Grace and Wrath: Recent Episodes
Grace and Wrath
GRACE AND WRATH is a short format, daily podcast that aims to encourage you with scriptural truth and equip you with tools, tips and stories to effectively reach others with the Gospel of Jesus. Each episode includes a story from the Bible, presented in chronological order, followed by comments and discussion about the verses related to the story. We will also address questions that many people have, and provide answers, facts and apologetic responses that can be helpful when sharing the gospel.
Waiting on the Promise: The Church’s Posture in a Hostile WorldAn Exegetical Sermon on Acts 1:4-14Text: “And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.” (Acts 1:4–14, ESV)Introduction: The Church in a World of ImpatienceBrothers and sisters, we live in a world that despises waiting. We want instant answers, immediate results, and overnight success. We microwave our meals, stream our entertainment, and demand our politicians fix everything by next week. But here in Acts 1, we find the disciples in a posture that is utterly foreign to our modern sensibilities—waiting.This is not passive waiting. This is not twiddling their thumbs, staring at the sky, or wasting time. This is active, expectant, obedient waiting—the kind of waiting that prepares God’s people for His sovereign work. And in this passage, we see three critical truths that define the Church’s mission and posture in a hostile world: The Promise of Power (vv. 4–8) The Ascension and the Assurance (vv. 9–11) The Unity of Prayerful Expectation (vv. 12–14)Let’s dig in.1. The Promise of Power (vv. 4–8)“Wait for the promise of the Father… you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… you will receive power… and you will be My witnesses.”Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Go figure it out.” He doesn’t say, “Here’s a five-step plan for cultural dominance.” He says, “Wait.”Why? Because the mission of the Church is not sustained by human ingenuity, political strategy, or moral reform. It is fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples wanted a timetable for Israel’s restoration (v. 6), but Jesus redirects them: “It is not for you to know times or seasons… but you will receive power.”A. The Danger of Misplaced PrioritiesThe disciples’ question reveals a preoccupation with earthly kingdoms. Sound familiar? How often do we fixate on elections, policies, and social movements while neglecting the real battle—the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom through the Gospel?Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for wanting God’s Kingdom; He rebukes their timetable. The Father’s authority is absolute (v. 7), and our calling is not to speculate but to obey.B. The Power for the MissionThe Spirit’s coming at Pentecost was not about personal ecstasy but evangelistic urgency. “You will be My witnesses” (v. 8)—not “you might be” or “if you feel like it.” This is a divine imperative.Today, the Church in the West is paralyzed by fear—fear of cancel culture, fear of persecution,
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it's an honor to be with you today as we dive into the profound teachings of John 3:16-21. This passage is not merely a collection of words; it is a beautiful tapestry that weaves together the boundless grace and the fearsome wrath of our Almighty God. It encapsulates the heart of the Gospel, the essence of our faith, and the foundational truth of our salvation.*"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:16-21 (ESV)In the first part of this passage, we encounter one of the most familiar verses in Scripture, John 3:16. It's a verse that many of us have known since childhood, yet its depth and richness never diminish. "For God so loved the world..." Let us pause and marvel at the magnitude of these words. The Greeks had several words for love, but the word used here is 'agape'—a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love. God's love for us isn't based on our merit or worthiness; it's rooted in His boundless grace and compassion.God's love is not merely an abstract concept; it was manifested in the most tangible and costly way possible: "He gave his only Son." This statement points us to the heart of the Gospel—the self-giving love of God demonstrated in the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.God's love has a specific purpose: "that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." The offer of eternal life is available to "whoever believes." This underscores the universal scope of God's saving grace.Verse 17 emphasizes that God's purpose in sending His Son was not condemnation but salvation. This tells us that there is not a vengeful deity waiting to punish us but a gracious Father who desires to save us.I don't want to gloss over the condemnation part though. Let us not forget that we are all condemned already. We are condemned by our sin. We are dead in our sin. This is what makes God's love, and the sacrifice of Jesus all the more amazing!As we move into the second part of our passage, we see a contrasting truth that is equally essential to our understanding of the Gospel: God's fearsome wrath.Verse 18 speaks of condemnation for those who do not believe in the name of the only Son of God. This reminds us that God's wrath is a real and terrible reality. It's not a popular topic today—even among some Christians—but it is a truth we must grapple with. God's wrath is not capricious or unreasonable; it is His just response to sin and unbelief.Verse 19 outlines the basis of God's wrath: people's love for darkness rather than light. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Do we love the light of God's truth, or do we prefer the darkness of sin? God's wrath is kindled not by His lack of love but by our rejection of His love.Verses 20 and 21 reveal two different responses to God's light. Those who do evil avoid the light, fearing their deeds will be exposed. But those who live by the truth come gladly to the light, desiring that their works be seen as carried out in God. In these verses, we see a beautiful and necessary balance between God's grace and His wrath. To emphasize one at the expense of the other leads to an imbalanced view of God's chara...
A Response to "God Couldn't Forgive My Sin"Whenever I hear someone say something like, "God couldn't forgive my sin," I'm reminded of the profound truth that our understanding of forgiveness is directly tied to our understanding of God Himself. As we open God's Word together, I want to address this with biblical clarity and theological precision, because what you believe about God's forgiveness reveals what you truly believe about the character and work of God.The Holiness of God and the Reality of SinWe must begin with a proper understanding of who God is. Scripture reveals God as utterly holy. Isaiah 6:3 proclaims, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" This three-fold repetition in Hebrews represents the superlative—God is not merely holy, He is the holiest, supremely set apart in His perfection.This holy God created us in His image to reflect His glory, but sin has corrupted that image. Sin isn't merely making mistakes or breaking arbitrary rules. Sin is nothing less than rebellious treason against our Creator. It is a direct assault on God's holiness and authority.Romans 3:23 states plainly, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This isn't just some people or most people—it's all people. You and me included.When we truly grasp the holiness of God alongside the reality of our sin, we begin to understand the gravity of our situation. Our sin isn't merely a problem—it's an insurmountable catastrophe that places us under divine judgment and subject to the wrath of God.As Romans 6:23 declares, "The wages of sin is death." This death isn't simply physical death but spiritual death—eternal separation from God. Eternity in torment in a real place called hell. If we were left to ourselves, we would indeed be hopeless, for no human effort, regardless of how sincere or extensive, could ever bridge the infinite chasm between our sinfulness and God's holiness.The Justice of God Cannot Be CompromisedSomeone’s concern that God "couldn't forgive" their sin actually points to a profound theological truth. A holy God cannot simply overlook sin. His justice demands satisfaction. To simply pardon sin without addressing its penalty would violate God's own nature and make Him unjust.As Exodus 34:7 reminds us, God "will by no means clear the guilty." Nahum 1:3 declares, "The LORD will by no means clear the guilty." God's justice is not optional—it is essential to His character.This is precisely why cheap grace is a theological impossibility. God cannot simply wink at sin or sweep it under the rug. Every sin must be accounted for. Every transgression must be paid for. The justice of God demands it.If God were to simply forgive without satisfaction of His justice, He would compromise His own character. He would cease to be fully God. And a God who could cease to be God is no God at all.The Cross: Divine Justice and Mercy MeetHere we arrive at the glorious truth of the gospel. The seemingly irreconcilable tension between God's holiness and our sin, between His justice and His mercy, finds its resolution at one place in human history: the cross of Jesus Christ.At Calvary, we see both the justice and love of God on full display. There, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, became our substitute. The sinless One became sin for us. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."Christ became the propitiation for our sins. The word "propitiation" means the satisfaction of God's righteous wrath. At the cross, God's justice was not compromised—it was fully satisfied. The debt was paid. The penalty was absorbed. The wrath was endured. Not by us, but by Christ on our behalf.Romans 3:25-26 makes this clear: "God presented Christ as a propitiation through faith in his blood, to demonstrate his righteousness...
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we gather to delve into the profound topic of repentance, a term often mentioned but seldom understood in its fullness. Our reference verse comes from Luke 13:3, where Jesus says, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."To understand this verse, we must first understand the concept of repentance. The Greek word for repentance is 'metanoia,' which means a change of mind or direction. It's not merely about feeling regret or sorrow for our sins but involves a complete turning away from our old selves and turning towards God. It's a transformation of our minds, hearts, and actions.Repentance is not just a one-time event that occurs at the beginning of our Christian journey. It's a continuous process, a daily decision to turn away from sin and align ourselves with God's will. Just as we are called to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), we are also called to repent daily.Now, let's go a bit deeper into the context of Luke 13:3. Jesus was addressing the common misconception that bad things only happen to bad people. He was referring to two tragic incidents where people lost their lives - the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices and those who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them.Jesus refuted the notion that these people were worse sinners than others because they suffered in such a manner. Instead, He used these tragedies to emphasize the universal need for repentance. He warned that unless they repented, they would all also perish.This message is as relevant today as it was then. We live in a world marred by sin, suffering, and death. Every day, we witness or experience pain, injustice, disease, and loss. These are stark reminders of our mortal state and our desperate need for a Savior. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But God, in His infinite love and mercy, provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.Repentance, therefore, is our response to this amazing grace. It's our acknowledgment of our sinfulness, our need for forgiveness, and our decision to follow Jesus. It's a change of mind that leads to a change of action.As J.I. Packer said, "Repentance is more than just sorrow for the past; it is a determination to pursue a different future." It involves a conscious decision to turn away from everything that dishonors God and to seek His righteousness instead. But how do we repent? First, we must recognize our sins. We need to take an honest look at ourselves in the light of God's Word and acknowledge where we've fallen short. This requires humility and a willingness to accept correction.Next, we must confess our sins. We need to agree with God about our sins, call them what He calls them, and turn from them. The Bible promises that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).Then, we must make restitution where possible. If our sins have harmed others, we should do what we can to make things right. This might involve apologizing, returning what we've stolen, or restoring a reputation we've damaged.Lastly, we must forsake our sins. This means making a commitment not to repeat the same sins. It's not enough to say we're sorry; we must also strive to change our behavior.Remember, repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation. We can't earn God's forgiveness; it's a gift freely given through faith in Jesus Christ. But repentance is the appropriate response to God's grace. It's the way we align our lives with the reality of what God has done for us in Christ. So, let us heed Jesus' warning in Luke 13:3. Let us not harden our hearts, but let us repent and turn to God.
The Radical Reality of Regeneration Text: Acts 26:20 (CSB) – “Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.” Grace and peace to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today, we’re going to talk about a doctrine that doesn’t get enough airtime in our feel-good, self-help churches—a doctrine that separates the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff, the true believer from the pretender. We’re talking about regeneration. Now, I know some of you are thinking, “Preacher, that sounds like one of those big theological words that’s just gonna fly over my head.” But stick with me, because this is the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Regeneration isn’t optional—it’s the radical, supernatural change that God works in the life of every sinner He saves. And when God regenerates a man, that man doesn’t just clean up his act a little bit. No, sir. He changes radically! Let’s dive into our text. In Acts 26, Paul is standing before King Agrippa, giving his defense, recounting his conversion and his mission. And in verse 20, he says he preached that people “should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.” This isn’t just a call to say a prayer or raise a hand in a church service. This is a call to a total transformation—a turning from sin and a turning to God that produces a life marked by fruit. That, brothers and sisters, is regeneration in action.What Is Regeneration?First, let’s define our terms. Regeneration is the sovereign work of God through the Holy Spirit whereby He takes a dead sinner—someone spiritually lifeless, enslaved to sin, hostile to God—and makes them alive in Christ. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:1, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Dead! Not sick, not wounded, not struggling but still kicking—dead. And what can a dead man do to help himself? Nothing! He can’t climb out of the grave. He can’t will himself back to life. It takes a miracle of God to raise the dead, and that’s exactly what regeneration is: a miracle. Jesus Himself said in John 3:3, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Born again—not by your effort, not by your decision, not by your pedigree or your good intentions, but by the Spirit of God blowing where He wills (John 3:8). Titus 3:5 calls it “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” It’s a new birth, a new creation, a radical change orchestrated by God alone.The Radical ChangeNow, let me make this plain: when God regenerates a sinner, it’s not a Band-Aid fix. It’s not a little tweak here or a minor adjustment there. It’s a demolition and reconstruction project. Look at Paul himself. Before his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, he was Saul—breathing threats and murder against the church (Acts 9:1). He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, zealous for the law, and he thought he was doing God a favor by persecuting Christians. But when Jesus met him, blinded him, and raised him up, Saul didn’t just become a nicer version of himself. He became a new man—Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, preaching the very gospel he once despised.That’s what regeneration does. It takes a man who loves darkness and makes him a lover of light. It takes a woman who’s chained to her sin and sets her free to walk in righteousness. And here in Acts 26:20, Paul says this change isn’t just internal—it’s visible. “Do works worthy of repentance.” Regeneration produces a life that proves the change. You don’t get to claim new life in Christ and keep living like the devil. No, sir! If God has regenerated you, your life will show it.The Evidence of RegenerationSo what does this radical change look like? Let’s break it down from the text. Paul preached three things: repent, turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.
The Sovereign Choice of GodText: Romans 9:15-16 (ESV) “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”Good morning, church. Today, we’re diving into a doctrine that’s as glorious as it is misunderstood—the doctrine of election. Now, I know some of y’all shift in your seats when you hear that word. Election? Predestination? “Pastor, ain’t that a little too heavy? Can’t we just talk about something light, like love or forgiveness?” Well, let me tell you something: you can’t understand love or forgiveness until you understand the sovereign grace of a God who chooses His own. This ain’t about what’s comfortable; it’s about what’s true. And the truth is, the Bible teaches that salvation is not a democracy—it’s a monarchy, and God is King.Let’s get into the text. Romans 9:15-16. Paul’s writing here, and he’s quoting the Lord Himself speaking to Moses in Exodus 33:19: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Then Paul drives it home: “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Let that sink in. Salvation—your salvation, my salvation—doesn’t hinge on what you want or what you do. It hinges on God’s sovereign choice. That’s election. That’s the doctrine we’re unpacking today. Now, before we go any further, let me define this for you. Election is God’s eternal, unchangeable decision to choose a particular people for Himself, not based on their merit, not based on their goodness, but based solely on His good pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:4-5 says He chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world…according to the purpose of His will.” Before you took your first breath, before Adam even stepped foot in Eden, God had already set His affection on His elect. That’s mind-blowing, church, and it ought to humble us to the dust. But let’s be real—some of y’all are already pushing back. “Pastor, that don’t sound fair! What about free will? Don’t I get a say?” I hear you, and I get it. That’s the human instinct kicking in, wanting to be the captain of your own soul. But let me ask you something: who’s God in your scenario—you or Him? Romans 9 doesn’t leave room for negotiation. Look at verse 16 again: “It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Your will doesn’t get a vote. Your running doesn’t earn you a spot. God’s mercy does the choosing, and that’s it. Now, let’s walk through this chapter a bit, because Romans 9 is a theological sledgehammer. Paul’s addressing the question of Israel—why didn’t all of God’s chosen people believe? Was God’s promise failing? No, Paul says, because “not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (v. 6). In other words, God’s promise wasn’t to every physical descendant of Abraham—it was to a remnant He chose by grace. Look at verses 11-13: Jacob and Esau, twin boys, not yet born, hadn’t done good or evil, and God says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Why? “That God’s purpose of election might stand” (v. 11). Not because Jacob was better, not because Esau was worse—because God decided it. Church, this is where the rubber meets the road. If you’re squirming right now, it’s because we’ve been fed a lie that God’s love is some egalitarian free-for-all, that He’s just up there hoping we’ll pick Him. That’s not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible says, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” He’s not begging for your approval—He’s declaring His sovereignty. And here’s the kicker: that’s good news! If salvation depended on you, you’d mess it up. I’d mess it up. We’re sinners, dead in trespasses (Ephesians 2:1), inclined to rebel against God. Left to ourselves, we’d never choose Him. But God, in His mercy, steps in and says, “That one’s Mine.” Now, let’s talk about this mercy for a minute,
Today’s Text is Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”Brothers and sisters, we are living in a time of moral darkness—a time where the very foundations of truth are being challenged and even overturned. What was once universally recognized as sin is now celebrated as virtue, and what was once upheld as righteousness and truth is now condemned as bigotry, hate and intolerance. This is not a new phenomenon. Isaiah 5:20 is a divine indictment against a culture that has abandoned God’s standards and replaced them with man’s arrogant rebellion.This text is not merely a historical or Biblical relic; it is a prophetic warning echoing from the corridors of time and reverberating in our own generation today. We are witnessing the fulfillment of this woe in real-time—where evil is called good, and good is called evil. Today, we will examine three manifestations of this moral rebellion and how the church must respond.First, let’s discuss The Nature of the Woe:The word “woe” here is not a sigh of despair; it is a declaration of judgment. In Scripture, “woe” is a prophetic pronouncement of God’s coming wrath upon those who defy His law. Isaiah 5 outlines six “woes” against Israel for their covenant unfaithfulness, and verse 20 zeroes in on their moral corruption.God’s people had twisted His standards. They had taken His clear commandments and turned them upside down. They called evil “good” and good “evil.” They celebrated what God condemned and condemned what God celebrated. Sound familiar?We see this in the world today in three devastating ways:The most glaring example of calling evil good is the sexual revolution. What God calls abomination (in Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27), our culture calls “love.”What God designed as sacred—marriage between one man and one woman—is now mocked as outdated, oppressive, and even hateful. Homosexuality is called "pride." Transgenderism is called "courage." Fornication is called "freedom."But God’s Word has not changed. Romans 1:32 warns that those who “approve of those who practice” sin are just as guilty as those who commit it. The church must not bow to this cultural pressure. We must speak the truth in love—but we must speak the truth.Next, there is The Murder of the Unborn: or Calling Genocide "Choice"Since 1973, over 60 million babies have been slaughtered in the womb, and yet this holocaust is celebrated as “reproductive rights.” What God calls murder (Exodus 20:13, Psalm 139:13-16), our culture calls “healthcare.” Abortion is called "women’s rights." Killing a child is called "compassion." Opposing infanticide is called "extremism."This is Isaiah 5:20 in action. We have taken the most vulnerable among us and sacrificed them on the altar of convenience.The blood of these children cries out to God (Genesis 4:10), and woe to the nation that ignores their cries.We also have The Attack on Biblical Authority: Calling Truth "Hate"The most insidious inversion is the rejection of God’s Word itself. The Bible, which has shaped Western civilization for centuries, is now dismissed as “myth,” “hate speech,” or “intolerant.” Preaching repentance is called "judgmentalism." Defending biblical marriage is called "homophobia." Upholding God’s design for gender is called "transphobia."This is the spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:3)—a rebellion against God’s ordained order. When a society rejects divine authority, it descends into chaos (Judges 21:25).Now, let’s talk about The Root of the Problem: A Rejection of God’s LawWhy does this happen? Because sinful man hates God’s law. Romans 8:7 says, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed,
The Forgotten Order: Reclaiming God's Design for Family in an Age of Rebellion"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)Brothers and sisters, I stand before you today with a heavy heart but a spirit emboldened by the unchanging truth of God's Word. We live in an age where the very foundations established by the Creator are not merely questioned but actively dismantled and mocked. The world around us has declared war on the created order itself, and nowhere is this more evident than in the assault on God's design for family, marriage, and human flourishing.The Created Order EstablishedLet us return to the beginning. In Genesis 1, we find the blueprint of God's perfect design. After creating the heavens and the earth, separating light from darkness, and filling the land with vegetation and animals, God came to the pinnacle of His creation:"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:27-28)Note carefully what God established in these foundational verses. First, mankind is created in God's image—both male and female bearing this divine imprint, yet distinct in their creation. Second, God blessed this complementary union with a command: "Be fruitful and multiply." The very first command given to humanity was to form families, to have children, to populate the earth.This is not a suggestion. This is not a cultural preference. This is divine design. The family unit—one man and one woman united in covenant, bearing and raising children—stands as the cornerstone of human civilization precisely because it is God's established order.Genesis 2 elaborates further:"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)The pattern is unmistakable: one man, one woman, united in a covenant before God, designed to be fruitful. This is the foundation upon which all human society was meant to be built. And God declared all of it "very good."The Modern Rebellion Against CreationBut what do we witness today? A coordinated, intentional campaign to subvert this created order at every level. Make no mistake—this is not merely cultural evolution. It is rebellion against the Creator Himself.The secular world has systematically attacked the biblical family structure through multiple avenues:First, by separating marriage from procreation. The contraceptive revolution divorced the marital union from its God-ordained purpose of creating new life. What God joined together—sexual union and procreation—man has perverted.Second, by redefining marriage itself. No longer is marriage understood as the covenant union between man and woman that God established. Instead, it has been reduced to a mere contract based on emotional connection, easily formed and just as easily dissolved.Third, by blurring and eventually seeking to erase the distinct categories of male and female. Genesis is clear: "Male and female He created them." Yet our culture now insists that these categories are fluid, subjective, and self-determined rather than divinely established.Fourth, by promoting childlessness as a virtue rather than the exception. The command to "be fruitful and multiply" is openly rejected, with many viewing children as burdens that limit self-fulfillment rather than blessings from the Lord.Finally, by dismantling the family's educational authority. Parents are increasingly marginalized in the moral and spiritual formation of their children, replaced by institutions hostile to biblical values.Brothers and sisters, we must recognize this for what it is: not progress, but regression into paganism.
Jesus, the One Mediator: A Call to Behold and Believe Based on 1 Timothy 2:5Brothers and sisters, I am here today not to entertain, not to tickle your ears with soft words or clever stories, but to proclaim a truth that should shake the foundations of your soul and drive you to your knees before a holy God. The Scripture says in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” One God. One mediator. One way. Do you hear that? There is no other door, no other bridge, no other hope for wretched sinners like you and me. Today, I plead with you to see Jesus—not as a mere figure of history, not as a moral teacher, but as the only One who stands between a righteous God and a rebellious humanity. Oh, let us tremble at this truth and run to Him!The Holiness of God and the Sinfulness of Man To understand why we need a mediator, we must first see the chasm that separates us from God. Scripture declares that God is holy—perfectly, infinitely, unapproachably holy. In Habakkuk 1:13, it says His eyes are too pure to look upon evil. He is a consuming fire, a God of justice who will not let sin go unpunished. And what are we? We are not merely flawed; we are corrupt to the core. Romans 3:23 tells us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Every thought, every deed, every secret rebellion has made us enemies of this holy God. Do you grasp this? You cannot waltz into His presence with your good works or your church attendance. Your hands are stained, your heart is deceitful, and the wages of your sin is death—eternal separation from the God who made you—eternity in a lake of fire and torment.This is the tragedy of humanity: a perfect God, a sinful people, and a divide so vast that no man can cross it. You cannot climb to Him with your religion. You cannot bargain with Him through your sacrifices. The prophets of old tried to approach Him, and they fell on their faces in terror. Moses hid in the cleft of the rock because no man can see God and live. So how then? How can a sinner stand before a holy God and not be consumed? There must be a mediator—someone to bridge the unbridgeable, to reconcile the irreconcilable. And praise be to God, there is One!The Man Christ Jesus: Fully God, Fully Man Look at the text again: “the man Christ Jesus.” Oh, what a mystery, what a marvel! This is no ordinary man. This is the eternal Son of God who stepped into time, who took on flesh, who humbled Himself to bear our infirmities. Philippians 2 tells us He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, born in the likeness of men. He is fully God—Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”—and yet fully man, tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Why? Because a mediator must represent both parties. He must be God to satisfy God’s justice, and He must be man to stand in our place. No angel could do this. No priest could do this. No prophet could bear this weight. Only Jesus—the God-man—could span the gulf between heaven and earth.Do you see the beauty of this? He is not aloof, sitting in the heavens detached from your pain. He walked this broken world. He felt hunger, weariness, sorrow. He wept at Lazarus’ tomb. He sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane. And yet, He never wavered, never sinned, never turned from the Father’s will. He is the perfect man, the second Adam, undoing the ruin of the first. Where Adam failed, Jesus prevailed. Where we rebelled, He obeyed—even to the point of death. Oh, brothers and sisters, this is no small thing! This is the hope of the world!The Work of the Mediator: Atonement and Reconciliation What does a mediator do? He makes peace where there is enmity. He pays what is owed. And that’s exactly what Jesus did. On that cross, He didn’t just suffer physical agony—He bore the wrath of God. Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities.
"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." - Jeremiah 10:23"Choose this day whom you will serve." - Joshua 24:15IntroductionDear brothers and sisters in Christ,Today we confront one of the most profound paradoxes of the Christian faith—the tension between God's absolute sovereignty and human free will. These two biblical truths appear, on the surface, to be irreconcilable opposites. On one hand, Scripture clearly affirms that God is sovereign over all things, working everything according to His purpose. On the other hand, the Bible consistently calls people to make choices, holds them accountable for those choices, and speaks meaningfully of human responsibility.How do we hold these seemingly contradictory truths together? Are we merely puppets in a divine play, or are we truly free agents making autonomous decisions? Does God's sovereignty negate our freedom, or can these two realities somehow coexist? And importantly, how do we distinguish between free will and free agency, a distinction that theologian J.I. Packer helpfully clarifies in his book "Concise Theology"?As we explore this tension today, I want to propose that divine sovereignty and human freedom are not contradictory but complementary truths. Both are affirmed in Scripture, and both must be held with equal conviction, even when our finite minds struggle to fully comprehend their relationship.I. The Biblical Witness to God's SovereigntyLet us begin by examining what Scripture teaches about God's sovereignty—His absolute rule and authority over all creation.The Bible portrays God as the supreme ruler who governs all things according to His will. In Ephesians 1:11, Paul describes God as the one "who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Nothing happens outside His sovereign control—not the fall of a sparrow (Matthew 10:29), not the roll of the dice (Proverbs 16:33), not even the decisions of kings (Proverbs 21:1).Consider these further testimonies from Scripture: Daniel 4:35 declares that God "does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'" In Isaiah 46:9-10, God says, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Romans 9:19-21 compares God to a potter who has the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use. These passages and many others present a God who is not merely reacting to human decisions but actively directing the course of history according to His sovereign plan. This sovereignty extends to salvation itself. In Ephesians 1:4-5, Paul writes that God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world" and "predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."The doctrine of divine sovereignty reminds us that God is truly God—not a limited deity constrained by human choices, but the Almighty Lord who accomplishes all His purposes.II. The Biblical Witness to Human ResponsibilityYet the same Scriptures that affirm God's absolute sovereignty also consistently present humans as responsible moral agents who make genuine choices.Throughout the Bible, God calls people to choose: Joshua challenges the Israelites, "Choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). Moses sets before the people "life and death, blessing and curse" and urges them to "choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19). Jesus invites people to "enter by the narrow gate" (Matthew 7:13) and to "come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden" (Matthew 11:28). The Bible is filled with commands, exhortations,
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick who can understand it? Let that sink in, let it marinate. If you've come here thinking you've got the power in your own hands to choose Christ. To pull yourself up by your spiritual bootstraps and march into salvation. This text is about to undo you, and it ought to because the truth is apart from the sovereign grace of God, you and I are dead in our trespasses, deceived by our own hearts and utterly incapable of choosing Christ.Now, before we unpack this, let's pray. Father, open our eyes to see the truth of your word. Break through the hardness of our hearts, the deceitfulness of our minds, and show us our desperate need for you. Jesus' name, amen. Let us start with the first truth in this verse. The heart is deceitful. Above all things.Above all things. That's not a suggestion. That's not an opinion. That's the declaration of Almighty God through his prophet Jeremiah. Your heart. My heart is a liar. It's a con artist. It's a master manipulator, and it's not just deceitful. Sometimes it's deceitful above all things. There's nothing in this created order, more prone to deception than the human heart.You think you know yourself, you think you've got your motives figured out. God says, no, you don't. Your heart is a dark alley and you're walking through it blindfolded. Now, I know it's some of your thinking, preacher. I'm not that I've got good intentions I wanna do right, but listen to me. Your good intentions don't mean a thing when your heart is lying to you every step of the way.
Today we will be discussing the doctrine of special revelation and how our Lord Jesus Christ viewed the scriptures during his earthly ministry. We'll be focusing on Exodus 32:16 where we see that the 10 Commandments were written by the finger of God himself. First, let us read the verse in question, and the tablets were the work of God.The writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. This verse is clear in its assertion that the 10 Commandments were not merely inspired by God, but were literally written by him. This is a powerful demonstration of the doctrine of special revelation, which teaches us that God has revealed himself and his will to us through the scriptures.Special revelation is different from general Revelation, which we spoke of last week, which is the knowledge of God that we gain from observing the world around us. Psalm 19:1 through 6 is what we, reviewed. While general revelation is sufficient to leave us without excuse when it comes to the knowledge of God's existence, it is not enough to bring us to the knowledge of our own sin and the knowledge of Gods saving grace.For that, we need special revelation. The Bible is the primary means by which God has given us special revelation. It is his written word, which he has breathed out by His spirit, 2 Timothy 3:16. It is not merely a collection of human writings, but is the very word of God himself. This is how Jesus viewed the scriptures during his earthly ministry.
Today we stand under the weighty truth of God's word, a truth that presses down on every soul, whether they acknowledge it or not. We're going to unpack what theologians called general revelation, the reality that God has made himself known to all humanity through the created order.And we're gonna see how this ties into the fact that no one stands excused before the Almighty. Our text is Psalm 19, one. The heavens declare the glory of God and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Let me tell you something right now. This isn't a suggestion. This isn't an opinion. This is the unvarnished, unrelenting declaration of the living God.
Get ready, folks! Big things are happening! The Grace and Wrath Podcast is coming back and it's bigger than ever. We're thrilled to announce our relaunch, and it's going to be more powerful, transformative, and impactful than you can imagine.Buckle up because we're not back to just talk and tell stories—we're here to dive deep into the unvarnished truth of Scripture, to wrestle with the raw, unfiltered realities of God's grace and wrath. We're not about tickling your ears with soft messages about love and prosperity—we're about equipping believers like you with the tools and knowledge to spread the gospel to a dark world that desperately needs it. We don't intend to offend anybody but we will probably ruffle some feathers… I mean, sometimes the truth hurts.Are you ready for a journey that will not just inform, but also transform? Are you up for discussions that are sometimes uncomfortable, but always pivotal in understanding the Word of God? If your answer is a resounding "YES!", then join us on this exhilarating expedition into the depths of God's Word.Get excited, because each episode will be a beacon, guiding us all in understanding God's wrath, receiving His grace, and committing to the high calling of the Great Commission.Don't miss out on this radical relaunch! Subscribe now and brace yourself for an unforgettable journey with The Grace and Wrath Podcast! New episodes will drop each week, starting next Friday.
Hezekiah was one of the best kings of all the descendants of David. His son Manasseh, however, was one of the most wicked of them all. He became king when he was 12 years old, and ruled for 55 years.
His acted worse then the kings of Canaan before the Israelites got there. His father had destroyed all the altars to false gods, but Manasseh had them rebuilt. He put several inside the Temple itself. He led the whole nation to practice witchcraft, and even sacrificed his own sons to false gods.
God spoke to Manasseh and the nation of Judah, but they didn’t listen. Finally, the Lord allowed military commanders from Assyria to capture the king. They put a ring in his nose and led him away in bronze chains. He was put in a prison in Babylon.
This was the darkest time of Manasseh’s life. So he humbled himself and called out to God. The Lord heard his prayer and was gracious to him.
The time came when God allowed him to go back to Jerusalem and once again be king. Once he was there, Manasseh knew that the Lord had done this for him, and he was grateful.
He removed all the idols and altars from the Temple. He restored the altar of God and used it to give thanks to the Lord. He built up the walls of Jerusalem and made the city more secure. Through his leadership, the military became stronger.
When Manasseh died, his son Amon became king. He ruled for only two years, but he was as evil as his father had been in his early years. Unlike his father, however, he did not turn to the Lord.
His servants plotted against him and finally killed him. A mob of people in Judah hunted down those men and executed them.
They then took Amon’s son and made him king. His name was Josiah, and he was only an 8-year-old boy. Still, Josiah became a great king of Judah.
King Hezekiah became extremely sick. The prophet Isaiah went to him and said, “God told me this sickness will kill you. So prepare to die.” He then turned and left the room.
Hezekiah cried out to God. “Oh Lord! I’ve walked with you and lived according to your commandments. Please spare my life.” He turned his head to the wall and cried bitterly.
Once again, God talked to Isaiah. “Go tell King Hezekiah I’ve heard his prayer and have seen his tears. Therefore I’ll add fifteen years to his life. I’ll also give him a sign so he’ll know that this promise is true. I’ll cause the shadow on the sundial to go backward ten degrees.”
