Study Desk

People gave money for the Lord 's Temple, but the priests could not use this money to make silver cups, snuffers, basins, trumpets, or any of the gold and silver dishes that were to be used inside the Lord 's temple. This money was used only to pay the workers who repaired the Lord 's Temple.

People gave money when they offered guilt offerings and sin offerings, but that money was not used for the Lord 's temple. It belonged to the priests.

Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during the 37th year that Joash was king of Judah. Jehoash ruled Israel for 16 years.

Elisha became sick, and later he died from this sickness. King Jehoash of Israel went to visit Elisha. Jehoash cried for him and said, "My father, my father! Is it time for the chariot of Israel and its horses?"

But the Lord was kind to the Israelites. He had mercy and showed his care for them because of his agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did not want them to be destroyed. He has never completely left them.

But he did not kill the children of the murderers because of the rules written in the book, The Law of Moses. The Lord gave this command in there: "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 that they themselves did."

King Jehoash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah. Jehoash said, "The thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Give your daughter for my son to marry.' But a wild animal from Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush.

True, you have defeated Edom. But you have become proud because of your victory over Edom. But stay at home and brag! Don't make trouble for yourself. If you do this, you will fall, and Judah will fall with you!"

So King Amaziah died and was buried with his ancestors. Then Azariah rebuilt Elath and got it back for Judah.

All the great things that Jeroboam did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. This includes the story about Jeroboam winning back Damascus and Hamath for Israel. (These cities had belonged to Judah.)

Zechariah son of Jeroboam ruled over Samaria in Israel for six months. This was during the 38th year that Azariah was king of Judah.

Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel during the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled for one month in Samaria.

Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open the city gate for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city.

At that time King Rezin of Aram took back Elath for Aram. Rezin took all the people of Judah who were living in Elath. The Arameans settled in Elath, and they still live there today.

There were carts with bronze panels and basins for the priests to wash their hands. King Ahaz removed the panels and basins and cut up the carts. He also took the large tank off the bronze bulls that stood under it. He put the large tank on a stone pavement.

Workers had built a covered place inside the Temple area for the Sabbath meetings. But Ahaz removed the covered place and the outside entrance for the king. He removed all these from the Lord 's Temple. Ahaz did this because of the king of Assyria.

Later, Hoshea sent messengers to the king of Egypt to ask for help. That king's name was So. That year Hoshea did not pay tribute to the king of Assyria as he did every other year. The king of Assyria learned that Hoshea had made plans against him. So he arrested Hoshea and put him in jail.

The king of Assyria attacked many places in Israel. Then he came to Samaria and fought against it for three years.

They burned incense there in all those places for worship. They did these things like the nations that the Lord forced out of the land before them. The Israelites did evil things that made the Lord angry.

But they also worshiped the Lord . They chose priests for the high places from among the people. These priests made sacrifices for the people in the temples at those places of worship.