Study Desk

He issued this edict because a Passover like this had not been observed since the days of the judges; it was neglected for the entire period of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed.

Because he killed innocent people and stained Jerusalem with their blood, the Lord was unwilling to forgive them.

What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord 's anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.

They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him.

Because God fought for them, they killed many of the enemy. They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile.

He had sexual relations with his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah because tragedy had come to his family.

Genealogical records were kept for all Israel; they are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel. The people of Judah were carried away to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

Saul told his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and stab me with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come and torture me." But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord 's instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits.

and said, "God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.

Some men from Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine lords sent David away, saying: "It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul.")

When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen stumbled.

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.

David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day.

The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it."

Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll called The Annals of King David.

God said to Solomon, "Because you desire this, and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, and because you did not ask for long life, but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king,

King Huram of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: "Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king."