Hezekiah watched the shadow on the sundial and saw it move back ten degrees. Immediately his sickness began to leave him until he totally recovered. He sang before the Lord and gave thanks.
After he recovered, a delegation came from Babylon with gifts. They gave him a letter from their king saying he was glad about Hezekiah’s recovery.
Hezekiah was pleased with this, and honored the delegation with a tour of his palace and government buildings. He took them to the treasury house and showed them all of the nation’s treasures – including gold, silver, spices, and precious oil.
After the men from Babylon left, the prophet Isaiah asked, “Who were those men and what did they say to you?”
The king said, “They’re from a far-off country, a place called Babylon.”
“What did you show them?”
“I showed them everything. I didn’t hide anything of value from them.”
The prophet said, “Listen to the words of the Lord. ‘A day will come when Babylon will invade Judah and take everything they’ve seen back to their country. Your descendants will become personal slaves to the king of Babylon.’ ”
Hezekiah bowed his head, and finally said, “This message from the Lord is good. None of this will happen in my lifetime. While I live, there will be peace and security.”
The Assyrian army invaded Judah when Hezekiah was king. They had already conquered Israel a few years before.
When they arrived at Jerusalem, the commander of the Assyrian army called for a meeting with Jewish officials outside the walls of the city. He said, “Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria, sends this message to Hezekiah. ‘Why do you resist my great army? Do you think other nations will come and help you? Listen. They won’t come! They’re afraid of us.”
“Oh, are you trusting in the Lord your God? Why? It was your God who sent us here to destroy you!”
While the commander was talking, the people of Jerusalem were on the city walls – listening to everything he was saying. He spoke in Hebrew and was loud enough so they could hear. The Jewish officials said, “Please, speak in your language. We understand it.”
The commander laughed and yelled louder, “No! This message is not only for your king. It’s also for the common men. They’re the ones who’ll suffer when we crush you.”
He pointed to the men on the wall. “Listen to me! Don’t trust your king. Don’t trust your God! Trust Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria! He’ll take good care of you. We’ve conquered many nations and their gods weren’t able to protect them. Your God can’t stop the great king of Assyria!”
When King Hezekiah heard this report, he ripped his clothes and went into the Temple to pray. He sent messengers to the prophet Isaiah asking him to pray for God’s people.
Isaiah sent word to Hezekiah. “I have a message from the Lord. He says, ‘I’ve heard this man. Don’t be afraid of him. I’ll whisper into his ear and he’ll rush back to his country. Once he gets there, someone will kill him.’ ”
Suddenly, the commander heard of trouble back in Assyria. He knew his king needed him. The entire army left.
Some time later, Sennacherib moved his army toward Jerusalem once again. Along the way, he sent a message to Hezekiah. “Did your God tell you that you’re safe from me? Don’t believe him! I’ve conquered the gods of many other nations, and burned them with fire. They couldn’t protect their nations. What makes you think your God will protect you?”
Hezekiah took the letter to the Temple. He spread it out before God and prayed. Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah, but it wasn’t addressed to him. It was God’s answer to Sennacherib.
It said, “Who do you think you are? I’ve told Jerusalem to spit on you. Who do you think you’re mocking? I’m the one who put you in power so you could judge other nations. Now are you so arrogant that you yell at me? Here’s what I’m going to do to you. I’m going to put a hook in your nose, and a bit in your mouth. Then I’ll take you back to the barn from which you came!”
“Hezekiah, don’t worry about Sennacherib. Not one arrow will hit the walls of Jerusalem. Before his army gets here, they’ll turn around and go back to their country. I’m your defense! I’ll fight this battle and save the city.”
That evening the army of Assyria set up camp. The sun went down and men sat around the campfires until it was time to sleep. When the sun arose the next morning, 185,000 soldiers were dead where they had slept. The king of Assyria had an army of dead men!
He quickly returned home to Nineveh and knelt down before his idol. Two of his sons came in and killed him. Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria, was dead, and Jerusalem was at peace.
Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old. He followed the Lord more than any king since David.
The first thing he did was to open the Temple his father had closed. He said to the priests and Levites, “We all know God has turned against us because of our sin. We’re almost like the kingdom of Israel and nearly beyond hope. But I’m making an agreement with the Lord so possibly he’ll turn his anger away from us. I need your help because you’re chosen by God to stand in his presence and serve him.”
The priests and Levites rallied around their king. The first thing they did was purify themselves before the Lord. They then went into the Temple and started cleaning it up. They took out things that were defiled and cleaned everything else.
After that, King Hezekiah and the city officials went and sacrificed to the Lord. They then made preparations so all the people of Jerusalem could come and worship God. The priests and Levites were put in place. Musical Levites got their instruments ready. Choirs prepared to sing the songs of David.
The people came and sacrificed to God. They sang to the Lord while trumpets blew. Everyone rejoiced, and bowed down and worshiped. So many burnt offerings were brought that the priests couldn’t do it all. The Levites had to help them until the work was done.
When it was time for Passover, Hezekiah sent a message throughout all of Judah and Israel. He invited everyone to come and celebrate Passover together in Jerusalem.
The messengers went to every city throughout the entire area. God moved the hearts of the people of Judah, and they came to celebrate Passover with their king.
Most of the people of Israel had been taken to other countries, but there were still a few in the land. They were amazed when Hezekiah invited them to come back and worship the Lord in Jerusalem. Some laughed at the messengers, but others humbled themselves and made the trip to Jerusalem.
An extremely large crowd met together. The first thing the king had them do was walk throughout the city and tear down all the pagan altars. He also had them destroy the bronze snake that Moses had made, because people were burning incense to it.
They then offered the Passover lambs before the Lord. Many of the people from Israel weren’t considered clean before God. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to go through that procedure. King Hezekiah prayed and asked the Lord to make an exception for them since they were coming to seek the Lord. God heard his prayer and purified the people so they could eat the Passover.
This celebration lasted for seven days. Then the entire crowd decided to extend it for another seven days. Everyone rejoiced together, whether they were from Judah or from Israel. Even Samaritans rejoiced with them. Such a festival hadn’t been seen in Jerusalem since the days of David and Solomon.
After it was all over, the people went home. The first thing they did was to tear down all altars of false gods and objects of idol worship. They started sending their tithes and offerings to the Temple so the priests and Levites could continue their fulltime service to the Laws of God.
In all the history of Judah, there was no king like Hezekiah. He reigned for 29 years.
The king of Assyria attacked the kingdom of Israel and took control of it. From that day on, they were to pay heavy taxes to Assyria. There came a time when the king of Egypt said he would help Israel get free of their bondage to Assyria. So the people stopped paying the taxes.
The armies of Assyria invaded Israel, captured their king, and put him in prison. They then encircled Samaria and kept anyone from going in or out. This lasted for three years, until finally Samaria surrendered.
The Assyrians were cruel to the people of Israel as a warning to other nations not to rebel against their authority. Finally the people were taken off the land and sent into exile.
Israel had been a separate kingdom from Judah for many years. Their first king set up two golden calves for worship. None of their kings destroyed the calves or followed the Lord. Some of the greatest prophets who ever lived were sent to Israel. Still, the people never turned to God.
So, after many warnings, God finally allowed Assyria to conquer them. They were taken off the land and made to live in other cities.
The Assyrians brought other people to live in the land of Israel. They settled in the cities and called their new nation Samaria, instead of Israel.
The new people knew nothing about the Lord, so they started worshiping the idols they brought with them. God sent lions among them, and many people were killed.
An advisor to the king of Assyria said, “The Samaritans don’t know the God of the land. He sent lions to kill them because they don’t know how to worship him correctly.”
So the king said, “Select a few priests from the people of Israel and send them back to Samaria. Have them teach the people how to worship the God of the land.”
A few priests were selected and they went back to Samaria. They taught the Samaritans how to properly worship the Lord. The people started worshiping God, but they also kept the idols of their old country. They mixed the two together. This continued for many years to come.
Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king of Judah. Unlike his father and grandfather, he didn’t follow the Lord. He started the worship of Baal in Jerusalem, and even began to practice the ritual of child sacrifice. Syria marched on Jerusalem and took people away as captives. Ahaz sent gold and silver to the king of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. He said, “I’ll be your loyal servant if you rescue us from Syria.”
So Assyria attacked Syria and totally destroyed their nation and sent most of their people into exile.
Ahaz went to Syria to meet with the king of Nineveh. While he was there, he saw a special altar he liked, and sent plans back to Jerusalem so his craftsmen could build one like it.
It was done by the time the king got back to Jerusalem. So he took many of the things from inside the Temple and started to use them with his new altar. He then closed the doors of the Temple so no one could go inside to worship.
The Lord became angry and allowed the king of Israel to defeat Judah. Their army marched on Jerusalem and killed 120,000 men, including some of Ahaz’s sons. The army took a massive amount of Judah’s wealth back to Israel. They also took 200,000 women and children, to be used as slaves.
A prophet of the Lord met the army as they came into Samaria. He said, “The Lord gave Israel victory over Judah because he was angry with them. But God is not pleased with you because you went too far. You slaughtered their people and took their women and children as slaves.
“Take them back to Judah now! If you don’t, the Lord will strike you in anger, just as he did Judah.”
This made the people of Israel afraid. Their leaders said to the army, “Don’t bring those people here! We don’t want to make God more angry with us than he already is.”
So the people of Israel used the spoils of Judah to provide for their captives. They gave them clothes and attended to their medical needs. They gave everyone food and drink.
Once the captives were cared for, they took them to Jericho, and even provided donkeys for those who were weak. Once the captives were safely in the care of their own people, the Israelites went back to Samaria.
Ahaz’s troubles continued on. All the nations around him attacked Jerusalem and took whatever they wanted. He once again asked Assyria for help, but they refused.
Ahaz still didn’t turn to the Lord. Instead, he kept trying to find another god who would help him. Finally he died and his son Hezekiah became king. He would become one of the greatest kings of Judah.
When Amaziah died, the people made his son – Uzziah – king. He was 16 years old and served as king for 52 years. God gave him great success because he followed the Lord and wanted to please him.
Uzziah did many wonderful works. He defeated the enemies of Judah and was known far and wide as a powerful king. He restored Jerusalem and strengthened the other cities of Judah. He loved the soil, so he excelled in farm activities. He provided for his army so that every man was well equipped for battle. He invented the catapult, so he could throw large stones from the walls of Jerusalem.
One day, king Uzziah was feeling proud of his accomplishments and his dedication to God. He decided to go into the Temple and burn the incense himself, instead of letting the priest do it. The high priest suddenly realized what he was about to do. He got 80 other priests and went in the Temple so they could stop the king from doing this.
He said, “Uzziah, this is wrong! God made it clear that only a descendant of Aaron is allowed to offer incense to the Lord. Please, leave right now! You’re not honoring God in this.”
Uzziah became angry as he stood next to the altar with the censer in his hand. He couldn’t believe all the priests were so bold as to confront him on this. Suddenly leprosy appeared on his forehead. All of the priests saw it and rushed him out of the Temple. He willingly went with them because he knew the Lord was punishing him.
Uzziah had leprosy for the rest of his life. He had to stay away from other people, so he lived in isolation. Because of the leprosy, he wasn’t allowed to go into the Temple. He couldn’t even go into his own palace. His son Jotham lived there and ruled the people in the king’s stead.
Jotham became king after his father died. He followed the example of his father’s early years. He continued to build up the kingdom of Judah. He did what was right and became a powerful king.
After Joash died, Amaziah became king of Judah. He started off as a good king, and followed the Lord for many years.
Eventually, he decided to attack Edom and bring them under his control. He organized an army of 300,000 soldiers. He then hired another 100,000 soldiers from Israel and paid them four tons of silver.
A man of God came with a message. “Don’t use soldiers from Israel. If you do, God will make sure you lose the battle.”
The king said, “But what about the money I already paid them?”
The prophet said, “Don’t worry about that money. God is able to give you much more than that.”
So the king told the soldiers of Israel to go home. They became angry. Along the way they raided several cities of Judah and killed over 3,000 people.
While this was going on, the army of Judah marched south toward Edom. They won the battle and regained control over them. Unfortunately, Amaziah brought the gods of Edom back to Judah. He set them up and started worshiping them.
The Lord became angry and sent a prophet to speak to the king. “Why would you worship gods that weren’t able to protect their own people from your army?”
Before he could say any more, Amaziah said, “Stop talking! You’re not one of my counselors. Leave or I’ll have you killed.”
The prophet said, “Because you won’t listen to God’s message, he is going to punish you.”
So the Lord put in Amaziah’s heart the desire to go to war against Israel. The king sent a message to king Jehoash saying, “Come out and face me in battle.”
Jehoash sent a story back to Amaziah. He said, “A thistle sent a message to the cedar tree. He said, ‘I want to arrange a marriage between my son and your daughter.’ Suddenly an animal accidentally stepped on the thistle and crushed it.”
“Don’t be like the thistle. You had a good victory with Edom. Enjoy it, but don’t let pride lift you up. Stay home, because if you come after me, Judah will fall.”
God made sure Amaziah didn’t listen to this. The two armies went into battle and Judah was totally defeated. Their army ran from the battlefield.
Jehoash captured Amaziah and then took Jerusalem. Israel broke down 600 feet of the wall of Jerusalem. They took all the gold and silver from the Temple and the king’s palace.
Jehoash left Amaziah in Jerusalem and went back to Samaria. A group of men tried to kill Amaziah, but he escaped to another city. They hunted him down, and killed him there.
Once again, God said to Jonah, “Leave right now and go to Nineveh. You’re to tell them I’m going to judge them because of their wickedness.” This time, Jonah immediately got up and went to Nineveh.
The city of Nineveh was extremely large. It took three days to walk from one side to the other. So Jonah started his walk across the city. He shouted, “God is going to destroy this city in 40 days!”
The people of the city heard him preach and believed what he said was true. They passed a law that said everyone was to fast – no exceptions. Everyone was to go without food, and they were to wear burlap sacks. They prayed and asked God to be merciful to them.
The king stepped down from his throne and laid aside his royal robes. He put on burlap sacks and sat on a pile of ashes. He sent out another law that said, “No one is to taste any food or water. That includes animals as well. Everyone is to wear burlap sacks, and stop any evil they are doing. Maybe God will change his mind and allow us to live.”
The Lord saw all they were doing. He knew they turned away from their wickedness, so he stopped the judgment that was about to kill them and destroy their city.
Jonah was furious when he heard about this. He said, “I told you this would happen! I knew you were a merciful God. I knew you were quick to forgive. That’s exactly why I didn’t want to come here. That’s why I ran away. Kill me right now. I don’t want to live.”
The Lord said, “Do you think it’s right to be so angry about this?”
Jonah didn’t answer, but went to the east side of the city. He made a small shelter so he could sit and see exactly what God was going to do with the city.
While he was sitting there, God caused a vine to grow up next to him. The vine had large leaves, which provided shade from the hot sun. Jonah was pleased with the plant, and enjoyed the shade it provided.
The next morning, God caused a worm to attack the vine and kill it. As the sun got hot, the plant withered. Then God caused a hot east wind to blow on Jonah. As the day went by, the sun and the wind got hotter and hotter, and there was no vine to protect him. Jonah cried, “I don’t want to live anymore. I want to die!”
God said to him, “Is it right to be angry about the vine?”
“Yes, it’s right for me to be angry. I’m so mad I want to die.”
The Lord said, “You’re angry about a simple vine. You didn’t plant it. You didn’t water it. It came up one day and died the next.”
“Shouldn’t I also care for the people of this city? If for no other reason, there are over 120,000 children living here, not to mention all the animals.
The Lord said to Jonah the prophet, “Leave right now and go to Nineveh. You’re to tell them I’m going to judge them because of their wickedness.”
Jonah knew that God was merciful and would forgive Nineveh if they repented. He didn’t want that, so he ran away from God’s will and went to the seaport town called Joppa. He bought a ticket and got on a ship going to Tarshish. He wanted to get far away from God’s will so there would be no possibility of Nineveh’s repenting.
Once the ship was out to sea, God sent a violent storm to hit it. The sailors were terrified because the storm was about to destroy their boat and drown them. They threw their cargo overboard to lighten the load. When that didn’t help, they prayed to their various gods. While all of this was going on, Jonah was fast asleep down in the hold of the boat.
The captain woke him up and said, “How can you sleep? We’re about to die. Get up and pray to your god.”
Eventually the sailors figured out that this storm was directed at only one person on the ship. They cast lots to see who it was. The results showed that Jonah was the reason for their troubles. They said, “Who are you, and what have you done?”
He said, “I serve the Lord God, who made the sea and the dry ground. But I’m running away from him.”
Suddenly the storm got worse! The men screamed at Jonah, “What should we do to you to calm the storm?”
Jonah yelled back, “God only wants one thing, and the storm won’t stop until He gets it. You’re to grab me and throw me overboard.”
The men didn’t want to kill an innocent man, so they worked even harder to fight against the storm and get to land. Finally they realized they couldn’t fight God. They cried out to the Lord and asked him for mercy for what they were about to do. They then grabbed Jonah and threw him overboard.
Immediately, the storm stopped! The men were shocked at the power of God. They fell to the deck and worshiped the Lord and vowed to serve only him.
God had a large fish waiting for Jonah as he went into the water. The fish immediately swallowed him, and he stayed in the fish’s stomach for three days.
Jonah prayed and acknowledged that it was God who put him in the fish. He finally said, “I’ll give you what you want. I’ll thank you for your will, and do what you want me to do.”
With that, the Lord spoke to the fish. It went to land and vomited Jonah onto the shore.
Jehu’s son became king after his father died. Unfortunately he wasn’t a good king. Still, he sought the Lord’s help once, and the Lord helped him.
His son was Jehoash. During his reign, Elisha became sick and was about to die. The king knelt down beside the prophet’s bed and cried. He said, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
Elisha said to him, “Go get your bow and some arrows.”
When the king came back with them, the prophet said, “Grab the bow.” So the king grabbed the bow. The man of God then put his hand on top of Jehoash’s hand and said, “Now, open the window.”
The king opened the window. Elisha said, “Shoot an arrow out the window.” So Jehoash shot an arrow out the window.
Elisha said, “That was the Lord’s arrow of victory. You’ll have victory over Syria. Now grab a handful of arrows and hit them on the ground.”
Jehoash grabbed some arrows and hit the ground three times and stopped. The prophet yelled at him. “Why did you only hit the ground three times? You should’ve hit it five or six times. Then you would have totally defeated Syria and brought an end to them. Now you’ll only defeat them three times.”
Elisha died and was buried in a tomb. The following spring, some Israelites were conducting a funeral. Suddenly they saw some men coming, and realized they were Moabite raiders. The men from Israel threw the body into Elisha’s tomb and ran away. As soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up.
Joash was seven years old when he became king of Judah. Jehoiada, the high priest, taught the king and helped him live a godly life. As long as Jehoiada lived, Joash followed the ways of the Lord.
When the king was older, he decided to make repairs on the Temple of the Lord. Athaliah had taken every thing of value out of it to use in the worship of Baal.
Joash assigned priests and Levites to go throughout the nation and collect money for Temple repairs and annual upkeep. Many years earlier, Moses had provided for this by imposing a tax.
They started collecting the money, but the repairs didn’t start. The king finally realized the money was being used for administration costs and for other things the priests thought important.”
It was clear that the priests and Levites were the wrong people to oversee the Temple repair. Joash decided on a different method. He told men to make a large box and put it at the Temple gate. He then announced that people were to bring their money for the Temple and put it in the box.
The people of Judah liked this, so they brought their offerings and put them in the box. When it got full, the money was given to the men making the repairs. This gave them the ability to keep at their work and not slow down. They were men of integrity, so the king didn’t require them to give an accounting of the money and how it was spent.
The offerings kept coming in even after the work was done. So the extra money was used for making various tools of worship. The people of Judah became faithful at coming to the Temple and worshiping God.
All of this was done while Jehoiada was still alive. He died when he was 130 years old, having lived a good life. He had served his king, his God, and the people of Judah.
After his death, Joash listened to various leaders of Judah who wanted a different direction for the nation. He allowed them to make changes, and soon the people stopped going to the Temple to worship God. Instead they turned to idols and sex goddesses.
The Lord sent prophets to preach against this. The son of Jehoiada was now a priest. God had him stand before the people and say, “If you leave the Lord, he’ll leave you.”
The people rejected this message and wanted to kill the priest. Finally Joash ordered him to be stoned, even though he was the son of Jehoiada, who had been a faithful friend and advisor.
Soon afterwards, God allowed a small Syrian army to conquer the superior army of Judah and take Jerusalem. Many of the Jewish leaders were killed, the king was badly wounded, and the Syrians took everything of value. After they left, several men went into the king’s bedroom and killed him.
Joash had been king for 40 years. The people didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings because of what he had done to the son of Jehoiada.
King Jehoshaphat wanted to establish a good relationship between Judah and Israel. To do that, he had his oldest son marry Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, king of Israel. Unfortunately, Athaliah influenced her husband to follow the sinful ways of Israel.
As soon as Jehoshaphat died, his son became king and put idols all around Judah, and built a temple to Baal in Jerusalem. He killed his six brothers to make sure they wouldn’t take the kingdom away from him.
Elisha sent him a message. “You’ve caused the people to worship idols, and now you’ve killed your brothers. They were all better men than you. Therefore, all of your sons will be killed, and you’ll die a slow agonizing death.”
Immediately, Judah started losing battles. The king developed a severe stomach illness. All of his sons were killed except the youngest. The king’s illness caused him extreme pain for two years. When he finally died, no one mourned his death.
His youngest son became king, but followed the direction of his mother Athaliah. He went to visit his uncle, the king of Israel. Jehu killed both of them.
At that point, Athaliah decided to become the king, even though she was a woman. Still, she knew the people of Judah always selected their kings from the descendants of David. That meant the people could kill her and make one of her grandchildren king. Therefore, she decided to kill them. She called for the guard and told him to go to the palace and kill them all.
Athaliah’s daughter heard this and rushed to the palace. She worshiped the Lord and was married to Jehoiada, the high priest. At the palace, she took the baby Joash and his nurse, and left just before the guards got there. She hid the child in the Temple of the Lord. Meanwhile the guards killed all the other royal descendants of David.
Athaliah was confident she had killed them all. So, she became king of Judah and ruled the nation for six years.
Jehoiada hid Joash in the Temple until he was seven years old. Finally the priest knew it was time to act. He organized a meeting with trusted military leaders and the heads of various family groups. He asked them, “What would you do if you had a descendant of King David.”
“We would make him king!”
Jehoiada then brought Joash before them and said, “Here is your next king.”
Together, they set a date to bring him out before the people. They organized the military, Temple activities, and crowd control. On the big day, the people of Judah went to the Temple.
Joash was brought out and put in the place reserved for the king. Jehoiada anointed him with oil and placed a crown on his head. The trumpets blew, the choir sang, and the people shouted, “Long live the king!!”
Athaliah heard all the shouting, so she went out to see what was going on. People were running through the streets, celebrating, and talking about the king. She walked into the Temple and saw Joash in the place reserved for the king, and he had a crown on his head. She ripped her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
Jehoiada pointed at her and said, “Take that woman out, because it is not right to kill someone in the Temple.”
So they dragged Athaliah out of the Temple, and killed her at the horse corral. The people went through the city and tore down everything that had to do with Baal. The high priest once again set up the worship of the Lord in the Temple. Everyone rejoiced because Athaliah’s reign of terror was over.
After Jehu killed the two kings, he went back to Jezreel to find Jezebel. She knew he was coming, so she put on makeup, brushed her hair, and sat next to her second floor window.
When he arrived, she called down to him, “Why are you here – to keep killing people who are better than you?”
He looked up at her, and then yelled, “Is anyone up there that’s on my side?” Some men who worked for the queen looked down from the window. Jehu yelled, “Throw her out of the window!”
They picked up Jezebel and threw her out of the window. She fell to the ground, splattering blood on the wall. Jehu drove his chariot over her several times. He then went inside to get something to eat.
After the meal, he said, “Well, I guess we should bury her. After all, she is a queen.”
He sent some men out to take care of this, but they could only find her skull, feet and the palms of her hands. They told Jehu and he said, “God spoke through Elijah when he said, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel at Naboth’s field, and she will be fertilizer.’ ”
Jehu then sent a message to the elders in Samaria. “Your city walls are strong, and you have plenty of horses, chariots and weapons. The 70 sons of Ahab live under your protection. Therefore, select one to be your king, and prepare for battle.”
The elders were terrified when they got this letter. They sent him a message saying, “We don’t want to make any of these sons of Ahab our king. We’re your servants and will do whatever you say.”
He sent a message back to them. “If that’s true, put the heads of those 70 sons in baskets and send them to me.” So the 70 sons of Ahab were killed, and their heads were sent to Jehu. He then made sure no other relative of Ahab was still alive.
Once all of this was done, Jehu made an announcement in Samaria. He said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but I’m totally dedicated to him. Therefore I’m having a great sacrifice to Baal. All the true worshipers of Baal are to be there. I’ll kill anyone who misses this meeting.”
This announcement was made all across Israel. Baal worshipers came from every part of the nation. They filled up the temple of Baal. No one was missing. Jehu said, “Look around and see if there are any servants of the Lord with us. If you see one, throw him out immediately. Only servants of Baal are welcome here.”
Once this was done, the people started making their burnt offerings. Jehu went outside and said to his men. “Go in and kill everyone. If anyone escapes, you’ll give your life for his.”
So the men went in and killed everyone. They then tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a large toilet.
The Lord said, “You have followed my instructions with enthusiasm. Therefore, your sons will be king of Israel for four generations.” So Jehu reigned over Israel for 28 years.
Elisha selected one of the sons of the prophets. He said to him, “Take this bottle of oil and go to Jehu. He’ll be with his friends, so ask to see him alone. Anoint him king of Israel. Once you’re done, open the door and run away.”
The young prophet found Jehu visiting with the other commanders of the army. The young man said to him, “I have a message for you.”
The two of them went into the house. The young prophet poured oil on Jehu’s head and said, “Here is the message from the Lord. ‘I anoint you king over Israel. You’re to kill the entire household of Ahab. Every male in his family is to die. Jezebel will be eaten by the dogs.’ ” With that, the young man opened the door and ran away.
Jehu went back to his friends. They said, “What did that crazy prophet want?”
“Oh, you know how they are. He went on and on about nothing.”
They said, “You’re not telling the truth. What did he say?”
“Oh well, he did say one interesting thing. He said, ‘I anoint you king of Israel.’ ”
The others jumped up and spread their coats down before him. They blew a ram’s horn and shouted “Jehu is king!” Immediately they started planning how they were going to overthrow Joram, king of Israel. He was the son of Ahab and Jezebel.
Joram was at his palace at Jezreel. His nephew, the king of Judah, had come to visit him. Jehu gathered his men and went to Jezreel.
The watchman saw him and his men coming and said to the king, “There’s a band of soldiers coming this way.”
Joram said, “Send a rider out to them to see if they’re coming in peace.”
A man rode out to Jehu and said, “The king wants to know if you’re coming in peace.”
“He knows nothing about peace. Get behind my men.”
The watchman said to the king, “The rider got there but isn’t coming back. He’s now riding behind the others.”
So the king sent another rider out. He rode up to Jehu and said, “The king wants to know if you’re coming in peace.”
“He knows nothing about peace. Get behind my men.”
The watchman said to the king, “The second rider has also joined them. My lord, I know who’s coming. It’s like a wild man is driving the lead chariot. That’s how Jehu drives a chariot.”
Joram said, “Go get our chariots!” Both kings rode out to meet the soldiers, each in his own chariot. Joram yelled, “Jehu, do you come in peace?”
He yelled back, “How can there be peace when Jezebel practices witchcraft and makes everyone worship idols?”
Joram turned his chariot around and yelled to his nephew. “Run! It’s a trap.”
Jehu shot an arrow and killed Joram, hitting him between his shoulder blades. The commander shouted, “Take his body and throw it in the field that was stolen from Naboth.”
He then chased after the young king of Judah, because he was the grandson of Ahab. Once he was in range, Jehu shot the king with an arrow. So, in one day, Jehu killed both the king of Israel and the king of Judah.
Elisha went to the Shunammite woman and said, “Take your family and leave Israel as soon as you can. A famine will hit the land and last for seven years.”
She did as the man of God said. Her family left Israel and moved to the land of the Philistines and stayed there seven years. When she came back to Israel, she went to the king to ask that their family house and land be returned to her.
When she arrived, she found that the king was listening to Gehazi, who was talking about some of the great things Elisha had done. It happened that the servant was telling about the time the prophet brought the dead boy back to life.
Just then, the Shunammite woman walked in. Gehazi said, “My lord. This is the woman I was talking about. It was her son that was raised from the dead.”
The king asked her to tell the story from her viewpoint. After she told the story, he said to a court official, “Make sure this woman gets everything back that belongs to her. Also, give her whatever money was made from her fields while she was away.”
Some time later, Elisha went to the capital of Syria. The Syrian king was sick. When he heard that Elisha was in town, he sent his servant Hazael to the prophet. “Take some gifts to the man of God and ask him if I’ll recover from this illness.”
Hazael took 40 camel-loads of all kinds of goods as a gift. He said to the prophet, “The king of Syria wants to know if he’ll recover from his illness.”
Elisha said, “Go tell him that he’ll recover from his illness. But that’s not true. The Lord has told me that he’ll die.”
Then Elisha stared at Hazael. He stared so long that Hazael became embarrassed. Then the prophet broke down and cried. Hazael said, “Man of God, why are you crying?”
“Oh, because of the horrible things you’ll do to the people of Israel. You’ll burn down their cities and kill their young men. You’ll crush the heads of babies and rip open pregnant women.”
Hazael said, “How can I do these terrible things? I’m only a servant.”
“Oh, the Lord has shown me that you are going to be the king of Syria.”
Hazael left the prophet and went back to his master. The king asked, “What did Elisha say?”
“He said you’d recover from your illness.”
The next day, Hazael dipped a heavy cloth into water, and used it to suffocate the king. After he died, Hazael took his place as king of Syria.
The king of Syria once again invaded Israel. His army surrounded Samaria and set up camp just outside the city walls. They cut off all supplies going into the city. Eventually there was no food, and the people started to starve. It was so bad that a donkey’s head sold for two pounds of silver, and a small bowl of dove’s droppings sold for two ounces of silver.
A woman saw the king walking along the top of the city wall. She asked him to help her. He said, “I don’t know if I can. What’s your problem?”
She said, “My friend won’t keep her promise. We agreed we’d eat our two sons, mine on the first day and hers on the second. So, we boiled and ate my son, but now she has hidden her son.”
When the king heard this, he ripped his clothes. He said, “I’ll get Elisha for this if it’s the last thing I do.” He sent a guard to cut off the prophet’s head.
Elisha was sitting in his house with several elders of Israel. He said, “Our murdering king has sent a guard to cut off my head. The king is right behind him.”
Just then the king walked in. He yelled at the prophet. “You said all this trouble is from God. So why should I serve him if he acts like this?”
Elisha said, “I have a message from God. He said this disaster is almost over. Tomorrow at this time, people will buy a sack of fine flour for a few coins. They’ll buy a large sack of barley for the same price.”
The king’s chief adviser said, “Impossible! We couldn’t have that much food around here even if God opened up the windows of heaven.”
The man of God said, “You’ll see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.”
During the night, the Syrian army heard a loud noise like a large army marching toward them. The noise got louder and sounded like the army had many horses and chariots.
The Syrian soldiers thought Israel had hired other nations to come and help them. They yelled, “Let’s get out of here!” They got up and ran away, leaving everything behind.
Before light the next morning, four lepers were sitting just outside of the city gates. One said to the others, “Why are we just sitting here slowly dying of hunger?”
Another one said, “Well, it’s no better in the city. If we go in there, we’ll still die of hunger.”
“Well that’s true, but we can’t stay here. Let’s go into the Syrian camp. If they kill us – well, we’re about to die anyway. But maybe they’ll have pity on us and give us food.”
So, the four men got up and walked toward the camp, not knowing it was empty. They went into the first tent and found food, gold, silver, and expensive clothes. The first thing they did was eat the food. They then took the other things away and hid them. They came back and hid what they found in the next tent.
Finally they said, “What we’re doing isn’t right. People are dying of hunger on the other side of the wall. God will punish us if we don’t go tell them about this.”
So they went to the city gate and yelled to the gatekeeper, telling him exactly what they found. When the king heard about this, he thought it was a trap. He said, “The Syrian army is hiding out of sight, waiting for us to come out of the city.”
So he sent a few soldiers to scout out the land. The men found the route the Syrians had taken. It was full of clothes and equipment the army had thrown away so they could run faster.
The soldiers went back and told the king what they had found. With that, people flooded out of the city to raid the Syrian camp. The price of food immediately dropped.
