Study Desk

Ben-hadad listened to King Asa. He sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They destroyed Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.

A disease came into Asa's feet in the thirty-ninth year of his rule. His disease was bad. But even in his disease, he did not trust in the Lord, but in the doctors.

So Asa slept with his fathers. He died in the forty-first year of his rule.

They buried him in his own grave which he had cut out for himself in the city of David. They laid him in the place of rest which he had filled with different kinds of spices mixed by those who work with perfumes. And they made a very big fire in his honor.

Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place, and made himself strong against Israel.

He placed soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah, and in places built for them in the land of Judah. And he put soldiers in the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had taken in battle.

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the early ways of his father. He did not follow the false gods of Baal.

He looked to the God of his father, followed His Laws, and did not act as Israel did.

So the Lord made the nation strong under his rule. And all Judah paid taxes to Jehoshaphat. He had great riches and honor.

He was strong in his heart in the ways of the Lord. And he took the high places and the false goddess Asherah out of Judah again.

In the third year of his rule, Jehoshaphat sent his leaders to teach in the cities of Judah. He sent Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.

Then the king of Israel called for one of his captains and said, "Hurry, bring Micaiah the son of Imla."

The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in king's clothing. They were sitting at the grain-floor at the gate of Samaria. All the men who told what would happen in the future were speaking in front of them.

So he said, "I saw all Israel spread out on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no owner. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'"

Micaiah said, "So hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne. All the armies of heaven were standing on His right and on His left.

Now the king of Syria had told the captains of his war-wagons, "Do not fight with small or great, but only with the king of Israel."

The battle was hard that day. And the king of Israel stood up against the sides of his war-wagon in front of the Syrians until the evening. When the sun went down, he died.

King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in peace to his house in Jerusalem.

Then Jehoshaphat put his face to the ground. And all Judah and the people of Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.

When he had spoken with the people, he called those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy clothing. They went out in front of the army and said, "Give thanks to the Lord. For His loving-kindness lasts forever."