Study Desk

and of Benjamin, Eliada, a valiant warrior, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of him?"

"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'

"He said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You shall entice him, and you will also prevail. Go out and do so.'

"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, for the LORD has declared disaster against you."

Now one man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded."

"Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be careful about what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in injustice or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe."

Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Aram; and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi)."

Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and he proclaimed a period of fasting throughout Judah.

"They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,

The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and from the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, and because He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

In his days Edom broke away from the rule of Judah, and appointed a king over themselves.

Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "This is what the LORD, the God of your father David says: 'Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat and the ways of Asa king of Judah,

behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a great plague;

and you will suffer severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.'"

Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness, and he died in great pain. And his people did not make a funeral fire for him like the fire for his fathers.

Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada gathered his courage, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him.

Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David.

"This is the thing which you shall do: a third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the Sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,