The king gave his chief adviser the job of crowd control at the gate. Soon, he was trampled to death. All of this fulfilled what the prophet had said.
The king of Syria invaded the land of Israel. He brought in his military leaders and told them his plans – where he was going to set up camp and how he was going to attack the Israelites. As soon as he spoke the words, Elisha went and told the king of Israel exactly what the Syrians were planning. The army of Israel made preparations and won the battle.
This happened several times until the king of Syria finally realized that the Israelites always knew exactly what he was planning. He said to his commanders, “Which one of you is a spy for Israel?”
One of them said. “My lord, we’re all loyal to you. It’s Elisha, the prophet. He is the one telling his king about your plans. He knows what you say, even when you’re in your bedroom.”
“Where does this prophet live?”
“He lives in Dothan, my lord.”
So the king sent a large army with horses and chariots to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city.
Elisha’s servant got up early and stepped outside. Suddenly he saw this massive army. Running back inside, he yelled, “The Syrian army has surrounded the city. What are we going to do?”
Elisha was surprised. “Why are you afraid? Our army is much bigger than theirs.”
Then he prayed, “Lord, open this man’s eyes so he can see.” So the Lord opened his eyes. He looked out and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire. All of them were for Elisha.
At that point, the Syrians started moving in on the city. The prophet prayed, “Lord, please make all these men blind.” Suddenly the Lord struck them with blindness.
The prophet walked up to them and said, “Somehow you’ve gotten on the wrong road. You’re at the wrong city. I’ll guide you and take you to the right place.”
He then led them to Samaria, the capital of Israel. Once they were inside the gate, he prayed, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” The men looked around and realized they were in Samaria.
The king of Israel saw this and said to Elisha, “Should I kill them? ”
“No. You can’t kill these men. You didn’t capture them in battle. They’re your guests. Give them food and drink, and let them go back to their master.”
So the king prepared a great feast for his guests. When everyone had enough to eat and drink, they went back to the king of Syria. It was a long time before Syria invaded Israel again.
After Naaman was healed at the Jordan River, he and his men went back to the prophet’s house and stood before him. Naaman said, “Today I’ve learned, and now know, that there’s no god on earth except the God of Israel. Please accept my humble gift.”
Elisha said, “As sure as God lives, I won’t take a gift from you.” Naaman insisted, but the prophet still refused.
Then the commander said, “Please let me have as much dirt as two mules can carry. I’ll no longer worship any other god. Instead, I’ll kneel on this dirt from Israel and worship the Lord God.”
He then asked for something else. “When my king goes into the temple of his god, I’m required to go with him because I’m his commander. While I’m there, I have to kneel down in front of the idol. I ask that the Lord will forgive me for doing this.”
Elisha said, “Go home in peace, and don’t worry about that situation.”
Shortly after Naaman left, Gehazi started thinking. “My master let this Syrian off too easy. He should’ve paid something. I’ll go catch up with him and ask for a gift for myself.”
So Gehazi went after the Syrian commander. Soon, Naaman saw him coming and stopped his chariot. He got off and greeted the servant. “Is everything all right?”
Gehazi said, “Oh yes, everything is fine. My master just found out that he’s having two young guests staying with us tonight. They’re from the school of the prophets. He was wondering if you would like to help with the expenses – possibly 75 pounds of silver and a couple of sets of clothes.”
“Certainly! Here, I’ll give you 150 pounds of silver in two bags, as well as two sets of clothes.” The commander gave all of this to a couple of his men so they could carry it back for the servant.
Gehazi had the men take the silver and clothes to his own house. Once everything was put away, he sent the men away. He then went and stood next to his master.
Elisha said, Gehazi, where did you go?”
“I didn’t go anywhere.”
Elisha said, “Oh my dear friend. My spirit was there when Naaman stopped his chariot and stepped down to greet you. It wasn’t your place to accept money, clothes, olive trees, vineyards, animals, or slaves. Therefore, Naaman’s leprosy is now attaching itself to your skin.”
With that, Gehazi turned and left the house. He looked down at his arms, and they were already white with leprosy.
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. He was a brave warrior and led his men to win many victories. His king considered him a great man. During one of their wars with Israel, he captured a young girl and brought her back to be a servant for his wife.
In time, Naaman realized he had leprosy, a crippling disease of the skin. The young slave girl said, “I wish my master could go to Israel. They have a prophet who’s able to heal people, even those with leprosy.”
Naaman told this to the king. Immediately, the king made preparations to send Naaman to the king of Israel. He sent gifts of gold, silver, and fine clothes along with a letter saying, “I’m sending my servant Naaman so you can cure him of leprosy.”
The king of Israel was shocked when he read the letter. He ripped his clothes and yelled, “Who does he think I am? I’m not God. I can’t cure people of leprosy! He’s trying to start a war with me.”
Elisha heard about this and sent a message to the king. “Why are you ripping your clothes? Send the man to me so he’ll know there’s a prophet in Israel.”
So Naaman and his men rode to the prophet’s house and stood outside. Elisha sent his servant Gehazi out with this message. “Go down to the Jordan River and wash seven times. After you’re done, you’ll be healed of leprosy.”
Naaman couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He became furious and stormed away. He said, “A true prophet would come out and stand in front of me. He’d pray to the Lord and wave his hand over my skin. If I thought washing in a river would help, I’d bathe in one of the beautiful rivers of Syria – not a dirty river like the Jordan.”
His servants said to him, “My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard, you would’ve done it. But he told you to do something easy – wash and be clean.”
So Naaman went to the Jordan River and dipped into it seven times. Suddenly his skin was healed just as the prophet said it would be. In fact, it was like the skin of a young boy.
Elisha traveled to a town called Shunem. A prominent woman provided a meal for him. She then gave him an invitation to eat at their home whenever he was in their town.
Some time later, the woman said to her husband, “The man who comes here is a holy man. Let’s make a small room for him upstairs. We’ll provide a bed, table, chair, and a lamp. He can stay there whenever he comes to our city.” They prepared the room, and Elisha used it whenever he was in Shunem.
One day, the prophet stopped at the home and went up to his room. He said to Gehazi his servant, “The Shunammite woman has done all of this for us. Go ask her what I can do for her. Possibly she would like me to speak to the king for her, or a commander of the army.
Gehazi went and talked to her, but she said that her family provided for all her needs. Elisha then asked his servant, “Do you have any ideas of what we can do for her?”
“Well, she doesn’t have a son, and her husband is old.”
Elisha said, “Tell her to come and stand in the doorway.”
The woman went up the stairs and stood in the doorway of the prophet’s room. He said to her, “This time next year, you’ll have a son.”
She begged him. “Oh man of God, don’t tell me that unless it’s true.”
A year later, she gave birth to a baby boy, just as Elisha had promised. The child grew and in time was old enough to help his father with the harvest.
One day out in the field, he complained of a severe headache. His father told a servant to take the boy to his mother. The servant took him there and she held her son on her lap. Still, he died around noon. She took him up to Elisha’s room and laid him on the prophet’s bed.
She then sent a message to her husband. “Please send me a donkey and a servant. I need to hurry and go see the man of God. I’ll come back as fast as I can.”
The husband agreed and sent her a donkey and a servant. She said to the servant, “Take me to the man of God at Mount Carmel. Don’t slow down unless I tell you.”
Elisha saw her coming from a distance, but the Lord didn’t tell him why she was coming. He sent Gehazi to ask why, but she wouldn’t tell him.
When she got to the prophet, she ran up, fell down, and grabbed his feet. Gehazi started to pull her away, but the prophet said, “Don’t! She’s deeply troubled and God still hasn’t told me why.”
The woman looked up and yelled, “I told you not to tell me I’d have a son unless it was true!”
The prophet turned to Gehazi. “Run back to her house. Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Take this staff and place it on the boy’s face.”
Gehazi took the staff and left. Elisha then told the woman that she and her servant could go home. She said, “Listen to me carefully. As sure as God is alive, and as sure as you’re alive, I’m not leaving you until my son is alive.” So Elisha went with them to her house.
Gehazi got there first and placed the staff on the boy’s face. Nothing happened. When Elisha arrived, he went into the room alone and locked the door. He prayed to the Lord, and then went over and stretched out over the boy’s body with his eyes over the boy’s eyes, his mouth over the boy’s mouth, and his hands over the boy’s hands. Soon the boy’s flesh became warm once again, but he didn’t start breathing.
The prophet got up and paced back and forth. Then he once again stretched out over the boy’s body. Suddenly the boy sneezed … and then he sneezed again … and then he sneezed again. He sneezed a total of seven times. After that, the boy opened his eyes and looked at the prophet.
Elisha got up and called for Gehazi. “Go and get the Shunammite woman.”
When she came into the room, the prophet said, “Pick up your son.” Without saying a word, she knelt at the feet of the man of God. She then picked up her son and left.
Elisha was in charge of the school of the prophets. There are several miracles associated with that group of young men.
There was the time when one of men died. His wife came to Elisha and said, “You know my husband followed the Lord and honored him. When he died, he owed a man some money. Now that man is coming to collect. He is going to take my two sons and sell them as slaves.”
The prophet said, “Let me think. Surely I can help you. Tell me, do you have anything in your house that is valuable?”
She said, “No, I don’t have anything of value in the house. Well, I do have a small jar of oil.”
Elisha said, “Go to all of your neighbors and borrow as many containers as they have. Don’t stop with just a few. Once you have them, go into your house with your sons and close the door. Pour oil into all those containers. Each time one is full, set it aside and fill the next one.”
She and her sons went to every house and borrowed as many jars as they could. They took them into their house and closed the door. She then started pouring the oil into each jar. Her sons kept bringing her the empty ones. When they were all full, she turned and said, “Son, bring me another container.”
He said, “Mother, there are no more.” With that, the oil stopped.
She ran and told the man of God what happened. He said, “Go and sell the oil. Pay your debt and live on what is left over.”
At another time, there was a famine so severe that there was very little to eat. When Elisha returned from a trip, the young prophets gathered around to listen to him teach. He said to a servant, “Fix a large pot of stew for these men.”
One of the men went into the forest to get some herbs for the stew. He found a vine of wild gourds and didn’t know they were poisonous. He gathered as many as he could carry, and cut them up and put them in the stew.
Once it was ready, some men tasted it and realized what had happened. They yelled, “Man of God. Watch out. There is death in the pot. Don’t eat it.”
Elisha said, “Bring me some flour.” They gave him the flour and he threw it in the pot.
He then said, “Come, eat.” Everyone ate, and there was nothing wrong with the stew.
Once a man came to Elisha with 20 small loaves of barley bread. It was the first bread from the harvest. The man of God said, “Serve this to the men so they can enjoy it.”
“Sir, there are 100 men, and we only have 20 loaves of bread. There isn’t enough for everyone.”
Elisha said, “Give it to them. The Lord says there will be enough, and we’ll have some left over.”
So the bread was served to the men, and it was just like the Lord promised. There was enough for everyone, with some left over.
There came a time when the sons of the prophets realized their facilities were too small for them. Elisha gave them permission to go to the Jordan River and cut some logs for a new building. He agreed to go with them.
One of the men borrowed an iron ax and was using it to cut down a tree. Suddenly the ax head fell off and went into the water. The man yelled, “Master! I borrowed that ax and now it’s ruined.
Elisha said, “Where did it fall into the water?”
The man pointed to the spot. Elisha then cut a stick and threw it in the water at the spot the young man showed him. The ax head floated to the surface. The young man got it and fixed the ax.
For many years, Moab was controlled by Israel and paid them high taxes. When Ahab died, the king of Moab refused to pay Israel any more taxes.
Ahab’s son, King Joram organized his army and prepared to march against Moab. He sent a message to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. “Please join me in our campaign against the king of Moab. He has rebelled against me.”
Jehoshaphat agreed and the two armies marched south of the Dead Sea and into Edom. The Edomite army joined them. So all three continued their march toward Moab.
Soon they realized there wasn’t enough water in that desert for all their men and animals. Joram said, “I think the Lord has led us here so we could all be captured by the Moabites.”
Jehoshaphat said, “Do we have a prophet of God with us.”
One of the officers said, “Yes, Elisha is here.”
The three kings went to him. When he saw Joram, he said, “Why are you coming to me. Why don’t you talk to one of your idols?”
Joram said, “Please, I think the Lord your God has led us here so we would be captured by the Moabites.”
Elisha said, “If it was just you, I wouldn’t give you the time of day. But I have great respect for King Jehoshaphat, so send someone with a harp.”
As the harp played, the Lord gave Elisha a message for Joram. “Dig ditches in this dry riverbed. You won’t see a storm, but this riverbed will fill up with plenty of water. There will be enough for you and your animals. This is an easy thing for the Lord to do. He will also help you defeat the Moabite army, and you’ll be able to capture their cities.”
The next morning, the water suddenly started flowing, so much so that it flooded the land. The Moabite army got up early and looked in the direction of the three kings. The sun was shining on the water and made it look red. They shouted, “Look at all that blood. The armies of the three kings have turned and killed one another. Come! Let’s go collect the spoils from their camps.”
When they got to Israel’s camp, the Israelite army attached them. They chased them back into Moab, and started taking city after city. Finally there was only one left that hadn’t been defeated.
Israel surrounded it. The king of Moab tried to escape by taking 700 of his key soldiers and breaking through the front lines. The plan failed, so he grabbed his oldest son and sacrificed him as an offering on the city wall. The sight of this was so horrible that the Moabite soldiers went into a frenzy of rage. Seeing this, the three armies withdrew and went home.
The time came for the Lord to take Elijah to heaven. So the old prophet said to Elisha, “Stay here. The Lord is sending me to Bethel.”
Elisha said, “As sure as the Lord lives, I won’t leave you.” So they went to Bethel.
There was a group of prophets at Bethel. They said to Elisha, “Do you know the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Yes, I know. Now be quiet.”
Elijah said, “Elisha, stay here. The Lord is sending me to Jericho.”
Elisha said, “As sure as the Lord lives, I won’t leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
The prophets at Jericho said to Elisha, “Do you know the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Yes, I know. Now be quiet.”
Elijah said to him, “Stay here. The Lord is sending me to the Jordan River.”
Elisha said, “As sure as the Lord lives, I won’t leave you.” So they went on together.
When they got to the Jordan, Elijah rolled up his cloak, and struck the water. Immediately, the waters parted and the two men walked across the river on dry ground. Fifty prophets watched from a distance.
Once the two men were on the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you before I’m taken away?”
Elisha didn’t hesitate. “Please, I want a double portion of your spirit.”
Elijah was shocked. He said, “What? Your request is difficult. But, you’ll have it if you see me being taken from you. If not, you won’t get it.”
As they continued on, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah was taken up into heaven in the whirlwind … and was gone.
Elisha saw it all. He ripped his clothes and yelled, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
He then saw Elijah’s cloak, which fell when the prophet went up into the air. Elisha walked over and picked it up. He turned and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. He lifted the cloak high in the air, and then struck the water. He said, “Where’s the Lord God of Elijah?!” The waters parted, and he walked across on dry ground.
The fifty prophets saw all of this. They said, “The spirit of Elijah lives in Elisha.” From that day on, they honored him as their new leader.
When he got back to Jericho, the people of the city said to him, “Jericho is a good place to live, but the spring is bad. It even keeps our crops from growing.
He said, “Put some salt in a new bowl and bring it to me.”
They brought it to him and he went to the spring. He threw the salt into the water and said, “The Lord has made this water pure. You can now grow crops and no one will starve.”
He left Jericho to return to Bethel. Along the way, some boys started making fun of him. They said, “Get out of here, baldy!”
The prophet turned and put a curse on them. Immediately, two bears ran out of the woods and killed 42 of the boys and ripped them apart.
After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king of Israel. A short time later, he broke through a wooden rail and fell to the ground from the second floor of his house. His was seriously injured, so he said to his servants. “Go ask the god Baal-zebub if I’ll recover from this.”
Elijah stopped the servants along the road and said, “There is a God in Israel. So why are you taking this question to Baal-zebub? Here is the Lord’s answer for the king. You won’t get up from your sickbed. Instead, you’re going to die.”
The servants went back and gave King Ahaziah this message. The king said, “What did the man look like who told you this?”
“He was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist.”
“Oh, I know who he is. That’s Elijah.”
So King Ahaziah sent 50 soldiers to go get Elijah. When they got to where he was staying, the prophet was sitting at the top of an embankment. The captain of the men yelled up at him. “Man of God, come down! I have orders to take you to the king.”
Elijah said, “If I’m a man of God, fire will come out of the sky and kill you and your 50 men.” Suddenly a fireball fell from the sky and killed the captain and his men.
So the king sent another 50 soldiers to get Elijah. When they got to where he was staying, the prophet was still sitting at the top of the embankment. The captain of the men yelled up at him. “Man of God, come down! I have orders to take you to the king.”
Elijah said, “If I’m a man of God, fire will come out of the sky and kill you and your 50 men.” Another fireball fell from the sky and killed the captain and his men.
Once again, the king sent 50 soldiers to go get Elijah. When they got to where he was staying, the captain of the men fell on his knees in front of Elijah. He said, “Man of God, please show compassion on us. Spare my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours.”
The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go with them. You’ll be safe.” So he got up and went with them.
When he saw King Ahaziah, he said, “This is a message from the Lord. ‘You could have asked me anything you wanted and I would have answered. But no! You sent your messengers to Baal-zebub. Therefore, you’ll not get up from you sickbed. Instead, you’ll die.”
It happened just like Elijah said. King Ahaziah died. He didn’t have children, so his brother Joram became king of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled for 25 years. He set up an educational system, established justice in the land, and reformed the legal system.
Things were going well in Judah, until suddenly the nations of Moab, Ammon, and Edom decided to unite together and fight against Jehoshaphat. A massive army moved from the east side of the Dead Sea to En-gedi, on the west side.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he sought the Lord’s help. He sent out a proclamation saying that everyone was to fast and seek God’s favor. The people responded, and many went to Jerusalem to be with their king and pray with him. A huge crowd went to the Temple and stood before the Lord. Men brought their wives and children, so entire families prayed together and sought God’s help.
Jehoshaphat stood before all the people and prayed to God. He said, “Oh Lord, you’re the God of heaven. You’re the one who gave this land to your friend Abraham. You control all power and might. You said we’re to trust you when we’re in trouble. Look! The Moabites and Ammonites have gathered a massive army and have come to destroy us. We have no power to fight against them. We don’t know what else to do but look to you.”
Suddenly the Spirit of God came on a prophet. He said, “Hear what God says to you. ‘Don’t be afraid of this vast multitude. This isn’t your battle, but mine. Tomorrow, go against them. You’ll see them coming, but you don’t have to fight them. Get in position, but stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Don’t be afraid, I am with you.’ ”
Jehoshaphat bowed down and put his face to the ground. All the people did the same and worshiped the Lord. Suddenly the Levites stood and started praising the Lord God with a loud voice.
In the morning, the men got up early and went out to face their enemies. Jehoshaphat told them, “Believe in the Lord and you’ll be successful.” He then appointed people to sing for the Lord. They went out in front of the army singing, “Give thanks to the Lord. His faithful love endures forever.”
As the people shouted and praised the Lord, suddenly their enemy became confused. The Ammonites and the Moabites turned on those from Edom and totally annihilated them. They then turned on one another and kept killing until every man was dead. When the army of Judah arrived on the battlefield, there was nothing but corpses lying on the ground. No one had escaped.
Jehoshaphat told his people to gather up anything of value from the dead bodies. They found that their enemies had carried a large amount of valuables onto the battlefield. There was so much that the people gathered for three days. Finally they couldn’t carry any more.
They met on the fourth day, just to praise God. Then they returned to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat at the lead. Everyone gathered at the Temple to once again praise the Lord with great rejoicing!
All the nations around Judah heard about the great victory God had given his people. They were all terrified of the Lord, and none of them attacked Jehoshaphat as long as he lived. So there was peace in the land, and all was quiet.
After Asa died, his son Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. The Lord was with him, and he followed the example of King David.
The first thing he did was make the nation more secure. He also set up an educational program so people could understand God’s Laws. The Lord made the surrounding nations fear Jehoshaphat, so they didn’t want to go to war with him.
The king decided to build an alliance with the kingdom of Israel. So he arranged a marriage between his son and the daughter of King Ahab.
Jehoshaphat then went to Israel to make the alliance stronger. Ahab said to him, “I’m going to fight a battle. Come with me and we’ll do it together.”
Jehoshaphat said, “I’m willing to go if it’s God’s will, so let’s ask a prophet.”
Ahab sent for of his 400 prophets. He said, “Should we go into this battle?”
They said, “Yes! Go fight because God will give you victory.”
King Jehoshaphat said, “I want to hear from a prophet of the Lord. Don’t you have one in Israel?”
Ahab said, “Well yes. We have one. But I hate to call him because he only says bad things about me. He’s always talking about judgment.”
Jehoshaphat said, “Still, I want to hear from him.”
So Ahab said to his guards, “Go get Micaiah and bring him here.”
As the guards brought the prophet in, they said him; “Everyone else is saying good things about the king’s plans. So go along with them.”
He said, “As there is a God in heaven, I’ll say what the Lord tells me to say.”
When King Ahab saw Micaiah, he said, “Tell me. Should I lead my army into this battle, or should I stay home?”
Micaiah said, “Oh, you should definitely go. You’ll be successful.”
Ahab glared at him, “I’ve told you over and over. Always tell me the truth. What does the Lord really say about this battle?”
Micaiah said, “I see Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd. Their master is dead.”
Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat. “See I told you. He only says bad things about me.”
Micaiah said, “Hear the Word of the Lord. I saw God sitting among his angels. He said, ‘How shall I get King Ahab to go to this battle?’ The angels had various ideas. Then one spirit said, ‘I can make him go. I’ll become a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets. He’ll believe them and go into the battle.’ So, that’s what he did. Listen, the Lord wants you at that battle.”
One of Ahab’s prophets walked over and slapped Micaiah. Ahab yelled at his guards, “Put this man in prison. Give him nothing but bread and water until I come back from battle.”
Micaiah yelled at the crowd, “Everyone listen and remember. I’m not a prophet of God if the king returns from this battle.”
Both kings went to the battlefield. Once they were there, Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “You can wear your royal robes, but I’ll disguise myself as a common soldier.”
The battle was fierce. The opposing army was focused on killing Ahab, but they couldn’t find him. At one point, they thought King Jehoshaphat was Ahab. But once they realized they were mistaken, they turned away from him.
Finally a man shot an arrow into the air without aiming. It hit Ahab at a joint in his armor. He yelled, “Take me off of the battlefield. I’m wounded.”
Ahab watched the battle propped up in his chariot. He died as the sun set in the west.
They took his body back to the capital city and buried him. Someone washed his chariot at a pool. Dogs licked up his blood just as the Lord had said.
In the town of Jezreel, a man named Naboth owned a vineyard next to the palace of King Ahab. The king told Naboth he wanted to buy the vineyard and make it into a vegetable garden. He said, “I’ll pay you full value in silver, or if you prefer, I’ll give you a better vineyard someplace else.
Naboth said, “No. I couldn’t sell this vineyard. It has been owned by our family for several hundred years.”
At first, this made the king angry. He went home and refused to eat anything. Finally he became depressed and went and lay in his bed facing the wall.
Jezebel, the king’s wife, asked him what was wrong. He said, “I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard and he told me no! I even offered him a better vineyard in exchange for his.”
Jezebel said, “Oh, is that all? Well, come have something to eat, and don’t worry about Naboth’s vineyard. I’ll get it for you.”
She wrote a letter to the town officials. It said, “Go get Naboth and have him stand before you. Bring in two liars that will swear he cursed God and the king. Then take him out and stone him until he’s dead.” She signed Ahab’s name to the letter and sealed it with the official seal.
The city leaders did exactly as they were told. They got Naboth and condemned him to death. After the stoning, they sent a message back to Jezebel saying, “Naboth is dead.”
She went to her husband and said, “You now own the vineyard you wanted. Go and enjoy it because Naboth is dead.” When the king heard this good news, he went to see his vineyard.
At that same moment, the Lord said to Elijah, “King Ahab just stole Naboth’s vineyard. Go tell him this. ‘You murdered Naboth and the dogs licked his blood from the ground. Dogs will lick your blood at that exact spot.’ ”
Elijah went and found Ahab at Naboth’s vineyard. When the king saw the prophet coming, he said, “Well, look at this. My enemy has found me.”
“Yes, I found you. And you have found every way possible to do the things God hates. Now it’s time for judgment. Your punishment will be just like King Jeroboam. You’ll have no descendants. First, dogs will eat the body of your wife Jezebel. After that, your entire family will be eliminated from the earth. Dogs will eat all your relatives that die in the city. Birds will eat those who die in the country.”
This struck Ahab in the heart. He ripped his clothes in sorrow. He fasted and wore sackcloth day and night. Finally, the Lord said to Elijah, “Ahab is truly sorry for what he did. Therefore, I won’t destroy his family until after he’s dead. All that I said will happen when his son is king.”
The king of Syria invaded Israel and marched his army against Samaria. He sent a message to King Ahab saying, “Give me your silver and gold. I also want your wives and sons.”
Ahab sent a message back. “I’ll give it all to you. I even give myself to you.”
The king of Syria sent another message. “There’s one more thing. Tomorrow, I’m sending people to search your palace and all the best houses. They’ll take everything of value.”
Ahab told this to the leaders of Israel. They said, “Don’t do it. We’ll fight him.”
Ahab sent this message to the king of Syria, and he became angry. He said, “I’ll totally destroy Samaria! When I’m done, it’ll only be a trash heap.” With that, he got drunk with some other kings who were with him.
As Ahab made preparations for battle, a prophet went to him and said, “The army of Syria is much bigger then yours, but the Lord is going to help you defeat them. You are to personally lead your men into battle so you’ll see firsthand that the Lord is in control.”
The King of Syria was still drunk when he heard that Ahab was marching his army out of Samaria. He told him soldiers “Take the men of Israel alive. I want them as slaves.”
The army of Israel hit the Syrians so hard that they ran from the battlefield. It was a crushing defeat for the Syrian army. Even their king just barely escaped.
The prophet walked up to Ahab and said, “Get ready. They’re coming back next spring.”
The officials of Syria met with their king and said, “Their god is the god of the mountains. You were defeated because you fought them in the hills. You’ll win if you fight them on flat land.”
So in the spring, he once again invaded Israel. Ahab’s army was like a small flock of goats next to a vast army.
The prophet said to Ahab. “They think the Lord is a god of the hills, and has no power on flat land. Therefore you’ll defeat them, and then you’ll know that the Lord – he is in control.”
The battle started and the Syrian army suffered a massive defeat. 100,000 of their men died. They rushed back to their city, but suddenly a wall fell and killed another 27,000.
The king of Syria ran and hid in a closet. Finally his officials decided to humble themselves and go ask Ahab to have mercy on their king. Ahab said, “Oh, is my brother still alive? Bring him here.” The two kings met together and worked out an agreement.
When the prophet heard about this, he turned to a friend and said, “God wants you to hit me.”
The friend was shocked. He said, “I’m not going to hit you.”
The prophet said, “You disobeyed the Lord. Therefore a lion will kill you.” It happened just as he said. Soon after the friend left, a lion jumped on him and killed him.
The prophet said to another man, “God wants you to hit me.” So the man beat him up. The prophet then covered his wounds with bandages and stood by the road.
Soon Ahab came by, but didn’t know who this man was. The prophet yelled, “Your Majesty. During the battle, I was paid to guard a prisoner. I was told I’d be killed if he got away. Oh, I got distracted and the prisoner escaped.”
The king said, “You fool! You’ll get exactly what you said you’d get.”
The prophet then pulled off his bandages and Ahab saw who he was. He said, “The Lord told you to kill the king of Syria, and you didn’t do it. So now you’ll die in his place! And your people will die instead of his people.
Ahab left the prophet and went back to Samaria, but he was no longer happy about his victory. Instead he became angry and depressed.
Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done on Mount Carmel. He told her how all the prophets of Baal had been killed. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. She said, “I am going to kill you! Mark my word. You’ll be dead before tomorrow night.”
This struck fear in the heart of Elijah. He ran away to save his life. He left Israel and went to the southern part of Judah. He left his servant there and went on into the wilderness. He walked for another day and finally stopped and sat under a juniper tree.
He cried, “What have I done! I’m no better than my fathers. Lord, take my life” Then he lay down and fell asleep.
After he slept a while, an angel touched him. “Get up and eat.” Elijah woke up and saw a jug of water and some bread baking over hot coals. He ate the bread and drank the water and fell back to sleep.
Later, the angel of the Lord awoke him again and said, “Get up and eat. You have a long trip ahead of you.”
Elijah woke up and once again found bread and water. So he got up, ate the bread and drank water. He then walked 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, the mountain of God, also called Mt. Sinai. Once there, he entered a cave and spent the night.
In the morning the Lord said to him, “Elijah, what are you doing here?”
He said, “Lord, I’ve worked for you with all my heart. But Israel has forgotten their agreement with you. They’ve torn down your altars. They killed your prophets. I’m the last one, and they’re trying to kill me.”
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain.” Suddenly, a powerful wind hit the mountains and shattered rocks. But the Lord wasn’t in the wind.
Then there was an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake.
After that, there was a blast of fire. But the Lord wasn’t in the fire.
Then Elijah heard a soft whisper. He wrapped his mantle around his face and went out of the cave and stood at the entrance.
The voice said to him, “Elijah, what are you doing here?”
“Lord, I’ve worked for you with all my heart. But Israel has forgotten their agreement with you. They’ve torn down your altars, and killed your prophets. I’m the last one, and they’re trying to kill me.”
The Lord said, “Oh Elijah, go back home. I have 7,000 men in Israel who haven’t bowed to Baal.” He then gave the prophet detailed instructions of what he was to do, which included anointing Elisha to replace him and selecting a new king for Israel.
Elijah went back to Israel where he found Elisha plowing a field. The prophet walked up to him and threw his mantle over him and walked on. Elisha left the oxen and ran to catch up with the prophet. He said, “Please, let me say good bye to my father and mother. Then I’ll follow you.”
Elijah turned and said, “You may go back, but don’t forget the calling that is now yours.”
With that, Elisha took the wooden yoke and plow and built a fire. He killed the oxen and made a meal for his family. When they were done eating, he left them and followed Elijah.
The famine in Israel was severe and lasted for three years. Finally the Lord said to Elijah, “Go tell King Ahab that I am going to send rain to the land.”
The person in charge of Ahab’s courts was a man named Obadiah. He was faithful to God, and even hid 100 prophets of the LORD when Jezebel was trying to hunt them down.
He and the king went out to find grass for the palace livestock. They went different directions so they could search more land.
As Obadiah went along, Elijah suddenly walked up to him. Obadiah immediately fell to the ground and said, “Oh my lord Elijah.”
The prophet said, “Go tell the king that I’m here.”
Obadiah was shocked. He said, “What have I done that you want me killed? The king has looked for you all across the nation, and even in other countries. As soon as I tell him that you’re here, the Lord will carry you off to some other place. Then Ahab will kill me when he comes and finds that you’re not here. Please don’t do this to me.”
The prophet said, “Don’t worry. As the Lord lives, I’ll meet with Ahab today.”
So Obadiah went and told Ahab. As soon as the king saw Elijah, he said, “So, there is the man who’s destroyed Israel.”
Elijah said, “No, it’s not me, but you who has destroyed Israel. You’ve turned your back on the Lord and are serving Baal. Tell Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. Bring the prophets of Baal and Asherah, the ones who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
So Ahab told the Israelites to gather at Mount Carmel, along with the prophets. Once everyone was there, Elijah said to the people, “How long will you go back and forth? If the Lord is God, follow Him. If Baal is God, follow him.” The people didn’t say anything, but just looked at the prophet.
He said. “I stand here as only one prophet of the Lord, but look, there are 450 prophets of Baal. Give us two bulls. They’ll take one, prepare it for sacrifice, and put it on top of the wood. But they won’t put fire on the wood. I’ll do the same. They will call on the name of their god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God who lights the fire, He is God.”
The people said. “Yes. That sounds fair.”
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal. “You go first.”
So they prepared the bull, and called on the name of Baal. They prayed all morning until noon. They danced around the altar, but nothing happened.
Elijah started mocking them. “Maybe you should shout louder! Your god might be sleeping, and you need to wake him up! Maybe he’s gone to the toilet.” They shouted loudly, and cut themselves, until blood gushed out. They kept this up all afternoon, but nothing happened.
Finally Elijah built an altar with twelve stones, one for each tribe of Israel. He dug a trench around the altar, and put the wood on it. He then placed the bull on top of the wood.
