Study Desk

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded,

For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law,

but when in their distress they turned to the Lord , the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.

They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord , the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul,

but that whoever would not seek the Lord , the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

And he brought into the house of God the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.

but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king."

But Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak."

As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him.

Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God."

Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord , the God of their fathers.

Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes."

and said, "O Lord , God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.

Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord , the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.