escapes Jehu will be killed by Elisha (presumably He speaks of the heirs/armies of Ahab).
And yet, says God, I have still 7000 men in Israel who are still true to me: they have not bowed the knee, nor kissed the image of Baal. Have the people forgotten the showdown so soon? Are they so stubborn? Or are they merely trying to get along in the world, and choose the most politically correct actions/expediencies?
Elijah leaves and finds Elisha plowing with 12 pair of oxen—others are each plowing with a team, and he is plowing with the 12th. It appears that Elisha is from a wealthy family. Elijah tosses his cloak on Elisha. Elisha runs to catch up with him and asks leave to say goodbye to his parents. Elijah replies indifferently, “Go back, what have I done to you?” Elisha goes back and makes a sacrifice of his team of oxen, feeding the people as would be culturally correct. Then he gets up and follows Elijah, and becomes his servant/caregiver.
1 Kings 20—Ahab vs Ben-hadad of Syria
King Ben-hadad of Syria and 32 allied kings (perhaps city-states) besiege Samaria, the capital of Ahab’s Israelite kingdom. The Syrian king sends a message to Ahab boasting/demanding that all Ahab’s silver, gold, wives, children, and all his best goods are his. Ahab acquiesces. Hadad sends messengers again saying the next day his people will come and search Ahab’s residence and take away whatever they like. Ahab feels pushed too far, and calls the elders of Israel, saying that Hadad is looking for any excuse to keep expanding his demands. The elders tell him not to consent to Hadad’s demands. So Ahab replies that he will comply with the first demands, but no more.
Ben-hadad vows that he will beat Samaria to dust. Ahab replies, “ Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.” In other words, don’t boast as if you have already accomplished the deed. Hadad gets the message while drinking, and orders the armies to set for battle.
An unnamed prophet comes to Ahab and says that despite the huge armies set for battle against him, God will give Ahab the victory, and he will know who is truly God. Obviously Ahab is greatly influenced by his pagan wife Jezebel. Ahab inquires about how to meet the attack. He’s got 232 princes leading 7000 warriors, with himself at the head. They go out to battle at noon. Ben-hadad and his allied leaders have been drinking themselves drunk in their pavilion/tent, operational command. Word comes of the little army come out of the city for its defense. He says to take them alive (presumably the princes), whether they’ve come out as a peace embassage or for war.
Amazingly, the little Israelite army puts the Syrians to flight. Ben-hadad escapes, but it’s a great slaughter.
A prophet, probably the same unnamed man, tells Ahab to ready his forces for the next season of war, expecting Ben-hadad will return. Hadad’s counsellors say, Our defeat came because their gods are gods of the hills. We should fight them on the plain, and we’ll best them. Replace the army you’ve lost man for man, horse for horse, chariot for chariot—which would require no paltry sum.
So when the season of fighting returns, Ben-hadad numbers his men and comes against Israel again. The Israelites look like 2 little flocks of kid goats or sheep, while the Syrian army fills the country.
An unnamed man of God (perhaps the same unnamed prophet?) tells Ahab that because the Syrians think God is only a God of the hills and not of the valleys, God will deliver the Syrians to Ahab, and again, he will know that God is God of all.
For 7 days the armies face one another, and on the 7th day they meet in battle. The Israelites again beat the Syrians: 100,000 footmen killed in one day. The Syrians flee to the city of Aphek where a wall falls upon 27,000 more. Ben-hadad escapes into the inner city. His counsellors suggest that he humble himself (the king and his cabinet put on sackcloth and a rope around their heads/necks—symbolizing the submission/slavery of the vanquished) and throw themselves on the mercy of the Israelite king.
Ahab accepts Ben-hadad into his chariot, calls him a brother. Ben-hadad says he’ll return the cities his father took from Ahab’s father, and allow privileges in his capital (Damascus), as his father had done in Samaria. Ahab agrees and sends him away. As ever, wealthy and powerful leaders feel more kinship with one another than with their people—no matter what price the people have to pay for their rulers to be buddies.
One of the sons of the prophet tells his compatriot to hit him, which he refuses. So the man says that because he refused to obey the voice of the Lord, he will be killed by a lion as soon as he leaves. So it happens. The son of the prophet approaches another with the same request that he hit him. His request is granted, and he is wounded. The wounded man (disguised with ashes on his face) meets Ahab. He tells the king a little story about dereliction of duty, and Ahab quickly passes judgment. The prophet cleans his face from the ashes and Ahab recognizes that he is one of the prophets. The prophet tells Ahab that because he let Ben-hadad go, his own life and people are set for destruction. Ahab returns to Samaria “heavy and displeased”.
A note about Ben-hadad. It seems he was the same king of Syria that Jehoshaphat’s father Asa had enticed to break alliance with Israel against Judah. Ben-hadad would die during Elisha’s calling as prophet to Israel (see 2 Kings 8:7-15). Remember that in the previous chapter (1 Kings 19), God had sent Elijah to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as his own successor. Just as it had been when David was anointed successor to Saul by Samuel, it didn’t happen right away, but it happened.
1 Kings 21—Ahab & Jezebel take what they want
King Ahab covets his neighbor Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel. This must be another royal residence, as it is north of Samaria, the capital city of the kings of Israel after they split from Judah under Jereboam. Ahab offers a trade or to buy it. But Naboth doesn’t want to sell his ancestral home. Ahab is despondent. Jezebel sees his distress (he’s not eating). She says, Are you king or not? Hang tight, I’ll get it for you. She writes letters in Ahab’s name and seals them with his seal, to the elders & nobles of the city demanding a fast and a charge of blasphemy against Naboth. She hires false witnesses, Naboth is found guilty of blasphemy against God and the king, and is executed (stoned). Now whether the judges didn’t know about the suborned testimonies, or whether they found it politically expedient not to know, the injustice is carried through. Jezebel tells Ahab to take Naboth’s vineyard (no heirs, or were they too afraid to object?).
https://bibleatlas.org/jezreel.htm atlas entry about Jezreel
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/22/bb/c9/22bbc9ff89c166b9a2f80c0907b0bcfc.jpg map
God sends Elijah to Ahab with this tidy message, “Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? . . . Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.” Ahab’s reply: “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” Elijah shoots back, “I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord,” and gives him the consequences of his badness: Ahab’s posterity will be wiped out (those that die in the city will be eaten by the dogs, those outside the city will be eaten by the birds; both carrion eaters), and Jezebel’s carcass will be eaten by the dogs of Jezreel.
25 ¶ But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.1 Kings 22—Ahab & Jehoshaphat vs the Syrians
Three years of peace pass between Syria & Israel. But in the 3rd year King Jehoshaphat of Judah has come to visit Ahab, obviously to effect an alliance. Ahab wants Jehoshaphat to help him recover Ramoth in Gilead from Syria. Jehoshaphat says ok, but he is not certain whether they’ll have God’s blessing in the endeavor (we will see next the kind of man/king he is). Ahab gathers 400 prophets to inquire, and they all give the go-ahead. Jehoshaphat is still uncertain, and asks if there’s not another prophet, one of God’s prophets. Perhaps he detects the character of those 400.
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
The messenger warns Micaiah about political expediency: you’d better agree with the others. Micaiah replies that he’ll only say what God tells him. He goes with the messenger to Ahab, and says the words Ahab wants to hear, but Ahab knows he’s just saying the words . . .
16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?
17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
Micaiah says God has sent a lying spirit to Ahab’s prophets to convince him to go to Ramoth-gilead in battle where he’ll be killed. One of the false prophets, a man named Zedekiah, walks up and slaps Micaiah on the cheek, saying with a sneer, “Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?” To which Micaiah replies that on the day he tries to hide (from the enemy), he’ll find the answer to his mocking question.
Ahab has Micaiah tossed in prison on a measly diet of bread and water until he returns alive. Micaiah says, if you come back alive, God hasn’t spoken by me. Where was Elijah at this time? Obviously Ahab & Jezebel would be making his life a misery, and God didn’t call on him to take the heat this time.
Ahab & Jehoshaphat decide to go to battle. Ahab disguises himself, but has Jeshoshaphat wear his royal apparel—a decoy. Syria’s king tells his 32 chariot captains not to bother with anyone but Ahab. They go after the regally dressed Jehoshaphat, who calls out, so they know he’s not Ahab. They turn away. Just by chance an arrow hits Ahab. He barely lasts the day of battle, and dies in the evening, his blood running out of his chariot. At sundown the battle is called for the night, and Ahab is taken back to his capital city Samaria and buried. When his chariot is washed out, true to the prophecy, dogs lick up his blood. For the fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecies about Ahab’s wife & posterity (1 Kings 21) see 2 Kings 9-10.
39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
The rest of this chapter tells briefly about Jehoshaphat, as well as Ahab’s wicked son and successor (who only lasted 2 years), but Chronicles gives a more complete story about Jehoshaphat.
2 Chron 17-20 Jehoshaphat (cross reference 1 Kings 22:41-50)2 Chron 17—Jehoshaphat succeeds his father Asa as king of Judah
Jehoshaphat succeeds his father, good/mostly good King Asa. He fortifies his land against Ahab, king of Israel.
3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim [plural of Baal];
4 But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5 Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
Not only Jehoshaphat honors God, he sends out teachers with “the law of the Lord” (the Torah, the Law of Moses) to teach all the people. God honors Jehoshaphat, and gives him peace (“the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat”) and prosperity (tribute & gifts). Jehoshaphat builds castles (military defenses) and cities of store (strategic reserves of food and such). It may seem that Judah alone (plus the tribe of Benjamin, and others who had fled as refugees of Israel) was at a major disadvantage against the 10 tribes of the kingdom of Israel. But this chapter says Jehoshaphat had 1.16 million fighting men in his various walled cities (including 200,000 bowmen from the tribe of Benjamin).
2 Chron 18—reiteration of the battle in which Ahab was killed
“Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance,” but he decides to make an unholy alliance with wicked King Ahab of Israel. This chapter recounts the fatal (for Ahab) battle at Ramoth-gilead, told in 1 Kings 22 (see above).
2 Chron 19—Jehoshaphat’s righteous ways (but one fault)
When Jehoshaphat returns in peace to Jerusalem, the seer Jehu rebukes him for allying himself with Ahab, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” But he also acknowledges Jehoshaphat’s goodness: “Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.” As mentioned above, he has also sought to bring his people back to God, by sending teachers of the Law throughout his land. He sets up judges in the cities, and admonishes them to be honest and God-fearing, not accepting bribes or favoring the powerful, but judging as God would. In Jerusalem he sets up the Levites & priests, and the tribal leaders as judges in all controversies, not only for his people, but for any religious pilgrims (for Jewish holy days): “Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart . . . Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.”
2 Chron 20 and 2 Kings 3—Jehoshaphat relies on God, leads his people to trust in God
An alliance of Moabites, Ammonites, and others come to attack Jehoshaphat’s kingdom. “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” (Wouldn’t it be interesting if our leaders called a fast before engaging in any wars?!) The people gather in Jerusalem from all the cities of the kingdom to seek God and His help. Jehoshaphat comes to the Temple and offers a public prayer (wouldn’t this also be interesting, if our leaders led us in prayer asking for God’s help?!) His prayer is worth reading, 2 Chron 20:6-12. “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.”
The Spirit of the Lord comes upon one of the Levites, and he speaks for God, saying, “Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” He gives them the strategy, but says they will not even have to fight—God will make them victorious. The king and all his people bow to worship God, and the Levite singers stand up to praise God “with a loud voice on high.”
Next day King Jehoshaphat encourages his men with “Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” He sets up singers to go ahead of the army, praising God. God causes the foes to ambush one another. Jehoshaphat and his men take the booty off the dead . . . it seems at least the officers/commanders liked to dress richly for battle. There’s so much it takes 3 days to gather it all.
Jehoshaphat and his men return to Jerusalem joyous, victorious, praising God with psalteries, harps, and trumpets all the way to the Temple. All the neighboring kingdoms are in the fear of God, and Jehoshaphat’s kingdom is in peace. The king had reigned since he was 35, and reigned 25 years.
2 Chron 20:35-37 says that Jehoshaphat allied with Ahab’s son/successor Ahaziah on a trading mission to Tarshish (remember where Paul of the New Testament was from?), but God caused the ships to be wrecked. 1 Kings 22:48-49 sounds like Jehoshaphat refused the joint venture with Ahab’s son. Some accounts don’t seem to match, but differences in detail don't destroy the truths of the Bible.
2 Kings 3 also records that Jehoshaphat agreed to ally himself/his kingdom to Ahab’s other son Jehoram (who succeed his brother Ahaziah to the throne of Israel) as he tries to reclaim the vassalage of Moab. When they run out of water after 7 days, Jehoshaphat asks that they inquire of a prophet of God. They find Elisha (Elijah’s successor), and he says if it wasn’t for Jehoshaphat, he would ignore them. Elisha asks for a minstrel/musician, and then he is inspired to tell them to fill the valley with ditches, and without wind or rain, the ditches will be filled with water for their animals. He also promises them victory over the Moabites. The Moabites see the water and think it’s blood, so they come to grab the booty. The armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom rise up and win the battle, pursue them, destroy their cities, wells, and trees. When the king of Moab sees it’s useless, he offers his son as a burnt offering on the city wall, which disgusts Israel’s allies, and they all leave.
Jehoshaphat’s fault in allying with the wicked kings of Israel brought their wickedness to take over his kingdom, as his eldest son, heir to the throne, marries the wicked daughter of Ahab & Jezebel. More about that next post.
2 Kings 1—Elijah vs Ahab’s son/successor
Elijah has outlived both Ahab and Jehoshaphat. Ahab’s son/heir Ahaziah falls through the lattice of his upper room and is injured. Perhaps a disease sets in (like infection). He sends for word from the false god of Ekron, Baal-zebub (those familiar with the New Testament will recognize this name as becoming synonymous with the Devil) whether he will live or die. God sends Elijah to intercept the messengers and reprove the king for inquiring of the false god, and telling him he’ll never leave his bed alive.
And here we have a picture of Elijah. He is described as “an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.”
The king recognizes Elijah from the description. He sends a captain with 50 men to get Elijah. The Captain calls to Elijah, “Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.” Elijah smartly replies, “If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.” The king sends another captain with 50, who calls on Elijah to come down quickly. He and his men suffer the same. A third captain, goes up the hill and falls to his knees before Elijah and pleads with him not to let the same fate befall him and his men.
God sends an angel to tell Elijah not to be afraid of the captain, but to go with him to the king. Elijah goes and delivers his message directly to the king, which happened.
Now a certain Jehoram becomes king in Israel, because Ahab’s son/heir didn’t have a son. Jehoshaphat’s son & heir is also named Jehoram. Jehoram of Israel begins his reign in the 2nd year of Jehoram of Judah.
2 Kings 2—the mantle of Elijah passes to Elisha
Elijah and Elisha go to Gilgal, and Elijah tells Elisha to wait there, as God has called him to go to Beth-el. Elisha insists on accompanying him. The sons of the prophets there ask Elisha if he realizes the Elijah will be taken from him that day. He says, Yes, let it be.
Elijah again tells Elisha to wait for him while he has been sent by God to Jericho. Elisha again insists on going with him. The sons of the prophet in Jericho likewise ask Elisha if he realizes Elijah will be taken from him. And Elisha answers as he did before.
Elijah says God has sent him to Jordan, and bids Elisha to wait for him. But again, Elisha continues with him. 50 of the sons of the prophets go to watch from afar. Elijah hits the water with his cloak, and it divides so the 2 men walk across on dry ground (an important motif for the children of Israel, proving the calling of these 2 prophets). Elijah then asks Elisha what favor he’d like before he leaves him. Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit to be on him. Elijah says that’s a hard thing to promise, but if Elisha sees him when he is taken away, it will be so. They walk on, talking as they go. A chariot and horses of fire appear between them, and Elijah is taken up into heaven in a whirlwind.
12 ¶ And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
The sons of the prophets offer 50 strong men to go with Elisha to see if God has dropped Elijah off somewhere. He tells them not to bother, but they keep bothering him, so at last he says, OK, go ahead. They search for Elijah 3 days and return. Elisha says, What did I tell you?
Jeroboam ruled the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom–Rehoboam ruled the kingdom of Judah
Background--who was Jeroboam?1 Kings 11:26-4028 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem
Since Solomon was unfaithful to God and led the people to idolatry, God sent the prophet Ahijah to anoint Jeroboam king over 10 of the 12 tribes after Solomon’s death. Jeroboam was promised,
38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
1 Kings 11--Rehoboam--King of Judah43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 12 (compare 2 Chron 10-11:4)--Rehoboam loses most of his kingdom
Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be confirmed king. Jeroboam has returned from exile in Egypt. He and the rest of Israel speak to Rehoboam:
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
Solomon’s great building projects (including places of worship for the gods of his many foreign wives) and immense household, it made a heavy burden for his people.
Rehoboam consults his father’s counsellors, doesn’t like their conservative, wise advice. He then consults his companions, who are just as spoiled as he, who tell him what he wants to hear.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
So 10 of the tribes choose Jeroboam as king, and only Judah & Benjamin remain under Rehoboam as king. Remember that the Levites were spread among all 12 of the tribes, without a separate land inheritance of their own.
Rehoboam is determined to take back the other tribes by force, and raises 180,000 warriors to fight for them. But “Shemaiah the man of God” tells the king and his people not to go against the other tribes. Whether the king wanted to wage the war anyway, the people have all heard the word, and most likely would not support him in it.
1 Kings 12:25-33--Jeroboam, king of Israel (the northern kingdom)
25 ¶ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
But Jeroboam is a man of the world. He figures if his subjects are continually going to Jerusalem to worship, they’ll eventually return their allegiance to the house of David. He consults with his counsellors, and then sets up a calf in Beth-el, and one in Dan, and tells the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt . . . And [he] made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.” He sets up rival feast days so people couldn’t worship as politically correct as well as try to stay loyal to God. He kicks the Levites out, who flee to the kingdom of Judah. (2 Chron 11:13-17)
2 Chron 11:5-23--the priests & Levites, refugees from Israel, the northern kingdom, in exile in the kingdom of Judah)
Cities Rehoboam built for defense are listed, as well as his wives & children. Like David, he makes the son of his favorite wife his heir.
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives. 13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.
14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord:
15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.1 Kings 14:21-31 (2 Chron 12 more info)--Rehoboam leads his people in wickedness
Rehoboam began to reign when he was 41, and his reign lasted 17 years. After 3 years serving the Lord, Rehoboam feels safe in his power, and he leads his people in wickedness. During his 5th year Shishak the Egyptian Pharaoh attacked Jerusalem and pillaged the Temple and the palace.
22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.“And [Rehoboam] did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.” 2 Chron 12:14
Prophets at the time of Rehoboam: Shemaiah and Iddo the Seer. 2 Chron 12:15
30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.1 Kings 15:1-11 (2 Chron 13 Abijam = Abijah)--king of Judah after Rehoboam
Abijam reigns 3 years, following in his father’s footsteps, his wickedness, according to 1 Kings 15. His reign began in Jeroboam’s 18th year. More details about the continuing wars between him and Jeroboam in 2 Chron 13. It’s a little difficult to reconcile 1 Kings 15:1-3 with 2 Chron 13, which makes him sound like a true believer.
8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
9 ¶ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
1 Kings 13--Jeroboam & the man of God
God sends a man of God from Judah to the altar in Bethel, where Jeroboam was ready to burn incense.
2 And [the man of God] cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.
Jeroboam tells the man of God to pray for his hand to be healed, which he does, and the hand is healed. The king invites him back to his place for refreshments and a reward. The man of God says, “If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.” And the man is wise enough to go home a different way.
Unfortunately, the sons of an old prophet in Bethel told their father what the man of God had done, and he told them to saddle up an ass for him. He meets the man of God on his way and invites him back to his place, explaining he’s also a prophet, and says God has sent an angel to bring him back (which was a lie). The man of God relents and goes with him. At supper the word of the Lord comes to the prophet who had lied, and he tells the man of God that because he didn’t obey what God had instructed, he wouldn’t be buried with his fathers. When the man left he was attacked by a lion. When the old prophet hears of it, he brings the body back and buries it in his own sepulchre with the instructions that he was to be buried beside him when he died.
1 Kings 14:1-20--Jeroboam's heirs
Jeroboam’s son falls sick, so he sends his wife with a gift to Shiloh to the prophet Ahijah, who had anointed him king, to find out what would happen to the boy. God tells the elderly Ahijah, who can no longer see, to expect her to come pretending to be someone else. Ahijah calls her bluff and prophesies the destruction of Jeroboam’s line. As soon as she returns the son will die. All Israel will mourn for him, because of all his posterity, “in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel.” He even prophesies the eventual captivity of Israel.
20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.1 Kings 15--Nadab & Baasha, more wicked kings in Israel
Nadab’s wicked reign began in the 2nd year of King Asa of Judah. He only reigned 2 years. In Asa’s 3rd year Baasha (the son of Ahijah of the tribe of Issachar) killed Nadab while in a siege of a Philistine city.
Baasha took over the kingdom of Israel, and killed all Jeroboam’s posterity.
32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
34 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.1 Kings 16—wicked king after king in Israel
Baasha’s son Elah followed him in his wicked rule, in the 26th year of Asa’s reign. Elah’s reign only lasted 2 years. Zimri, the captain of half his chariots conspired, and killed him while he was drunk.
Zimri, as king, killed the rest of Baasha’s posterity. But Zimri’s reign only lasted 7 days, because when the Israelite army heard of Zimri’s conspiracy, they made Omri, their general king. Once again they were besieging that same Philistine city, under Baasha. They left the siege and attacked the city where Zimri was. When Zimri saw the city was taken, he burned the king’s house upon himself and died.
The Israelites then were divided, but Omri’s forces won.
Omri reigned 12 years. He built Samaria.
25 ¶ But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him.
But things were about to get worse, for when Omri died, his son Ahab inherited the kingdom, in the 38th year of Asa King of Judah. More about Ahab & Jezebel, Elijah, and Jehoshaphat in the next post.
2 Chron 14-16 (and 1 Kings 15:9-24)--Asa king of Judah, more refugees flee to him from Israel
Asa had 10 years of peace.
2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
4 And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 ¶ And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.9 ¶ And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
At Gerar Asa and his army overtook the Ethiopians, achieved a victory, and collected all kinds of booty to take back home.
The Spirit of God moves a prophet to meet Asa to remind him and his people “The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you . . . Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.”8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
16 ¶ And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 ¶ And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
Then in the 36th year of Asa, king Baasha of Israel began to build Ramah to set up a blockade of the kingdom of Judah. Asa gathers all the treasures from the Temple and his own house to get the Syrian king at Damascus to renew an alliance between Syria and himself that had existed in their parents’ time, and undo the alliance between Syria and Baasha. It works, and when Baasha finds himself beset by Syria, he leaves off building Ramah. Asa has his people recover the stones of Ramah and he uses them to build 2 other cities.
Hanani the seer comes to Asa and rebukes him for relying on Syria for help instead of God, reminding him that God had given him victory over the Ethiopians. He says, “Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” Asa becomes angry at the seer and puts him in prison. “And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.”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. Asa dies in the 41st year of his reign.
Ecclesiastes—surely the words of Solomon when he was a disillusioned old man, and yet there is still wisdom and realism in his teachings. And in the end, we can profit from his final conclusion (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
Eccl 1:1 “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”
All is Vanity
What does anything we do matter? Humans come and go, but the earth endures forever. The Sun rises & sets, the wind blows in its course, the rivers run into the sea which is never full.
Everything requires work, and the senses are never satisfied.
Everything’s been done before, there’s nothing new. Nothing you do is ever remembered.
I was King over Israel and I set myself to learn everything through Wisdom. God has given that work to us. But I have seen all that’s done, and everything is useless and vexing. You can’t really solve any problems. I’ve become a great man, more wise and knowledgeable than any before me. I set myself to know what’s wise and what’s foolish, and it’s all vexing and full of grief. The more you know, the more sorrow it brings.
Eccl 2
So I set myself to just enjoy pleasure. But that’s also meaningless. I thought I could learn what pursuits are worthwhile for mankind. I built great buildings and gardens. I had great possessions, more than any before me in Jerusalem. I was wealthy. I could have whatever I wanted. But it was all meaningless.
I turned to discern wisdom from folly & madness. I saw that wisdom was better as light is better than darkness. A wise man is enlightened, while a fool walks in the dark. And yet the same things happen to them both. No one remembers a wise man any more than a fool. I hated life, because it was all vexing and worthless. Whatever I could accomplish would be left to those after me, and who knows whether they’ll be wise or fools. I despaired of all I had done. God gives us our lot in life, and He knows best. What can a person do? “God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Eccl 3 " To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven . . . “ one of the great solaces of life: that you don’t have to take everything on at once, and when times are tough, remember ‘this too shall pass’.
Eccl 4
Then I set myself to understand the oppressions and sorrows of life. It seemed like it was better to be dead for all the evils of life. Whatever a person accomplishes, just brings the envy of others.
Those who are alone, without family, work for no purpose. Two can work as a team and support one another, keep one another warm at night [a reason for marriage and family].
But in life, people of the lowest estate rise, and those of the highest fall. The earth is full of people, and they die unremembered. It’s all meaningless.
A gem from Eccl 4:
“Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.”
Eccl 5
When you go to the house of God, be ready to listen.
Don’t speak or judge rashly. Use few words.
When you promise something to God, be sure to carry through with it.
If you see injustice and oppression don’t be surprised. God is above all, and knows. Everyone, even the king, is dependent on agriculture [implying all depend on God for the conditions suitable for life]. No one is ever satisfied with their wealth, it’s never enough. And the more wealth, the more people to feed. For a laborer, sleep is sweet. A rich man never sleeps in peace. His heirs squander it. We come into life with nothing, and leave it with nothing. Better to use one’s wealth for the good of others, and to enjoy the wealth God has given.
Eccl 6
It’s common that though God give a person riches, another ends up enjoying them. A person may have lots of children, and live a long life, yet in the end “What hath the wise more than the fool?” Who knows what comes next?
Eccl 7
Gem: “A good name is better than precious ointment”
It’s better to be sorrowful than full of laughter, for we all end up in mourning. We learn wisdom from what we suffer. Patience is better than pride. It’s foolish to be quick to anger. Both wisdom and money are defenses, but whatever God causes, no one can make it different. Enjoy prosperity, but when adversity comes, consider that it is also from God. I have seen a good man in troubles, and a wicked man living long in wickedness. Don’t be extreme in your own righteousness and wisdom, nor in wickedness and foolishness [be moderate]. Be wise, none of us are perfect. Be careful what you say, your servants know what you really are.
I said I would be wise, but found that I was far from it. I set myself to know wisdom and foolishness. I found that a conniving woman can cause more bitterness than death. God is pleased with those that escaper her wiles.
Eccl 8
A wise man’s face shines (his wisdom/goodness shows in in countenance). He keeps the king’s commandment, as he has vowed before God to do. Don’t be quick to work wickedness behind the king's back. There’s no questioning the king. Obedience to the king protects you from evil. A wise man understands both timing and judgment.
Mankind is miserable because he doesn’t know the future. None have power over death. Wickedness can’t cheat death.
I have sought to understand everything done under the sun, and I’ve seen that sometimes a person can hurt himself by ruling another. I’ve seen wicked men buried and their wickedness forgotten. I’ve seen that the consequences of wickedness are not always quickly recompensed, so people think they can get away with whatever. Yet no matter how long a person gets away with evil, God knows and respects those that fear Him.
Good people suffer as if they were wicked, and wicked people seem to be blessed as if they were good. I said, That’s meaningless! So I figured you might as well eat, drink, and be merry and enjoy whatever life God gives you. When I tried to understand it all, I found that nobody can understand God’s decisions and doings.
Eccl 9
I came to believe, and to speak this: the Righteous and the Wise are in the hands of God. Everyone is subject to the same things in life, no matter their choices. (Jesus said that God makes the sun to shine on the just and the unjust.) The hearts of mankind are full of evil all their lives.
As long as you are living, there is hope. Even a living dog is better than a dead lion. Once dead, a person and his passions are forgotten. So go and enjoy life, for God accepts what you do. Live a clean life. “Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life . . .” Whatever you do in life, put real effort into it. And yet I saw “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” Just like fish caught in the net, birds caught in a snare, people can be caught in bad times/situations.
14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.Eccl 10
Verses 1-3 contrast the wise and the foolish.
If a ruler turns against you, don’t walk out of your position, yield & make peace with him. Rulers can promulgate errors, may give dignity to the foolish, elevate the low and humiliate princes. But those who dig a pit for others will fall into it. Wisdom is like using a sharp tool to get things done, instead of a dull one.
Verses 11-15 continue to contrast the wise and the foolish.
“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child . . . Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!”
Through laziness a building decays.
A feast and drinking brings laughter and merriment, but having money takes care of everything. [Don’t neglect your business.]
Don’t curse the king or the rich, because word gets to them eventually.
Eccl 11
“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” In other words, put what you have out there, and it will come back to you increased.
Share what you have, because you don’t know what the future holds. If you are too afraid of conditions, you won’t accomplish anything [won’t reap because you haven’t sown]. You don’t know any more about God’s works [intents & purposes], than the mystery of life beginning in the womb. Do the best you can to succeed. Though you live many years in the pleasant light of the sun, eventually there will be dark days. Enjoy your youth, yet know that God will judge you. Childhood and youth are full of vanity [worthless foibles and pursuits].
Eccl 12
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth . . . [before dark days come] . . . Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it [then life is over]. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.“ Though life seems meaningless, because the preacher, King Solomon, was wise, he still taught the people. He sought and gathered and organized many proverbs. He sought for words of truth. The words of the wise can goad people into doing what’s right.
My son, learn this: there’s no end to the writing of books, and constant study can make you weary. “ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” It might not happen in this life, but all will put right in the end.
Salomon, by Pedro Berruguete, abt 1500; from Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Solomon's parents & birth--2 Sam 11-12
King David & Bathsheba had an adulterous relationship, and then King David committed a worse crime by having Bathsheba's husband sent to the warfront to be killed, in order to cover up the scandal. Their child born of this adultery died. Solomon was born after David had married Bathsheba following her husband's death. All this is discussed previously, in David part 4.