He said to the people, “Go get some water and pour it on the sacrifice.” Once they had done this, he told them to do it again. After they had done it a second time, he told them to do it a third time. Once they were done, the altar was totally wet, and the trench was full of water.
Elijah then walked up to the altar and prayed. “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Let everyone know that you are God, and I’m your servant. Answer me so these people will turn back to you!”
Suddenly, fire fell down from heaven and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, and the twelve stones. It even licked up the water that was in the trench. The people fell down and shouted, “The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!”
Elijah ordered, “Grab the prophets of Baal! Don’t let any of them escape.” The people grabbed the prophets of Baal, and Elijah killed all of them.
He turned to Ahab and said, “Eat something. There’s a rainstorm coming.”
He then went up to the top of the mountain to pray. He said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed a second time. He then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed again, and then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed again, and then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed again, and then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed again, and then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I don’t see anything.”
Elijah prayed again, and then said to his servant, “Look toward the sea. What do you see?”
The servant said, “I see a small cloud, about the size of a man’s hand, coming from the sea.”
Elijah said, “Quick, go tell Ahab, ‘Rush home as fast as you can so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ ” Ahab got in his chariot and rushed toward home.
In a short time, the sky grew dark and the wind started to blow. Suddenly there was a downpour of rain. The power of God came over Elijah, and he ran faster then Ahab’s chariot, and arrived in Samaria before him.
Israel had many wicked kings. They all followed the example of Jeroboam.
While Asa was still king of Judah, Ahab became king of Israel. He was extremely evil, more than any of the kings that were before him. He married a woman named Jezebel, who worshiped Baal. Through her influence, Ahab built a temple of Baal in the capital city of Samaria.
The prophet Elijah stood before the king and said, “I have a message from God. There will be no dew or rain until I say so!”
The Lord said to Elijah, “Leave here and go to a certain brook. It will provide you water, and I have already told the ravens to bring you food.”
So Elijah went and lived next to that brook. And just as the Lord said, the ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening. But in time, the brook dried up because there hadn’t been any rain.
The Lord said, “Go to a Gentile town called Zarephath. I have selected a widow to provide for you there.” When Elijah entered the village, he saw a woman gathering wood. He said to her, “Please bring me a little water.” As she went to get it, he said, “And also bring me some bread.”
She turned and looked at him. “I don’t have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour in the jar, and a bit of oil in the jug. I was gathering these sticks so I could make it into bread for my son and myself. We were going to eat it and then die.”
The prophet said, “Don’t be afraid to do what I say. Go and make your bread, but when it’s done, give some to me first. The Lord God of Israel has said, ‘The jar will always have flour, and the jug will always have oil until the day God sends rain.’ ”
Again, she looked at him, and then went and did as he asked. She made the bread, and gave some to him first. Sure enough, from that day on, the jar always had some flour, and the jug of oil never ran dry.
She prepared a place for the prophet in the upper room of her house. It had a bed, a table, and a chair.
Some time later, the woman’s son got sick. Soon his illness was severe, and finally he died. The woman went to Elijah and said, “Man of God, why did you come in to my house? Was it to expose my guilt, so you could kill my son?”
Elijah said, “Give me your son.” He took the boy to the upper room where he was staying. He laid him on the bed and then prayed, “Oh Lord God, why did you bring me into this woman’s home, and then kill her son?
He then stretched out over the boy and prayed, “Oh Lord my God, please bring life back into this boy!”
He stretched out over the boy a second time. “Oh Lord my God, please bring life back into this boy!”
He stretched out over the boy a third time. “Oh Lord my God, please bring life back into this boy!”
Suddenly the boy started breathing. Elijah took him back down into the house, and gave him to his mother. He said, “Here is your son. He’s alive.”
The woman fell down before the prophet and said, “Now I know you are a man of God, and his word is in your mouth!”
When Rehoboam died, his son Abijah became king of Judah. Soon afterward, Israel invaded Judah. Jeroboam was still king of Israel at the time.
When the two armies faced one another, Israel’s army was twice as big. Still, Abijah stood and yelled over at the men of Israel. He told them how he trusted the Lord. He compared how Judah worshiped the Lord at the Temple to how Israel worshiped the two golden calves.
While he was talking, Jeroboam sent half of his men around to the back of Abijah’s army. When the battle started, Judah suddenly realized they were surrounded. They cried out to the Lord and the priests blew the trumpets. God fought against Israel and they ran from the battlefield. Many of their soldiers died that day.
Jeroboam never recovered from this massive defeat, and he died soon afterwards. Abijah became stronger because he trusted the Lord.
After Abijah died, his son Asa became king of Judah. He ruled for 41 years. The Lord gave him 10 years of peace because he returned the nation to the ways of David. He destroyed the idols Solomon set up. He told the people of Judah to seek the Lord God.
Suddenly a vast army from Ethiopia invaded from the south. The army of Judah was greatly outnumbered. Asa prayed, “Oh Lord. Only you can help us now!”
So the Lord helped him defeat the Ethiopian army. Many of them were killed as they tried to run away. When it was all done, their army was crushed before the Lord. The men of Judah collected all the possessions from the bodies that were lying on the battlefield. They also got all of their sheep and camels.
As Asa and his men went back to Jerusalem, a prophet met him and challenged him to continue his walk with God. So the king decided to start destroying the idols from all the other cities of Judah. He even removed his grandmother from being Queen Mother because of her loyalty to an idol.
People from the northern kingdom of Israel moved to Judah in large numbers because they worshiped the Lord. On a certain day, everyone met together and vowed to always serve God. Asa then took silver and gold and put it in the Temple treasury. So the Lord gave Judah peace from all their enemies.
Unfortunately Asa came to a turning point in his life. The new king of Israel declared war on Judah and invaded the land. He took control of a key city.
Instead of trusting the Lord, Asa thought of another way he could get the advantage over Israel. He took the gold and silver out of the Temple and sent it to Benhadad, the king of Syria that was north of Israel. He sent a message saying, “I’m sending you gold and silver so you will break your treaty with Israel, and establish a treaty between our two nations.”
King Benhadad took the gold and silver and made a treaty with Asa. He then invaded Israel and captured several of their cities. Quickly the army of Israel left Judah so they could defend themselves against Syria.
It seemed like Asa’s plan had worked. But then, a prophet went to king Asa and said, “You should have asked the Lord to fight for you – not Syria! Don’t you remember what God did with the massive army of Ethiopia? The Lord is looking for those who will trust Him. You were foolish in doing this. Therefore, you will be at war until you die.”
Asa was angry with the prophet and called for a guard. “Put this man in prison!” After that, he became cruel toward his own people. Suddenly he developed a disease in his feet, which got worse and worse. Still, he didn’t seek the Lord’s help, even when the disease became life threatening. Instead, he trusted the doctors to help him. Finally he died after two years of great pain.
One of the sons of Jeroboam became sick. The king said to his wife, “When I was a servant of Solomon, a prophet told me that I’d become king of the northern ten tribes of Israel. He lives in Shiloh. Take him gifts of food and ask him what will happen to our son. Put on a disguise, so he won’t know you’re my wife.”
The prophet was now old and blind. The Lord said to him, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming wearing a disguise. She’s going to ask you about their son who is sick.” Then the Lord told him what to say.
Soon the prophet heard the woman’s footsteps. He said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you wearing a disguise? Listen, God has a message for your husband, a horrible message!”
The Lord says, “I selected you when you were an average man. I tore part of the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you. But look what you’ve done. You haven’t followed me. You haven’t kept my commandments. Instead, you’ve insulted me with two golden calves, and you’ve become more wicked than anyone else.
“So, listen to what I’m going to do to you. All of the males in your family will die a horrible death. The family name of Jeroboam won’t continue after you’re gone. Dogs will eat those who die in the city, and birds will eat those who die in the country.
“There will be only one exception to this. Your son who is now sick is a good man, the only one in your family. He will die a normal death. But he’ll die as soon as you get home. You’ll bury him, and all of Israel will mourn his death. But he’ll be the only one in your family that will be buried.
“All of this will happen because of what Jeroboam did to Israel. His sin will force me to hit Israel so hard that their roots will be ripped up from this soil. They’ll be carried away and scattered among the nations.”
Jeroboam’s wife went home, and her son died as soon as she walked into their house. He was buried and all of Israel mourned his death.
Jeroboam ruled for 22 years, and then died. His son became king after him. He followed the example of his father but only ruled for two years. He was killed and the entire family of Jeroboam was destroyed. It all happened just like the prophet said.
While Jeroboam ruled Israel in the north, Rehoboam ruled Judah in the south. He also made the Lord angry by leading the people in ways that were evil. Judah became as wicked as all the surrounding nations.
During the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Egypt came and plundered Jerusalem. They took all the gold from the Temple and the royal palace. They took the gold shields Solomon had made.
After they left, Rehoboam replaced the shields with ones made of bronze. Whenever the king left the palace and went to the Temple, guards walked along with him, carrying the bronze shields.
There was war between Judah and Israel as long as Rehoboam and Jeroboam lived. Rehoboam died after ruling Judah for 17 years, and his son became king after him.
There was an old prophet living at Bethel. His sons told him about the young man of God from Judah, and what he had done at Jeroboam’s altar. The old prophet said, “Which way did he go?”
He then told his sons to saddle his donkey. He rode down the road until he found the man of God sitting under an oak tree.
“Are you the man of God from Judah?”
“Yes, I am”
The old prophet said, “Come home with me and I’ll serve you a meal.”
“No, I can’t go with you. The Lord told me not to eat or drink anything while I’m here.”
The old man said, “Yes I know. I’m a prophet too, just like you. The Lord sent an angel to me who told me to come get you and provide you food and water. So, come to my house.”
This was a lie, but the man of God went with him and ate bread in his house and drank water. While they were sitting at the table, the Lord spoke through the old prophet, saying, “You’ve rebelled against my command. I told you not to eat or drink anything at this place. Because you disobeyed me, you’ll die and you won’t be buried in your family’s grave.”
After the two men were done eating, the old prophet saddled the young man’s donkey. He left, and along the way a lion jumped on the man of God and killed him. His body fell to the ground, but the donkey didn’t run away. He simply stood by the body of the young prophet. The lion stood on the other side.
Some travelers saw this and told the people in the town about it. When the old prophet heard it, he said, “I know who that is. It’s the man of God who disobeyed the Lord.”
He told his sons to once again saddle a donkey for him. He went and found the body. The lion was still standing next to it, as well as the donkey. Yet, the lion hadn’t eaten the corpse nor attacked the donkey.
The old prophet put the body of the man of God on the donkey that was standing there. He took it back home and buried it in his own grave. He mourned the young man’s death saying, “Oh my brother.”
He then told his sons. “When I die, bury me where this man of God is buried. Put my bones beside his bones. He spoke God’s words against these idols and Israel’s sin. Everything he said will come true.”
Jeroboam chose the city of Shechem to be the capital of Israel. He built it up and put his palace there.
He realized his people had a natural tendency to be loyal to the family of David. He said to his advisors, “The people keep going to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Eventually, they’ll decide their true loyalty is to the king from the line of David. They’ll kill me and reunite with Judah.”
To solve this problem, he made two golden calves. He put one in the south at Bethel and the other in the north at Dan. He said to the people, “It’s too hard to travel to Jerusalem several times a year. Here’s your god who brought you out of Egypt.”
Jeroboam built shrines to these idols and appointed priests for them. The priests weren’t from the tribe of Levi but were just anyone who wanted to be a priest. He then made annual celebrations at the same times as the ones in Jerusalem.
When he took the golden calf to Dan, people lined up behind it as it went along. Once they got there, Jeroboam made sacrifices to this new idol. He then went south to Bethel to sacrifice on the altar he had built there.
A young man of God from Judah walked up to Jeroboam as he was standing by the altar. The prophet yelled, “Altar, altar! Hear what the Lord God says to you. ‘A king will be born in Judah named Josiah. On this altar he’ll sacrifice the priests who burn incense on it.’ ”
The young prophet then turned to the people, “The Lord gave me a sign that these things will happen. This altar will rip apart and the ashes will spill to the ground.”
King Jeroboam got angry and pointed at the prophet. “Grab that man!” As soon as he said those words, the hand he had stretched out froze in position and he couldn’t pull it back. Suddenly the altar ripped apart and the ashes spilled to the ground.
Seeing this, the king begged the man of God. “Please pray to the Lord and ask him to restore my hand back to me.”
So the man of God prayed and Jeroboam’s hand returned to the way it was before. The king said, “Come with me to the palace and eat something. Then I’ll give you a gift.”
The young prophet said, “I wouldn’t go with you even if you gave me half of everything you own. The Lord said that I’m not to eat or drink anything while I’m here. And I’m to go back to Judah a different way from how I came.” With that, he walked away.
Even with this warning, Jeroboam didn’t repent of what he was doing. He continued to promote the worship of the two calves and appoint priests for them. Because of this sin, his kingdom didn’t continue after his death, and he had no descendants.
When Solomon was alive, he promoted one of his servants, named Jeroboam. He had a unique ability of getting things done.
One day Jeroboam met a prophet, who was wearing a new coat. The prophet said, “Here is a message from God.”
He then took off the coat and ripped it into twelve pieces. He handed Jeroboam ten of them and gave him this message from the Lord: “Solomon left me and turned to worshipping idols. Therefore, I’m going to rip the kingdom out of his hands. You’ll rule over the northern ten tribes of Israel. I’m not taking all the tribes away because of David and Jerusalem. Therefore Solomon’s son will rule over Judah.
“Follow me and obey my commandments. If you do, I’ll be with you. I’ll establish your kingdom, and you’ll have a lasting dynasty just like I gave David.”
Solomon found out about this prophecy and tried to kill Jeroboam. But he ran away and hid in Egypt until Solomon died.
One of Solomon’s sons was Rehoboam, whose mother was an Ammonite woman. After his father died, he went to Shechem so the northern tribes of Israel could crown him king.
Before the elders of Israel met with him they sent for Jeroboam. Once he arrived, they said to Rehoboam, “Your father put a yoke on us that was harsh. Promise us that you’ll lighten our load and lower our taxes. If you do, we’ll gladly serve you.”
Rehoboam said, “Give me three days to think about this.”
After Jeroboam and the elders of Israel left, Rehoboam asked advice from the older counselors in his father’s court. They said, “Serve these people with all your heart. Be kind to them, and they’ll serve you for the rest of your life.”
Rehoboam then asked for advice from his younger counselors, the ones he grew up with. They said, “Tell those rebels, ‘My father was easy on you compared to me. My little finger will be heavier than my father’s leg. He hit you with whips. I’m going to hit you with scorpions.’ ”
Rehoboam listened to this advice and rejected the counsel of the older men. He said to the leaders of Israel, “My father was easy on you compared to me. He hit you with whips. I’m going to hit you with scorpions.” That was exactly what the Lord wanted him to say.
When Jeroboam and the people of Israel heard this, they said, “We want nothing to do with the house of David! We’re not from Judah.”
So the people of Israel went home and Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem. He sent one of his officials to restore order among the northern tribes. The people stoned him until he was dead.
The ten tribes broke away from Judah and called themselves Israel. They asked Jeroboam to be their king.
Rehoboam gathered an army from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. They prepared to invade Israel and force them back under Rehoboam’s control.
Just then a man of God came to them with a message from the Lord. “Don’t go fight your brothers. Go home. I’m the one that caused them to rebel against you.” Everyone listened to the Lord, and went home.
The queen of Sheba heard about the great wisdom of King Solomon. She couldn’t believe it was true. So she decided to go and test him with a list of hard questions. She organized a large band of servants to travel with her and selected presents to present to the king. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great caravan of camels loaded with gold, jewels, and spices.
She met with the king and asked him her list of questions. He was able to answer every single question. None of them was too difficult for him to explain to her. She was amazed to see the palace he had built, the variety of food at every meal, the way his servants were dressed, and the burnt offerings he made at the Temple. She said, “Everything I heard about you is true, but I couldn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. Now I find that I wasn’t told half of what is true about you. May your God continue to bless you as you carry out justice and righteousness.”
She gave him a half a ton of gold, and more spices than had ever come to Jerusalem. Solomon also gave her many gifts before she and her servants returned home.
Every year, Solomon received 25 tons of gold in addition to normal trade. Because of this, he covered many things with gold – ornaments, drinking cups, dishes, and his throne. He didn’t use silver because he didn’t think it was valuable.
Solomon crafted 200 large shields, each made with 15 pounds of hammered gold. He also made 300 smaller shields with 4 pounds of gold in each one. No other king in the world was as rich and wise as Solomon.
He accumulated a large herd of horses for his military. These were imported from many countries around that part of the world.
Unfortunately, Solomon also accumulated many women, which was a direct violation of God’s law. He had 700 wives, all daughters of kings. Each one worshiped the gods of her country. He also had 300 concubines.
When Solomon got old, these women convinced him to build a shrine for each of their gods. Eventually, every hill around Jerusalem had a shrine on it, honoring their many gods. Solomon started burning incense at these places and offering sacrifices. Finally he departed from worshiping the Lord and joined his wives in worshiping their gods. Wickedness filled his heart.
God was angry with Solomon because he departed from following the ways of David. The Lord said, “I’m going to tear your kingdom in two, and give one part to a servant of yours. But I won’t do this in your lifetime because of my promise to David. Your son will lose most of your kingdom.”
Then God allowed the enemies of Solomon to organize against him, so there was no longer peace in the land. Finally, Solomon died. He had been king of Israel for forty years.
Solomon knew it was his responsibility to build the Temple of the Lord. Therefore, he gathered a large work force and provided them all the materials they needed. He got cedar from King Hiram of Lebanon, who had been a friend of David, his father.
The entire construction took seven years to complete. During that time, there wasn’t the sound of tools at the Temple site because everything was assembled elsewhere. The inside walls were totally covered with cedar. The walls of the most Holy Place were covered with pure gold. All of the vessels, furnishings, and tools for worship were also made of gold. He also made a place for Gentiles who wanted to come to the Temple and pray.
Once the Temple was done, King Solomon assembled the leaders from all the tribes of Israel. The priests went and got the Ark of God. The only things in it at that time were the two tablets of stone that Moses had put there. As the priests carefully carried the Ark toward the Temple, sacrifices were made all along the way. Finally they arrived, and the Ark of God was put in the Most Holy Place.
Suddenly, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple like a cloud. It was so thick the priests had to stop what they were doing.
The king gave thanks to God. He then turned to face the people and gave them a blessing and a prayer of dedication. Finally, he stood before the altar of the Lord and prayed. He asked God to hear his people when they confessed their sins and asked for forgiveness. He also asked God to hear Gentiles who prayed at the Temple.
Together, the entire nation of Israel sacrificed to God and dedicated the Temple to the Lord. This celebration lasted for fourteen days. Once it was over, the people returned to their homes with their hearts full of happiness.
God then met with Solomon a second time. He said, “I have heard your prayer and have set this house apart for myself. If you walk with me as your father did, I’ll establish your kingdom forever. But if you or your descendants disobey my commandments and start worshiping other gods, I’ll depart from this house, and it will become a disgrace. I’ll then take the people of Israel off from this land.”
For the next thirteen years, Solomon built a house for himself. After that, he built several cities. He established a great work force for all of his construction projects. There was no other king in the entire world like Solomon.
Solomon loved the Lord and tried to follow the example of his father David. One day, he went to Gibeon and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings upon the altar. That night God appeared to him in a dream. “What do you want me to give you?”
Without hesitation, he said, “Lord, my father was a great king, but I feel like a child who doesn’t know anything. Give me the wisdom and understanding to rule over your people.”
The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s answer. “You’ve asked for wisdom instead of long life, riches, or peace. Therefore I’ll give you wisdom. It will exceed what any one has had, or ever will have. I’ll also give you great riches and honor. And I’ll give you long life, but only if you follow me like David did.”
Soon after this promise, two prostitutes went to the judgment hall and stood before the king. One said, “This woman and I live in the same house. Each of us gave birth to a son. While we were sleeping, she accidentally rolled over on her son and killed him. So in the night, she took my child and put her dead son in his place. I awoke in the morning to nurse my son, but the child was dead. I then realized it wasn’t my son at all, but hers. She has my child.”
The other woman said, “No, the living child is mine and the dead one is hers!” The two began arguing in front of the king.
Solomon turned to a guard and said, “Come here with a sword.” Pointing to the child he said, “Cut the boy in two pieces and give each mother half of him.”
One woman cried out, “No! Don’t kill my son! She can have him! Please let him live.”
The other woman said, “Yes, cut him in half, so we both will have a part.”
The king turned to the guard, “Give the boy to the first woman. She’s the mother because her heart cries out for the child.” The people of Israel marveled at his wisdom.
Solomon ruled over all the nations from the Euphrates River in the north, to Egypt in the south. That whole region was at peace as long as he lived. There were so many people in Israel that they were like the sand on the seashore. Everyone was at peace and lived without fear of war.
Solomon gained knowledge about many subjects. He had understanding about plants, birds, and animals. His wisdom was greater than that of anyone else in the world. Kings from around the world would send people to listen to him and learn from him.
Before David died, he gave Solomon instructions on how he should rule as king. He said, “To be successful, you must be strong and brave, and always walk in the ways of God’s commandments.
“Kill Joab when the time is right. He murdered two commanders of Israel – Abner, Saul’s commander, and Amasa, his cousin. He didn’t kill them on the battlefield. Both of these men trusted him because it was a time of peace. Don’t let him grow old peacefully.
“Remember that Shimei cursed me when I was running from Absalom. He begged for mercy and I said he could live. It’s up to you to punish him. Deal with him according to your wisdom.”
Soon after that, David died and they buried him in Jerusalem. He had been king for forty years.
Later, Adonijah went to Bathsheba and said, “You know that all of Israel expected me to become king. I accept Solomon as king, because it’s God’s will for Israel. I just have one request.”
“What is it?”
“The king won’t refuse anything if you ask for it. So please, go and ask if I can have David’s nurse as my wife.”
So Bathsheba went to Solomon. He stood and greeted her and called for a throne to be set at his right hand.
She sat down and said, “I have one little request. Please don’t turn me down.”
“Mother, ask and I’ll give it to you.”
She said, “Please let Adonijah have David’s nurse as a wife.”
Solomon was shocked. He said, “This is the same as asking if he could be made king. This request will cost Adonijah his life. He’ll be dead before this day ends.” Solomon then gave the order, and Adonijah was killed.
The high priest had supported Adonijah, so the king took his job away from him. He was the last priest from the line of Eli. This fulfilled the prophecy given about him.
Joab knew that his time had come, so he went to the Tabernacle and grabbed the horns of the altar. Solomon heard about this and told a guard, “Go kill him.”
The guard went and told Joab, “Come out here.”
He said, “No, I’ll die here.”
The guard went back and told the king. Solomon said, “Do as he asked. Kill him there! He deserves to die for murdering two good men who were better than himself.” So Joab was killed at the altar and buried near his home.
Solomon then called for Shimei. The king said, “Build a house in Jerusalem and live there. You’re not to leave this city for the rest of your life. If you leave, you’ll die. So, your life is in your hands.”
Shimei said, “This is fair. I’ll do as you have said.”
He lived in Jerusalem for three years. One day, two of his slaves ran away, so Shimei went after them and brought them back.
Solomon had him brought in. “You ignored the command I gave you. Now you’ll pay for what you did to my father. You cursed him, yet his kingdom will last forever.” With that, Shimei was killed.
So Solomon established himself as King of Israel.
When David became old and frail, he was always cold. Covering him with blankets didn’t help. Finally they decided to provide him with a nurse that would sleep with him. They found a beautiful virgin and she was his constant nurse. She slept with him, but they didn’t have sex.
Adonijah was the fourth son of David, a younger brother of Absalom. He was just as handsome as his brother. David never disciplined Adonijah, or even corrected him.
Since David was old and bedridden, Adonijah said, “I’ll be the next king.” He hired 50 bodyguards to run before him as he rode through the streets in a chariot. He asked Joab to help him, and also enlisted the help of the high priest. Others refused to help, including Nathan the prophet.
Adonijah hosted a banquet and invited those who supported him. He also invited his brothers, David’s servants, and officials of Judah. But he didn’t invite those who opposed him, and he didn’t invite Solomon.
Bathsheba was Solomon’s mother. Nathan went and told her what was happening. He said, “The king doesn’t know what Adonijah is doing. If we don’t stop this, you and your son will die.” He then told her exactly how they should tell the king.
She went to David’s bedroom, where his nurse was serving him. Bathsheba said, “My lord, you said Solomon would be king after you. But now Adonijah has made himself king without you knowing it. All of Israel is looking to you to tell them exactly who should be king. If you die without telling them, Solomon and I will be killed as criminals.”
At that exact moment, Nathan came in and said, “My lord king, did you make Adonijah king? Today he’s having a banquet with the officials of Israel. They’re eating and drinking and saying ‘Long live the King.’ Many of us weren’t invited. I’m surprised you authorized this without letting me know.”
David said to Bathsheba, “As sure as the Lord lives, your son Solomon will be king after me. It will happen today.”
He then gave an assignment to certain priests, officials, and the prophet Nathan. “Have Solomon ride on my personal mule to the place where you’ll anoint him king. Afterwards, blow the rams horns and shout ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then have him sit on my throne. Tell everyone he’s the one I’ve selected to be king after me.”
The men followed David’s instructions. As soon as Solomon was pronounced king, the people flowed into the streets shouting, playing flutes, and celebrating.
The people at Adonijah’s banquet heard the noise and wondered what was happening. Men rushed in and told them. “King David has made Solomon king of Israel! Right now he’s sitting on the royal throne.”
Everyone quickly left the banquet and went home. Adonijah was terrified of what Solomon would do to him. He went to the Tabernacle and grabbed the horns of the altar. He sent a message to Solomon saying “I’m your slave. Please promise me you’ll not kill me.”
Solomon sent a message back. “I won’t kill you if you act like a man of character. But if not, I’ll have you killed.” So Adonijah went and bowed down before Solomon and gave him honor as the new king.
King David called for Joab and said, “Go throughout the land and number all the people.” He did this to see how big of an army he could build.
Joab knew this wasn’t God’s will for David. He said, “Don’t disobey the Lord. God will give you as many people as you need for any situation.” But David insisted, so Joab used his army to go to every part of Israel and count the people. When they were finished, he told David there were over 1,300,000 men who were able to go to war if needed.
After David heard this report, he knew the Lord wasn’t pleased that he had done this. He prayed, “Oh God, I’ve acted foolishly and sinned against you. Forgive my sin.”
The Lord sent a prophet to give David a message. “You’re to choose one of three punishments for this sin.
• a famine that will devastate the land three years,
• an invading army to whom you’ll lose battle after battle for three months,
• or an epidemic that will sweep across the land for three days.”
David said, “All three of these terrify me! Still, I choose to suffer under the hand of God, rather than at the hands of men. I know the Lord is merciful.”
So God sent the angel of the Lord, who swept across the land with a severe epidemic. 70,000 men died! The angel then focused on Jerusalem. As death came upon the city, God said, “Stop! It’s enough!”
The angel immediately stopped. He was over a threshing floor owned by a Jebusite named Ornan. It was the exact place where Abraham had offered his son to the Lord.
David looked up and saw the angel holding a sword stretched out over the city. Ornan also saw the angel so he ran and hid.
David fell down with his face to the ground. “Oh Lord, I’m the one who sinned! Not these people. They’re like sheep. What have they done? Punish me and my family.”
The prophet walked up to David with a message from God. “Build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor.” David immediately walked toward it. When Ornan saw this, he ran to the king and bowed down.
David said, “Sell me your threshing floor, so I can build an altar to the Lord. Then he will hold back the plague from the people. I’ll pay you full price for it.”
Ornan said, “Oh King, I’ll give it to you. Please take it and build your altar. Use my oxen for the burnt offering, and use my wood for the fire. I give it all. I trust the Lord will hear you.”
David said, “No my friend, I’ll buy it all at full price. I won’t sacrifice to the Lord using that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor, the oxen, and the wood. He then built the altar and sacrificed to the Lord.
God heard David’s prayer and sent fire from heaven to burn up the offering. He then commanded the angel, “Put away your sword!” With that, the epidemic was over.
From that day on, David used that altar whenever he sacrificed to God. He said, “This is the house of the Lord.”
Then he organized people and bought materials that were needed for building the Temple. Years later, Solomon built the Temple of the Lord at that very place.
A famine hit the land of Israel. At first, David thought it was a natural event until it lasted for three years. He then realized the famine was from God. So he asked the Lord about it. God said, “It is because of what Saul did to the Gibeonites.”
The Tabernacles of God was at Gibeon. The Ark of God was in Jerusalem, but the Tabernacle was set up in Gibeon. So there were two place of worship.
The Gibeonites made an agreement with Israel in the days of Joshua. Saul decided to ignore those agreements and eliminate the Gibeonite population. He tried to totally annihilate their existence.
David went to them and said, “Our people have wronged you. How can we once again be reconciled with you?”
They said, “Money can’t pay for killing our brothers and sisters. And we don’t have the power to strike back at Israel. Still, our complaint isn’t toward Israel. It’s only toward the man who tried to exterminate us from the earth.”
David said, “So, what can we do for you?”
They said, “Give us seven of Saul’s descendants. We will hang them in his hometown, near where the people worship the Lord.”
David agreed. He selected two of Saul’s sons and five of his grandsons. He spared Mephibosheth because of his promise to Jonathan.
The Gibeonites killed the seven men and hung their bodies on a hill near where people went to worship. They were to hang there from April, which was the beginning of harvest, until October, which was the beginning of the rainy season.
Saul’s wife went to the site where her sons and grandsons were hanging. She stayed there day and night to protect the bodies from the birds during the day and the wild animals during the night.
When the allotted time was over, David went to the city where Saul and Jonathan were buried and got their bones. He then buried them in their family tomb, along with the seven men. After all of this was done, God once again heard David’s prayers concerning the land.
Years later, the Philistines once again declared war on Israel. David went with his men to fight a battle. He suddenly became exhausted during the fight. A relative of Goliath saw this as his opportunity to kill David. The Philistine was a huge man of great strength. He moved in to make the kill. One of David’s men stopped the giant and killed him.
David was taken off the battlefield, and his men took an oath. They said, “You are never to fight with us again. You’re the Lamp of Israel, and you’re not to put it out on the battlefield.” So David never went out to war again.
David removed Joab from his command of the army. He replaced him with Amasa, who was also his nephew. He said to Amasa, “Gather my troops in three days so you can hunt down Sheba.”
Amasa started gathering an army, but it took him too long. He wasn’t back in three days. David said to Joab’s brother, “We must act fast if we’re to defeat Sheba. If we give him time, he’ll be a bigger danger then Absalom ever was. Go after him immediately.”
Joab joined his brother, and together they quickly organized an army. They then left Jerusalem to capture Sheba.
Along the way, Amasa finally caught up with them. Joab walked over to him, “Amasa, my cousin. How are you?” He then reached up with his right hand as if to draw Amasa closer and greet him with a kiss. Amasa didn’t see the knife in Joab’s left hand.
Joab stabbed Amasa in the stomach. He fell to the ground, dying but not yet dead. Joab turned and left to continue his search for Sheba. A soldier stood next to Amasa and shouted, “Follow Joab if you’re loyal to king David.”
As the army followed Joab, they kept slowing down as they passed Amasa, who was groaning in extreme pain. Some even stopped to look at him. Finally a soldier pulled Amasa off to the side of the road and threw a blanket over him. Then the army moved along quickly.
They chased Sheba all around the country. He finally took his men to a city called Abel. Joab’s troops lay siege on the city and built a ramp against its walls. The purpose was to tear down the walls and destroy the city.
As they were working, a woman yelled out to them. She was known around that area as woman of wisdom. She said, “Go get Joab so I can talk to him.”
Joab came to that part of the wall and yelled, “What do you want?”
She yelled back, “Are you Joab?”
“Yes, what do you want?”
She said, “People say, ‘Go to Abel to get the best advice.’ That’s because we know how to solve problems. So why would you want to destroy a valuable resource like Abel? Our city is like a mother to Israel.”
He said, “We’re not here to destroy your city. We’re chasing Sheba, who has rebelled against David, our king. If you give us this man, we’ll leave your city alone.”
The woman said, “I’ll hold you to that. We’ll throw Sheba’s head out to you.”
The woman went and talked to the city officials. They trusted her wisdom, so they caught Sheba, cut off his head, and threw it out to Joab.
Once Joab saw it, he blew the ram’s horn, and his army went home. Joab went back to Jerusalem, where he was once again made commander of David’s army.
After Absalom was defeated and killed, his army ran from the battlefield and went back to their homes. At that point the people of Israel started remembering all the good things David had done for them through the years. Together they issued a call to David, asking him to once again be their king.
The tribe of Judah wasn’t represented in this call, so David sent them a message. “Why aren’t you asking me to come back? After all, I’m one of you.”
They immediately sent him a message, “Come back and be our king.” They then rushed to the Jordan River and escorted him and his family across.
As soon as David crossed the river, Shimei ran up and fell down before him. He said, “I know I sinned against you when you left Jerusalem. Please don’t hold that against me. As you can see, I’m the first one to welcome you back.”
Joab’s brother stepped forward and said, “Let me kill him. You’re the Lord’s anointed, and he disgraced you.”
David said, “Put away your sword. Today is a special day. I’m once again king. No one will be killed in Israel today.” He then turned to the man before him. “Shimei, you’ll not die for what you did.”
Immediately, there was an argument between the tribes of Israel. The other tribes said to Judah, “Why didn’t you include us when you brought the king across the river?”
Judah said, “We’re his relatives.”
The others said, “He’s king over all of Israel, not just Judah. So he’s ten times more our king than yours.” This once again divided the nation and the fighting between the tribes became intense.
A man named Sheba stepped forward and blew a ram’s horn. He said, “David isn’t king over Israel. Let Judah have him. Let’s go home.”
With that, the people of Israel left. Only the tribe of Judah took David to Jerusalem.
David was prepared for war by the time Absalom had gathered a large army and chased after him. People of that area had given him supplies and Joab had organized the army.
David laid out a plan of action to fight the army of Absalom. He said to his men, “I’ll lead you into battle.”
They said, “No! Stay in the city. If one of us dies, no one will care. Half of us could die, and no one would even notice. But you’re worth 10,000 soldiers. Stay in the city.”
So the king stood beside the gate while his troops marched out. He said to Joab, loud enough so everyone could hear, “For my sake, be merciful with my son, Absalom.”
David’s army marched into battle and defeated the army of Israel. It turned into a slaughter, with over 20,000 men dead.
Absalom was riding away from the battle on a mule. Suddenly his hair got caught in the branches of a large tree. It pulled him off the mule, and he was left hanging in midair. Some of David’s men saw him hanging there, and went and told Joab.
He said, “What? You saw him hanging there, and you didn’t kill him? I would’ve paid you ten pieces of silver if you had killed him!”
They said, “We wouldn’t kill the king’s son even if you gave us 1,000 pieces of silver. We heard what he said. He wants us to spare his son. If we had killed him, the king would find out about it, … and you’d let us take the blame.”
Joab said, “I’m wasting my time talking to you!” He took three spears and went to where Absalom was hanging. He and several of his guards surrounded Absalom and killed him.
Joab then blew the ram’s horn, and his troops stopped chasing the army of Israel. Absalom was taken down from the tree and thrown into a large pit. With that, all the men of Israel went home.
A young man said to Joab, “I’ll run and tell the king how the Lord has given him victory.”
Joab said, “No, I’ll send someone else.” So he then sent another runner.
The young man begged Joab to let him run as well. Finally he was given permission to go. The young man ran, but he was faster then the other runner and got to the king first.
David was sitting just inside the gate, waiting for news of the battle. A watchman on the wall called down and told him a runner was coming.
As the young man got close, the watchman called down to David that another runner was coming. The young man bowed before the king and said, “The battle went well. You’ve won! The Lord has given you victory.”
David said, “What about Absalom? Is he alive?”
“I don’t know. I heard a lot of noise, but I didn’t know what that was about.”
“Stand over there and wait.”
The second runner came up and said, “I have good news. God has given you victory today.”
David said, “What about Absalom? Is he alive?”
The runner said, “May all of your enemies end up like him.”
The king was cut to the heart! He went up to the gate chamber and cried out in anguish. “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
News of this got back to the army. Suddenly their joy of victory turned to sadness. It was as if they had lost the battle.
Joab went to David. “Your men risked their lives for you. They not only saved your life, but they saved the lives of your family. Now they’re ashamed of what they have done. They think you wanted them to die instead of your son.
“Get up right now. Go out and encourage your men. If you don’t, they’ll all leave you and your troubles will be worse then ever.”
So David got up and went to sit at the gate. Soon all of his men came and sat with him.
Absalom was a handsome man with beautiful thick hair. He was also ambitious and wanted to be king. To impress people, he rode in a chariot with 50 men running ahead of him.
In the morning, he stood by the road that went to the city gate. He honored anyone who bowed down to him. If he saw someone going to see the king about a problem, he asked, “What city are you from?” If they were from one of the northern tribes, he’d say, “I understand your problem. It’s too bad the king won’t listen to you. If I were king, I’d make sure you were heard.”
Soon, the northern tribes of Israel became loyal to Absalom. When the time was right, he sent messengers to them saying, “Listen for the ram’s horn. When you hear it, shout, ‘Absalom is king!’”
The conspiracy spread quickly. More and more people started supporting Absalom. He left the city and enlisted the help of Ahithophel, one of David’s advisors. Both David and Absalom knew that Ahithophel’s wisdom was a gift from the Lord.
David didn’t hear about this until it was too late. By then he knew his life was in danger, so he and his servants quickly left the city. He took off his shoes, covered his head, and openly cried as he walked up the Mount of Olives. People came and cried along the path.
Once he arrived on top of the Mount, he saw Hushai, one of his friends and advisors. David said to him, “Don’t come with me. Go tell Absalom that you’ll serve him just like you served me. Advise my son against Ahithophel’s counsel as much as you can.”
They then set up a way Hushai could send David information about Absalom’s plans. Hushai returned to Jerusalem just as Absalom and a large crowd were entering the city. Ahithophel was at his side. Hushai bowed before Absalom and said, “Long live the king!”
Absalom said, “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
Hushai said, “I’ll serve the one the Lord and the people have chosen. I’ll serve you just as I served your father.”
As David was leaving, he passed by the home of a man named Shimei. He was from the family of Saul. Shimei started throwing stones at David and yelling, “You deserve this, you filthy murderer! God is judging you for what you did to King Saul. Go hide in a hole, where you belong.”
A soldier pulled out his sword and said, “This filthy dog is dead! I’m going to cut off his head!”
David turned to him, “Why would you do that? It was the Lord who said to him, ‘Shimei, go curse David!’ Why would we fight God at a time like this? Maybe the Lord will see what I’m going through and have pity on me.”
So David and his men continued down the road with Shimei on a ridge above them. He kept yelling curses at David and throwing stones and dirt at him.
Once Absalom was in the palace, Ahithophel said, “Allow me to take 12,000 men and chase after David tonight. I’ll attack him while he’s weak and tired. This will cause his people to panic and they’ll scatter. I’ll only kill the king, and bring all the others back to you. We’ll have peace when people see that you’ve only killed the king and allowed everyone else to live.”
This proposal seemed good to Absalom, but he said, “Send for Hushai. I want to hear his advice.”
When Hushai heard this plan, he said, “Oh no! Don’t do that. You know your father and his men. They’re warriors. Right now they’re like a wild bear, robbed of her cubs. Your father knows how to fight. He’s probably hiding in one of the caves, waiting for your men to come out. If you act now, some of your men will get killed. Once the people hear that, they’ll say that David is slaughtering your forces. Everyone will believe it because they know your father is a skilled warrior.
“Here’s what you should do. Gather a great army from all over Israel. Personally lead them into battle. Attack David wherever you find him. With a massive army, you can make sure he doesn’t escape. If any city hides him, totally destroy that city and don’t leave one stone on top of another.”
The Lord caused Absalom to ignore Ahithophel’s advice, even though it was better. Therefore Absalom said, “We’ll follow the advice of Hushai.”
When Ahithophel heard this, he knew that David would win the war. So he went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hung himself.
After three years, David finally stopped mourning for Amnon. Then he started to miss his son Absalom. Still, he wouldn’t ask him to return from hiding.
Joab noticed this, so he hired a woman who was good at acting. He told her to go to the king, and he gave her the words she should say. She went before David dressed in clothes of mourning. She bowed before him and said, “Help me, my king.”
David said, “Tell me your problem.”
“I only had two sons after my husband died. Recently they got into a fight and no one stopped them. Soon, one killed the other one. Now my family says I’m to give them the only son I have left. They say he must die because he’s a murderer. My king, this would remove my husband’s name from the earth.”
David said, “You can go home. I’ll take care of this for you. If anyone says this isn’t right, bring them to me.”
She said, “Oh, please swear by God that my son won’t be killed for what he did.”
David said, “I swear it by the Lord who lives. Your son won’t die for this.”
She said, “May I ask you one more question?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I knew you’d give me a right judgment because the wisdom of God is in you. You clearly see what is good and what is evil. That’s why this judgment was good.
“So, why don’t you follow your own judgments? You’re wronging the nation of God by not bringing back your son. We’re all going to die someday, but God is the God of life. He wants us to be reconciled to one another.”
David said, “You asked me a question, now I have one for you. Listen to me carefully. You must tell me the truth. Did Joab send you here to talk to me?”
She said, “My lord the king has the wisdom of the Angel of the Lord. No one can get anything around him. Yes, your servant Joab told me what to say, but it’s only because he loves you and wants what’s best for you.”
The king called for Joab and said, “Go and bring Absalom back in peace, but I don’t want to see him.” So Joab went and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. He was allowed to live in his own house.
Two years went by and he still wasn’t allowed to see the king. Finally he decided to ask Joab to arrange a meeting between him and his father. He sent for Joab, but he didn’t come. He sent for him a second time, but he still didn’t come. Finally Absalom sent his servants to set a fire to Joab’s barley field.
Joab went and yelled at Absalom. “Why did you set fire to my field?”
“I had to get your attention. Now tell me. Why did you bring me back to Jerusalem? I was better off where I was. Go to the king and arrange a meeting between the two of us. I want to see him even if he kills me.”
So Joab arranged a time when the king and his son could meet. Absalom went before his father and bowed down with his face to the ground. David got up and went and kissed his son.
Amnon was David’s oldest son, and was his favorite. Amnon had everything he wanted, except one thing. He wanted his half sister Tamar. She was beautiful and a virgin. He thought about her all the time. He literally got sick wishing he could go to bed with her.
He had a cousin who was known to be crafty. Once he heard how Amnon felt, he came up with a plan. He said, “Lay in your bed as if you’re sick. When the king asks about you, tell him you want Tamar to come make some bread in your room. Tell him you want her to feed it to you.”
Amnon followed this plan, so the king asked Tamar to go help her brother with some food. While she was there, Amnon sent all the servants out of the room. As she handed him some food, he grabbed her and said, “Get in bed with me!”
She begged him, “No, please. Stop this. This is a horrible sin. You’re putting me to shame. Ask the king and he’ll give me to you. He’ll give you anything.”
But Amnon wouldn’t listen. He pulled her into bed and raped her. As soon as he was done, he no longer wanted her. In fact, he hated her. He said, “Get out of here!”
She yelled, “No! Don’t throw me away. What you’ve done is wrong, but sending me away is worse.”
He shouted for his servant. “Take this woman out of here and lock the door behind her.”
After Tamar was put out, she tore her clothes, the ones that showed she was a virgin. She put ashes on her head and cried as she walked along.
Her brother was Absalom. As soon as he heard what happened, he vowed to kill Amnon. But he knew it had to be planned out carefully. So, he had his sister move into his house. He told her, “For now, try to put it out of your mind. Don’t say anything about it.”
From that day on, Tamar was sad and moody, and Absalom totally stopped speaking to Amnon. The king was furious when he heard about the rape. Still he didn’t do anything about it.
Two years later, Absalom held a sheep shearing party and invited all of David’s sons. He made sure Amnon would be there. Absalom provided a large banquet for the occasion. Everyone had plenty to eat and drink.
Absalom told the servants to watch Amnon carefully. He said, “Wait until he’s had plenty to drink, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. You won’t get into trouble. You’re simply following my orders.”
They did exactly as they were told. When the time was right, they killed Amnon. The other sons ran for their lives.
News of this quickly got back to the king. He was told Absalom had killed all of the king’s sons. David ripped his clothes and fell to the ground. Finally someone told him that it wasn’t true. Only Amnon had died. They said, “Absalom has been planning this since his sister was raped.”
Finally, the other sons of David came down the road and went before the king. Everyone cried together.
Absalom ran to a neighboring country to hide from his father. David grieved for Amnon for three years.
Only God knew about David’s sin with Bathsheba. He sent the prophet Nathan, who stood before the king and told this story: “There were two men who lived in the same city. One was rich. He had a large herd of cattle and a large flock of sheep. The other was poor. He only had one small lamb, but she was like a daughter to him. The lamb grew up with his children as a pet. She ate from their bowls, drank from their cups, and even slept with them at night.
The rich man had a friend come to visit from a far off city. When it came time for a meal, the rich man didn’t want to use one of his own sheep. Instead he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.”
David became angry. He stood up and shouted, “That’s disgusting! How could he be so heartless? He deserves to die. He’ll give the poor man four lambs for what he’s done.”
Nathan pointed at David and said, “You are the man! The Lord says, ‘I made you king over Israel and gave you all you have. I would’ve given you more if you had asked for it. So why have you despised me and done this evil? You killed Uriah with an Ammonite sword, and took his wife. Because of this, the sword will never leave your house. You did all of this in secret, but I’ll judge you openly.’ ”
David broke down before Nathan. “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Later, he wrote this prayer:
“Oh God, have mercy upon me.
Hold me tight within your love.
In your compassion, remove my rebellion.
Wash my guilt, and remove
the stain of my sin.
I know I’m rebellious.
My sin haunts me day and night.
You’re the one I fought against.
This evil is against you.
You’re right to be angry and throw me away.
I’ve been this way all my life.
But I know you want to teach me.
Go deep inside of me and put wisdom there.
Use harsh cleansers until
everything is absolutely clean.
Replace my depression with joy.
Remove my sin and give me
a clean new heart.
Give me a determined spirit,
and restore the joy of my salvation.
If you do these things, I’ll teach others about your ways.”
Nathan went to David and said, “The Lord has heard your prayer and has taken away your sin. You’ll not die, but the child will die because of how you treated the Lord.”
Suddenly, the child became sick. David begged God to spare him. The king wouldn’t eat, but spent day and night on the ground pleading with God. His servants tried to get him to eat, but he refused.
On the seventh day, the child died. The servants were afraid to tell David. They had watched him agonize while the child was still alive. They thought he would do something desperate when he found out the child was dead.
He saw them whispering to one another. He said, “Is the child dead?”
“Yes, he is dead.”
So David got up off the ground, took a bath, and put on clean clothes. He worshipped in the house of the Lord and then sent for something to eat.
The servants were amazed. He explained it to them. “While the child was still alive, I pleaded with the Lord in case he would be gracious and let the child live. But now that he’s dead, there’s nothing I can do. He can’t come back to me, but I can go to him.”
Later, Bathsheba gave birth to another son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon, and said he would be the next king of Israel.
When it was spring, it was time to once again attack the Ammonites. Normally David would go with his men, but he decided to stay home.
After taking a nap one afternoon, he walked along the sundeck that was on the roof of the palace. From there, he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. He sent for a servant and asked, “Who is that woman?”
“Oh, her name is Bathsheba. She is the wife of Uriah, one of your 30 fighting men.”
David sent for her, so she came to the palace. He slept with her that night. In time she realized she was expecting a baby, and she knew it was from the night she spent with the king. She sent word to David that she was pregnant.
He decided he had to hide what he had done. So he immediately sent a message to Joab. “Send Uriah to me.”
The soldier arrived and the king asked him, “How is the battle going? Is Joab well?” After Uriah gave a report, the king told him he could go home to his wife before going back to the battle. He even sent a gift for the couple.
Uriah left the king, but didn’t go home. He slept the night at the door of the palace with all of the king’s servants. In the morning, the king called him in and asked, “Why didn’t you go home?”
“No, I wouldn’t do that. The Ark of God is on the field of battle. The army of Israel sleeps in tents. Joab and his officers are on the field. I can’t go to my house and live in ease. I can’t eat and drink with my wife while they are sacrificing for our nation.”
David said, “Stay here one more day, and then I’ll send you back to the battle.”
The king then asked Uriah to eat and drink with him. During the course of the evening, David got him drunk. Still, he didn’t go home, but slept on a cot at the palace doors.
The next morning David wrote a letter to his commander. “Put Uriah in the front where the fighting is the most fierce. At an assigned moment, have your men fall back, leaving him to die.”
The king gave the sealed letter to Uriah, and told him to take it to Joab. He went back to the battle and gave the letter to his commander. Joab obeyed the order and put Uriah at the exact place that was the most dangerous. At the assigned moment, everyone else fell back and Uriah was killed. Bathsheba heard that her husband died in battle, and she mourned his death.
Joab continued his battle against the Ammonite capital city. Finally he broke through and captured their water supply. He sent word to David. “Come quickly! Lead the army into the city and capture it so you’ll get the glory.”
David went and led the army to victory over the Ammonite cities. He had the Ammonite people totally tear down their walls and all of their buildings. He took everything of value, and put the people to work making bricks.
David then went back to Jerusalem. Once Bathsheba’s time of mourning was over, he made her his wife. Soon afterwards, she gave birth to their son. Only God knew about their sin, and he was not pleased.
In all of David’s conquest, he didn’t attack the Ammonites because the king had been kind to him when he was running from Saul. One day, the king of the Ammonites died and his son ruled in his place.
David sent a group of men with a message of comfort to the new king. When the men got there, the Ammonite leaders said to their king, “These men aren’t here to show David’s concern for you. They aren’t here to show respect for your father. They’re spying on us. They’re scouting out our city to see where we’re weak.”
So the new king took the men and shaved off half of their beard. He then cut off their robes, exposing the lower half of their bodies. The men went back to Israel deeply humiliated.
David heard about this great insult and sent word to his men. “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back. Then return to us.”
The Ammonites finally realized what they had done. They had made David extremely angry. So they started building up their army. They even hired 33,000 soldiers from other countries.
David sent Joab and his army to fight against the Ammonites. When they were in place, the Ammonite army moved to a position where they were on one side of the Israelites, with the foreign soldiers on the other. Joab realized he was in between the two, with front lines on both sides. Therefore he split the army. He selected his best troops to fight with him and attack the foreign soldiers. Everyone else was to fight the Ammonites under the command of his brother.
Joab said to his brother, “Both of us will be ready to help the other if there’s a need. Be brave and fight hard. We must protect our people and the cities of God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
The battle was decisive. Joab and his elite troops hit the foreign armies so hard that they turned and ran. When the Ammonites saw this, they retreated back into their walled cities. With this, Joab took his army back to Jerusalem.
The foreign army reorganized and came back to fight again. This time, David went with his men and totally defeated them, killing over 40,000 men. Those who escaped went back to their country and never returned again. David waited until spring to finish defeating the Ammonites.
David established his kingdom and defended it from the nations around him. Finally there was peace in Israel. He then started thinking about building a Temple for the Lord. One day he said to the prophet of God, “I live in a beautiful palace, while the Ark of God remains in a tent!”
The prophet agreed, “Go ahead and build the Temple. God will be pleased.”
That night God spoke to the prophet and gave him a message for David. The Lord said, “You were following sheep when I made you king of Israel. I’ve been with you all these years, and have given you victory over your enemies. Now I’ll establish your name among the greatest men who’ll ever live. Your royal family line will last forever.
“Still, I won’t allow you to build my house. I’ve made you a man of war and many have died because of you. Your son will be a man of peace, and he will build my house. I’ll be a father to him and establish his kingdom.”
King David was content when he heard this message, and humbled himself before the Lord. From that day he started looking at the nations around him. He invaded the Philistines and took back the cities and lands they had taken from Israel. He then turned to the Moabites and Edomites and brought them into submission to Israel.
He turned his armies north and defeated nation after nation. Jerusalem became prosperous as gold, silver, bronze, and horses were brought to the city. David set up garrisons in all of these countries to maintain control over them. He used their men to build up his army. His name became feared and honored throughout that part of the world.
David dedicated to the Lord all that he gained. He brought justice to the people, and taught them righteousness.
One day David asked his servants, “Are there any members of Saul’s family still alive? I want to show them kindness just like Jonathan showed kindness to me.”
A servant named Ziba spoke up and told him about Mephibosheth, who was Jonathan’s son. He was five years old when his nurse heard about the death of Saul and Jonathan. She panicked and ran with the boy on her shoulders. He fell to the ground and his feet were hurt. Ever since, he had been lame in both feet.
David sent for him. He came in and bowed down on the ground. He said, “I am your servant.”
David said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m returning to you the kindness that your father gave to me. I’m giving you all the fields that belonged to Saul. Also, from now on, you’ll eat at my table.”
Mephibosheth once again bowed down and said, “I’m nothing but a dead dog. Why should you care about me?”
The king said to Ziba, “You and your sons are to work the lands that I have just given to Mephibosheth. You’re now his servants.”
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at the king’s table. He became like one of the David’s sons.
The Ark of God had been ignored during Saul’s reign as king. So David decided to bring it to his new capital. He sent a message throughout Israel inviting them to come join him for this great event.
The people agreed that this was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, they didn’t follow God’s instructions on how the Ark was to be moved. Instead they put it on a new cart and pulled it with a team of oxen.
As the cart moved toward Jerusalem, the king and the people walked along celebrating. They sang songs, and played instruments.
Suddenly one of the oxen stumbled and shook the cart. A man named Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark. The moment he touched it, God struck him and he fell to the ground and died.
David was shocked and confused. He didn’t know why God had done this. He needed time to think about what to do, so he put the Ark of God in a nearby home. It stayed there for three months. During that time, the Lord blessed the family that lived there.
David heard how God was blessing the family, so he once again decided to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. This time he told the Levites to purify themselves and follow the instructions Moses gave on how the Ark of God was to be carried.
The people of Israel were excited as it entered Jerusalem. They made sacrifices to the Lord, shouted for joy, and blew trumpets. David took off his outer coat and danced with all of his might. Everyone rejoiced together.
Michal looked out of the window and was shocked to see her husband leaping around in front of the Ark. She thought it was disgusting.
David placed the Ark in a special tent he had prepared for it. Sacrifices and burnt offerings were made to the Lord. David then blessed the people, and gave them food to eat.
Michal confronted her husband when he went home. She said, “What you did was shameful. You took off your royal coat and jumped around like a fool in front of common slave girls.”
David said, “I humbled myself before the Lord. And yes, I’ll do it again. Those common people you talked about will honor me for the rest of their lives.”
Michal lived her entire life without ever having children.
David had developed a group of 30 men that were the core of his fighting force. Joab’s brother led the group because of his bravery.
All 30 of these fighting men were proven warriors with skill and courage. But three of them were an inspiration to the entire army. One of these men personally killed 800 soldiers in a battle. Another stood firm when the rest of the army retreated. While they fell back, he turned and attacked the Philistines by himself. He fought so hard and so long that his hand stuck to his sword. The others finally came back, but only to plunder the dead bodies around him.
Before David became king, there was a time when he and his men were in hiding. He became thirsty and said, “Oh, I long for the water from the well in Bethlehem!” At that time, Bethlehem was in the hands of the Philistines.
These three men heard David longing for that water. They slipped out of the camp and went to Bethlehem, which was controlled by the Philistines at the time. They crept into the city and got water from the well. They were then able to get safely back out of the Philistine area.
When they brought the water to David, he was shocked at what they had done. He said, “I won’t drink this water! This is precious like the blood of the men who risked their lives to get it.” He stood before the Lord and poured it out as an offering to God.
All of David’s men remained loyal to him after he became king. God was with him and established his kingdom over Israel.
Jerusalem was a walled city on Mount Zion controlled by the Jebusites. David said to his men, “Whoever is able to conquer this city will become the commander of my army.” Joab conquered it by getting inside the walls through the water tunnels. So he became the commander of the army.
David renamed the town, “The City of David,” and from that time on it was the center of his government.
When the Philistines heard about him becoming king of Israel, they decided to fight against him. David asked the Lord, “Should I go fight them?”
The Lord said, “Go. I will give them to you.” So David went and defeated them.
Later, they invaded Israel again. So he asked the Lord, “Should I go fight them?”
The Lord said, “Go, but this time circle around behind them. Put your camp in a grove of trees. Wait until you hear the sound of marching in the top of the trees. Then you’ll know that I have marched ahead of you.
David did exactly what the Lord told him to do. He defeated the Philistines and totally ran them out of the land.
The kingdom of Ish-bosheth continued to grow weaker. Still, Abner’s influence grew stronger. One day the king said to him, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
Abner got angry and said, “How dare you! My loyalty to your father is the only thing that has kept me from handing you over to David. Now you’re accusing me of sinning with this woman. That’s it! I’m going to establish David as king over all of Israel.” Ish-bosheth was speechless.
Abner sent a message to David. “I’m ready to give you the kingdom of Israel. Let’s work out the agreements.”
David said, “One thing has to happen first before I’ll work out any agreement with you. If you come, you must bring my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter. Don’t come without her.”
Guards went and got Michal, and took her away from her new husband. As they walked down the road, the husband followed behind them, crying as he walked. Finally Abner turned and yelled, “Go home!” So the man turned and went home.
Abner got the elders of Israel to agree that David was king of Israel. He then went and told David. Together they had a banquet to celebrate the news.
Abner then said, “I’ll go and make the final arrangements for your coronation. Then you’ll be king over the whole nation.” So David sent him away in peace.
Joab had been away while all of this was happening. He returned just after Abner had left. He went to David and said, “Why did you let Abner escape? Don’t you realize that all of this is just a trick to entrap you?”
Then, without the king knowing it, Joab sent a message to Abner. “Please, come back to Hebron.” When Abner got back, Joab asked him to step aside so they could have a private conversation. Once they did, Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach. He fell to the ground and died.
David was devastated when he heard about what had happened. He put a curse on Joab and his descendants. The king knew that Joab had killed Abner to revenge his brother’s death. Still, he made him and his men rip their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn Abner.
David then walked behind the funeral procession, and cried openly at the gravesite. He wouldn’t eat anything for the rest of the day. He said to his soldiers, “A great leader of Israel has died today.”
All of Israel took note of what David did, and they were convinced that he had nothing to do with Abner’s death.
Two men went into the house of Ish-bosheth and killed him while he was in bed taking an afternoon nap. They cut off his head and took it to King David saying, “Your enemy is dead.”
David said, “When I was in Ziklag, a man came and told me he was merciful to King Saul by killing him before the Philistines could torture him. He thought he was bringing me good news, but I had him put to death. Now you come and tell me you killed the king of Israel while he was sleeping in his bed.” David had both men killed. He then had their hands and feet cut off and their bodies were hung near the pool of Hebron.
All the tribes of Israel met in Hebron and made David their king. He was 30 years old.
While David lived in the Philistine town of Ziklag, men from all the tribes of Israel kept coming to join his forces. They came day after day until he had a great army. After Saul’s death, David asked the Lord if he should go back to a town in Judah. The Lord said, “Go to Hebron.”
So David and his men took their families and moved to all the towns around Hebron. The men of Judah went to David and made him king of their tribe.
All the other tribes followed the leadership of Abner, the commander of Saul’s army. He took Ish-bosheth, a son of King Saul, and made him king over all of Israel except Judah.
This caused a war between these two sides. Abner led his men out to face David’s army led by Joab, the son of David’s sister. The two armies met on opposite sides of a pool. Abner yelled over to Joab. “Let’s each send out 12 men to fight for us.” So each side sent 12 men out to battle. All 24 men were skilled at battle, so each man killed his opponent. All 24 men died.
With that, both sides went into battle and Joab was victorious. After the fierce fighting, Abner and his men ran away. One of the brothers of Joab ran after Abner. The young man was an extremely fast runner, but he wasn’t as skilled in fighting as Abner.
Abner saw Joab’s brother gaining on him. He yelled back, “Go after one of my solders who is more like you. Fight it out and see what happens.”
But the young man didn’t listen to this advice. He kept gaining on Abner. Again he warned him. “Don’t make me do this. After killing you, I’d never be able to face your brother again.”
Still, the young man refused to listen and continued on. When he was right behind Abner, the skilled warrior turned and thrust his spear through the stomach of the young man. He fell to the ground and died.
The army of Joab continued to chase after the men of Abner. By sunset, reinforcements came and joined Abner’s men. He yelled to Joab. “Let’s end this battle. If we keep fighting, it’ll only increase the bitterness. Tell your men to stop running after their brothers.”
Joab yelled back, “You’re right! We would have fought all night if you hadn’t said something. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men stopped. Both armies marched back to their cities, and Joab buried his brother in their family tomb in Bethlehem.
The war continued between Judah and Israel. The people of Judah followed David as their king, and Ish-bosheth was king over all the other tribes. It was a long, bitter struggle. David’s rule became stronger and stronger, and the rule of Ish-bosheth became weaker.
The war between the Philistines and Israel was fierce. Many Israelites died and the others ran from the battlefield. Three of Saul’s sons were killed, including Jonathan.
An arrow hit Saul and he knew he was about to die. He turned to the man who carried his armor. “Pull out your sword and kill me. If these pagans find me alive, they’ll torture me until I’m dead.”
The armor-bearer refused to kill his king, so Saul fell on his own sword and died. When his armor-bearer saw this, he fell on his sword and died.
A man came along who was a soldier for Israel, but from another country. He saw that Saul was dead, so he took the king’s crown off his head so he could take it to David.
When the people who lived in that area saw the total destruction of Saul’s army, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines entered those cities and took them over.
The next day, they went back into the field to plunder the dead bodies. That was when they found Saul and his sons. They cut off Saul’s head and hung his body from a city wall. They then hung the bodies of his son’s next to him. They sent his armor back to their country and it was put in the temple of their gods. News of Saul’s death spread throughout their country.
Back when Saul first became king, his first act was to rescue a city that was being threatened by the Ammonites, who said they would gouge out the right eye of everyone in the city. When that city heard about Saul’s body hanging from a wall, they traveled all night to get to it. They took it down from the wall, as well as the bodies of his sons. Once they buried them, they fasted for seven days.
The man with Saul’s crown went to Ziklag to tell David about the death of King Saul and his sons. David said, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?”
A man said, “I was walking through the battlefield when the king saw me. He yelled, ‘Come over here and kill me with your sword. These ungodly dogs will be here in a few minutes. If they find me alive, they’ll torture me.’ So I did as I was told. I took my sword and killed him. I then brought his crown to you.”
David ripped his clothes and cried out in pain. He and his men mourned the death of Saul and Jonathan. David then said to the man who came with the news. “You’ve admitted that you killed the Lord’s anointed.” He turned to one of his men. “Pull out your sword and kill this man.”
David continued to mourn the death of King Saul and Jonathan.
The Philistines started their massive invasion of Israel. They entered the land and set up camp. Saul gathered his army and made preparations for war. His body shook with fear when he saw how large the Philistine army was.
He asked the Lord for guidance, but God didn’t talk to him. All was silent. There wasn’t a dream, or a priest, or a prophet that gave him a message from the Lord.
He wanted to talk to Samuel, but he was dead and Saul had removed everyone who claimed to be able to speak to the dead. Still he desperately wanted to talk to Samuel. He said to his servants, “Find a woman who can talk to the spirits of those who have died. I need to find out what’s going to happen.”
They said, “There is a woman at Endor. She says she can talk to the dead.”
That night Saul put on a disguise, took two servants, and went to the woman’s house. He said to her, “I want you to bring up a spirit for me.”
She said, “Are you setting a trap for me? You know King Saul will kill anyone who does that.”
He said, “Listen to me carefully. As sure as God lives, you’ll not suffer for doing this.”
She said, “Who do you want me to bring up from the dead?”
“Bring back Samuel. I want to talk to him.”
Suddenly the woman saw Samuel. She screamed and then she turned and yelled at the king. “You tricked me! You’re King Saul!”
He said, “Don’t worry about that. Now tell me, what do you see?”
“I see a spirit coming up from the ground.”
“What does he look like?”
“It’s an old man wearing a robe.”
Saul knew it was Samuel so he fell down with his face to the ground. The prophet said, “Why are you disturbing me? What do you want?”
“Oh, I’m in trouble and I don’t know what to do. God won’t talk to me, and the Philistines have invaded the land with a massive army. So I called on you. Please tell me what to do.”
Samuel said, “The Lord is now your enemy, so why do you think I’d help you? I’ve already told you what he was going to do. Well, he’s finally doing it. He’s ripping the kingship out of your hands and giving it to your neighbor David. You didn’t obey God. You refused to do what he told you to do. Therefore, tomorrow you and your sons will join me. Israel will be handed over to the Philistines.”
Saul was terrified when he heard this and stayed on the ground. He was weak because his hadn’t eaten anything for over a day. The woman said, “I’ll make some food. You need to regain your strength before you leave.”
