Study Desk

And when they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."

He said, "You have asked for a difficult thing. However, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" And he replied, "I will go; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."

His servant said, "How am I to set [only] this before a hundred [hungry] men?" He said, "Give it to the people so that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'"

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes [in shock and outrage at the request] and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me [a request] to heal a man of his leprosy? Just consider [what he is asking] and see how he is seeking an opportunity [for a battle] with me."

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the kings of Aram and of Israel, who are rising up against me."

"Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father (ancestor): "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I am healing you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD.

therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such catastrophe on Jerusalem and Judah, that everyone who hears of it, both of his ears will ring [from the shock].

thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am bringing a catastrophe on this place (Judah) and on its inhabitants, [according to] all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read.

Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house and family that You have brought me this far?

David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded the people to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done evil; but as for these sheep [the people of Israel], what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued."

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.

"Observe, I am about to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, dedicated to Him, to burn fragrant incense [of sweet spices] before Him, to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, on Sabbaths, New Moons, and on the festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained forever in Israel.

"The house I am going to build will be great, for our God is greater than all the gods.

"But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens and [even] the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I to build a house for Him, except [as a place] to burn incense before Him?

to prepare for me an abundance of timber, because the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful.

"Now I am sending a skilled man, endowed with understanding, Huram-abi,

"Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I am sending you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."

Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me to [fight against] Ramoth-gilead?" He answered, "I am as you are, and my people as your people [your hopes and concerns are ours]; we will be with you in the battle."