Study Desk

The king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Destruction, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Astarte the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to meet Pharaoh's demand for money. He exacted the silver and the gold from the people of the land, from all according to their assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

In his days King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him.

Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord , to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, for all that he had committed,

and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to pardon.

The king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken over all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates.

The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, seven thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war.

On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the dishes for incense, and all the bronze vessels used in the temple service,

as well as the firepans and the basins. What was made of gold the captain of the guard took away for the gold, and what was made of silver, for the silver.

As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord , the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weighing.

Then all the people, high and low, and the captains of the forces set out and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

For his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion every day, as long as he lived.

To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and the name of his brother Joktan.

six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

They journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks,

where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful; for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham.

These, registered by name, came in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, and attacked their tents and the Meunim who were found there, and exterminated them to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks.

The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant warriors, who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty, ready for service.

and when they received help against them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their entreaty because they trusted in him.