Study Desk

Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David's dynasty because of the promise he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.

but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord , just as the family of Ahab does in Israel. You also killed your brothers, members of your father's family, who were better than you.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death; he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs.

He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!" But the Levites delayed.

The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. They warned the people, but they would not pay attention.

When they withdrew, they left Joash badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to the son of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

He did what the Lord approved, but not with wholehearted devotion.

But a prophet visited him and said: "O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites.

Amaziah asked the prophet: "But what should I do about the hundred talents of silver I paid the Israelite troops?" The prophet replied, "The Lord is capable of giving you more than that."

While he was speaking, Amaziah said to him, "Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!" So the prophet stopped, but added, "I know that the Lord has decided to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice."

You defeated Edom and it has gone to your head. Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?"

But Amaziah did not heed the warning, for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom.

From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord , conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him and they killed him there.

But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the Lord his God. He entered the Lord 's temple to offer incense on the incense altar.

King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.

Ahaz gathered riches from the Lord 's temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.

He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him. He reasoned, "Since the gods of the kings of Damascus helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they caused him and all Israel to stumble.

But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals, so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.)

The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them.