At first the king refused, but his servants agreed with the woman. Finally he got up and sat on the bed while she prepared the meal. She killed a fatted calf, cooked it, and baked some bread. Saul and his servants ate the meal, and then left into the night.
As the Philistines started making plans to invade Israel, their king said to David, “You’ll march with me. I want you and your men to be my personal bodyguards.”
David said, “Good, now you’ll be able to see what my men and I can do.”
All the military units went to a place where they could present themselves in review as they prepared for war. The Philistine commanders were shocked when they saw David and his men. They said to the king, “You can’t bring those Hebrews to fight with us!”
He said, “David defected from Israel, and has been faithful to me ever since. I have no reason to doubt his loyalty.”
The commanders got mad. “Send him away! He’s the one they sing about. ‘Saul has killed his thousands; David his tens of thousands.’ He might suddenly turn on us in the middle of a battle. That would be a good way for him to regain Saul’s favor.”
The king went to David. “You’re an honorable man, and I personally want you by my side in battle. But the commanders don’t trust you. Therefore I have to send you back to Ziklag.”
David said, “What have I done to deserve this? I’ve been faithful to you from the first day I came here.”
The king said, “I know you have, but my hands are tied. You must leave in the morning.”
So David and his men left. When they got back to Ziklag, they found that foreign raiders had come and burnt down the town. They hadn’t killed anyone, but simply took all the people with them. This included all the wives, sons, and daughters of David and his men.
The men cried until they could cry no more. Some of the men wanted to stone David, but God stood by him. He prayed to the Lord, “Should I chase after these raiders? Will I catch them?
The Lord said, “Go after them. You’ll catch them and get everything back that was taken from you.”
So David took his 600 men and went after the invaders. At one point, they stopped because 200 of his men were too exhausted to go farther. So the 400 left their supplies with the 200 and continued on.
They came upon a slave who had belonged to the raiders, but had been left behind because he had gotten sick. He hadn’t eaten anything for three days. David’s men gave him food and water and helped revive him.
David said, “Will you lead us to the raiders?”
He said, “I’ll lead you to them if you swear you won’t kill me, and you won’t give me back to them.” David agreed.
The slave led David’s men directly to the raiders. They were celebrating how much plunder they had gotten from the Philistines and the Israelites. Without warning, David’s men attacked and quickly killed most of them. Only a few got away. David’s men got everything back they had lost, plus all the plunder the raiders had taken from other cities.
When they got back to the 200 men, some of the 400 said, “They didn’t go with us into battle. So they only get their wives and children back. They don’t get any of the extra plunder we took.”
David said, “No! That’s wrong. God gave us a great victory today. We’ll share equally with those who stayed back with our supplies.” So that became the law of Israel from that day on.
David and his men went back to Ziklag. He then sent some of the plunder back to various cities in Israel.
Saul once again took 3,000 of his best warriors and went after David. That night they set up camp beside the road. David heard where they were, so he went there during the night.
Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp with his men circled around him. Next to him was Abner, the commander of the army. The Lord caused a deep sleep to come over all of them.
David took one of his men and walked right up to where Saul and Abner were sleeping. The man with David said, “Today God gave you your enemy. Say the word and I’ll thrust him through with this spear and pin him to the ground.”
David said, “No. God anointed him king of Israel. Only God can take that away. He has appointed a time for Saul to die, and we will accept that. I’ll never touch a man anointed by God.”
David took the king’s water jug and the spear that was stuck in the ground next to Saul’s head. They left the camp without anyone waking up.
When they were at a safe distance on the top of the next hill, David yelled at Saul’s camp. “Abner, listen to me.”
Abner woke up and then yelled back. “How dare you wake up the king. Who are you?”
David said, “Abner, you’re the best soldier in Israel. Yet, you failed to protect the king, God’s anointed. Men came into the camp while you were sleeping. Look around. Where is the king’s spear and water jug? You should be executed.”
Saul yelled back, “My son David, is that your voice I hear?”
“Yes, my king. It’s my voice. What have I done to cause you to hunt me down like a criminal? Whoever turned you against me should be cursed. They’re making me leave the land that is blessed of God.”
Saul said, “Oh my son David. Once again you had a chance to kill me and you didn’t. It’s now clear to me that I’ve sinned. I’ve been a fool. Come back to me. I won’t hurt you.”
David said, “Yes, it’s true. The Lord gave you to me, but I knew that I wasn’t to touch His anointed king. May God value my life and spare me, just like I value your life. I want him to see that I’m righteous and loyal. Send a young man over here to get your spear.”
Saul said, “My son, you are blessed of God. You will do great things for the Lord.” With that, King Saul went back home.
David said to his men, “Eventually Saul will find me, and when he does he’ll kill me. I must go to a place that is out of his reach. What better place than with the king of the Philistines.”
So David took his 600 men to Gath. All of them took their families with them. David said to the king, “Please give me a small town nearby. I don’t deserve to live in the same town with so great a king.” So he gave David the town of Ziklag. David and his men stayed there for a year and four months. The king of the Philistines learned to trust David as one of his own countrymen.
David and his men lived in the same area as a rich herdsman named Nabal, a descendant of Caleb. He was known to be mean and harsh, but he had a beautiful wife who was much more practical in how she dealt with others. Her name was Abigail.
Having David’s army in the area was a great advantage to Nabal because foreign raiders didn’t come and steal from his herds. Still, Nabal didn’t invite David and his men to his annual sheep-shearing feast. So David sent 10 young men with a message. “Peace to you and yours. I respect you as my own father. Your shepherds will tell you that we have protected your flocks over the entire time we have lived in this area. Instead of us coming to your feast, please send some food and provisions with these young men.”
Nabal said, “I don’t know David. I’m definitely not his father. Slaves are always running away from their masters. Tell him to go back to where he came from. I’m not going to take food away from my servants and give it to strangers.”
The young men went back and told David everything that was said. David said to his men, “Put on your swords. I protected this man’s goods, and he repays me with insults. Not one man in his camp will be alive in the morning.”
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants went and told Abigail what was said and done. He said, “David’s men were ‘a wall’ to us while we were out in the fields. They protected us night and day. We didn’t lose one animal during this time. Yet, your husband insulted them and refused to help them. You must think of something because your husband has offended an army that can kill all of us.”
Without telling her husband, Abigail gathered provisions for David’s men. She got 200 loaves of bread, 2 wine skins, 5 butchered sheep, a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of pressed figs. She put all of these things on some donkeys and headed down the road.
As she rounded a corner, she saw David’s men coming toward her. She got off the donkey and ran to him. She knelt down with her face to the ground and said, “It’s my fault your men were mistreated. I would have treated them well if I had known they were coming. Forgive my husband. His name means ‘fool,’ and that’s how he acts. Please accept these gifts of food.
“It’s the Lord who’s kept you from getting revenge today. He has always fought your battles for you, and he always will. When he makes you king, you’ll want a clear conscience about this day.”
David said, “It was God who sent you here today. Your wisdom has kept me from shedding blood and taking revenge on a man who offended me. If you hadn’t come, every male in your camp would have died.” He then accepted Abigail’s gifts.
She went back home to find Nabal feasting like a king. She didn’t tell him what happened. He got drunk and fell asleep.
In the morning, she waited until he was sober, and then told him what she did the day before. He immediately had a heart attack and lay in a coma for 10 days. Then the Lord killed him.
David heard about his death and said, “Praise the Lord! God kept me from doing evil and punished Nabal for the evil that he did.”
David then sent a message to Abigail asking if she would become his wife. She agreed and went to him.
Meanwhile, Saul gave his daughter Michal to become the wife of another.
Saul started chasing David from place to place. At one point, they came to a large rock formation. David and his men were on one side, and Saul’s army was on the other. If Saul had gone a little farther, he would’ve seen David and been able to get him.
Just then a messenger went to Saul and said, “Hurry! You need to come back. The Philistines have invaded our land!” So Saul had to retreat in order to save the nation from the Philistines. After that, that rock formation was called “Rock of Escape.”
David moved his men to the canyons of En-gedi. After Saul was done fighting the Philistines, he heard that David was at En-gedi. He selected 3,000 of his best soldiers and took them toward En-gedi.
Along the way, Saul stopped, and went into a cave to relieve himself. He didn’t know David and his army were in the back of that cave. His men were thrilled that the Lord had given Saul to David. They whispered, “Kill him!”
Instead, David quietly got close and cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. Instantly, he felt guilty for doing this. He said to his men, “Hear what I’m saying. God anointed Saul to be king over Israel. Even my little finger won’t hurt him.” He held his men back so Saul could leave the cave peacefully.
As the king was walking away, David came out and yelled, “My lord the king!” Saul stopped and looked back. David was standing there. He said, “Who are you listening to? Who told you I wanted to hurt you? Look at the corner of your robe. It’s missing because I’m holding it in my hand. God gave your life to me when you came into this cave. My men told me to kill you, but I didn’t because you’re my king. You’re the Lord’s anointed, and I would never hurt you.
“Listen to what I’m saying. I haven’t sinned against you. Still you’re trying to kill me. I’m asking the Lord to judge between us, and I know he will make things right. But I will never hurt you.”
When Saul heard this, he broke down and cried. He said, “Oh my son David, you’re more righteous than I. You have only returned good for all the bad I’ve done to you. How is it that the Lord gave me to you, and you didn’t kill me? Who’s heard of such a thing?
“Now I know it’s true. You’ll be king over Israel. Oh David my son, swear to me by the Lord. When you’re king, don’t kill my descendants. Don’t eliminate my father’s name from our tribe.” So David made that vow to Saul.
The king then took his men and returned back home. David went back into hiding. About that same time, the prophet Samuel died, and everyone in Israel mourned his death.
David escaped from Saul with only a few men to help him. They went to Ahimelech, the priest who was in charge of the Ark of God. The priest said, “Why are you here?”
“The king sent me on a special mission. He told me not to tell anyone about where I’m going. I left so fast that we don’t have anything to eat. Please give us some bread.”
Ahimelech said, “The only bread we have is the old showbread taken from the holy place. Only priests are allowed to eat it.”
This was old bread they took from the altar when they put new bread there. The priest said, “I suppose you can have the old bread, but only if your men have kept themselves clean before the Lord.”
David said, “We’re all on a mission for the king, so of course we’ve all kept ourselves holy before the Lord.”
So Ahimelech gave them the old bread. David noticed that Doeg, the Edomite, saw this whole thing. He was the chief shepherd for Saul.
David said to Ahimelech, “I left so fast that I forgot to bring my weapons. Do you have a spear or sword that I could use?”
“The only sword I have is the one you took from Goliath. You can have that one back. It’s all I have.”
David took the sword and continued his escape from Saul. He went to Gath, a city of the Philistines. There, he would be out of Saul’s reach. But people told the king of the Philistines, “This is David, the one they sing about — ‘Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his tens of thousands.’ ”
When David heard this, he immediately pretended like he was insane. People of that day didn’t hurt those who were insane because they were afraid there might be an evil spirit in them. David fell down and started clawing on the doorpost. He let drool flow into his beard. When the king saw this, he said, “This man is crazy. Get him out of here!”
David left Gath and hid in a cave. His brothers brought him all their relatives so they’d be safe from Saul. David took his parents to Moab and left them in the protection of the king there.
Soon men started arriving to join David. These were men who were in some kind of trouble or overwhelmed with debt. Finally there were 400 men who rallied around David, and he became their leader.
Meanwhile, Doeg, the Edomite, went to Saul and said, “I saw Ahimelech give David food and the sword of Goliath.”
Saul sent for Ahimelech and all 85 priests that were with him. “Why did you help this son of Jesse? You know he wants to kill me.”
Ahimelech said, “I thought he was your faithful servant. After all, he’s your son-in-law. I didn’t know there was trouble between you.”
Saul turned to his guards. “Kill these men, all of them. They’re on David’s side.”
The guards were shocked. They didn’t move because they weren’t about to kill the priest of the Lord.
Saul then turned to Doeg, the Edomite. “Kill all of these men and everything they own.” So, Doeg killed all of the priests, their wives, their children, and even their livestock. Only one son of Ahimelech was able to escape. He ran and told David all that happened.
David said, “Jonathan, why is your father trying to kill me? What have I done?”
He said, “The king doesn’t want to kill you. I would know about it if he did. He doesn’t hide anything from me.”
David said, “As sure as there is a God, and as sure as you’re alive, your father wants to kill me. He doesn’t tell you because he knows we’re best friends.”
Jonathan said, “What do you want me to do? Name it and I’ll do it.”
David said, “Tomorrow, I’m scheduled to go to a three-day banquet with the king. If he notices that I’m not there, tell him you gave me permission to go to Bethlehem for an annual sacrifice. Tell him it was important that I be there because it involves my entire clan.
“If your father accepts that answer, then we’ll know all is well and he doesn’t hate me. But if he gets angry, then it will be clear to both of us that he wants to kill me.
“Jonathan, if you find out that he has good reason to hate me, then come … and kill me yourself.”
Jonathan said, “I’ll go and find out exactly what my father thinks about you. If you’re right and he wants to kill you, I’ll send you away in peace. But remember, we made a vow to each other before the Lord. If I die and God blesses you, take care of my family. Love my household as if they’re your own.
“Here’s my plan. Hide next to the big rock in the field. I’ll find out what my father thinks about you. Then I’ll come here and shoot three arrows toward the rock. I’ll send my servant to get them. As he goes, I’ll yell something to him. If I say, ‘They are on this side of the rock.’ That’s your sign that all is well and you can come back.
“But if I yell, ‘They’re on the other side of the rock,’ That’s your sign that you need to run for your life because my father is trying to kill you.”
During the first day of the banquet, Saul noticed that David was not in his place, but he didn’t say anything. On the second day, Saul said to Jonathan, “Where is that son of Jesse? He’s missed both days so far.”
“Oh, I gave him permission to go to Bethlehem. His family is having a big annual sacrifice, and his brothers insisted that he be there.”
Saul yelled at his son. “You son of a prostitute! I know what you’re doing. You’re taking his side. Don’t you realize he’s going to take away your kingdom? You’re a shame to our family. Now go get him and bring him here so I can kill him.”
Jonathan yelled back. “What has he done? Why do you want to kill him?”
Saul grabbed a spear and threw it at his son. Jonathan got up from the table and left. He didn’t eat for a whole day because he was ashamed of his father.
In the morning, he went to the field with his servant. He shot three arrows out beyond the rock. As the servant ran out to get them, Jonathan yelled, “There on the other side of that rock. You need to hurry. Go as fast as you can.”
The servant found the arrows and brought them back. Jonathan then told him to take the equipment and go back to the city.
After he left, David came out of hiding. The two men hugged and cried. Jonathan said, “You’re right. My father is determined to kill you. Go. But remember our pledge to one another, and between your children and my children.” With that, David left, and Jonathan went back to the city.
Saul wanted David dead. So he told his servants and Jonathan to find him and kill him. Jonathan rushed and told David, “Go and hide. I’ll talk to my father and see if I can reason with him. I’ll let you know if I’m successful.”
Jonathan talked to his father and told him that David was a loyal servant and would do nothing to harm the king. Saul listened to his son and promised to let David live. So David went back into the king’s courts and served him. War once again broke out with the Philistines and David led the army to victory against them.
Once again the Lord allowed an evil spirit to enter the king. As David played the harp, Saul grabbed a spear and threw it at him. He jumped out of the way and ran from the room.
Saul called his guards and told them to go to David’s house in the morning and kill him. Michal heard about this and warned her husband. “You must leave tonight. They’ll be here in the morning to kill you.”
He went out the window and she helped lower him down to the ground. She placed an image in his bed and put goat hair on top of it. She then covered it with a blanket. In the morning, she told the guards, “He’s sick in bed.”
They went and told the king. He said, “Go! Bring me the bed with David in it, and I’ll kill him myself.”
When they went to the bed, they found the image with the goat hair. Saul yelled at Michal. “How could you lie to me and let my enemy get away?”
She said, “He forced me to do it. He said he would kill me if I didn’t.”
David went to Samuel and told him everything that had happened. Saul found out that David was with Samuel, so he sent guards to go get him. When they got there, they saw Samuel sitting with some prophets. Suddenly the guards sat down and started prophesying.
Saul heard about this, so he sent more guards. The same thing happened to them. They sat down and started prophesying. So Saul sent a third set of guards, and again they sat down and started prophesying.
Finally Saul went himself. When he got close to where they were, the Spirit of God came on him and he started prophesying as he walked along. When he entered the house, the king took off his clothes as he was prophesying. He then collapsed and lay naked the rest of that day, and all night.
After the death of Goliath, Saul’s son, Jonathan, became a close friend to David. The love between these two men was great. Jonathan gave David everything he needed to fight on the battlefield, and also what he needed for working in the king’s court.
David was successful as a commander in the army. All the people admired him, and his men became loyal to him. One day when Saul and his army came in from battle, the women from the various cities greeted them with dancing and singing. Their song was, “Saul has killed thousands. David has killed tens of thousands.”
This made Saul furious! He said, “Listen to them. They give him more credit than me. What will they do next? Give him the kingdom?” From that day on, Saul became more and more jealous of David.
The next day, God allowed an evil spirit to take control of Saul. He started to act crazy. It was still David’s job to go play his harp when the king was in one of these moods. As David played, Saul said to himself, “I’ll end this right now. I’ll pin him to the wall.” When the time was just right, he grabbed a spear and threw it at David. David dodged it just in time, and kept playing the harp. Saul waited, and once again when the time was just right, he grabbed another spear and threw it at David. Again David dodged it just in time.
With that, Saul realized that the Spirit of the Lord had left him and was now with David. The king’s anger turned to fear.
He put David in charge of 1,000 soldiers and sent him out to battle. David was successful in every campaign he led. This increased the love that the people had for him, but it made Saul even more afraid of him.
One of the king’s daughters, named Michal, loved David. When Saul found out about this, he got an idea. He thought of a plan where the Philistines would kill David. The king had his servants go to David and say, “The king likes you so much that he’s willing for you to become his son-in-law.”
When David heard this, he said, “I am not a rich man. I can’t offer the king anything for his daughter.”
“Oh, the king doesn’t want you to pay him money. All he wants is for you to get revenge on his enemies. He wants you to kill 100 Philistines, and bring back proof that they’re dead.”
David was pleased by these terms. So he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines and took Saul proof that they were dead. Saul had no choice but to give his daughter Michal to David.
Even more now, Saul considered David to be his enemy. Still, the Lord gave David victory every time he went out to battle. He was more successful than all of the other military officers and his name became more and more famous.
The Philistines once again invaded Israel. Both armies faced one another across a ravine. Suddenly a large Philistine stepped forward. His name was Goliath, and he was 9 feet, 9 inches tall.
He yelled, “Why are you preparing for battle? Let two of us settle this. Send someone out and we’ll fight. If your man kills me, we’ll be your slaves. But if I kill your man, you’ll be our slaves. Come on, send someone out and let’s fight.”
No one accepted his challenge, so he came out and yelled at Israel every morning and evening. This went on for forty days. Saul offered a reward to anyone who could defeat this giant. He said, “I’ll make him wealthy and he can marry my daughter.”
While this was happening, Jesse said to David, “Go visit your brothers and take them some food. Bring back word of how the battle is going.”
So David got up early and went to the battle site. He saw the men lined up in battle formations. He gave the food to the quartermaster and ran to see what was going on.
Suddenly, Goliath started shouting his challenge. “Come on. Send someone out here and let’s fight – man to man. Winner takes all.” Everyone backed away.
David was shocked. He said, “Who does this ungodly Philistine think he is? He’s defying the armies of the living God.”
David’s oldest brother got angry. “Why are you here? Go back to your sheep. War is for men.”
David answered him. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I just asked a question.” He turned and asked the question again. “Who does this ungodly Philistine think he is?”
Saul heard about David’s question and sent for him. David said, “Don’t worry about this Philistine. I’ll fight him.”
The king said, “He’s a warrior – a seasoned fighter. You’re young with no experience.”
David said, “I watch my father’s sheep. Every time a bear or a lion has come and tried to take a lamb, I grabbed the beast and killed it. The Lord was always with me and gave me victory. This ungodly Philistine is just another lion or bear. The Lord will give him to me.”
Saul said, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
He then gave David his suit of armor, but he couldn’t walk because it was too heavy. He said, “I can’t wear these. They’ll hold me back.”
David got his shepherd’s staff and a sling. He went down to the brook and selected five smooth rocks and put them in his shepherd’s bag. Then he started walking toward the giant.
Goliath saw David coming. He yelled, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? Come and I will give your flesh to the birds.”
David yelled back, “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord. You’ve insulted him. Therefore I’m going to cut off your head and give your body to the birds. This battle is the Lord’s, and he has given you to me.”
Goliath started walking toward David, but David ran toward the giant. He reached into his shepherd’s bag and put a rock into his sling. With deadly accuracy, the rock hit Goliath and sank into his forehead. He fell to the ground face forward. David ran up, pulled out Goliath’s sword, and cut off the giant’s head.
Both armies were shocked when they saw this. The Philistines turned and ran. The Israelites shouted a victory cry and chased after them. Many Philistines died that day.
Saul asked Abner, his general, “Who is that young man?”
“I don’t know.”
Saul sent for David. He came and stood before the king with the giant’s head still in his hands. Saul said, “Who are you? Who is your father?”
David said, “I am the son of Jesse of Bethlehem.”
Saul didn’t let David go back home, but made him a commander in the army. David was successful in everything Saul had him do.
Samuel couldn’t stop thinking about how God rejected Saul as king over Israel. The Lord said to Samuel, “Stop brooding about Saul! Take some anointing oil and go to the home of Jesse at Bethlehem. I’ve selected one of his sons to become king.”
Samuel said, “Lord, King Saul will kill me if he finds out.”
The Lord said, “Take a calf to Bethlehem and say you’re coming to sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse and his sons to join you. I’ll show you which one to anoint.”
So Samuel went to Bethlehem and invited Jesse and his sons to join him in sacrificing to the Lord. When they came, Samuel was immediately impressed with Jesse’s oldest son. “Ah,” he thought. “This is the one the Lord will choose.”
God said, “Samuel, don’t look at outward appearance. It doesn’t matter how tall a man is or how strong. I see things you can’t see. He’s not the one.”
Jesse then introduced his second son to Samuel. Again, he wasn’t the Lord’s choice. Jesse introduced seven of his sons to the prophet. As he met each of them, the Lord said, “He’s not the one.”
Finally, Samuel said to Jesse, “Don’t you have any other children?”
“Oh, well yes. I do have one more – my youngest. He’s out watching the sheep.”
“Send for him. I’ll not eat with you until I see him.”
As soon as David walked into the room, Samuel could see that he was a striking young man – healthy and handsome. The Lord said, “This is the one. Get up and anoint him.” So Samuel anointed him with oil. After that the Spirit of God departed from King Saul and came upon David in a mighty way.
From that day on, King Saul was tormented with depression. His servants had an idea. They said, “Allow us to find a man skilled at playing the harp. Then his music will cheer you when you become depressed.”
When Saul agreed, one of the servants said, “I’ve heard of a young man who is very skilled at the harp. He’s a son of Jesse from Bethlehem. In addition to being good on the harp, he’s a good fighter and has the ability to talk in front of people. He’s also a man who walks with God.”
Saul sent for David and was immediately impressed with him. David was made Saul’s armor bearer, but he also played the harp every time the king went into deep depression. The sound of his harp soothed the king’s spirit and brought him peace.
One day Samuel went to Saul with instructions from God. “The Amalekites attacked my people when I brought them out of Egypt. Therefore, go to battle with them and destroy everything. Kill all the people and all of their livestock. Don’t leave anything alive.”
So Saul took his army and attacked the Amalekites. He defeated them, but didn’t kill everything. Saul’s men kept the best of the livestock for themselves. They also captured king Agag and didn’t kill him.
The Lord said to Samuel, “I regret that I made Saul king over Israel. He doesn’t follow me and he doesn’t do as I say.”
Samuel grieved in his spirit, and prayed all night. The next morning, he went and found Saul. As the prophet walked up, the king said, “The Lord bless you. I’ve done what God asked me to do.”
Samuel looked at him. “Then why do I hear the sounds of sheep and cattle?”
“Oh, the men saved the best livestock so we could sacrifice them to the Lord. But we destroyed the rest.”
Samuel said, “Stop talking! I’ll tell you what God thinks of what you’ve done. When you were humble, God made you the leader over his people. He then gave you a job to do. He said, ‘Go kill this extremely sinful people. Don’t let any person or animal live.’ Why did you make him angry by not doing what he said?”
Saul said, “I did obey him. I killed everyone except Agag, their king. And then I killed all the animals except these few. We kept the best for a sacrifice.”
Samuel said, “Do you think the Lord wants sacrifice more than obedience? No! To obey is better than a sacrifice. Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. Stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. You rejected God’s command. Therefore, he’s rejected you as king over Israel.”
Saul said, “I’ve sinned! I can now see clearly that I ignored the Lord’s command, and didn’t listen to you. I was afraid of the people, and obeyed them rather than God. Please forgive my sin. Come. Let’s worship the Lord together.”
Samuel turned away, “No, I won’t go with you. You rejected the Lord. Now he’s rejecting you as king.”
Saul grabbed Samuel’s robe and it tore as he turned away. Samuel stopped and looked at the rip. He said, “The Lord has ripped the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He’s given it to your neighbor, who’s better than you. God isn’t like men. He won’t change his mind.”
Saul yelled, “I’ve sinned! All I ask is that you honor me in front of the people. Come, worship with me.”
So Samuel went with him and allowed him to bow down before the Lord. The prophet then said, “Bring me Agag, king of the Amalekites.”
Agag came before Samuel, not knowing what to expect. Samuel took a sword and said, “You’ve made many women childless. Now your mother will be childless.” The prophet then killed Agag and cut him into pieces.
Then Samuel returned to his home. He never again visited Saul as long as he lived. Still, he grieved over him constantly.
Jonathan looked at the Philistines’ camp on the other side of the pass. He said to his armor bearer, “Let’s go there and kill a few Philistines. The Lord just might help us. He’s not limited by how many of us there are.”
The man said, “If you go, I’ll go with you.”
Jonathan said, “Here’s my plan. We’ll go across to the rear of the Philistine camp. We’ll let them see us at the bottom of their cliffs. If they tell us to stop, we’ll come back here. But if they tell us to come up, we’ll consider that a sign from God. We’ll know that the Lord will give us victory.”
They decided not to tell the king where they were going. When they got to the cliffs, the Philistines saw them. They said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of their hiding places!” They yelled down to Jonathan. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
Jonathan laughed, “Follow me. The Lord has given them to us.” The two men climbed up the cliffs and killed twenty Philistines.
News quickly spread through the rest of the Philistine camp. This caused panic. They said, “The Israelites have attacked us from behind.” Suddenly the earth shook, and their panic turned to terror. They ran in every direction.
Men in Saul’s camp saw this and told the king. He looked around. “Call the roll and find out who’s missing.” They found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone.
As Saul assembled his troops, the panic in the Philistine camp intensified. When Saul’s army marched into battle, he found that the Philistines were fighting each other.
The Israelites that had joined the Philistines now rallied around Saul. Those who hid among rocks and caves came out and joined the battle.
Saul wanted his men to completely focus on winning the battle, so he shouted, “I put a curse on anyone who eats food before we win this victory.” His men obeyed, but soon they became hungry and tired.
Jonathan didn’t know what his father had said. He found some honey in the forest and ate it. Others immediately told him about the king’s order. He said, “The king shouldn’t have said that. Look at me. I ate some honey, now I’m ready to fight again. Our men should eat all of this food that the Philistines have left behind. Then they would fight harder.”
Saul finally realized his army was famished! He had a meal prepared and allowed his men to eat. The king then wanted to go back into battle, but suddenly realized something was wrong. He called everyone together and said, “Something is wrong, and I’m going to find out who’s behind it. Once I know who it is, he’ll be put to death, even if he’s my own son.”
He then drew lots, and it fell on Jonathan. The king asked him, “What did you do?”
“I ate some honey. If I’m to die for that, then I’m ready to die.”
Saul said to his son, “I took an oath, therefore you must die.”
The people shouted, “Jonathan won’t die! God used him to give us victory today. As the Lord God lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground.
So the people saved Jonathan’s life. With that, the battle was over and the Philistines returned to their own territory.
When Saul became king of Israel, the people had to go to the Philistines to buy iron farm tools. When these tools became dull, the people had to go back to the Philistines to have them sharpened since they weren’t allowed to have blacksmiths. But the Philistines wouldn’t sell weapons of war to the people of Israel. The only ones to have modern swords and spears were Saul and his son Jonathan.
As king, Saul organized an army of 3,000 men. He personally oversaw 2,000 of them, and gave 1,000 to his son. Jonathan took his men and attacked a Philistine outpost. Saul knew that this was an act of war, so he quickly tried to build his forces in preparation.
The Philistines reacted to this attack with force. They marched into Israel with 3,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and a massive number of troops.
The men of Israel were terrified when they saw this huge army come into their land. Most of the men in Saul’s army ran for their lives. They hid wherever they could. They hid in caves, among rocks, and down in wells. Some even left the country. Others actually joined the Philistine army!
Samuel told the king not to go into battle until they had sacrificed to the Lord. He told Saul to go to a particular place and wait for him. The king went to that place, but Samuel wasn’t there. He waited three day – four days. Still Samuel didn’t come. He waited five day – six days. Samuel didn’t come.
Saul watched as his men continue to desert the army. Finally, on the seventh day, he felt he couldn’t wait any longer. He got the things needed for the burnt sacrifice, and offered it up.
Just as he finished, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him. The prophet said, “What have you done?”
Saul said, “The Philistines are about to attack, and my army is leaving me. I didn’t know if I would have the Lord’s help. I waited for you, but you didn’t come. I had no other choice, so I decided to act on my own. I offered the burnt offering to the Lord.”
Samuel said, “Oh, you have acted like a fool! Didn’t you realize this was a test? You failed it! If you had trusted God, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. Now your kingdom won’t last long. The Lord has already found a man after his own heart. He’ll become king and God will establish his kingdom for ever.”
Samuel then turned and left the king. Saul counted his men and found he only had 600 soldiers. The Philistines had camped on the top of a cliff so they could control the important pass that was below. So Saul took his small army and camped on top of the cliffs on the opposite side of the pass.
Saul went back to his hometown after he was made king and the ceremony was over. God moved several fighting men to go with him. Others laughed at the thought of him being their king. They showed their disgust by refusing to give him a gift. Saul ignored this and went back to work on the family farm.
At that same time, the Ammonite army went to fight against a city in Israel. The leaders of the city said to the Ammonite king, “We’re willing to surrender to you. What are your terms?”
The king said, “Here are my terms. I’m going to use you to insult all of Israel. I’ll do this by gouging out the right eye of everyone who lives in your city.”
The leaders of the city sent back a message. “Give us seven days to consider your demands. We’ll use that time to see if anyone in Israel is able to help us. If not, we’ll submit to your terms.”
The city leaders sent messengers to all of Israel. When the news of this came to Saul’s town, the people began to moan and cry. Saul came in to town with his oxen after finishing a day’s work in the field. He looked around and said, “Why is everyone crying?”
They told him the terms of the Ammonite king. Anger burned within Saul when he heard these words, and the Spirit of God took control of his spirit. He turned and killed his own oxen. He cut them into pieces and sent them throughout Israel with this message. “Look at this piece of meat. This is what your ox will look like if you don’t come immediately and fight. Every man is to march behind Saul and Samuel. There are no exceptions.”
As soon as people heard this message, the fear of the Lord filled them. 330,000 men united to follow Saul into battle.
He sent a message to the city that was under the threat of the Ammonites. “We’re bringing an army to defend you. We’ll be there before midmorning.”
The people of the city were overjoyed. They send a message to the Ammonite king and said, “We’ll come out to you tomorrow. You can then do whatever you want with us.”
Before sunrise, Saul’s army attacked the Ammonite camp. The Israelites kept killing Ammonites all morning and into the afternoon. Only a few escaped.
After this great victory, the people said to Samuel, “Who are those men who were disgusted about Saul being our king? Give us their names and we’ll kill them.”
Saul spoke up, “No! Don’t kill them! Today is a special day. Today, the Lord delivered Israel.”
Samuel said, “I have a better idea. Let’s unite together and once again make Saul our king.” So the people united together and rejoiced as they made Saul their king.
Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was tall and handsome and stood head and shoulders above everyone else. One day, his father asked him to go find their lost donkeys, so he took some servants and went looking for them. After a long search, they were about to give up and go home. Then one of the servants pointed to a nearby town and said, “There’s a man of God in that town. Let’s go ask him if he can tell us where the donkeys are.”
They went into the town and saw a man coming toward them. They didn’t know it was Samuel. The night before, God had told him that Saul would come the next day. The Lord said, “He’ll be the king who will rule over Israel.”
Saul said to Samuel, “Do you know where the prophet lives?”
“I’m the prophet. Come with me to a sacrifice. Afterwards we’ll have a meal together and I’ll tell you many things. Oh, concerning those donkeys you’re looking for; they’ve been found. You have more important things to worry about. The future of Israel is in your hands.”
Saul was shocked. He said, “The future of Israel can’t be in my hands. I’m from the smallest tribe in Israel. And even in that tribe, our family is not important.”
Samuel took Saul to a banquet with thirty important people and gave him the place of honor. The chef brought a special meal to Saul and said, “This meal has been set aside, waiting for this day. Now I’m serving it to you.”
Saul and his servants went to Samuel’s house to spend the night. He was given a place on the flat roof, where it was cool. In the morning the prophet said to Saul, “Send your servants home. I want you to stay a little longer. I’ll tell you about a message I have from God.”
After Saul’s servants left, Samuel took some oil and anointed Saul. He said, “God has anointed you prince over his people.”
The prophet then told Saul what would happen to him over the next few days, the places he would go and the people he would meet. He said, “When all of these things happen, the Spirit of God will come on you. You’ll be transformed and become a completely new person. At that point, you’ll know what to do because God will be with you.”
Everything happened just as Samuel had said. So a day was appointed when Samuel was to present the new king to all the tribes of Israel. When the exact moment arrived, Samuel looked around, but couldn’t find Saul. He asked God, “Where is he?”
The Lord said, “Look over there. He’s hiding among the baggage.”
Samuel sent some men to bring Saul before the people. Then Samuel turned to the others and shouted, “Here is the man who will be your king and fight your battles and rule over you.”
The people shouted, “Long live the king!” From that day on, the Lord was with Saul and enabled him to perform all the duties of a king.
The people of Israel slowly turned back to God. This was a process that took twenty years. Finally Samuel said, “If it’s true you want to serve God, get rid of all your idols. Dedicate yourself to the Lord and serve him only. Do this, and he’ll give you victory over the Philistines.”
The people did what Samuel said and got rid of their idols. So he told them to come together for a dedication service. He said, “Come, and I’ll pray for you.” The people came together and dedicated themselves to God. From then on, Samuel was their judge.
The Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered in one place. They thought this was an act of war, so they marched into the land and prepared to attack Israel. The people were afraid when they saw the massive Philistine army.
Samuel said, “Don’t look at your enemy. Instead, focus on God and pray to him. The Lord will save us from the Philistines.” He then presented a sacrifice to God, and asked for help.
The Lord answered Samuel’s prayer. Suddenly loud thunder was heard throughout the Philistine camp. They became confused and started to run. The men of Israel chased after them and killed many of them.
Samuel set up a large stone as a monument of what happened that day. He called it Ebenezer, which means “Rock of Help.” He said, “The Lord has helped us up to this point.”
The Lord fought against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived. Every year the prophet went on a circuit so he could better judge the people. The rest of the time, he judged them from his hometown.
When he was old, he appointed his sons to become judges. Unfortunately, they didn’t have his integrity. They accepted bribes and judged accordingly.
The people went to Samuel and said, “Your sons are not just. Therefore, we want to be like all the other nations and have a king. Select one for us before you die.”
Samuel was shocked. He couldn’t understand why they would want such a thing. He prayed to God, but the Lord said, “Don’t be offended. They haven’t rejected you. They’ve rejected me. Do what they say, but first tell them what it will be like having a king.”
Samuel stood before the people and described in detail how a king would abuse them and take advantage of them. He said, “A king will take your sons away from you and they’ll work for him instead of you. They’ll serve in his military, or work for him personally. He’ll take your daughters and put them to work. He’ll take your best fields, vineyards, and orchards. He’ll tax you so he can live in luxury. You’ll become his servants, and you’ll work to fulfill his every whim. When that happens, you’ll complain to the Lord, but he won’t help you.”
The people refused to take this warning. They insisted, “We still want a king! He’ll judge us and fight our battles for us.”
The Lord said, “Do as they ask. Give them a king.”
So Samuel told them to go home, and he would find them a king.
After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they put it in the temple of their god. The next morning, they found their idol face down in front of the Ark. They set the idol back up, but the next morning it was on the ground again. This time, the head and hands were broken off.
Suddenly the city was overrun with mice, and the people had large tumors covering their bodies. The men said, “This is being caused by the Ark of Israel’s God.” So they moved it to another city.
Immediately, God’s judgment hit that city. They were overrun with mice and the people developed large painful tumors. This caused the people to panic. The men sent the Ark of God to yet another city, but the people there yelled at them. “You’re trying to kill us! We don’t want that Ark in our city!”
They moved the Ark from city to city for seven months. Fear and death followed it wherever it went. Finally the Philistines asked their priests, “How can we send the Ark of the Lord back to Israel?”
They said, “If you send the Ark back to Israel, you must send a guilt offering with it. Then God will remove his hand of judgment, and you’ll be healed. Make five gold images of your tumors and five gold images of the mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and he will stop crushing you. But if you become stubborn, you’ll be like Pharaoh when these people left Egypt. He’ll send more plagues upon you until you send the Ark back to Israel.
“Here’s what to do. Prepare a new cart and place the Ark of God on it. Put the gold objects in a box beside it. Select two milk cows that have never been in a yoke, and hitch them to the cart. Take the calves away from the cows and put them in a pen nearby. Then stand back and see what the cows do. If they ignore their calves and go up the road toward Israel, you’ll know it was the Lord who tormented us for seven months. But, if the cows go toward their calves, we’ll know that all of this was just something that happened by chance. It wasn’t God’s judgment.”
The men did exactly as they were instructed. They got two milk cows and separated them from their calves. They hitched the cows to a cart, even though they had never been in a yoke before. They put the Ark on a new cart, along with the five gold images of their tumors and the mice.
When all was ready, they stood back and watched. The cows went straight up the road toward Israel. They stayed on that road with their heads down, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers walked behind them all the way to the territory of Israel.
The people of Israel were harvesting wheat when they saw the Ark coming toward them. They shouted for joy. As they watched, the cows pulled the cart to a field near a large rock and stopped. The people of Israel put the Ark on the rock. They then used the wood from the cart to offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. When the Philistine rulers saw this, they returned to their country.
There were 70 men from a nearby town who were curious about what was in the Ark of God, so they opened it and looked inside. All 70 men died by the hand of God. This struck fear into the people, but it was the beginning of the nation of Israel turning their hearts back to God.
God was not pleased with Eli. The high priest knew his two sons were sinning in the sanctuary of the Lord. They didn’t even try to hide it. Still Eli hadn’t stopped them. God told him that his family would be judged. The Lord said, “I will do something that will cause people to shudder when they hear about it.”
When Eli was 98 years old, the Philistines made war with Israel. The army went out to defend their nation, but they lost the battle and 4,000 men were killed.
The elders of Israel were confused. “Why did the Lord allow this to happen?” Suddenly one of them had an idea. “Let’s go get the Ark of the Lord! We’ll take it with us into battle, and it will give us victory.” So they sent for the Ark of God, and the sons of Eli brought it to the camp. When the Israelites saw it, they shouted for joy. The shout was so loud that it seemed like the ground shook.
The Philistines heard the shout and thought it was a war cry. They sent spies to see what was going on and found that the Ark of God had been brought into the camp. The Philistines panicked. They said, “Their gods are now in their camp. We’re doomed! These are magnificent gods. They’re the ones that slaughtered the Egyptians with plagues.”
The Philistine leaders stood before the troops. “Be strong and act like men! You are mighty Philistines, not weak Hebrews. Now is the time to fight like you’ve never fought before. If you don’t, you’ll be their slaves.”
So the Philistines fought as if they had everything to lose. Israel was crushed – their soldiers slaughtered. 30,000 men were killed, including Eli’s two sons. The Philistines then captured the Ark of God and took it to their own camp.
Back in Israel, Eli was sitting on a chair beside the road waiting for a report from the battle. He was concerned about the Ark of God. A man ran from the battle to tell everyone what happened. The entire city started crying out in pain. Eli was blind and had difficulty hearing. He heard the noise, but couldn’t hear what was said. “What’s going on?”
The man got close to the old priest and said, “Our men were slaughtered today. Your two sons were killed, and the Ark of God was captured.” When Eli heard about the Ark of God, he fell backwards off the chair. He was a heavy man, so the fall broke his neck and he died.
Eli’s daughter-in-law was due to give birth to a child. She heard about the Ark of God and her husband’s death. She then heard that her father-in-law was also dead. Suddenly she went into labor and gave birth to a son. Those helping her said, “You now have something to be happy about. You’ve given birth to a son!”
At first she didn’t respond, and then she finally said, “The glory has departed from Israel because the Ark of God has been captured.” Just before she died, she named the boy Ichabod, which means, “The glory has departed.”
Hannah couldn’t have children. This tormented her so much that she went to the Tabernacle and begged God for a child. She said, “Oh Lord, if you’ll give me a son, I’ll give him back to you and he’ll serve you for the rest of his life.”
Eli, the high priest, noticed that Hannah was moving her mouth but she wasn’t saying anything. He thought she was drunk. “Woman, put away your wine!”
“Oh sir! I’m not drunk. I’m praying to God.”
“Oh, well … uh … go your way. The Lord will answer your prayer.”
Sure enough, the Lord answered her prayer. In less than a year, she gave birth to a baby boy and named him “Samuel,” which means “God heard me.”
When the boy was old enough, his mother took him back to the Tabernacle and presented him to Eli. She said, “I prayed for a child, and the Lord answered me. Now I’ll give my son to the Lord, and he’ll serve Him for the rest of his life.”
Every year Hannah came to visit and brought new clothes for Samuel. The priest prayed that God would give Hannah more children. After that she had three sons and two daughters.
Eli gave Samuel work to do in the Tabernacle. As he grew physically, he also grew in favor with the Lord and with people.
Eli’s sons were just the opposite. They were wicked and didn’t honor God in any way. Many of their sins were committed in the house of the Lord. Eli talked to them about this, but did nothing about it.
One night, while Samuel was sleeping, the Lord called out, “Samuel, Samuel.”
He woke up and ran to where Eli was sleeping. He said, “Yes, I’m here!”
Eli woke up and looked at the boy. “I didn’t call you, Samuel. Go back to your bed.”
Samuel went back and lay down. As he was going to sleep, the Lord called him again. “Samuel, Samuel.”
This time he knew he wasn’t dreaming. He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am!”
Eli once again said, “Son, I didn’t call you. Now, go back to sleep.” So Samuel went back and lay down.
Once again, the Lord called to him, “Samuel, Samuel.”
At this point in his life, Samuel didn’t know God, and the Lord hadn’t talked to him. So, the boy did the only thing he knew to do. For the third time, he ran to Eli. “I’m here because you called me.”
This time, Eli realized what was happening. He knew the Lord was calling Samuel, so he said, “Go back and lie down. If you hear someone calling you again, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ”
Samuel went back to his bed and lay down. The Lord called him once again, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Quietly Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
God said, “I’m not pleased with how Eli allows his sons to do evil in my house. I’m going to judge him and his sons.”
Samuel lay back in his bed. In the morning, Eli called him, “Samuel, what did the Lord say to you?”
The boy was afraid to tell him the message from God. Eli said, “Son, don’t hide it from me.” So Samuel told him everything.
Eli said, “He’s Lord! Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
The Lord was with Samuel from that day on, and God continued to reveal His words to him. Samuel obeyed the Lord, and everything he said came true. All of Israel recognized that he was a prophet of the Lord.
At the end of harvest, Naomi said to Ruth, “I am going to make sure you’re cared for. Here’s what you’re to do. Take a bath and put on some perfume. Dress in your best clothes. Boaz and his men will be working late tonight at the threshing floor. When they’re done, they’ll eat and drink, and then sleep on the threshing floor to protect the grain. “Go there, but don’t let the men see you. Watch carefully and note where Boaz lies down. Once everyone is asleep, uncover his feet, and lie down next to them. When he wakes up, he’ll explain what you’re to do.” So Ruth went to where the men were working and hid in the shadows. She watched carefully until she saw Boaz and the others lie down on the threshing floor. Their heads were towards the grain with their feet pointing out. Once they were asleep, she quietly uncovered the feet of Boaz, and lay down. During the night, Boaz realized there was a woman lying at his feet. He said, “Who are you?” She said, “I’m Ruth. Spread your protection over me, because you’re my closest relative.” He said, “The Lord bless you! You didn’t come to our village looking for a husband, rich or poor. Instead you proved yourself to be a woman of integrity. “Still, there is a next-of-kin who is closer than I. In the morning I’ll talk to him and give him an opportunity to redeem you. If he doesn’t, I will. For now, it’s not safe to go home in the night. I’ll send you there in the morning.” She lay at his feet until morning, and then got up while it was still dark. Boaz gave her grain to take to Naomi. Ruth told her mother-in-law everything that happened. Naomi said, “Now you’re to wait. Boaz won’t rest until this matter is settled.” That day, Boaz arranged a meeting with the next-of-kin and the elders of the city. He said, “Naomi has come back from Moab and is selling her husband’s land. You’re the closest relative. Buy it in the presence of these elders. And if you don’t, I’ll buy it.” The man was quick to answer. “I’ll buy it!” Boaz went on to explain, “Well, when you buy it, you must also marry Ruth, the Moabite woman. This will keep the family name with the property.” The man said, “I can’t marry this woman. It would ruin my own family name. You have my permission to buy the property.” With that, the man took off one of his sandals and handed it to Boaz. That made the deal legally binding. Boaz held the sandal out toward the elders. “You are witnesses that I just bought the property that belonged to Naomi’s husband and sons. And because of that, Ruth will become my wife.” People had gathered around and were watching all of this. The elders said, “Yes, we’ve seen the whole thing. May the Lord bless you, and may the Lord bless this woman who will become your wife.” So Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and in the course of time, she gave birth to a son named Obed. He had a son named Jesse, who became the father of a shepherd boy named David. He became the great king of Israel!
During the time of the judges, a man decided to leave his home in Bethlehem. He took this wife Naomi and their two sons and went to the country of Moab. Things did not go well there. They lived in Moab for ten years. During that time, the man died, the two sons married Moabite women, and then the sons died. Naomi was left alone with her two daughters-in-law. She decided to go back to Bethlehem. So the three women prepared for the trip and left. Along the way, Naomi turned to her daughters-in-law and said, “Go back to your homes. May the Lord bless you, as you have been a blessing to me. I pray the Lord will give each of you a good husband and many children.” She then kissed them good-bye. All three women cried, and both daughters-in-law insisted they wanted to stay with Naomi. She said, “No, you need to go home. I have no more sons to give you. Even if I got pregnant tonight, would you wait for my baby to grow up so you could marry him? No, it’s better that you go home. Life with me is going to be bitter.” With that, one daughter-in-law kissed Naomi and went home. The second daughter-in-law was Ruth. She said, “I won’t leave you! Don’t make me go back. I’m going with you. Wherever you live, that’s where I’ll live. Your people will be my people. Your God is now my God. The place where you die is where I’ll die and be buried. Only death will separate you and me.” Naomi saw she couldn’t argue with Ruth. So they both went back to Bethlehem. When they got there, the whole town was excited that Naomi had come back home. She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi any more. That means ‘pleasant,’ and life is no longer pleasant. Call me Mara, which means ‘bitter.’ The Lord has made my life bitter.” So Naomi and Ruth established their home in Bethlehem. Life was hard because the two women were poor. Fortunately it was harvest time. Poor people were allowed to go into the fields and pick up any grain that was dropped during harvest. So Ruth went to the fields to gather food for the two of them. She went to a field owned by a man named Boaz. Later in the morning, Boaz came to his field. He saw Ruth and said to the foreman, “Who is that young woman?” “Oh, she is the Moabite who came here with Naomi. She’s a hard worker.” Boaz went to Ruth and said, “Don’t go to any other field. Stay here and work alongside my servant girls. Watch them and go wherever they go. The men won’t hurt you. I’ve already told them to stay away from you. In fact, go drink from their water when you’re thirsty.” Ruth bowed her head and thanked Boaz. She said, “Why are you so kind to a foreigner?” He said, “We’ve all heard how well you’ve treated Naomi. You left your parents and country to come here and care for her. May the Lord richly bless you! ” He then went back and told his men to leave extra grain in her path. Also, they were to provide her food when they stopped to eat. That evening, Ruth went back home with all she had gathered. She even had leftovers from her meal. Naomi was amazed when she saw all of this. Ruth told her about the kindness of Boaz, the owner of the field. Naomi responded when she heard the name Boaz. She said, “The Lord bless him! Oh Ruth, he’s a close relative of our family. Stay in his field, just as he has said. You’ll be safe there.” So Ruth continued to work with the servant girls of Boaz. She gathered grain throughout the barley harvest and the wheat harvest.
The entire nation of Israel prepared for civil war. All the tribes united against the tribe of Benjamin. They declared that no city was exempt from this war. Any that violated this would be destroyed. They also swore an oath that no man would give his daughter to marry a Benjaminite. Both sides gathered massive armies. The commanders of Israel went to Bethel and sought God’s leadership. In the morning, the war started. By the end of the day, the Benjaminites had killed many Israelites and had won the battle. The commanders of Israel went before the Lord in anguish. They said, “Should we continue this battle against our brothers?” The Lord said, “Fight them.” The next day, the Benjaminites once again killed many Israelites and won the battle. This time, the entire army went before the Lord at Bethel. They made sacrifices and cried out in anguish. They said, “Should we go up against Benjamin again, or should we stop?” The Lord said, “Go and fight them. I’ll give you victory tomorrow.” The Israelite army prepared to fight in the morning, but this time they hid some of their men behind the city. The Benjaminites came out to fight, and once again it seem like they were winning. The Israelites pulled back and the Benjaminites ran after them. They shouted, “We always win every battle!” Soon the city was unprotected. Those in hiding entered the city and totally destroyed it, killing everyone. When the army of Israel saw the smoke coming from the city, they turned and charged back into battle. The army of Benjamin also saw the smoke and knew they’d been tricked. The Lord fought against Benjamin, and soon they were terrified and tried to run, but Israel had them surrounded. The only ones to survive were 600 men who hid in a fortress. Everyone else in the tribe was killed, and their cities destroyed. Once it was over, the people of Israel realized what they had done. They went to Bethel and sat before the Lord. They sobbed and mourned. “Oh Lord God. What have we done? Now we’re missing one of our twelve tribes.” They stayed before the Lord all day and made sacrifices. They said, “What can we do? We only have 600 men from Benjamin and all their women are dead.” They knew it was important that the tribe repopulate. They couldn’t give them their daughters because of the oath they had taken. Suddenly they got an idea. “Was there a city that didn’t come to battle as they were commanded?” One city had disobeyed the order to fight. So the army of Israel went and killed everyone there. The only exception was virgin women. When the battle was over, they had 400 virgins from that city. Israel made peace with the 600 men in the fortress, and gave them the 400 women to be their wives. They still needed 200 women. Then they had another idea. They said to the Benjaminites, “Shiloh has an annual festival. At one point, young women come dancing out of the city. Hide in the vineyard next to the road. When the time is right, each of you jump out and grab a wife for yourself. Take them back to your own land. Don’t worry about their fathers and brothers. They’ll complain to us, but we’ll explain the situation.” So the Benjaminites hid in the vineyard next to the road. They waited until the young women came dancing out of Shiloh. At the right moment, they jumped up and grabbed wives for themselves. The fathers and brothers of the women complained, but the men of Israel said, “Be kind and let them keep your daughters. They need wives, and we don’t have enough to give them. Don’t worry about the curse because you didn’t actually give them your daughters. They took them!” The men of Benjamin went back to their cities and rebuilt them. They settled down with their new wives and raised families. Once again, all was peaceful in the land.
The Evidence Bible
Once, during the time of the judges, civil war broke out throughout the nation of Israel. All the tribes united against the tribe of Benjamin and almost eliminated them. It all started with a woman leaving a man. A certain Levite got a woman to become his concubine. One day she left him and went back to the home of her parents. After four months, the man decided to go and be nice to her in hopes that she would return to his house. When he got there, her father welcomed him into his home. The two men became friends, so the Levite stayed for three days. He got up early on the fourth day to go home. The girl’s father said, “Have a good breakfast before you leave. It will help you have a better day as you travel.” So they ate together and enjoyed their friendship. Time went by and finally it was late in the afternoon. The father said, “It’s too late to leave now. Wait until morning when you can have an early start.” The Levite stayed the night, and in the morning the girl’s father said, “Have a good breakfast before you leave. It will help you have a better day as you travel.” Again, they ate and talked until late afternoon. The father said, “It’s too late to leave now. Wait until morning when you can have an early start.” This time, the man was determined to leave. He set out with his concubine, but didn’t get far before they realized they needed to spend the night somewhere. They traveled on to a city controlled by the tribe of Benjamin. They stood around hoping someone would invite them into their home. At first, no one responded, but finally an old man saw them and invited them into his house. They were enjoying each other’s company that evening, when suddenly a gang of men surrounded the old man’s house. They beat on the door and said, “Send out that man who is staying with you. We want to have sex with him.” The old man yelled back, “This man is a guest in my house. I won’t let you abuse him. I’ll send out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine. Do what you want with them, but you can’t have the man.” The men outside wouldn’t listen. They became more violent and insisted on having sex with the man. Finally the Levite grabbed his concubine and pushed her out the door. The gang of men took turns raping her for the rest of the night. Early in the morning, they let her go. She crawled back to the house and collapsed outside the door. The Levite woke up and got ready to continue his trip. He saw his concubine at the door. “Get up. It’s time to go.” She didn’t move, so he put her on his donkey and went home. When they got there, he realized she was dead. He cut her body into twelve pieces, and then sent them to every area of Israel. When the people saw this, they said, “Nothing like this has ever happened in the nation of Israel.” It became the topic of discussion in every town. Finally the people knew they had to take action against the tribe of Benjamin.
The Evidence Bible
During the time of the Judges, a man named Micah stole 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother. Suddenly he found out that she had put a curse on whoever took it. So he gave it back. She said, “Oh, son. I didn’t know it was you. I was going to give it to you anyway. But he refused to keep it. So she took some of it and made an idol for her son to put in his home. With the rest, Micah made some special clothes for worship, and provisions for a priest. A young man named Jonathan was a Levite from Bethlehem. He left home looking for a place to settle down. He stayed the night in Micah’s house and the two of them became friends. Finally Micah said, “Stay here and I’ll make you the priest for my idol. I’ll give you everything you need – clothes, meals, a place to stay, and I’ll even give you a salary.” Jonathan agreed, and soon he became like one of the family. At that same time, the tribe of Dan was looking for a permanent place for their people. In all of the years since Joshua, they hadn’t found a place of their own. They decided to send out five soldiers as spies. The spies camped near Micah’s house, and Jonathan went out to visit with them. They said, “You have a Bethlehem accent. What are you doing here?” He told them about his job and how well Micah treated him. When they found out that he was a Levite and a priest, they said, “Please, ask God if we’ll be successful.” He said, “Don’t worry about a thing. The Lord is with you.” The men left and continued their search. Finally they found a wonderful place, where the people were peaceable and unprotected. The spies went back to their tribe and said, “We’ve found a place for us to live! It’s a good land and the people will be easy to conquer.” So the people of Dan sent 600 men to conquer the city. When they got to Micah’s house, the five spies said to the others, “The man who owns that house has an idol, clothes for worship, and even a priest. We could use those things in our new city.” So the 600 men went to Micah’s house. Jonathan came out to greet them. While he stood there, the five spies went into the house and took the idol and all the stuff that went along with it. Jonathan said, “What are you doing?” They said, “Shut up and listen carefully. You have a choice. You can stay here and be a priest for one man, or you can come with us and be a priest for a whole tribe. You can tell us what God wants us to do.” Jonathan thought this sounded like a good opportunity, so he agreed to go with them. He even helped them take all the things of worship from Micah’s home. When Micah found out what happened, he organized some men and chased after the Danites. As soon as he saw them, he yelled at them. Immediately they stopped, turned, and faced the men following them. They yelled back, “Why are you following us?” Micah said, “How can you say that? You took my god and my priest. I have nothing left.” The men from Dan said, “Stop yelling at us or we’ll take something else from you. We’ll take your life and kill your family.” Micah saw there was nothing he could do. So he turned and went home. The Danites continued on their military campaign. They attacked the peaceable people and killed them all. They burned down their city and built a new one. They called it Dan, and it became their permanent home. Jonathan and his descendants were priests for the Danites for hundreds of years. They helped them worship that idol until the Assyrians took them into captivity. Jonathan was the grandson of Moses.
In time, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah. When the Philistines found out about this, a group of their leaders met with her. They said, “Each of us will pay you 1,100 pieces of silver if you can find out the secret of his strength. Once we know that, we’ll be able to kill him.” So she asked Samson, “How can someone tie you up in a way that makes you powerless?” “Oh,” he said. “I’ll be like any other man if someone ties me up with seven brand new bowstrings.” The Philistines gave her seven fresh bowstrings, and hid some guards in her room. She tied Samson up with the bowstrings, and then shouted, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” He jumped up and snapped the bowstrings as if they were pieces of yarn touched by a fire. Delilah said, “You lied to me! Why would you make fun of me like that? Please tell me how you can be tied up.” He said, “The key is new ropes, but only ones that haven’t been used for anything else. If I’m tied up with new ropes, I’ll be like other people.” So she took some new ropes and tied him up. Guards were still in their hiding place. She yelled, “Samson, quick! The Philistines are here!” He jumped up and snapped the ropes like they were pieces of threads. She said, “I’m nothing but a joke to you. Why do you keep lying to me? Now tell me how you can be tied up.” He said, “It’s my hair. If you weave my seven braids with the web of a loom, I’ll be as weak as any other man.” So she waited until he was asleep and carefully wove his seven braids into the loom. Then she yelled, “Samson! The Philistines are here.” He woke up and pulled his hair away from the loom. Delilah said, “How can you say you love me when you don’t trust me? Three times now you’ve laughed at me by telling me a lie. Why can’t you trust me with the secret of your strength?” She kept this up day after day. She begged and nagged him until she wore him down. Finally, he told her the truth. He said, “I’m what our people call a Nazirite. I’ve been one since birth. My hair has never been cut, and that’s the secret of my strength. If someone shaves my head, I’ll be like any other man.” Delilah realized that he had finally told her the truth. She sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come. I finally got the truth out of him. Be sure to bring my money with you.” So they came with her money. That night, he fell asleep with his head on her lap. A man came out of hiding and cut off his seven braids. As he did, Samson’s strength left him. Then she yelled, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” He jumped up to defend himself, but he didn’t know the Lord wasn’t with him. The Philistines grabbed him and he couldn’t break loose. They held him down on the ground and poked out his eyes. They then took him to prison, where he was forced to push a grain millstone. While he was in prison, Samson’s hair started to grow back. In time, the Philistines gathered to worship in the temple of their god. They ate and drank until they were drunk. Someone yelled, “Go get Samson. That’ll give us a good laugh.” The place was packed as a boy led Samson into the temple. He said to the boy, “Take me to the supporting pillars.” Samson called out to God. “Oh Lord God. Give me strength just one more time. Allow me to pay back the Philistines for taking my eyes. I’ll die with them.” He then grabbed the two supporting pillars and pushed on them with all he had. They gave way and the temple fell on the Philistines, including all their leaders. More people died in Samson’s death, then he had killed in all of his life. He had been a judge in Israel for 20 years.
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Samson’s father-in-law gave his daughter to a man who attended the wedding party. He figured Samson didn’t want her any more since he went home without her. Later, Samson went back to visit his wife with a gift. His father-in-law said, “What do you want?” “I’ve come to visit my wife in her room.” The man said, “Oh, you can’t do that. I thought you hated my daughter, so I gave her to another man. But don’t worry. I have a younger daughter. You can have her. Everyone knows that she’s more beautiful than her sister.” Samson became angry and said, “I’m going to hurt some Philistines – a lot of them – and I’m going to enjoy it.” He caught 300 foxes and put them in pairs, and tied a torch to the tails of each pair. He then lit the torches as he set the foxes loose in different Philistine fields. The foxes ran, burning everything they came across. This not only destroyed standing grain, but also piles of grain that had already been harvested. They even destroyed vineyards and olive groves. The Philistines found out that it was Samson who did this. They blamed his father-in-law because he had made Samson angry by giving away his wife. They took him and his daughter and burned them to death. This made Samson even more furious. He found each man who had a part in this and tore him apart, limb-by-limb. Many people died. Once he was done, he left Philistia, and went back and hid in a cave in Israel. The Philistines invaded Israel with an army. The Israelites said, “Why are you attacking us?” “You’re protecting Samson. He must be punished for what he’s done.” 3,000 Israelites went to the cave where Samson was hiding. They said, “We’re taking you back to the Philistines. They have ruled over us in peace, but now you’ve stirred them up.” He said, “I’ll go with you if you swear you won’t kill me.” They said, “We won’t kill you, but we will tie you up.” They tied him with two new ropes and led him away. Once the Philistines had him, they shouted with joy. Instantly the Spirit of the Lord filled him and he tore the ropes off his hands. He grabbed the jawbone of a donkey and ran into the Philistine crowd, killing 1,000 of them. After his victory, he threw away the jawbone. He looked up and shouted, “Lord, you gave me victory. I’ve killed 1,000 men. Now, are you going to let me die of thirst?” Suddenly a rock cracked open and water gushed out. Samson drank until he was refreshed. He was a judge over Israel for 20 years, even though the Philistines still ruled over the land. One time, he went to a Philistine city to sleep with a prostitute. Once they heard he was in their city, they closed the gates so they could capture him at sunrise. Around midnight, Samson got up to go home. When he got to the gate, he pulled it out of the ground and carried it away. He took it to the top of an Israeli hill and left it there, still closed and locked.
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When Samson was a young man, he saw a particular Philistine woman. He went to his parents and said, “Arrange a marriage between me and that woman.” They were shocked. “The Philistines are pagan. You need to find a woman from the people of Israel.” “No. She is the one I want. Go make the arrangements.” His parents didn’t know that the Lord wanted this to happen in order to cause an offense against the Philistines. Samson and his father went to make the final arrangements. Along the way, Samson stepped off the path by himself. Suddenly a young lion attacked him. The Spirit of God filled Samson and he grabbed the lion and ripped him apart as if it were a small animal. Afterwards, he went back to his parents but didn’t tell them about the lion. They continued their trip and together finalized the wedding plans. When the big day came, Samson and his parents went back along the same route. When they got to a place where he killed the lion, Samson once again stepped aside without his parents. He found the dead lion and was amazed to see that honeybees had made a hive in it. He reached in and grabbed some honey and ate it. He then took some to his parents, but didn’t tell them where he had gotten it. Thirty young Philistine men came to the wedding party, which lasted seven days. Samson said, “I have a riddle. If you can figure it out during these seven days, I’ll give you thirty changes of clothes, including undergarments. But if you can’t figure it out, you must give me thirty changes of clothes, including undergarments.” They said, “We agree. Tell us the riddle.” He said, “From the eater, came something to eat. From the strong came something sweet.” For three days the young men worked on the riddle. On the fourth day, they went to Samson’s wife and said, “You brought us here to rob us. We won’t stand for it. You’re his wife. Get the answer to his riddle, or we will burn down everything that belongs to your father.” So she went to Samson and asked him for its meaning. He said, “I’m not going to tell you. I haven’t even told my parents.” She started to cry. “You don’t love me.” She kept crying and begging until he couldn’t stand it anymore. On the last day of the feast, he told her the meaning of the riddle. She immediately ran and told the men. That night, just before the time was up, the men said to Samson, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He immediately knew what they had done. He said, “You wouldn’t have been able to plow that field without my young cow.” He went to a Philistine town nearby and God gave him the power to kill thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the wedding guests. He was so angry that he went back to his father’s house without his wife.
