Study Desk

And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things.

Then the king asked, "What is this monument I see?" And the men of the city replied, "It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel."

The king commanded all the people, "Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant."

And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, "If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain." And God granted the request of Jabez.

And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.

and many others fell slain, because the battle belonged to God. And they occupied the land until the exile.

But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and they prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.

Their fellow Levites were assigned to every kind of service of the tabernacle, the house of God.

But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the Most Holy Place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

and 1,760 of their relatives, the heads of their families, able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God.

They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning.

Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD your God said, 'You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.'"

saying, "Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

And David went out to meet them, saying, "If you have come to me in peace, to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see and judge you."

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: "We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

For at that time, men came to David day after day to help him, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us.

Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul."