2 Chronicles 15:1-19 The Israelites Turned Back to the Lord God Under Asa’s Rule

 

Under Asa’s Rule, the Israelites Turned Back to the Lord God

2 Chronicles 15:1-19                    2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

The spirit of God came upon Azariah, [Obed’s] son. [Azariah] went out to meet Asa & said to [Asa] & all Judah & Benjamin, Hear me, Asa & all [of] Judah & Benjamin. The Lord is with you, while you [are] with Him.

If you seek Him, you will [find] Him. If you [abandon] Him, He will [abandon] you. For a long [time,] Israel had been without the true God, without a teaching priest & without law.

When they [returned] to the Lord God of Israel, [in the midst of] their trouble & sought Him, [they] found [the Lord God.] In those [days, it wasn’t safe to travel around for] all the inhabitants of the [lands were in turmoil] & had no peace.

Nation was destroyed [by] nation & city [by] city. For God had [troubled] them with adversity. [Matthew 24:7-8 For nation shall rise against nation & kingdom against kingdom & there shall be famines, [pestilence] & earthquakes in [various] places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.]

Therefore, be strong & [don’t] let your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. When Asa heard [this] & the prophecy of Oded, the prophet, he [gained] courage & put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah & Benjamin & out of all the cities he had taken from Mount Ephraim.

[Asa restored] the altar of the Lord that was [in front of] the [covered] porch of the [Lord’s temple.] [Asa] gathered all Judah & Benjamin & the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh & Simeon.

For they fell to [Asa] out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord, his God was with him. So, they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the 3rd month, in the 15th year Asa [ruled.]

The same time, they offered 700 oxen & 7,000 sheep to the Lord from the [plunder] they had brought. They entered into a covenant [contract] to seek the Lord God of their [forefathers] with all their heart & all their soul.

That whoever wouldn’t seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether a man or woman, [powerless or powerful.] They swore to the Lord with: a loud voice, shouting, trumpets & cornets.

All Judah rejoiced at the oath they had sworn with all their heart & [might] & [God] was found [by] them & the Lord gave them [peace all around.] [King] Asa removed his mother, Maachah, from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove.

Asa cut down her idol, [stomped on it] & burnt it at the Brook Kidron. The high places weren’t taken away out of Israel: [still Asa’s] heart was [loyal] all his days.

[2 Chronicles 14:3-4 For [Asa] took away the altars of the strange gods & the high places & broke down the images [idols] & cut down the groves. And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their [forefathers] & to do the Law & the [commandments.]

And [Asa] brought into the house of God the things that His father had dedicated, silver, gold & vessels. And there was no more war unto the 35th year Asa [ruled.]

2 Chronicles 14:1-15 Asa Relied on the Lord God & Judah Had Peace 10 Years

 

Asa Relied on the Lord God & Judah Had Peace 10 Years

2 Chronicles 14:1-15                       2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

So Abijah [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & was buried in the city of David. His son, Asa, [ruled] in his [place.] [During Asa’s] days, the land was [peaceful] 10 years. Asa did [what] was right & good in the sight of the Lord his God.

[Asa] took away all the altars of the strange gods & the high places. They [broke] down the images & cut down the groves. And [he] commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their [forefathers] & to do [God’s] Law & [commandments.]

[Jeremiah 21:9 Then, they shall answer, Because they have [abandoned] the Covenant [contract] of the Lord, their God & worshiped other gods & served them.]

Asa, also took away [from] all the cities of Judah, the high places & the images & the kingdom was [peaceful under Asa.] [Asa] built fenced cities in Judah: [since] the land [didn’t] have war in those years & had rest, because the Lord had given [Asa peace &] rest.

Therefore, [Asa] said to Judah, [Let’s] build these cities & make walls [around] them [with] towers & gates [with] bars, while the land is [still] before us, because we have sought the Lord our God & He has given us rest on every side. So, they built & prospered.

Asa had an army of 300,000 men [who carried large shields] & spears [from] Judah. There [were] 280,000 [who carried] shields & [shot with] bows [from] Benjamin. All these were mighty men of valor.

Zera [a.k.a. Zerah,] the Ethiopian [a.k.a. Cushite] & an [army] of 1,000’s upon 1,000’s & 300 chariots came out against them in Mareshah. Asa went out against [Zera] & [put] his battle [in order] in the Valley of Zephathah [in] Mareshah.

Asa cried [out] to the Lord, his God & said, Lord [it’s] nothing [for] You to help [us,] whether with many or with those [who] are [powerless] to help us. O Lord, our God, we [rely] on You & in Your Name we go against this multitude.

O Lord, You are our God. [Don’t] let man prevail against you. So, the Lord [struck] the Ethiopians [in front of] Asa & Judah & the Eithiopians fled. Asa & the [army] with him, pursued them to Gerar & the Ethiopians were overthrown & [couldn’t] recover.

For they were destroyed before the Lord & His [army] & they carried away [lots of plunder.] They [destroyed] all the cities around Gerar; for the fear [respect] of the Lord came upon them.

They [plundered] all the cities; for there was an [enormous amount of plunder] in them. They also [attacked the camps of the herders] & carried away [herds of] sheep & goats & returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 13:1-22 War Between Abijah & Jeroboam

 

War Between Abijah & Jeroboam

2 Chronicles 13:1-22                       2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

Now, in the 18th year king Jeroboam [ruled,] Abijah began to [rule] over Judah & he [ruled] 3 years in Jerusalem. Also, his mother’s name was Michaiah, [Uriel’s] daughter, [from] Gibeah.

There was war between Abijah & Jeroboam. Abijah [put] the battle [in order] with an [army] of 400,000 chosen, valiant men of war. Also, Jeroboam [put] his battle [in order] against him with 800,000 chosen mighty men of valor.

Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in Mount Ephraim & said, Jeroboam & all Israel, hear me: [Don’t] you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom of Israel over to [king] David & his sons forever by a covenant [contract] of salt?

[Still] Jeroboam, [Nebat’s] son, Solomon’s servant, has rebelled against his master. Vain, worthless men, [scoundrels] are gathered to him & have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam, [Solomon’s] son, when Rehoboam was young & [inexperienced & couldn’t] withstand them.

Now you think you can [resist] the Kingdom of the Lord, [that’s] in the [hands] of [David’s descendants] & you are a [large] multitude, with your golden calves Jeroboam made for you [as] gods.

Haven’t you cast out the [Lord’s] priests, [Aaron’s] sons & the Levites & made [yourselves] priests [like those ] of the nations of other lands? So [anyone who] comes to consecrate himself with a young bull & 7 rams, may be a priest of what are [not] gods.

But as for us, the Lord is our God & we haven’t [abandoned] Him. The priests [who] minister to the Lord are [Aaron’s descendants] & the Levites [assist] them in their [work.]

Every morning & every evening, they [offer] burnt sacrifices & sweet incense to the Lord [God.] They also [put the showbread] in order on the [purified] table with the candlestick of gold & [its] lamps to burn every evening.

We keep the [commandments] of the Lord, our God, but you have [abandoned] Him. [See,] God Himself is with us for our [leader] & His priests with [blaring] trumpets to [sound the] alarm against you.

O children [people] of Israel, [don’t] fight against the Lord God of your [forefathers:] for you [won’t] prosper. But Jeroboam caused an [ambush to happen] behind them. When Judah looked back, the battle was [in front] & behind & they cried [out] to the Lord & the priests sounded the trumpets.

Then, the men of Judah gave a shout & as they shouted, it [happened] that God [struck] Jeroboam & all Israel [in front of] Abijah & Judah. The [people] of Israel fled [in front of] Judah & [the Lord] God delivered them into their hand.

Abijah & his people [struck] them with a [large] slaughter, so 500,000 chosen men of Israel were [killed.] The [people] of Judah prevailed, over the [people] of Israel, because they relied on the Lord God, of their [forefathers.]

Abijah pursued after Jeroboam & [captured these] cities & [their] towns from him: BethEl, Jeshanah & Ephrain [a.k.a. Ephron] & [its] towns. Jeroboam didn’t [regain] strength again [during] the days of Abijah.

The Lord struck [Jeroboam] & he died. But Abijah [grew] mighty & married 14 wives & [fathered] 22 sons & 16 daughters. The rest of [Abijah’s actions & what he did & said,] are written in the [notations] of the prophet, Iddo.

2 Chronicles 12:1-16 The King of Egypt Fights Against King Rehoboam

The King of Egypt Fights Against King Rehoboam

2 Chronicles 12:1-16                       2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

It [happened] when [king] Rehoboam had strengthened himself & established the kingdom, he & all Israel with him [abandoned[ the Law of the Lord. It [happened] in the 5th year king [Rehoboam ruled, that] Shishak, [Egypt’s] king, [fought] against Jerusalem, because they had [sinned] against the Lord.

[1 Kings 14:28 [Therefore] king [Jeroboam] took counsel & made 2 calves of gold & said to [the people,] It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. [See] your gods, O Israel, [that] brought you up out of the land of Egypt. [Jeroboam put] 1 in BethEl & 1 in Dan.]

With 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen & people without number, [Shishak] came out of Egypt with: the Lubims, Sukkims & the Ethiopians. [Shishak] captured the fenced cities [of] Judah & came to Jerusalem.

Then Shemaiah, the prophet, came to [king] Rehoboam & to the princes of Judah, [who] had gathered together in Jerusalem, because of Shishak. [Shemaiah, the prophet] said to them,The Lord [says this,] You have [abandoned] Me & I have also left you in the hand of Shishak, [Egypt’s] king.]

[Then,] the king & the princes of Israel humbled themselves & said, The Lord is righteous. When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves.

Therefore, I [won’t] destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance & My [anger] shall not be poured out on Jerusalem [at] the hand of Shishak, [Egypt’s king.] [Still,] they shall be his servants, [so] that they may know the difference [between] serving Me & [serving the kings of other] countries.

So, Shishak, [Egypt’s] king, [fought] against Jerusalem & took away the treasures [from] the [Lord’s] house & [from] the king’s house & the gold shields Solomon had made.

Instead, king Rehoboam made brass shields & [put] them [into] the hands of the [head] guard, [in charge of] the entrance of the king’s house. When king [Rehoboam] entered the [Lord’s] house, the guard came & [got] him & brought him into the [guard’s room.]

When [Rehoboam’ humbled himself, the [Lord’s anger] turned [away] from [Rehoboam.] [The Lord wouldn’t totally] destroy [Rehoboam.]

[1 Kings 21:28-29 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying, You see how Ahab humbles himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days, I will bring the evil upon his [family.]

Also, things went well in Judah. So, king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem & [ruled.] For Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began to [rule] & [he ruled] 17 years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen to put His Name there, out of all the tribes of Israel.

[Rehoboam’s] mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. [Rehoboam] did evil, because he [didn’t] prepare his heart to seek the Lord. [Aren’t Rehoboam’s actions] 1st & last written in the [records] of Shemaiah, the prophet & Iddo, the seer, [about] genealogies?

There were wars between [king] Rehoboam & Jeroboam continually. Rehoboam [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & was buried in the city of David. Abijah his son, [ruled] in his [place.]

2 Chronicles 11:1-23 The Fenced Cities King Rehoboam Built

 

The Fenced Cities King Rehoboam Built

2 Chronicles 11:1-23                       2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

When [king] Rehoboam [came] to Jerusalem, he gathered 180,000 chosen men of the [families] of Judah & Benjamin [who] were warriors to fight against Israel, [so] the kingdom might [return] to [king] Rehoboam.

But the Word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying, Speak to Rehoboam, [Solomon’s] son, [Judah’s] king & to all Judah & Benjamin, saying, The Lord [says this,] You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren. Every man return to his house: for this is done of Me [the Lord God.]

They obeyed the words of the Lord & they returned [instead of] going against Jeroboam. [King] Rehoboam [lived] in Jerusalem & built cities [of] defense in Judah.

[Rehoboam] even built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, BethZur, Shoco [a.k.a. Sochoh,] Abdullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, Hebron, which are fenced cities in Judah & Benjamin.

He fortified the strongholds & put captains in them & [stored food,] oil & wine [in them.] In several [cities,] Rehoboam put shields & spears & made them [exceedingly] strong, having Judah & Benjamin on his side.

The priests & the Levites, out of all the coasts [took a stand with [Jeroboam.] The Levites left their possession & suburbs & came to Judah & Jerusalem.

[Since] Jeroboam & his sons had [kept the Levites] from [performing] the priest’s office to the Lord. Jeroboam [appointed his own] priests for the high places for the [demons] & calves [that Jeroboam] had made.

[Psalm 106:35-38  But [they] were mingled among the heathen & learned their [behaviors.] And they served their idols: which were a snare to them. [Yet,] they sacrificed their sons & their daughters unto [demons] & shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons & daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan & the land was polluted with blood.]

[Any of those left] of all the tribes of Israel [whose] hearts [were] set to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their [forefathers.]

So, they strengthened the kingdom of Judah & made Rehoboam, [Solomon’s] son, strong [for] 3 years. For 3 years they walked in the [paths] of David & Solomon. [King] Rehoboam [married] Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, [David’s] son,

& [married] Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, [Jesse’s] son; [who bore] him children: Jeush, Shamariah & Zaham. After her, [Rehoboam married] Maachah, [Absalom’s] daughter, [who bore] him: Abijah, Attai, Ziza & Shelomith.

Rehoboam loved Maachah, [Absalom’s] daughter [more than] all his wives & [mistresses.]  (For [Rehoboam married] 18 wives & [had] 30 [mistresses] & [fathered] 28 sons & 30 daughters.)

Rehoboam made Abijah, [Maachah’s] son, the [1st born,] to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

[Rehoboam’ dealt wisely & [distributed] all his children throughout the countries of Judah & Benjamin [into] every fenced city. He gave them [an] abundance of [food.] And [Rehoboam] desired many wives.

2 Chronicles 10:1-19 The Israelites Make a Request to King Rehoboam

The Israelites Make a Request to King Rehoboam

2 Chronicles 10:1-19                     2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

Rehoboam, [Solomon’s] son, went to Shechem, [because] all Israel had come [there] to make him king. It [happened] when Jeroboam, [Nebat’s] son, was in Egypt, [where] he had fled from the presence of king Solomon.

[1 Kings 11:40 Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose & fled to Egypt, to Shishak, [Egypt’s] king until the death of Solomon.]

When [Jeroboam] heard it, he returned from Egypt & [the Israelites] sent & called for him. So, Jeroboam & all Israel came & spoke to Rehoboam, saying, Your father [Solomon] made our [work load] grievous.

Therefore, somewhat ease our [harsh labor] of your father & the heavy [burden] he put upon us & we will serve you. [Rehoboam] said to them, Come [back] to me after 3 days, [so] the people [left.]

King Rehoboam [got advice from] the old men [who] stood before his father, Solomon, while he [was still alive.] [Rehoboam said,] What [advice] do you give me, to answer [these] people? They said, If [you’re] kind to [these] people, please them & speak [nicely] to them, they will be your servants forever.

[Rehoboam abandoned] the [advice] of the old men & [got advice from] the young men [who] were brought up with him & stood before him.

[Rehoboam asked] them, What advice do you give, [so] we may answer [these] people [who] spoke to me, saying, Somewhat ease the [grievous work] your father put upon us?

The young men [who] were brought up with him [said,] You shall answer the people [who wanted] you to make their [work] somewhat lighter than your father’s heavy [burden,] say [this] to them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s [waist.]

[Since,] my father put a heavy [burden] on you, I will [add] more to your [work.] My father [punished] you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions. Jeroboam & all the people came to king Rehoboam, as [he requested.]

King [Rehoboam] answered them roughly & [abandoned] the [advice] of the old men & answered them like] the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your [workload] heavy, but I will add [to it.] My father [punished] you with whips, but I will [punish] you with scorpions.

The king [didn’t listen] to the people; for [this] was of God, [so] the Lord [could accomplish] the word He spoke by Ahijah, the Shilonite to Jeroboam, [Nebat’s] son.

When all Israel saw that the king [wouldn’t listen] to them, [they] answered the king, saying What portion [of any inheritance] do we have left in David, [Jesse’s] son? None, every man to your tents, O Israel. Now, David [take care] of your own house.

So, all Israel went to their tents. But Rehoboam [still ruled] over the children [people] of Israel [who lived] in the cities of Judah. Then, king Rehoboam sent Hadoram [who] was over the [forced labor] & the [people] of Israel stoned him [to death.] But king Rehoboam [speedily got] to his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 9:1-31 The Queen of Sheba Visits King Solomon

The Queen of Sheba Visits King Solomon

2 Chronicles 9:1-31                     2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

When the Queen of Sheba heard of [Solomon’s] fame, she came to Jerusalem [to test] Solomon with hard questions. [She came] with a [large] company & camels that [carried:] spices & gold in abundance & precious stones.

When she [came] to Solomon, she [discussed] with him all that was on her heart. Solomon [answered] all her questions & [there wasn’t anything he was unable to answer.]

When the Queen of Sheba had seen [Solomon’s] wisdom, the [palace] he built, the [food on] his table, the [seating] of his servants, the attendance of his ministers & their [clothing,] his cup bearers & their [clothing] & the [path used when] he went [up] to the [Lord’s] house, there was no more spirit [left] in her.

She said to king [Solomon,] The report I heard in my land was true [about your actions] & your wisdom. [But] I [didn’t] believe their words until I [saw] it with my [own] eyes. ½ of the greatness of your wisdom [wasn’t] told to me. You exceed [your] fame that I heard.

Your men & your servants are happy, [who] continually stand before you & hear your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord, your God, [Who delights] in you, to [put] you on His throne, to be king for the Lord, your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever.

Therefore, He made you the king over them, to [provide] judgment & justice. She gave [Solomon] 120 talents of gold & an abundance of [rare] spices & precious stones. Neither [had there been] such [spices, like] the Queen of Sheba gave [to] king Solomon.

The servants of Huram [a.k.a. Hiram] & [Solomon’s] servants brought [him] gold from Ophir & algum [a.k.a. almug] trees & precious stones. King [Solomon] made terraces to the house of the Lord [with] the algum trees & [for] the king’s palace & harps & [lyres] for singers.

There [was nothing like this] seen before in the land of Judah. [Besides] what she had brought to the king, Solomon gave her [whatever] she desired & asked [for.]  She & her servants [returned] to her own land.

Now, the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in 1 year was 666 talents of gold. [Besides what] the [traders] & merchants brought. All [Arabia’s] kings & governors of the country brought gold & silver to Solomon.

King Solomon made 200 [large shields] of beaten gold. 300 shekels of gold went [into each] shield. King [Solomon] put them in the house [at] the Forest of Lebanon. [Also,] the king made a [large] throne of ivory & overlaid it with pure gold.

There were 6 steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which fastened to the throne. There were [armrests] on each side & 2 lions standing by the [armrests.] There [were] 12 lions, 6 on each side of the 6 steps to the throne. There [wasn’t anything like this] made in any kingdom.

All of [Solomon’s] drinking [goblets] were gold. All the vessels of the house in the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold & none were of silver. [There was nothing like this] all the days of Solomon.

[Solomon’s] ships went to Tarshish every 3 years with [Huram’s] servants [& returned with] gold, silver, ivory, apes & peacocks. King Solomon [surpassed] all kings of the earth in riches & wisdom & [they] sought to [come to] Solomon to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

[Each] man brought [Solomon presents:] vessels of silver & of gold, [clothing, harnesses,] spices, horses, mules [year] by [year.] Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses & chariots. And 12,000 horsemen whom [Solomon had given to stay] in the chariot cities & with the king in Jerusalem.

Solomon [ruled] over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines to the border of Egypt. King [Solomon] made silver in Jerusalem [as plentiful] as stones & he made cedar trees abundant [like] the sycamore trees in the [foothills.]

They brought horses out of Egypt & all [the] lands to Solomon. [Aren’t] the rest of [Solomon’s actions] 1st & last, written in the [records] of Nathan, the prophet & in the prophecy of Ahijah, the Shilonite & in the visions of Iddo, the seer against Jeroboam, [Nebat’s] son?

Solomon [ruled] over all [of] Israel for 40 years in Jerusalem. Solomon [died] & slept with his father & he was buried in the city of David, his father. And Rehoboam, his son, [ruled] in his [place.]