Study Desk

Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Disguise yourself when you go into battle, but wear your own clothes. And I will disguise myself." The king of Israel went into battle dressed like an ordinary soldier.

Like his father Asa, Jehoshaphat was good and did everything that the Lord wanted, but he did not destroy the high places. The people continued offering sacrifices and burning incense there.

King Jehoshaphat built some cargo ships. He wanted the ships to sail to Ophir for gold, but they never went there—they were destroyed in their home port at Ezion Geber.

Then King Ahaziah of Israel offered to put some of his own sailors with Jehoshaphat's men on the ships, but Jehoshaphat refused to accept his help.

But the Lord 's angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, "King Ahaziah has sent some messengers from Samaria. Go meet those men and ask them, ‘There is a God in Israel, so why are you men going to ask questions of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?

Fire came down from heaven and destroyed the first two captains and their 50 men. But now, have mercy and let us live!"

Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, because the Lord told me to go to Bethel." But Elisha said, "I promise, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two men went down to Bethel.

Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, because the Lord told me to go to Jericho." But Elisha said, "I promise, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you!" So the two men went to Jericho.

Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will happen. But if you don't see me when I am taken from you, it will not happen."

They said, "Look, we have 50 good men. Please let them go and look for your master. Maybe the Lord 's Spirit has taken Elijah up and dropped him on some mountain or in some valley." But Elisha answered, "No, don't send men to look for Elijah!"

The group of prophets begged Elisha until he was embarrassed. Then Elisha said, "Send the men to look for Elijah." The group of prophets sent the 50 men to look for Elijah. They looked three days, but they could not find him.

The men of the city said to Elisha, "Sir, you can see this city is in a nice place, but the water is bad. That is why the land cannot grow crops."

He did what the Lord said was wrong. But he was not like his father and mother, because he removed the pillar that his father had made for worshiping Baal.

But he continued to do the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had caused the Israelites to sin. Joram did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam.

But when Ahab died, the king of Moab broke away from the rule of the king of Israel.

But Jehoshaphat said, "Surely one of the Lord 's prophets is here. Let's ask the prophet what the Lord says we should do." One of the servants of the king of Israel said, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. Elisha was Elijah's servant."

But now bring me someone who plays the harp." When the person played the harp, the Lord 's power came on Elisha.

Yes, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not see wind or rain, but that valley will be filled with water. Then you and your cattle and other animals will have water to drink.'

The Moabites came to the Israelite camp, but the Israelites came out and attacked the Moabite army. The Moabites ran away from the Israelites. The Israelites followed them into Moab to fight them.

The king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, so he took 700 men with swords to break through to the king of Edom. But they were not able to do it.