Study Desk

It happened in the fifth year of king Rechav`am, that Shishak king of Mitzrayim came up against Yerushalayim, because they had trespassed against the LORD,

Now Shemayah the prophet came to Rechav`am, and to the princes of Yehudah, who were gathered together to Yerushalayim because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says the LORD, You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart to seek the LORD.

Thus the children of Yisra'el were brought under at that time, and the children of Yehudah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

He built fortified cities in Yehudah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest.

For he said to Yehudah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

Also Ma`akhah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Yehudah, and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Aram, and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore is the host of the king of Aram escaped out of your hand.

Weren't the Kushim and the Luvim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because you did rely on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.

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

The LORD was with Yehoshafat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn't seek the Ba`alim,

Then Eli`ezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Yehoshafat, saying, Because you have joined yourself with Achazyah, the LORD has destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Yehudah: but the kingdom gave he to Yehoram, because he was the firstborn.

However the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always.

So Edom revolted from under the hand of Yehudah to this day: then did Livna revolt at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.

There came a writing to him from Eliyah the prophet, saying, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Yehoshafat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Yehudah,

He returned to be healed in Yizre`el of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Haza'el king of Aram. `Azaryah the son of Yehoram king of Yehudah went down to see Yehoram the son of Ach'av in Yizre`el, because he was sick.

They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Yisra'el, and toward God and his house.

The Spirit of God came on Zekharyah the son of Yehoiada the Kohen; and he stood above the people, and said to them, Thus says God, Why disobey you the mitzvot of the LORD, so that you can't prosper? because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.

For the army of the Aram came with a small company of men; and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Yo'ash.