Study Desk

The men from Judah arrived at the lookout point in the desert. They looked for the enemy's large army, but all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground. There were no survivors.

Jehoshaphat gave his sons many gifts of silver, gold, and precious things. He also gave them strong fortresses in Judah. But Jehoshaphat gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his oldest son.

But the Lord would not destroy David's family because of the agreement he made with David. He had promised to keep a lamp burning for David and his children forever.

So Jehoram went to Edom with all his commanders and chariots. The Edomite army surrounded Jehoram and his chariot commanders. But Jehoram fought his way out at night.

But you have lived the way the kings of Israel lived. You have caused the people of Judah and Jerusalem to stop doing what God wants. That is what Ahab and his family did. They were unfaithful to God. You have killed your brothers, and they were better than you.

Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. No one was sad when he died. The people buried Jehoram in the City of David, but not in the graves where the kings are buried.

But Jehosheba took Ahaziah's son Joash and hid him. Jehosheba put Joash and his nurse in the inside bedroom. Jehosheba was King Jehoram's daughter. She was also Jehoiada's wife. Jehoiada was a priest, and Jehosheba was Ahaziah's sister. Athaliah did not kill Joash, because Jehosheba hid him.

And one-third of you will be at the king's palace, and one-third of you will be at the Foundation Gate. But all the other people will stay in the yards of the Lord 's Temple.

Joash called the priests and the Levites together. He said to them, "Go out to the towns of Judah and gather the money all the Israelites pay every year. Use that money to rebuild your God's Temple. Hurry and do this." But the Levites didn't hurry.

God sent prophets to the people to bring them back to the Lord . The prophets warned them, but they refused to listen.

But the people made plans against Zechariah. The king commanded the people to kill Zechariah, so they threw rocks at him until he was dead. The people did this in the courtyard of the Lord 's Temple.

Joash the king didn't remember Jehoiada's kindness to him. Jehoiada was Zechariah's father. But Joash killed Zechariah, Jehoiada's son. Before Zechariah died, he said, "May the Lord see what you are doing and punish you!"

The Aramean army came with only a small group of men, but the Lord let them defeat the much larger army of Judah. This was a punishment for Joash because the people of Judah had left the Lord , the God their ancestors worshiped.

When the Arameans left Joash, he was badly wounded. His own servants made plans against him. They did this because Joash killed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest. The servants killed Joash on his own bed. After he died, the people buried him in the City of David, but not in the place where the kings are buried.

Amaziah did what the Lord wanted him to do, but not with all his heart.

But Amaziah obeyed the law written in the Book of Moses and did not kill the official's children. The Lord commanded, "Parents must not be put to death for something their children did, and children must not be put to death for something their parents did. People should be put to death only for what they themselves did."

But a man of God came to Amaziah and said, "King, don't let the army of Israel go with you. The Lord is not with Israel or the people of Ephraim.

Maybe you will make yourself strong and ready for war, but God can help you win or help you lose."

Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what about the money I already paid to the Israelite army?" The man of God answered, "The Lord has plenty. He can give you much more than that."

When the prophet spoke, Amaziah said to the prophet, "We never made you an advisor to the king. Be quiet! If you don't be quiet, you will be killed." The prophet became quiet, but then said, "God has decided to destroy you because you did this and didn't listen to my advice."