Solomon is proclaimed King--1 Kings 1-2 (1 Chron 22-29 David organizes the kingdom & makes Solomon king)
It's not possible to know the personal relationship, the feelings of David and of Bathsheba. We can speculate that she had some sort of hold over him, that he promised to make her son his successor. But just as possible is that he had real feelings for her and her son, and perhaps she felt so herself. David seems to have genuinely had great affection for Solomon, as well as trust and respect for him. David had plenty of other sons he could have passed the kingdom to, perhaps with more experience in ruling (he made his sons governors). It may be that David spent more time with Solomon, and/or Bathsheba was an influence for good in his life, despite whatever culpability she may have had in her initial relationship with King David. It's clear that King David sought forgiveness for his part, and if she was in any way blamable, she could also have sought and received forgiveness. The clues for why David favored Solomon are in 1 Kings 3 . . .
1 Kings 3--Solomon seeks wisdom, judges correctly between two women who both claim a baby
Solomon right away seeks a political alliance by marriage with Egypt. He would want peace with perhaps the superpower of the day. He builds his own house, the walls of Jerusalem, and the Temple. This sounds like a heavy financial burden to his kingdom, but David had saved up treasures to effect the building of the Temple, Solomon would have gifts and tribute to help, and as we shall see later, when he passed his kingdom to his son Rehoboam, the people petitioned that the heavy taxation be lightened. Apparently before the Temple was finished Solomon continued to sacrifice to the Lord in Gibeon. Some important details are given in 2 Chron 1:1-13.
3 And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
5 ¶ In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
Then as proof that God had blessed Solomon with amazing wisdom, the story of the two harlots and the baby they both claimed is told. Solomon rightly knows that the one would rather give up her claim to the child than to see him split in two. Now there might be some women who out of spite would rather have the child killed than give it up to another. If that was the case, Solomon must have been able to judge the demeanor & attitude of the two. Yet rather than say so, he allows the women to show their true characters. This is an important story to the success of Solomon's kingship, not only in gaining the respect & loyalty of his subjects, but in putting "the fear of God" into the hearts of those who needed it, against trying to deceive their king. It would also make other nations think twice before either rebelling under tribute, or attacking Israel. After so much warfare under the Judges (and probably before), Saul, and David, it seems there was peace in the Middle East.
1 Kings 4--Solomon's government
Solomon's cabinet:
Azariah, son of Zadok: priest
Elihoreph & Ahiah: scribes
Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud: recorder
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada: general
Zadok & Abiathar: priests (prob old by now, as they were part of David's cabinet)
Azariah, son of Nathan: Prime Minister?
Zabud, son of Nathan: principal officer, king's friend (counselor)
Ahishar: chief steward over the household
Adoniram, son of Abda: Secretary of State/foreign office, over tribute
12 regional officers are named that provisioned the king's household by month
each day:
30 measures fine flour, 60 of meal (prob as a type of cereal)
10 fat oxen, 20 from the pastures
100 sheep
game: harts/deer & roebucks, fallowdeer
fatted fowl (domestic birds)
barley & straw for the horses and camels
26 ¶ And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. (see also 2 Chron 1:14-17)
The extent of Solomon's rule:20 ¶ Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.Solomon's character, education, wisdom, fame29 ¶ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.1 Kings 5-9 Solomon builds the Temple and his house with the help of Hiram of Tyre (David's friend & ally)
1 Kings 5:1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
Solomon sends a letter to Hiram soliciting help.
1 Kings 5--prep to build the Temple (see also 2 Chron 2:1-16)
3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
Solomon then outlines what he'd like from Hiram, King of Tyre, to hire timber from Lebanon. Hyrum replies that he is glad to help his friend's son. They make a bargain and an alliance.
7 ¶ And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.13 ¶ And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.1 Kings 6--building of the Temple took 7 years (4th year of Solomon's reign to the 11th), see 2 Chron 3-4
1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.
Details follow.
11 ¶ And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,
12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.1 Kings 7--Solomon takes 13 years to build his own house, builds a house for his Egyptian wife, adds brass fixtures to the Temple
Solomon spent 13 years building his own house, and he built a house for his Egyptian wife. That could mean either that his own house was more extensive than the Temple, or that he just let it take more time. But most of this chapter continues about the brass fixtures in the Temple, also hired out of Tyre.
1 Kings 7:51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord.1 Kings 8--Solomon brings the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle to the Temple, gives a dedicatory prayer, exhorts the people, holds a feast for 2 weeks (see 2 Chron 5-7:11)--note that Solomon's prayer covered not only Israelites in distress, but even foreigners who might hear of Israel's God and come to pray toward His temple.
56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
(see also 2 Chron 8:12-16, after the initial dedication of the Temple, sacrifices held as in the Law of Moses)
1 Kings 9--God replies to Solomon's prayer, Solomon gives Hiram 20 cities in Galilee, other works of Solomon, inclu a navy1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. . . (see 2 Chron 7:12-22)
After 20 years both the Temple and Solomon's house are finished. Solomon gives Hiram 20 cities in Galilee (probably as tribute cities), which Hiram doesn't like. But he sends Solomon 120 gold talents. Likely Solomon was trying to raise more money for all his building projects.
Solomon's levies for his building works continue: beside the Temple and his own house, Millo (the house for Solomon's Egyptian wife), the walls of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer (the Pharaoh had captured, burned & killed the Canaanites, and given this city to his daughter, Solomon's wife), Beth-horon the nether, Baalath, Tadmor, cities of store, cities for his chariots & horsemen, etc. See 2 Chron 8:1-6. Note that Solomon had his Egyptian wife moved out of the holy city; 2 Chron 8:11; this may have been more than a religious statement/move, it may also have been wise to put distance between Egyptian influence on palace politics, or control Egyptian involvement in political intrigue.
On whatever remnants of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, were levied a tribute of bondservice. "But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work." (see also 2 Chron 2:17-18 & 2 Chron 8:7-10)
26 ¶ And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28 And they came to Ophir [uncertain seaport or region, I surmise in Africa--possibly what caught the Queen of Sheba's attention; see 1 Kings 10:11], and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
See 2 Chron 8:17-18)
1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chron 9 the Queen of Sheba, end of Solomon's 40 year rule
The Queen of Sheba hears about Solomon, and comes with hard questions to test him. She brings a large retinue to impress all with her own greatness. But she is so impressed with Solomon that she gives him an abundance of gifts, and he in exchange gives richly to her. She returns home. See 2 Chron 9:1-12.
The rest of 1 Kings 10 outlines the riches of King Solomon. See also 2 Chron 9:13-28.
1 Kings 10
23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
24 ¶ And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.1 Kings 11--the end of Solomon's wisdom & rule
But Solomon had a weakness for women, and they became his downfall. He had 700 wives & 300 concubines from many lands, forbidden marriages according to the Law of Moses. When he was old, they turned his heart from God to their gods, and he built temples for them. God was not happy about this, and promised Jeroboam, whom Solomon had put over the house of Joseph, that he would reign over 10 of the tribes of Israel. Thereafter Solomon tried to do away with Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt. Other enemies of Solomon arose to trouble his kingdom in the end. So far all 3 of Israel's kings have been tragic, and the nation would suffer for it.
2 Chron 929 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
King David in Prayer, by Pieter de Grebber, circa 1635-1640, public domain, from Wikimedia Commons
David—part 5, Kingship's end
2 Sam 20-24, 1 Kings 1-2, 1 Chron 20-292 Sam 20—more battles against Benjaminites, and Joab kills another rival for the Generalship
Once again the rivalry between David and the tribe of Benjamin arises, King Saul having been a Benjaminite. This time “a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba . . . blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his [war] tents, O Israel.” Amazingly, all but the tribe of Judah listen to him.
About Belial, “The word means worthless in Hebrew, and later came to represent the personification of the devil.” For more discussion, see https://mythology.net/demons/belial/
King David had called on Amasa to take Joab’s place as General of the armies, and he sent him to gather an army from the tribe of Judah and meet the king in 3 days. But Amasa didn’t get it together, so David called on Abishai (Joab’s brother) to take the lead. Joab meets and greets Amasa with a kiss, and kills him. Thus Joab and Abishai take over the army in pursuit of Sheba.
Joab with the army comes to besiege Sheba’s army in a city called Abel of Beth-maachah. They cast up a bank and a trench, and begin to batter down the walls. A wise woman from the city calls to Joab to confer with him. She says, “I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” Joab repies that he doesn’t want to destroy, and will leave if the city will just hand over Sheba. She says they’ll toss his head over the wall, the city does so, and Joab goes back to Jerusalem.
2 Sam 21—famine & Philistines
A 3 year famine oppresses David’s kingdom. He inquires of the Lord (through the priests, no doubt), and is answered that it is because King Saul had killed the Gibeonites that were a remnant of the Amorites that the Israelites had sworn not to kill—see Josh 9. King David asks the Gibeonites what they want, as atonement for the sin “that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?”
The Gibeonites don’t want silver or gold from the house of Saul, nor to kill the Israelites, except 7 of Saul’s sons (descendants?) to be delivered to them to be hanged. David agrees, but saves Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, for the oath he had made with Jonathan. One of King Saul’s concubines stays by the bodies to keep the birds and beasts from bothering them. When King David hears about it, he gathers their bones, as well as the bones of Saul and Jonathan that had been saved from the Philistines, and has them buried in the sepulchre of Kish, the father of Saul. “And after that God was entreated for the land”—the famine was done.
The Philistines decide it’s an advantageous time to attack, no doubt figuring that King David has been weakened by civil war and age. David goes with the army. The son of the giant he had slain wants revenge, sees David’s faintness, and thinks this is his chance. But Abishai (General Joab’s brother) comes to David’s aid and kills the giant. David’s men then swear that David is not to risk his life in battle any more.
The Philistines keep trying: 3 more battles. Four of the sons of Goliath the Giant are killed by David and his servants. See also 1 Chron 20:4-8
2 Sam 22—a psalm of David, praising God for His help against his enemies--highlights1 And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
29 For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
47 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,
49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
Comment: Perhaps this was a psalm David had written earlier in his career as king and it was appended here, because certainly God was not happy with the Bathsheba/Uriah incident, and certainly David suffered for it. When he says that he had not departed from God and His statutes/laws, I think he was talking about turning to idols, as Solomon and other kings of his lineage would do. Still, God did show mercy to David and his descendants, though they had to suffer for their wrong-doings.
2 Sam 23—the last words of David, 37 of his military leaders & some of their exploits1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
It appears that verse 5 is in recognition of the David’s troubled household, yet affirms that David owes his loyalty to God, who has saved him from so many troubles. Eventually those of Belial will be destroyed, as thorny shrubs that are burned.
The rest of the chapter recounts some of the exploits, and names King David’s military leaders. Notice one of them was Uriah the Hittite. It was not just some foot soldier David betrayed for the sake of Bathsheba. See also 1 Chron 11
2 Sam 24—David has Joab number the people fit for fighting, a pestilence ensues; see also 1 Chron 21
The text says that God was angry with Israel, and moved King David to count the number of fighting men (or those eligible for fighting). ). 1 Chron 21:1 says “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” General Joab doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but he and the captains of the army spend almost 10 months going through all the Israelite lands taking a census. The men of Israel were 800,000, and the men of Judah were 500,000. For some time there has been a distinction between Israel and Judah, which will eventually sever the two into rival kingdoms.
Then David feels guilty. What does counting the fighting men mean? It would seem to be in preparation for a war of aggression. David asks for forgiveness. God sends the prophet Gad, “David’s seer” to offer him 3 alternatives. 1. 7 years of famine, 2. David has to flee his enemies for 3 months, or 3. 3 days of pestilence (disease/pandemic). It’s a hard decision, but David would rather suffer at God’s hands than humans’, and chooses the 3 days of disease, which seems the least of the three. Yet 70,000 men died.
When the destroying angel gets to Jerusalem, God stops him. “It is enough,” He says. (We’ve already discussed whether God “repents” in the way that men are required to repent of their wicked ways.) When David sees how many have died, he blames himself. He asks God why innocents should suffer for his fault. Gad comes to David and says he should build an altar to God “in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite” to stop the plague. David goes as commanded. Araunah sees him coming, makes obeisance, and asks why he's come. David says he’s there to buy the threshingfloor to build an altar. Araunah offers the oxen and wood for the sacrifice, but David insists on buying everything, and they agree on a price. The whole exchange is probably a cultural procedure for bargaining. But David says, “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing . . . And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”
1 Kings 1—the woman Abishag keeps aging King David warm, rivalries arise for the succession
The elderly King David can’t keep warm on his own. They find a beautiful young virgin to care for him, and she is the caring kind. There are no sexual relations between them. Some modern people may look askance at such a thing, but aside from the honor of serving the king so closely, some people/nurses are really that caring and altruistic.
Court politics and shenanigans ensue, or continue:
Adonijah, brother of Absalom (whose boldness perhaps inspires and instructs him), wants to be next king. He’s also a good looking guy. He gets chariots and horsemen, and 50 men to run before him. King David doesn’t say anything to him about it. Adonijah recruits General Joab, and the priest Abiathar. He invites all the king’s sons (except Solomon), and “all the men of Judah the king’s servants” (people in positions of power, but not the King’s guard/mighty men who are loyal to him rather than to the army) to a feast.
The priest Zadok, Nathan the prophet, and the mighty men Benaiah, Shimei, and Rei don’t join Adonijah’s club.
Benaiah (see 2 Sam 23:20-23, 1 Chron 11:22, 1 Chron 27:5, and https://journeyonline.org/lessons/benaiah-son-of-jehoiada/?series=8751
Shimei (see D at https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Shimei )
Rei (see https://biblehub.com/topical/r/rei.htm )
Nathan the prophet goes to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, asking if she hasn’t heard about Adonijah’s moves, “and David our lord knoweth it not?” He says, "If you want to save your life, and your son Solomon, I’d advise going to King David and ask if he didn’t swear to you that Solomon would be his successor. If so, why does Adonijah reign? I’ll come in while you are talking to the king and back you up." It’s obvious by this exchange that Adonijah knew King David’s intention that Solomon would succeed to the throne.
Bathsheba goes to King David and makes obeisance. He asks what she desires of him. She lays out the situation to him. Nathan comes in and affirms what she says, asks King David if that’s what he has decided and just not told him. Apparently they were seen by the king separately, though, perhaps so he can question them each without fear of collusion.
King David confirms that he means for Solomon to reign after him. He calls for Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest, as well as Benaiah, and tells them to put Solomon on his own mule, take him to be anointed king, blow a trumpet, and say “God save king Solomon.” Then they are to bring Solomon back and set him on David’s throne. That they do, taking the king’s guard with them. Zadok takes a horn of oil from the tabernacle to anoint Solomon, a sign of authority.
Adonijah and those at his feast hear the trumpet and the to-do. When they are told what has happened with Solomon, they all get up with fear and go their own ways. Adonijah flees and grabs the horns of the altar (a sign of seeking asylum, as in the Law of Moses), asking that Solomon not kill him. Solomon sends for him, saying, “ If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.” He allows him to go home.
1 Kings 2—King David’s last instructions to Solomon, see also 1 Chron 22-29
1 Chron 22 tells of David preparing for the building of the Temple, having stonemasons get to work, and metal workers make nails and fastenings . . . “And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.” He calls Solomon and charges him with building the Temple, explaining why he could not do it himself. David also commands all the princes of Israel to support Solomon in building the Temple, now they are at peace (no longer must bear the cost of wars).
1 Chron 23 through 26, & 29—David organizes the Levites, their priesthood and official duties, and the descendants of the Moses & the Levites are listed. 1 Chron 27 lists David’s officials and the heads of the Israelite tribes. 1 Chron 28 David assembles the princes of Israel and the government officials to address them. “And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel . . . Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.” 1 Chron 29 David prays before the people, thanking God for all the wealth and power the Israelites have been blessed with. “I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee . . . And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.” David invites the congregation also to pray and worship God. A huge sacrifice is offered, “And [the people] did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.”
1 Kings 2
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4 That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
See Psalms 72 and 127.
1 Chron 28
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” David gives Solomon all the patterns for the architecture of the Temple, the organization of the priests & Levites, all the gold & silver he had saved up. “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”
Back to 1 Kings 2
David brings up General Joab’s faults in killing his rivals Abner and Amasa, and tells his son to exact retribution. Likewise, he should order the death penalty for the Benjaminite Shimei who had cursed David as he fled from Absalom. Solomon is to continue the reward for the sons of Barzillai who had helped him when he fled Absalom.
10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.1 Chron 2926 ¶ Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Despite the wickedness of his posterity, God continued to use David as an example of righteousness and loyalty to Him. God preserved the kingship of his descendants in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 15
4 Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
2 Sam 2
Saul and 3 of his sons have been killed, their remains rescued from the Philistines and buried by Saul’s tribe, Benjamin. The elders of Judah make David their king, but Abner (Saul’s general) makes Saul’s other son Ishbosheth, age 40, king of the rest of Israel.
David sends messengers to those Gileadites who had rescued & buried Saul’s remains praising them for doing so. He tells them the house of Judah has anointed him king, implying that as he sends a message of peace, they also ought to join Judah in proclaiming him king.
Abner (Saul’s general) and Joab (David’s general) meet across a pool of water. Abner suggests they let their young men “play” before them—no doubt war games—12 on each side. The battle escalates, and Abner’s army is routed. Joab’s brother steadfastly pursues the fleeing Abner, who tells him he ought to take out someone else, so that Abner won’t have to face Joab having killed his brother. But Joab’s brother won’t be deterred. So Abner kills him. More about that later.
All the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, gather to Abner. But Abner calls out to Joab from a hill, saying, “Are we going to kill each other forever? Don’t you know it will all end in bitterness? [between the tribes].” Joab acknowledges Abner and blows a trumpet to stop the killing. Abner and his men walk all night and cross over the Jordan River, Joab and his men spend the night returning to Hebron. Joab’s brother is buried in Bethlehem. The armies of Judah had lost 19, the army of Benjamin under Abner had lost 360 dead.
2 Sam 3“Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” (1 Sam 2:11, David was king of Judah 7.5 years before being made king over all Israel.)
David’s sons born in Hebron are listed (see also 1 Chron 3:1-4)
1. Amnon, son of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess
2. Chileab, son of Abigail
3. Absalom, son of Maacah (daughter of King Talmai of Geshur—no doubt a political marriage)
4. Adonijah, son of Haggith
5. Shephatiah, son of Abital
6. Ithream, son Eglah
Abner makes a connection with Saul’s concubine, and Saul’s son Ishbosheth confronts him about it. That angers Abner, and he retorts, “After all I’ve done [risked] for the house of Saul, you treat me like a dog’s head over this woman.” Abner vows that he will bring all of Israel over to David’s cause. He sends messengers to David offering just that. David agrees, with one qualifier: that Abner bring Michal, his wife/Saul’s daughter to him. Then David sends messengers to Ishbosheth demanding Michal. Ishbosheth takes Michal from her husband and sends her to David. Her husband follows her all the way to Abner, weeping. Abner sends him home.
Abner contacts the elders of Israel, saying, “Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: Now then do it: for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.” Abner speaks specifically to the tribe of Benjamin, who were Saul’s people and most likely not to go along. Then Abner with 20 men goes to David to let him know the outcome of the negotiations. David makes a feast for them, and on the good news, sends Abner and his men away in peace.
When Joab (David’s general, returning from a great victory with lots a spoil) finds out, he confronts David, saying Abner is deceiving him and just trying to spy out David’s routines and what he’s up to. Joab secretly sends messengers after Abner saying he wants to speak with him quietly. Under that ruse he kills Abner, for the sake of his brother whom Abner had killed. Ostensibly. I suspect that Joab was also jealous of Abner, who he would see as a rival general.
David proclaims, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house . . .” and David leaves a curse of troubles on Abner’s house/posterity. Apparently David needed Joab, or Joab was too powerful for him to dismiss, but he will charge his son/successor to exact retribution for what he did to Abner (1 Kings 2:5-6).
David calls on everyone, including Joab, to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn Abner. King David himself follows the bier and weeps at the grave in Hebron. While others eat after the funeral, David fasts until sundown. The people are contented with his showing of respect, and in fact they are pleased with all he does. David is doing all he can to heal the nation.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [Abner & brothers] be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.2 Sam 4
Saul’s son Ishbosheth hears of Abner’s death, and he and the other Israelites are afraid it portends bad things to happen. Perhaps David will attack and destroy them. Two of Ishbosheth’s military leaders decide to kill him under pretense, and take his head to David as a prize. David is affronted and tells them what happened to the man who came to him claiming to have killed Saul on the battlefield (hoping for a reward), and has them killed as well.
2 Sam 5—David is anointed/affirmed king over all Israel, see also 1 Chron 11:1-9, 1 Chron 12:23-40, & 1 Chron 14:1-17
The elders of Israel come to David in Hebron and anoint him king over all Israel. David is 30 years old, and will reign 40 years: 7.5 years over just Judah, 33 years over all Israel. See Psalm 18.
King David comes with an army to Jerusalem, a Jebusite stronghold. The Jebusites tell him, “Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.” For a comparison of translations, see https://biblehub.com/parallel/2_samuel/5.htm and https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/5-6.htm (be sure to read all the way down for more background, commentary, and the Hebrew translation). King David’s forces conquer Jerusalem, and from then on it is known as “the City of David.” See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_David_(archaeological_site) and https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/davidcityof.html (Note: Bethlehem was called the City of David in Luke 2:4, being the birthplace of King David, and where he grew up. Bethlehem is about 9 mi from Jerusalem.)
Hiram, King of Tyre sends messengers, carpenters, masons, and building materials to David, and they build a house for King David in Jerusalem. Hiram and David become friends and allies. See also 1 Chron 14:1-2, and Psalm 30.
12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. [Not for David’s aggrandizement]
David marries more wives and concubines in Jerusalem, and has more sons and daughters. The sons of the wives are named in 2 Sam 5:14-16, including Solomon. See also 1 Chron 3:5-9 (which says there were 9, but lists more, and some names twice, so perhaps some died as infants/young children, so the name was reused), and 1 Chron 14:3-7.
1. Shimea/Shammua
2. Shobab
3. Nathan, perhaps named after Nathan the Prophet?
4. Solomon, from Bathsheba/Bath-shua, daughter of Ammiel
5. Ibhar
6. Elishama/Elishua
7. Eliphelet/Elpalet
8. Nogah
9. Nepheg
10. Japhia
11. Elishama
12. Beeliada
13. Eliada (Eliphalet?)
The Philistines amass an army against David & Israel. David, as usual, inquires of God [no doubt as before, through the priest] if he should go out against them. “And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.” David is victorious against the Philistines, who flee leaving their idols, and David has them burned. The Philistines come again. This time God tells him to surround or circle behind them next to the [balsam, or weeping] trees, and when they hear the wind in the trees they should attack and God will give them the triumph. And so it happens. For info about the kind of trees, see https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/5-23.htm
2 Sam 6—David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, Uzzah tries to steady it, Michal despises David for dancing for joy in front of all the people (see also 1 Chron 13 & 15-16)
David takes 30,000 chosen men to get the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. They set it on a new cart, and Uzzah is one of the 2 drivers, probably driving the animals rather than the cart. David and all Israel come with musical instruments in celebration: harps, psalteries (harps and psalteries=stringed instruments), timbrels (similar to tambourines), cornets (wind instrument), and cymbals (metal percussion instrument).
On the way, the oxen pulling the cart shake/jostle it a little {perhaps stumbled a bit}, and Uzzah tries to steady it (it is presumed). God smites him in some way for his error, and he dies right there. That scares David. He leaves the Ark at Obed-edom’s place (“’servant of Edom’, an Israelite name . . . from Gath”—possibly an Edomite or of Edomite lineage who had lived in Gath as a servant? Or an Israelite who had been a servant in Edom or of an Edomite, who had lived in Gath?) for 3 months, ‘til he sees that God is blessing the man.
https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/6-6.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/6-7.htm
Then David dares to bring the Ark the rest of the way into Jerusalem “with gladness”. After only 6 paces he sacrifices oxen and “fatlings” (prob sheep), and “danced before the Lord with all his might”. “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting [cheering], and with the sound of the trumpet.” Michal, David’s wife, daughter of Saul, sees David’s antics from her window, and later sarcastically says to him, “How glorious was the king of Israel to day.” She thinks he’s made himself look a fool and entirely indecorous/uncouth in his behavior. He defends himself by saying it was in praise of God. He never had a child by Michal.
17 ¶ And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.
19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.2 Sam 7--see also 1 Chron 17
David’s kingdom is settled. “and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies.” He’s got a princely residence. He says to Nathan the prophet that he feels bad that while he lives in luxury, the housing for the Ark of God is just a tent (no doubt revitalized over the years, but still a tent). At first Nathan gives him the go-ahead. But that night God tells Nathan to go back to David and say, “All these years since the Exodus I’ve dwelt in a tent. I’ve never asked any of the tribes for a house of cedar. I took you from being a lowly shepherd to be ruler over my people. And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. I will settle Israel in one place, not to have to keep moving. Wicked peoples/nations will no longer afflict them as before. I’ll settle your kingdom upon your lineage. Your successor will build a house for my name. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I’ll punish him, but my mercy will not depart from him (as with Saul).”
As a secular, political policy it was perhaps wiser, after all the cost of wars, that the people not be taxed to build a temple beside.
David humbly praises God for his goodness to him, and His greatness. “Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”2 Sam 8--see also 1 Chron 18
David subjugates the Philistines, and Moab, a king of Mesopotamia and his ally Syria, and Edom. He sets the vanquished Moabites in 3 lines, 2 lines being put to death. He takes from the Mesopotamian king 1000 chariots, 700 horsemen/charioteers, 20,000 foot soldiers—of which he saves 100 chariots with their drivers and horses, it seems. He hamstrings the rest of the horses so they can’t be used in war. For more clarity, see https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/8-4.htm The King of Hamath sends his son with gifts to David for conquering his enemy, the king from Mesopotamia. King David sets up garrisons in Syria and Edom and makes them tributaries. See Psalm 60.
Another reference to Edom and Israelite General Joab
1 Kings 11:14-23
Joab had killed all the males in Edom over a period of 6 months, but Hadad son of the king, was saved by his father's servants when he was little, and taken to Egypt, where he found favor with Pharaoh, and was married to the Queen's sister. Upon David's death he went back home to Edom.
King David saves up the tribute and spoils from his wars for the House of God that his son Solomon will build: the Temple at Jerusalem. “And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.”King David’s government:Joab—General
Jehoshaphat—recorder (historian?), Seraiah--scribe (writes up official documents & laws?)--or vice versa?
Zadok & Ahimelech (son or grandson of the priest that fed David and his troops who were on the run from Saul, whom Saul killed)—priests
Benaiah—over the Cherethites and Pelethites, “They are interpreted to have been a group of elite mercenaries employed by King David, some of whom acted as his bodyguards, and others as part of his army.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherethites_and_Pelethites David’s sons—chief rulers/governors
1 Sam 16-251 Sam 16—David is anointed next king, and is introduced to Saul, who has lost God’s Spirit
1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
Samuel has Jesse bring his sons one at a time before him. Samuel is impressed with the first son. But God says, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” In other words, he may be good looking and a big man, but he’s not the one I want as king of Israel (Saul looked good too!) I’m looking for a guy whose heart is in the right place.
So Samuel, under God’s direction, passes on 7 of Jesse’s sons. Samuel says, “ The Lord hath not chosen these.” Then Samuel asks, is that all the sons you have? Well, the youngest is out tending the sheep. Samuel says, Bring him here, we won’t sit down to eat until he comes (remember the sacrifice was the excuse to visit Jesse’s house).
David is brought in, and he is healthy & good looking. No doubt spending hours tending sheep gave him the ruddy complexion. It also gave him plenty of hours to contemplate God and create music. God tells Samuel this is the guy, get up and anoint him next king. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”
Note that David did not start gathering forces to take over Saul’s kingdom. It doesn’t seem Samuel told him to do that, nor that God wanted him to foment an insurrection or a coup. It doesn’t appear that anyone in the family let on what had happened, let alone Samuel. That would have set a bad precedent, and would have been disastrous for the nation of Israel.
Meanwhile, Saul has lost God’s Spirit, and is suffering from pretty severe mental health issues. His advisors recommend that a harpist (not a harpy) be found to soothe his savaged breast. One of the servants has heard Jesse’s son David play, and commends him. David is not only a great musician, but “a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent [wise] in matters, and a comely person [good looking—we wouldn’t want any ugly guys at court!], and the Lord is with him.” Saul sends for him, and Jesse sends David with an ass loaded up with bread, wine, and meat, no doubt as gifts.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Music has such an influence over humans--for both good and ill!
There are two issues I think worth discussing in this chapter: 1. Does God send evil spirits to torment people He doesn’t like or approve of, and 2. in these verses it sounds like David is a full grown man, and yet in the next chapter Saul says that David is but a youth.
As to whether God sends evil spirits, it’s similar to the question discussed in Exodus about whether God hardens people’s hearts. When God withdraws His Spirit from a person (because they choose not to listen to or obey Him), it has essentially the same effect as if God had sent an evil spirit, for then a person is left open to evil spirits (compare Jesus’ parable in Matt 12:43-45, after being cast out of a person, the unclean spirit wanders about and finds 7 other like-minded spirits to inhabit the space he had before occupied). A person who has lost God’s Spirit becomes more and more bedeviled, if unrepentant.
In the Jewish culture, when “a Jewish boy turns 13, he has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult . . .” https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1912609/jewish/Bar-Mitzvah-When-It-Is-and-How-to-Celebrate.htm Yet military service was from 20 years upward (Num 1:45). The Bible doesn’t always tell stories in strict chronological order, sometimes things are introduced by topic. David did eventually become Saul’s armourbearer, like a squire of the middle ages who accompanied his lord carrying weapons, messages, or whatever the lord had need of in battle. Note that Goliath had an armor bearer carrying his shield ahead of him, 1 Sam 17:7) See https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/armor-bearer/
1 Sam 17—David defeats Goliath
The Philistines warred with the Israelites all the days of King Saul. At this point they have amassed an army in the land held by the tribe of Judah. Saul and his army are gathered across the valley.
