Study Desk

Do you not all know that Yahweh the God of Israel gave the kingdom to David over Israel forever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, the Levites? Have you not made for yourselves priests like all the peoples of the lands? All who come to be consecrated for priestly service with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what is not a god.

But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests serving Yahweh are the sons of Aaron, the Levites, according to their service.

They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh every morning and every evening, sweet spices of incense, and the rows of bread upon the pure table. And the golden lampstand with its lamps they keep kindled every evening, for we are keeping the requirement of Yahweh our God, but you yourselves have forsaken him.

And look, God is with us at the head, and his priests have the trumpets for sounding blasts against you, O sons of Israel. Do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."

Then the men of Judah shouted, and it happened that when the men of Judah were shouting, then God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

And the Israelites fled from before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.

And the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah were victorious, for they relied upon Yahweh the God of their ancestors.

Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God.

And he commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment.

And he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls, towers, gates, and bars while the land is before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought and he has given rest to us on every side." So they built and had success.

Then Asa cried out to Yahweh his God. And he said, "O Yahweh, there is none with you to help between the great and the powerless. Help us, O Yahweh our God, for we rely upon you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Yahweh, you are our God! Let no man prevail against you!"

Now Azariah the son of Oded—the Spirit of God came upon him.

Now Israel has been without the true God many days, and without a teaching priest, and without law,

but at its trouble he returned to Yahweh, the God of Israel. They sought him, and he was found by them.

Nation was crushed by nation, and city was against city, for God threw them into confusion by all sorts of trouble.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those sojourning with them, from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for many had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.

And they entered into a covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their inmost being,

but all who will not seek Yahweh the God of Israel should be killed, from young to old, from men to women.

And he brought the holy objects of his father and his own holy objects into the house of God—silver and gold and vessels.