The Philistines have chosen a champion who challenges the Israelites to send a champion to meet him in battle. Whichever champion wins, wins for the whole army. Sounds like a good way to minimize bloodshed, but I’m not sure it was that simple. Generally victorious armies wreaked havoc on the vanquished. The Philistine champion is a giant of a man, from Gath. He's from a people who were called giants. (read more about giants in the Bible at https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/giants-in-the-bible/ )
A discussion of Goliath’s height can be found at https://www.gotquestions.org/how-tall-was-Goliath.html . It appears he was either 9.5’ tall, or 6.5’ tall. Either would be considered a giant by the ordinary man of the times. According to https://www.unitconverters.net/weight-and-mass/shekel-biblical-hebrew-to-pound.htm 1 lb=40 shekels. This would have made Goliath’s coat of mail 125 lbs, and just the head of his spear 15 lbs. If this is accurate, he was one hefty guy! And no wonder he needed an armor bearer to carry his shield ahead of him. I don’t know who could have carried a shield to match Goliath’s armor, but maybe he had a brother or a cousin.
Every morning and evening for 40 days Goliath calls out his challenge for an Israelite champion to fight him. “If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.” Saul and the Israelites are shaking in their boots, so to speak.
Three of David’s older brothers are in the Israelite army. David had been called or sent back to his father’s to keep the sheep at Bethlehem. But now his father sends him to the army with provisions: about a bushel, or 50-60 lbs of parched grain, 10 loaves of bread, 10 cheeses, and he's to check on how his brothers are doing. (ephaph: https://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_an_ephah_of_grain_equal_to )
David leaves the sheep with a “keeper”, probably a servant, possibly a hired person. When he arrives at the battle field the two armies are dressed to kill. He leaves the carriage/cart with the supplies and runs to see. He find’s his brothers and they are talking when Goliath calls out his challenge. The Israelites take to their heels. The men of the Israelite army make David acquainted with King Saul’s promised reward for whoever kills Goliath: great riches, Saul’s daughter as wife, and freedom for the guy’s whole family (probable freedom from the duties/taxes levied on everyone else). David says, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
David’s oldest brother gets peeved at him. He says, “What are you doing here? Who did you leave to take care of our few sheep? I know your pride and “naughtiness” of heart, you just came down to see the battle.” Implying that David is being negligent. David replies, “What’s wrong with my coming, isn’t there good reason?” He asks all the guys nearby the same, and gets the same answer about the promised rewards.
Word gets to Saul, and he sends for David. David boldly tells Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul says, “You can't go against that guy, you're just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young. David says, “I’ve killed both a lion and a bear while guarding my father’s sheep. This uncircumcised Philistine will fall likewise, since he has defied the armies of the living God. God delivered me from the lion and the bear, and He’ll deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul then gives David his blessing, arms him with his own armor. David tries to go, but he can’t. He tells Saul he hasn’t proved/practiced with this armor. David takes the armor off. He takes his staff, picks up 5 smooth stones from the brook (which he puts in his shepherd’s bag), and has his sling in his hand. He goes forward toward the Philistine.
Goliath disdains David, saying, “Am I a dog that you come to me with a stick?” He curses David by his gods. Then he says, “Come on, then, and you’ll be dinner for the birds and the beasts.
David replies, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”
So Goliath comes near, and David runs to meet him. He puts his hand in his bag and pulls out a stone. He slingshots the stone and hits Goliath deep in the forehead. David runs forward and stands atop Goliath, takes Goliath's own sword and cuts off the giant’s head. David was no wimp, to be able to manage that, but he probably also had some adrenalin rushing through his body, as well.
The Philistines flee. The Israelites follow up with the killing, right up to the Philistine cities of Gath and Ekron. When they return they pillage the Philistine army's tents.
When Saul sees David going to kill Goliath, he asks his general Abner whose boy David is. Abner brings David before Saul, with Goliath’s head in hand. “And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.” It seems like Saul has no idea who David is, so it’s possible this story precedes that in the last chapter.
1 Sam 18—David & Jonathan & Michal; the people adore David, Saul’s jealousy
Saul now keeps David in his constant service, making him a general. Saul’s son Jonathan honors David with gifts of his own clothes, his sword, and bow. He becomes David’s honest and honorable, loyal friend. Saul’s daughter Michal falls for David, and with ulterior motives, Saul gives her to David as a wife (the story at the end of chapter 18).
Meanwhile, David is a wise general and becomes more and more popular. When Saul hears women singing and dancing with tabrets (small tambourines) as they return from slaughtering the Philistines, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,” he becomes so angry and jealous that he begins to plot David’s demise.
Once again Saul is beset with an evil spirit (“from God” the text says, but as discussed before, Saul’s attitude is really what brings on his evil intentions, or one might be suspicious of which god/devil’s influence Saul is under now). Saul prophesies, and one can imagine what sort of prophesy he spoke. David is playing on the harp, “as at other times” while Saul is in a dark mood. Saul has a javelin at hand, and throws it at David, who avoids it, twice! One might speculate that people were gathered to eat and drink (possibly celebrating their victory), and Saul could pretend that his intentions were not intentional, or that his action was caused or influenced by drink.
Now Saul is assailed by even more anxieties and dark thoughts. He can see that God is with David, and not with him. Saul makes David captain over 1000, and sends him out on military assignments. David is a wise military leader, and God has his back. Saul fears David, but the people love him because he leads them against their enemies, rather than hanging out at home or in the rear of the battle.
Saul promises David his oldest daughter as wife, a reward for fighting successfully for him. He figures the Philistines will be the death of David, so he won’t be guilty. David recognizes that being son-in-law to the king comes with certain expectations, and he says to Saul, “Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?” And yet, when it's time for Saul to give David his eldest daughter, Saul gives her to another. Whether that had anything to do with the eldest daughter’s preference we aren’t told. But when Saul is told that his other daughter Michal loves David, he's pleased.
Saul says to David, “I’m giving you one or the other of my daughters today.” David must still be reticent, so Saul tells his servants to secretly let David know that Saul is favorable toward him, and all his servants love him, so there’s no danger in being his son-in-law. David is probably wary about the dangers of court politics, and Saul’s suspect moods and behaviors. When Saul’s servants report the interchange, Saul tells them to let David know that the only dowry he expects is 100 Philistine foreskins. Saul is hoping that in trying to fulfill that expectation David will be killed. But when David hears that, he’s feeling good about it. He takes his men and kills 200, brings their foreskins to the king, and Saul gives him his daughter Michal, who loves David.
As a side note, Saul had promised David he would be given a wife “this day” (v. 21), but in verse 26 the text says that “the days were not expired”. In other words, a “day” merely means a certain period of time.
Saul sees that God is with David, and that his daughter Michal loves him, and he fears ever more for his position. David is a highly successful and respected military leader. All the people love David, and Saul fears being supplanted.
1 Sam 19—Saul sends people to kill David, but Michal and Jonathan save him. David flees to Samuel.
Just as David feared, Saul tells his servants and even his son Jonathan to kill David. But Jonathan warns David, and tells him to hide. Jonathan says he’ll speak to his father and let David know.
Jonathan talks to his father in a field privately. He reminds his father that David hasn’t wronged him, and in fact has put his life on the line for the king. God saved the whole nation of Israel through David, and Saul also rejoiced. How could Saul sin against David and kill him without a cause? The implication is that Saul will be working at cross purposes with God, and that can not end well. Saul is persuaded, and promises, “As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain [killed].”
Jonathan brings David back to court.
Another confrontation with the Philistines comes up, and David leads the Israelites to a great victory: another slaughter of the Philistines, who flee the field. Again Saul is assaulted with the evil spirit (brooding over David’s successes and popularity, and God’s favoritism), while David is playing the harp. Saul again throws a javelin at him, and again David escapes. Saul sends people to watch for David at his house and to kill him in the morning. Michal (David’s wife, Saul’s daughter) warns David, and then helps him escape out an upper window. She puts an image/idol in the bed in his place with a pillow and a cover. See Psalm 59.
When the messengers from Saul come to get David, Michal tells them he is sick. Saul sends more messengers, demanding to be led up to David in bed. When Saul sees that his daughter Michal is helping David, he says to her, “Why have you deceived me and helped my enemy escape?” Michal excuses herself by saying that David had threatened to kill her if she didn’t help him.
David flees to Samuel, who had anointed him next king, in Ramah. He tells Samuel the whole story, and stays with Samuel. Someone tells Saul that David is in Ramah, so he sends messengers to bring him back. The messengers see a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel at the head, and they are likewise inspired by God to prophesy. When Saul finds out, he sends another set of messengers, and the same is repeated. A third time Saul sends messengers, and a third time the same thing occurs. Finally Saul goes himself. At a well along the way he is assured that Samuel and David are in Ramah. Saul himself is inspired by God to prophesy on his way, and when he arrives, he strips himself and prophesies in front of Samuel. He lies naked all the day and night (probably in a position of penitence). A saying goes forth, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” It's an ironic repeat of Saul’s experience after Samuel had anointed him king, but before he was made actual king before the people. See 1 Sam 10:12.
1 Sam 20—David & Jonathan vow their lifelong and generational friendship.
David finds it prudent to leave Ramah, and goes back to Jonathan. He asks, “What have I done wrong? Why is your father trying to kill me?” Jonathan replies that his father won’t kill David (as Saul had promised his son Jonathan), and surely if he was going to, he wouldn’t hide it from him, Jonathan.
David says, “But your father knows that you like me, so he’s not going to tell you. I’m telling you, I’m just a step away from death.” Jonathan responds, "What do you want me to do?" David says, “Tomorrow is the new moon and I should be at court for the feast. I’ll hide in the field ‘til the 3rd day. If your father asks, tell him I asked leave [permission] to go to a family sacrifice in Bethlehem. If your father is fine with that, great, but if he gets angry, you’ll know he's got it out for me. This is the way to help me, as we have vowed our friendship between us and God. But if you see any fault in me [worthy of death], kill me yourself, rather than take me to your father.”
Jonathan responds, “No way. If I knew for sure my father was out to get you, I would tell you.” David says, “How?” Jonathan says, “Let’s go out in the field, [walls have ears],” and so they do. Jonathan makes a vow before God that he will let David know his father’s mind. If his father has evil intentions toward David, Jonathan will send him away in peace, with God’s blessing. He has David vow that while Jonathan lives David will show him God’s kindness and not kill him, nor withdraw his kindness from his house/posterity.
“And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.”
Jonathan sets up the plan for David to wait 3 days in the field. On the 3rd day Jonathan will shoot 3 arrows as though he’s shooting at a target. He’ll send a lad/kid to find the arrows. If he tells the boy he’s gone too far, David can come in peace. But if Jonathan tells the kid the arrows are beyond him, David will know God sends him on his way.
So David awaits the day. When the feast of the new moon comes, Saul sees David’s seat empty, but he doesn’t say anything, because he figures David is probably ritually unclean (as in the Law of Moses). But the next day when David’s place is still empty, Saul asks Jonathan about it. As agreed, Jonathan says that David’s older brother has commanded him to be at a family event [probably David’s father Jesse has passed away, so his older brother is head of the family now]. Now Saul is angry at Jonathan, and calls him the son of a “perverse rebellious woman.” He accuses Jonathan of choosing David over his own rights to inherit the kingdom. He tells Jonathan to send for David, and let him be killed. Jonathan says, “Why? What has he done wrong?” Saul is so angry he even throws a javelin at his own son. Jonathan leaves the table “in fierce anger”, without eating. He's ashamed of his father.
Next morning Jonathan goes out to the field as if target practicing, and according to plan, lets David know his father’s ill intentions toward him. Jonathan sends the boy back to the city, and David bows himself before Jonathan 3 times. The men embrace and kiss, as would be the culture of friendship; they weep, and they part in peace with the vow between them and God. It’s a powerful story.
1 Sam 21—David flees, gets provisions and Goliath’s sword from a priest, and plays madness in Gath
David flees to Nob and asks food from Ahimelech the priest, pretending that he was in too much a rush on a secret mission from King Saul to bring any provisions with him. Apparently he’s left his men waiting for him (1 Sam 21:4-5), because “Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?”
Ahimelech says, “We don’t have any bread here except the holy bread. But if the young men at least haven’t touched any women, you can take the old shewbread that’s being replaced by fresh.” David says they haven’t been close to any women for 3 days. Then David asks if there’s any kind of spear or sword, because he says he was in too much a hurry to bring his own. The priest says, “Well, there’s only this sword of Goliath, whom you killed.” David says, “I’ll take it.”
Unfortunately, one of Saul’s servants, Doeg the Edomite, “the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul”, happened to be there, and later he will give David, as well as the priest, away. See Psalm 52.
Meanwhile, David flees to King Achish of Gath (hometown of Goliath)--probably not openly as himself. King Achish’s advisors say, “Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?” David knows that doesn’t bode well, so he pretends to be crazy, “and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.” So King Achish says, “Why do you bring this guy to me? Do I need a crazy guy in my house?” See Psalms 34 & 56.
1 Sam 22—Saul kills Ahimelech for helping David; David goes on the run from place to place
From Gath David flees to a cave, and his brothers and all his father’s house join him. A lot of discontents, debtors, and distressed also join David. Pretty soon he’s got 400 men. The prophet Gad tells him he should moved over to the land of Judah, and David and his men go to the forest of Hareth.
King Saul was staying in Gibeah, in Ramah. He berates his men, saying, “You guys are from the tribe of Benjamin (Saul’s tribe). Do you think David (son of Jesse, from the tribe of Judah) will reward you with land and military positions? You’ve all conspired against me, and kept me ignorant of my son Jonathan’s alliance with David, and stirred him up to ambush me. Nobody feels sorry for me (Saul whines, obviously he feels sorry for himself).
That’s when Doeg the Edomite (head of Saul’s servants) speaks up. He says the priest Ahimelech inquired of God for David, gave him food, and the sword of Goliath. Saul sends for Ahimelech and all his relatives, priests in Nob. They all come before Saul. He accuses them of conspiracy with David to overthrow his kingship. Ahimelech has enough courage to ask, “And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?” But, he says, he nor any of his relatives inquired of God for David.
Saul calls for his personal guard to kill the priests for conspiracy, but none of them dare kill God’s servants. So Saul tells Doeg to do it, which he does, killing 85 priests. He then attacks the city of Nob, and slaughters men, women, children, babies, and the animals. See Psalm 52.
One of Ahimelech’s sons (Abiathar) escapes and flees to David and tells him what happened. David mourns, "I knew it, when I saw Doeg there that day, that he would tell Saul. It’s my fault all your relatives have been killed. Stay here with me, I’ll keep you safe—the same man seeks your life as mine."
1 Sam 23—David asks God if he should defend his people from the Philistines, God says yes
The Philistines attack a town called Keilah, and take the grain from the threshing floors. David asks God (Abiathar, who had joined David, had brought his ephod/priestly garment, symbol of his priesthood authority) if he should go after the Philistines. He gets the go-ahead. But his men are worried it will put them in jeopardy (with only 400 against the Philistine army). David inquires again, and God says to go and He will deliver the victory over the Philistines.
“So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.” Saul hears about it, and figures this is his chance to get David, while he’s within the city walls. He calls for his army to besiege the city. David inquires of God, through Abiathar the priest . . . pleading his cause . . . and asks if the men of Keilah will turn him over to Saul. The answer is yes, the men of the city will turn him over to Saul. Maybe they were grateful for his deliverance, but Saul has brought an army and won’t go lightly on them—remember what he did to Ahimelech’s family and city.
By now David has 600 men. They flee from Keilah, so Saul doesn’t go there after all. David and his followers develop strongholds in the mountainous wilderness of Ziph. Saul and his men keep after them. Saul’s son Jonathan finds his way into David’s camp, in a wood:
17 And he [Jonathan] said unto him [David], Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
The people of Ziph come to Saul, and tell him where to find David, and promise they’ll turn him over. “And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.” Saul tells them to search and find David’s hideouts, and let him know, because David is a clever guy, and “I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.”
The people of Ziph return, but David has changed his hiding place to Maon. Saul’s army was surrounding David and his men, but then a messenger comes and says, “Hurry! The Philistines have invaded.” So Saul goes to meet the Philistines, and David makes new strongholds in Engedi.
See Psalms 54, 63, 57, 142 land of Ziph & Cave (Judean mountains)
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Ziph-Ziphites
Sam 24—David spares Saul’s life in a cave, swares he will not wipe out Saul’s posterity
Saul returns from his pursuit of the Philistines. He’s told David is in the wilderness of Engedi, and takes 3000 of his best men “and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.”
Saul comes to a cave and goes in to take a siesta, but David and his men are already in there hiding. No doubt it's a large cave. David’s men say, “God has delivered your enemy to you!” But David just cuts off the skirts of Saul’s robe, and even feels guilty about that. He forbids his men to kill Saul, saying, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”
Saul gets up rested, and leaves the cave. Then David and his men leave the cave, too. David calls after Saul, and bows to the earth. David says, “Why pay attention to people who say I’m out to hurt you? Look, God put you in my hand in the cave today, and some tried to persuade me to kill you. But I said, ‘I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.'” He shows Saul the skirt of his robe as proof he could have killed him and didn’t. “ . . . and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.” David says, “You are king of Israel, and I am nothing,” implying Saul is wasting time, energy, and money in a useless undertaking.
Saul replies, “Is that you my son David?” [a greeting of endearment] Saul weeps. He admits that David is more righteous than himself. David has been good to him, and he has rewarded him with evil. “For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.” Saul says he knows David will be king of Israel, and asks David to swear he won’t kill all Saul’s posterity. David swears it.
Saul returns home, David and his men return to their strongholds.
See Psalms 54, 63, 57, 142 land of Ziph & Cave (Judean mountains)
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Ziph-Ziphites
1 Sam 25—Samuel dies; Abigail helps David and when widowed, becomes one of David’s wives
“And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.”
Nabal is a rich man of Maon, a “churlish” guy. He’s out sheering sheep in Carmel, and David sends 10 guys to ask for provisions, reminding Nabal that they did not plunder anything when they could have. Nabal says, “Who is David? All kinds of men break away from their masters these days. Should I take food and water from my men to give to some guy we don’t know anything about?” Obviously referring to David having been in service of Saul. Upon hearing this, David mounts up with 400 men, leaving 200 to guard their stuff, and rides for Nabal’s place.
But Nabal has a pretty wife Abigail, who is wise. One of their young men (a servant/employee) tells Abigail, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.” In other words, Think about it, we’re going to suffer for this.
So without telling her husband, Abigail gets together 200 loaves of bread, 2 bottles of wine (prob large jars), 5 sheep ready to eat, 5 measures (not teaspoons) of parched grain, 100 clusters of raisins, 200 fig cakes (the original Fig Newtons), and loads all this on asses to send to David ahead of her.
David was thinking, “It was futile of me to guard against any pilfering of this guy’s stuff, and what has it got me?” He vows that by morning there won’t be anything left of Nabal and his possessions.
Abigail sees David, quickly gets off her animal, and bows herself to the ground before David. She pleads that she knew nothing of what her husband had said, and begs that David will accept her offerings and not attack her husband’s men and possessions. She acknowledges that God is on David’s side and will establish his cause, because he is blameless. She alludes to David’s slaying of Goliath with a sling by calling on God to likewise sling the enemies of David. She asks that when David is king he will remember her (recompense her as she deserves).
David replies, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand . . . Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.”
Abigail goes back to her husband. He’s holding a feast after the sheering. It’s a doozy—as rich as a king’s. He is happy and very drunk. She doesn’t tell him anything that night. Next morning when he comes to, she tells him. He realizes how close he was to being literally wiped out, “and he became as a stone.” 10 days later he dies.
David hears that Nabal is dead, and credits God with saving him from reproach in destroying Nabal and all he has. David sends messengers to Abigail, about becoming his wife. Abigail humbly accepts David’s offer (which would put her under his protection, vs Saul’s vengeance on anyone who helps David). She brings 5 of her young women, and becomes David’s wife. Presumably Nabal’s sons would inherit his fortune. David also marries a woman named Ahinoam of Jezreel. Saul had given his daughter Michal to another guy.
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