There was man from the tribe of Dan whose wife couldn’t have children. This was during the time when the Philistines had taken control of Israel. The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said, “Soon you’ll become pregnant. The child you’ll be carrying is going to have the vow of a Nazirite from the time he’s born. So be careful. Don’t drink alcohol or eat anything that is against the Law of Moses. And never cut your son’s hair. He will save Israel from the Philistines.” The woman didn’t realize she was talking to the angel of the Lord. She ran to her husband and said, “A man of God came and told me that you and I are going to have a baby. He told me not to drink any alcohol or eat anything that is against the Law of Moses. I’m not to cut his hair because our son is going to keep the Nazirite vow from birth.” Her husband immediately prayed and asked God if he would once again send the man of God to them. He wanted more instruction on exactly what they were to do when the child was born. Later, the woman was sitting in the field, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to her again. She quickly ran and got her husband. She said, “That same man of God is out in the field.” The husband ran to meet him. He said, “Are you the man who talked to my wife?” “Yes, I am.” The angel then gave him the same instructions he had given the woman. The man said, “Please stay here as we prepare a meal for you.” The angel said, “I’ll stay, but I won’t eat a meal with you. Instead, present a burnt offering to God.” The man and his wife still didn’t know they were talking to the Angel of the Lord. The man said, “What’s your name? We want to honor you when all you say comes true.” The angel said, “I’m not going to tell you my name. It is too wonderful for you.” So the man prepared a burnt offering and sacrificed it on a rock. The flames rose up into the sky. Suddenly, as the man and his wife watched, the angel of the Lord went up into the flames. The couple immediately fell to the ground. The man said, “We’re going to die! We’ve seen God!!” The woman said, “I don’t think we’re going to die. He accepted our burnt offering. Besides he said we were going to have a baby.” The woman followed the instructions she was given, and at the appointed time, she gave birth to a baby boy. They named him Samson.
Jephthah’s mother was a prostitute, but his father was a prominent man in Israel. Jephthah was raised in his father’s house, but when his half brothers were old enough they said, “Get out! You’re not a son of our mother, and you’re not going to inherit anything from our father.” So Jephthah left the area. He became a great warrior and organized a gang of thugs. During this time, the people of Israel once again rebelled against the Lord and started worshiping other gods. God allowed the Ammonites to conquer them. The Ammonites were extremely cruel, and Israel suffered under their cruelty for eighteen years. The people cried out to the Lord and said, “Deliver us!” The Lord said, “No! I won’t do it. I’ve delivered you over and over. I won’t do it again. Go call on your idols to deliver you.” So the Israelites got rid of their false gods and started worshiping the Lord. They said, “Do what you want with us. We know we’ve sinned. But please, get us out of this mess!” With that, God once again had mercy on them. The Ammonites moved into the land to fight against Israel. The Israelites went out to meet them, but they didn’t have a leader. They sent for Jephthah and said to him, “Come and lead our troops into battle against the Ammonites.” He sent a message back saying, “You’re the same people who kicked me out! Now you’re coming to me for help?” They said, “It’s true. We did that, but if you’ll come and give us victory, you’ll be our leader. Listen, the Lord is our witness. We will do as we’ve said.” So the Spirit of God came upon Jephthah, and he led the people into battle. He made a vow before the Lord and said, “Oh God, if you’ll give me victory over the Ammonites, when I go home I’ll give you the first thing that comes out of my house. I’ll sacrifice it to you as a burnt offering.” The Lord gave Jephthah victory. He totally turned the Ammonite army away and even destroyed twenty of their cities. Jephthah only had one child, a daughter. When he went home, she came dancing out to him. She was so proud of his victory. When Jephthah saw her, he ripped his clothes and fell down. He cried, “Oh my daughter! What have I done! I’ve made a vow to God, and I can’t take it back.” She said, “Father, you must keep your word to the Lord. He kept his part of the bargain by giving you a great victory. Now you must keep yours. I just ask one thing. Since I’ll never marry, allow me to go to the hills with my friends for two months. Together, we’ll mourn the fact that I’ll never marry.” Her father agreed, so she and her girlfriends went to the hills. For two months, they mourned the fact that she’d never be intimate with a man and have the joy of nursing children. She then went back home, and Jephthah fulfilled his vow. After that, it became a custom in Israel. Every year, young women went out and spent four days remembering the daughter of Jephthah.
Gideon and his many wives produced seventy sons. He also had a son by a concubine in the town of Shechem. His name was Abimelech. After the death of Gideon, Abimelech went to his uncles in Shechem. He said, “Talk to the officials of the city and say, ‘Do you want the seventy sons of Gideon to rule over you? Instead of them, select me. I’m a son of Gideon, but I’m also your blood relative.’ ” The men of Shechem agreed to make him king of Israel. They gave him seventy silver coins from the Temple of Baal. With this, he hired a gang of thugs as his private army. The first thing they did was to kill the seventy sons of Gideon. But they missed one – the youngest – a man named Jotham. The men of Shechem had a celebration to honor Abimelech. Suddenly they heard yelling off in the distance. It was Jotham. “Listen to me! The trees decided to have a king. They went to the olive tree and said, ‘Be our king.’ “The olive tree said, ‘I don’t have time for such foolishness. I produce precious oil that honors God and man.’ “So they went to the fig tree and said, ‘Be our king.’ The fig tree said, ‘I don’t have time for such foolishness. I produce sweet fruit that’s enjoyed by everyone.’ “They went to the grapevine and said, ‘Be our king.’ The grapevine said, ‘I don’t have time for such foolishness. I produce wine that brings happiness to people.’ “Finally the trees went to the thorn bush. They said, ‘Be our king.’ The thorn bush said, ‘Yes, I’ll be your king. But from now on, you’re under my shade of protection. If any of you rebel, fire will come from my thorns and burn you to ashes.’ “My father risked his life for you. And how did you reward him? You killed his sons! Now you’ve made the son of a slave girl your king. “If this is right, I wish you well. But if it’s wrong, I ask that fire come from Abimelech and burn you up.” He then ran for his life because he knew his half brother would try to hunt him down. Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. Then God put a bad spirit between him and the men of Shechem. This was to bring justice for what was done to the sons of Gideon. The men started a rebellion against the king they had set up. At one point, they threw a big party and got drunk. They started cursing Abimelech and bragging about how they were going to overthrow him. The mayor of the city became angry at this talk and sent for Abimelech. The mayor agreed to help his army ambush the men of Shechem. That night, Abimelech put his men in hiding outside of the city so he could attack in the morning. At sunrise, one of the men of Shechem stood at the gate with the mayor. Suddenly he saw some movement. He said, “Look! What is that? Is it men coming to attack us?” The mayor said, “No. That’s only shadows from the mountain.” A few moments later, the man saw several units of men coming at the city. He ran back into the city and yelled, “We’re under attack!” The battle lasted several days. Finally the city was captured and the people escaped to a tower. Abimelech and his men put tree branches around the tower and burned it down. Over 1,000 men and women died there that day. Jotham’s curse on the men of Shechem had come true. Abimelech completely destroyed the city and tore it down. He spread salt over it so nothing could grow there. When that was done, he and his men went to destroy another rebellious city. Again the people escaped to a tower. Abimelech and his men went and got wood so they could set it on fire. As they were putting it in place, a woman looked down and saw Abimelech directly beneath her. So she dropped a piece of a millstone down on his head. Abimelech called for one of his soldiers. “Quick, kill me with your sword. I don’t want to be known as the man who was killed by a woman.”
Gideon gathered a troop of 32,000 men. He took them and camped south of the Midianites. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men with you. If I give the Midianites to you now, Israel will say, ‘We won this victory by our own power.’ Tell them, ‘If you’re afraid, go home.’ ” Gideon said this to the people, and 22,000 people left, leaving 10,000 men. The Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water. Watch carefully. Notice those who use their hands to bring the water to their mouth. Separate them from those who kneel down and drink like a dog.” There were 300 men who drank, using their hands. The Lord said, “I’ll give you victory over the Midianites using these 300 men. Send the rest of them home.” So Gideon sent them home. Those who were left made camp above where the Midianites were in the valley. The people of Midian were like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were like the sand by the sea. That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Sneak into the Midianite camp. If you’re afraid, take your servant with you. Listen to what the soldiers say.” So Gideon took his servant and went into the Midianite camp. He heard a man telling a friend about a dream. He said, “I saw a loaf of bread rolling into our camp. It struck a tent and totally destroyed it.” His friend answered: “I know what it means. That loaf of bread is the sword of Gideon the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him.” Gideon returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has given the Midianites to you.” He divided the 300 men into three companies of 100. He gave each man a trumpet and a jar with a torch inside it. He said, “Watch me and follow my lead. When we’re all at the edge of their camp, our group will blow our trumpets. You’re to do the same. Everyone shout, ‘The sword of the Lord and Gideon!’ ” Then he placed them on three sides of the camp. When they were all in place, Gideon’s group blew their trumpets and broke the jars. The other two groups did the same. They held their torches in their left hands, their trumpets in their right hands, and shouted, “The sword of the Lord and Gideon!” This totally shocked the Midianite army! They panicked and started to run, yelling as they ran. Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets. With this, the Midianite soldiers drew their swords and started killing one another. Gideon then sent for the rest of the men of Israel. Together they ran after the Midianites as they tried to leave Israel. God gave a great victory that day over Midian, and they were no longer a threat to Israel. After the battle, the people wanted to make Gideon their king, but he refused. He simply went back to live at his house. Then Israel was at peace for forty years.
For seven years, the Midianites came into Israel like a swarm of locusts. They moved across the land, taking everything off it - all the crops and farm animals. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat. The people became desperate and had to find places to hide in mountain caves. A man named Gideon was also hiding from the Midianites. He had to thresh his wheat in a wine vat instead of an open threshing floor. The Angel of the Lord came and sat under an oak tree nearby. He said, “The Lord is with you, oh mighty warrior.” Gideon said, “Oh my Lord! If God is with us, why is he allowing all these bad things to happen to us? Where are all the wonderful miracles our fathers told us about? God is no longer fighting for us.” The Angel said, “I’m sending you to deliver Israel from the Midianites.” Gideon was shocked. “Lord, how can I deliver Israel? I’m a nobody.” The Lord said, “Yes, but I’ll be with you, and you’ll have victory.” Gideon said, “Lord, I need a sign that you’re really talking to me. Please, stay here while I prepare a sacrifice.” The Lord said. “I stay here until you return.” Gideon rushed off and prepared a sacrifice for him. When it was ready, he put it on a rock. The Angel of the Lord reached over and touched the sacrifice with the tip of the his staff. Fire came up from the rock and burnt it up. And then the Lord vanished. Gideon yelled, “Lord God! I’m about to die! I’ve seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!” The Lord said, “Don’t be afraid. You’re not going to die. Do what I say. Your father has an altar of Baal. Tear it down and build an altar to God. Then offer a burnt offering to the Lord.” Gideon obeyed, but did it at night. He was afraid of his family and the men who lived in his city. In the morning, people found Baal’s altar torn down. They saw the altar to the Lord built in its place, and the ashes of the burnt offering on top of it. Soon they learned Gideon had done this. The men of the city went to his father’s house and said, “Give us your son! We’ll kill him because he tore down Baal’s altar.” Gideon’s father said to them, “Show me the man who is defending Baal. He’ll be dead by morning! If Baal is really a god, let him defend himself.” Once again the Midianites came into Israel and camped in a valley. The Spirit of the Lord filled Gideon, and he sent out messages for people to come, ready to fight. Then Gideon prayed, “Lord, give me a sign.” He then put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor and said to God “I’ll know you’ll deliver us if the morning dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry.” He got up early in the morning and found that the fleece was soaking wet, but the ground was dry. Gideon said, “Lord, don’t be angry with me. Allow me one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry, and the dew be all over the ground.” In the morning, the fleece was dry, and dew was all over the ground.
After Ehud died, Israel once again sinned against God. So the Lord sold them to a Canaanite king. This king ruled over them for twenty years. He was harsh and cruel. His army had 900 iron chariots, and his commander’s name was Sisera. The person who judged Israel at the time was a prophet named Deborah. When the people had problems among themselves, they went to a place called the “Palm Tree of Deborah.” She would sit there and hear their complaints and then settle their disagreements. One day she called for a man named Barak and said to him, “The Lord has a message for you. He says, ‘Take 10,000 men and go to Mount Tabor. I’ll cause Sisera to come to you with his chariots and his army. He’ll come to fight you, but I’ll give him to you.’ ” Barak said to Deborah, “I’ll go and do as the Lord says, but only if you go with me. If you don’t go, I won’t go.” She said, “I’ll go with you, but if I do, you won’t get the credit for killing Sisera. The Lord will give that honor to a woman.” Barak agreed, so Deborah went with him. Barak gathered 10,000 men and went up Mount Tabor. Sisera heard about this, so he took his 900 chariots and his army and headed toward Mount Tabor. Deborah said to Barak, “Now’s the time! Take your men and attack Sisera.” So Barak moved his men down the mountain and attacked the Canaanite army. The Lord was with him, and caused Sisera’s men to be confused. They turned and ran. When Sisera saw this, he left his chariot and tried to escape on foot. Barak chased the army until every man was killed. Sisera ran until he came to the tent of Jael. Her husband was in alliance with the Canaanite king. She saw Sisera coming, so she went out and said, “Come in here, and you’ll be safe.” He went in and she hid him under a rug. He said, “Please, give me water to drink.” She gave him milk, and he sat up and drank it. He said, “Stand at the door of the tent. If anyone asks if there is a man in here, tell them ‘No.’” She then covered him again, and since he was exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep. Jael went and got a tent peg and a hammer. She quietly knelt down next to Sisera and put the tent peg on the temple of his head. Then with solid blows, she nailed it through his head and into the ground. Soon Barak came by her tent in search of Sisera. She went out and said, “Come and I’ll show you the man you’re looking for.” Barak went into her tent and saw Sisera lying dead on the floor with a tent peg through his temple. Israel continued to fight the Canaanite king until they were victorious. Then they lived in peace for forty years.
After Joshua died, people continued to serve God. But eventually, another generation grew up that didn’t know the Lord, and they started worshiping Baal. The Lord was angry with his people, so he allowed a foreign king to come and rule over them for eight years. The people finally begged God for help, and he had mercy on them. He sent them Othniel to be their judge. The Spirit of the Lord was on him, and he was able to go into battle and kill the foreign king. God delivered his people and they lived in peace for forty years. After Othniel died, the people of Israel once again made the Lord angry with all of their sin. This time God gave them to Eglon, the king of Moab who was extremely fat. He enlisted the help of other nations, and together they defeated Israel. Moab ruled over the people for eighteen years. Once again they begged the Lord to have mercy and help them. This time God sent a judge named Ehud, who was left-handed. When it was time for the people of Israel to send money to king Eglon, Ehud decided to take it to him. He made a double-edged sword that was only eighteen inches long. He strapped it under his clothes on his right side. He took several men with him and presented the money to the king. After making their presentation to the king, they turned to leave. Ehud then told his men to go on without him, and he returned to the court. He said, “King Eglon, I have a secret message for you.” The king was pleased so he sent his guards away and took Ehud up the stairs to an enclosed porch where it was cool. There, he sat on his throne. Ehud said, “The message I am bringing you is from the Lord.” The king stood up, and Ehud reached his left hand into his clothes and pulled the sword from his right side. He plunged it into Eglon’s stomach. The king’s fat closed around it, so Ehud wasn’t able to pull it out. As the king fell to the ground, his stomach split open and his insides spilled out. Ehud went out of the door and locked it behind him. When the servants came, they saw that the door was locked, so they assumed that the king had locked it so he could use the toilet. They waited until they finally realized something was wrong. They found a key and opened the door and found their master dead on the floor. This delay gave Ehud time to escape. He crossed over the Jordan River and sounded the alarm. The Israelites came ready to fight. He said, “Follow me! The Lord has given us the Moabites.” With Ehud in the lead, they attacked the Moabites, killing over 10,000 warriors. Because of that battle, the Moabites had to serve Israel, and the people lived in peace for eighty years.
Job was a great man of high integrity who feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was a rich man with many servants. His livestock included a large number of sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys. One day, Satan went to the Lord when all of the angels were there. The Lord said, “So where have you been?” “Oh, walking here and there around the earth. The Lord said, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one else on earth like him. He has high integrity and stays away from evil.” Satan said, “Well, of course he does. He’s found that being righteous is a good deal. You protect him and everything he owns. You bless him and give him whatever he wants. But try taking away all his possessions. Then watch what happens. He’ll curse you to your face.” The Lord said, “We’ll see. I give you permission to take everything he owns, but you can’t touch him personally.” Soon afterwards, a servant ran up to Job and said, “Some thugs came and took all your oxen and donkeys. They tried to kill all the servants, and only I escaped. I immediately came to tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another servant ran up and said, “A huge storm blew in. Lightning struck and killed all your sheep and servants. Only I lived through it, so I ran here to tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another servant ran up. “An army came and took all your camels and killed the servants. I escaped and came to tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another servant ran up. “Your sons and daughters were eating together, when suddenly a tornado hit the house and they all died. I’m the only one to live through it. So I came here to tell you what happened.” Job fell down with grief. He tore his clothes and shaved his head. He then bowed his head and said, “I came into this world naked. I’ll leave this life naked. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In spite of all that happened, Job didn’t sin or blame God. Once again, Satan went to the Lord when all of the angels were there. The Lord said, “So where have you been?” “Oh, walking here and there around the earth. The Lord said, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one else on earth like him. He has high integrity and stays away from evil, even after I permitted you, without any reason, to destroy all he had?” “Oh, but you didn’t allow me to touch his skin. A man will do anything to save his life. Hit his flesh and bones, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said, “We’ll see. I give you permission to strike him, but you can’t take his life.” Soon afterwards, Job was covered with boils, from head to toe. He sat down in ashes and took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself. His wife said, “How can you go through all this and still keep your integrity? Curse God and die!” He said, “You’re talking foolishness! I’m willing to accept whatever God gives me, good or bad.” And so, with all of this, Job didn’t sin or blame God. Three friends of Job heard about what had happened, and went to visit him. They couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw him sitting there. They yelled and threw dust in their hair. All three sat down next to Job and didn’t say anything for seven days. Finally Job cried out, “I wish I’d never been born!” His friends then tried to help him understand what was happening to him. One friend explained that righteous people don’t suffer like this, only sinners do. Job agreed with him, but he didn’t know of anything he had done to deserve this. His second friend was a bit more bold. He said, “Job, you’re a hypocrite! You need to confess your sin, and then God will be merciful.” Job again held to his innocence. He said, “I remember seeing the righteous suffering, while evildoers were prospering.” His third friend was the most bold of all. He said, “Job, you’re a liar! You’re a sinful man and deserve God’s judgment.
After Joshua cleared many of the nations out of Canaan, the land was divided among the various tribes. Caleb went to Joshua and said, “I was forty years old when you and I spied out this land. We brought back an honest report, but our brothers put fear in the hearts of the people. You remember, Moses promised that we would inherit the land we saw that day. “I am now eighty-five years old, but I’m as strong today as I was forty-five years ago. I still go into battle and do my daily chores. Now give me these hills. The Canaanites still live there, but I’ll drive them out.” So Joshua gave him the region around Hebron. Caleb organized his people and drove the Canaanites out of each city. When he came to one city, he said, “Whoever conquers this city may marry my daughter.” A man took the challenge and conquered it. So Caleb sent for his daughter. As soon as she arrived, she said to her future husband, “Ask my father for that field. It has a natural spring of water.” She got off her donkey and faced her father. He said, “What do you want?” “You gave us this city, now give us the spring of water as well.” So he gave her what she wanted. Years later, Joshua knew he was about to die, so he called the people of Israel to come to him. When they were gathered he said, “You have seen all that the Lord has done for you. You have land where your families can live because he fought for you. “Be strong and continue to obey the Law of Moses. Don’t turn away from it. Don’t start worshipping the gods of the people who still live in this land. Instead, remain true to the Lord your God. If you don’t, he will take you off this land.” Joshua then reviewed the entire history of Israel. He finished by saying, “God sent hornets ahead of you and drove out the people who lived on this land. He gave you fields you didn’t buy, houses you didn’t build, and vineyards you didn’t plant. “Choose today who you’re going to worship. You can serve the idols your fathers bowed down to. You can worship the gods of the people who live in this land. Or you can worship and serve the Lord who brought you here with his mighty hand. As for me and my family, we’ll serve the Lord.” The people said, “We won’t worship the gods of this land. We’ll remain true to the Lord our God. We’ve seen his mighty works, so we too will serve the Lord.” Joshua said, “I don’t believe you. You’ll turn your back on the Lord, so he’ll have to destroy you. How could you do that after he’s been so good to you?” The people shouted, “No! We’ll worship and serve the Lord.” Joshua said, “You’re witnesses to what you’ve said. These stones are also witnesses to what you’ve said. Get rid of all the stupid idols and fully trust in the Lord your God.” Soon afterwards, Joshua died at 110 years old. The people worshipped the Lord throughout the time he led them in the land. They also served the Lord throughout the lifetime of the elders who served with Joshua. But then another generation grew up that didn’t know the Lord. They hadn’t seen what he had done.
The news of the destruction of Jericho and Ai spread throughout Canaan. Most of the cities formed alliances in order to protect themselves from Israel. But one city decided to do something different. A group of men from the city of Gibeon dressed up in old clothes and worn-out sandals. They put old sacks on their donkeys, packed stale dry bread, and carried old wineskins. They went to Joshua and said, “We live far away, but we heard what the Lord your God has done for you. Our elders sent us on this long journey. They said, ‘Go and make a treaty with them.’ Look, we took our bread right out of the oven. It is now dry and stale. The journey was so long that our clothes and sandals have become worn and old.” The men of Israel looked at their provisions, but didn’t seek guidance from the Lord. So Joshua made a treaty with them. The elders of Israel vowed that the two nations would be allies. Three days after the treaty, Israel found out that the Gibeonites lived in Canaan, close by. Joshua sent for them and said, “Why did you deceive us?” They said, “We heard God gave you all of this land. He told Moses to kill everyone who lives here. We feared for our lives, so we deceived you. Now you can do whatever seems right to you. We will accept it.” Joshua said, “You’ll live because of our promise to you. We can’t touch you, but from now on, you’re our slaves. You’ll cut wood and carry water for us and you’ll serve the House of the Lord.” The other kings of the land heard that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel. They joined together and marched against their city. The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua saying, “We’re your slaves. Come quickly and help us!” So Joshua marched his army through the night and surprised those fighting again Gibeon. They tried to fight back, but the Israelite army was too strong for them. The Lord also sent large hailstones on them, and more people were killed by hail than by the sword. Joshua needed more time, so he looked up and said, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon!” The Lord heard his command and honored it. The sun stopped moving across the sky. Never in the past, nor since, has there been a day like that. Five kings ran and hid in a cave, but someone told Joshua. He said, “Roll a stone across the entrance of the cave.” He then stationed men to guard it. Once Israel had sealed their victory, Joshua brought the kings out of the cave. He told his commanders to put their feet on the necks of the kings. He said, “Be strong and courageous. The Lord will do this to all your enemies.” He then executed the five kings. Joshua led his army from city to city, and the Lord gave him victory wherever he went.
Before conquering Jericho, Joshua had made it clear to the people, “Be careful! Don’t take anything that is set aside for the Lord, or you will be set aside for destruction.” One of the soldiers that went into Jericho that day was a man named Achan. There he saw a bag of silver coins, a bar of gold, and a beautiful coat from Babylon. He took them and hid them inside his tent. This angered the Lord. After the victory at Jericho, Joshua sent scouts to spy out a city called Ai. They came back and said, “There are only a few people at Ai. We won’t need to send our full force there, possibly only two or three thousand men. So Joshua sent 3,000 men to conquer Ai. To their surprise, the men of the city won the battle! They killed thirty-six Israelites and chased away the rest of them. The people were horrified at this defeat. Joshua tore his clothes. He and the elders fell down before the Ark of God with their faces to the ground. They put dust on their heads and stayed there all day. Joshua said, “Oh Lord! Why did you bring us across the river? The Canaanites will hear about this defeat. They’ll surround us and wipe us off the earth. Then what will happen to your great name?” The Lord said, “Get off the ground and stand up! Israel lost today because there’s sin in the camp. They disobeyed my command and took what was to be set apart. As long as you have those things, you’ll lose every battle because I’ll no longer be with you.” The next morning, Joshua had all of Israel stand before him. Each tribe passed in front of him. The Lord selected the tribe of Judah. All the clans of Judah passed in front of him. The Lord selected one of them. All the families of that clan passed in front of him. The Lord selected one of them. From that family, Achan was selected. Joshua said to him, “Son, what have you done. Don’t hide anything from me.” Achan broke down and said, “It’s true. I sinned against the Lord. I saw a bag of silver coins, a bar of gold, and a beautiful coat from Babylon. I wanted them, so I took them and hid them in my tent.” Joshua sent men to Achan’s tent to get the things he took. He then spread them out before the Lord and all of Israel. The people then gathered everything that belonged to Achan; his sons and daughters, his livestock, his tent, and the things he took from Jericho. They stoned them until they were dead, and then burnt their bodies. They put a pile of stones on top of their ashes. The Lord was no longer angry with his people. So he said to Joshua, “Take your entire army and attack Ai. I’ve given them to you. Once you conquer them, the people may keep whatever they find there.” Joshua sent a group of men out at night. He said, “Go behind the city and hide.” He gave them exact instructions of what to do. The next morning, he sent a troop to fight Ai. The men of the city saw them coming and went out to fight them. In the heat of battle, Israel started to run away, as they had done before. The men of Ai chased after them, leaving the city unprotected. Once the men were away from the city, the Israelite soldiers came out of hiding and went into Ai and set it on fire. The men of Ai turned and saw their city on fire. They realized they were now between two parts of the Israelite army. They tried to escape, but couldn’t. All of them were killed in the battle. The people were allowed to keep everything they found in the city, including the livestock. Then they destroyed the city. After all of this, the people sacrificed to the Lord. Afterwards, Joshua read the entire Law to all the people, including the men, the women and the children.
While the people were still at Gilgal, Joshua looked toward Jericho and saw a man standing nearby with a sword in his hand. Joshua walked toward him and asked, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?” The man said, “I am captain of the Lord’s army. I’ve just arrived.” Joshua fell down and worshiped. The captain said, “Take off your shoes because you’re on holy ground.” The Lord said to Joshua, “I’ve given you Jericho, its king, and its army.” He then gave exact orders on how Jericho was to be conquered. When the day arrived, Joshua arranged the people. He had part of the army take the lead. Behind them, he put seven priests who were to blow ram’s-horn trumpets. The Ark of God was behind them. The rest of the army followed the Ark. Joshua told the people, “Don’t say one word as you march around the city.” As they marched around the city, the priests blew the trumpets, but the people were silent. Once they had circled the city, they returned to their camp and spent the night. They did the same thing the second day and the third. They repeated this march around the city for six days. Early on the seventh day, Joshua told the people to follow the same procedure, except on this day they were to circle the city seven times. He said, “After we have marched around the city seven times, I will tell you to shout. The Lord will then give you the city. All the people and animals in the city are to die, except Rahab and her family. “You’re to burn everything, except the gold, silver, and things made of bronze and iron. These are to be set aside for the Lord. Be careful! Don’t take anything that is set aside for the Lord, or you will be set aside for destruction.” So that day the people marched quietly around the city seven times while the priests blew the trumpets. After the seventh time, everyone stopped. Suddenly the priests blew the trumpets one more time and Joshua yelled, “Shout!” The people shouted, and the walls of the city fell down in front of them. The army of Israel marched straight into the city and destroyed it. The two spies that Rahab had protected immediately went to her house They brought her and her family out of the city alive. Everyone else in the city was killed and everything was burned, except the gold, silver, and things made of bronze and iron. Joshua then proclaimed a curse on the city of Jericho. He said, “Any man who rebuilds this city will lose both his firstborn son and his youngest son.” So the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout the land. Rahab and her family were put in a safe place outside of the camp of Israel. Eventually she married an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. In time, they had a son named Boaz.
In the morning, God said to Joshua, “Today, I will exalt you in the eyes of the people – so they’ll know I’m with you just like I was with Moses.” Joshua told the priests, “Take the Ark of God, and go to the Jordan River.” So the priests carried the Ark of God to the river, which was at flood stage. When they came to the water’s edge, they kept going until the water covered their feet. Suddenly the river stopped! A wall of water formed ten miles upstream. The rest of it flowed down to the sea. Seeing this, the priests walked to the middle of the riverbed and stood on dry ground. Then the people started moving across the river. Joshua then said to the twelve men Israel had selected, “Each of you pick up a large stone from where the priests are standing. Put it on your shoulders and take it to the other side of the river.” Joshua then took another twelve stones and built a monument in the middle of the river, next to where the priests were standing. The people looked at Joshua, and he was exalted in their eyes. They knew God was with him just like he had been with Moses. When they had all crossed the river, Joshua said to the priests, “Come up from the middle of the riverbed.” As soon as the priests were on the banks of the river, the waters crashed down the riverbed and returned to its flooded condition, as it had been before. Joshua took the people to a place called Gilgal, where they set up camp. Then he had them build a memorial with the twelve stones. He said, “In the future, children will see this monument and ask, ‘why are these stones here?’ Their parents will tell them about this day, when God stopped the Jordan River so his people could cross over on dry ground. All the nations of the earth will know that the hand of God, the Lord of all the earth, is powerful.” The people of Canaan heard how God stopped the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross over on dry ground. Terror spread throughout the cities of the land. Joshua told all the men of Israel they had to be circumcised. This hadn’t been done for the entire 40 years the people had been in the wilderness. Soon after this, the people celebrated Passover. The very next day, the manna stopped appearing and it never came back. From that day on, people were to eat the food from the land of Canaan.
The Lord said to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead. Now you will lead the people into the land I’ve promised them. I’ll be with you just like I was with Moses. “So, be strong and full of courage. Obey the instructions I gave Moses. Don’t turn away from them in any way. If you follow those instructions, I’ll be with you in everything you do.” With that, Joshua started organizing the people for their campaign into Canaan. He started by sending two men across the river to spy on the land. They entered the city of Jericho and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab. The king of Jericho found out that they were in the city, so he sent a message to Rahab. “Bring out those men who are staying in your house. They’re spies from the people of Israel.” The men were on her roof, where she had hidden them under bundles of flax. She told the king, “Yes, they were here, but I didn’t know where they came from. Just before dark, they left before the city gates were closed. They didn’t tell me which way they were going, but you should be able to catch them if you hurry.” So the king sent men to chase after them. Rahab said to the spies, “Everyone here is afraid of you because we know God has given you this land! We heard how the Lord opened up the Red Sea when you left Egypt. Your God is the God of heaven above and the earth below. He’s done great things for you. “I protected you! Now swear by your God that you’ll show kindness to my family. Spare our lives!” So the spies said, “We’ll spare you when the Lord gives us your city, but only if you don’t tell the king about us. Tie this scarlet cord in your window. Your family will be safe if they’re in your house. If any one leaves the house, we’re not responsible for what happens to them.” Rahab’s house was on the city wall, so she put a rope out of her window and helped the men escape. They hid in the hills until the men of Jericho stopped looking for them. Once it was safe, they went back across the river. They told Joshua everything that had happened. They said, “It’s true! God has given us the land. The people are afraid of us.” So Joshua led the people toward the Jordan River, where they stayed for three days. On the third day, the leaders of Israel went throughout the camp and told the people, “Break camp tomorrow morning. Then watch the priests. They’re going to pick up the ark of God and move toward the Jordan River. Follow them, because you haven’t gone this way before. “Tomorrow, the Lord will do amazing things for you. You’ll know that God lives with you and plans to drive out your enemies from before you.” Joshua told them to select twelve men, one from each tribe, and send them to him. Then he told the priests what they were to do the next day.
The Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain. There I’ll show you the land I’m giving Israel. You can’t go in with them because of your sin of hitting the rock. But I’ll let you see the land, and after that you’ll die. Moses said, “Lord, select a man to lead these people – someone who can stand before them and make decisions that will be good for them. If you don’t, they’ll be like sheep without a shepherd.” God said, “Joshua has the spirit of wisdom in him. Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest while the entire congregation is watching. Make sure everyone can hear you give him the authority to lead the nation. Tell the people to obey him like they’ve obeyed you. Tell Joshua he should get advice from Eleazar.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar and all the people. Moses then laid his hands on Joshua and commissioned him to lead the nation. He then said to the people, “I have a command for you. It’s well within your ability to obey. If you do, you’ll have life and prosperity. Not obeying it will bring heartaches and death. “The command is simply this. Love the Lord your God, and do what He says. If you do, He’ll bless you as you go into the land. If you don’t, He’ll take everything you love away from you.” “I’m asking heaven and earth to be a witness to what I’m saying. I set before you life and death, blessing and a curse. Therefore choose life. Love the Lord your God. Obey him and be faithful to him, because he is your life.” Then Moses said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. The Lord will be with you and will go before you. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” After saying this, Moses went up the mountain, which was across from Jericho. There, God showed him the land of Israel. He was able to see it all, from the north to the south, from the east to the west. The Lord said, “This is the land I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I’ve allowed you see it, but you can’t cross over into it.” So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died, and the Lord buried him in the land of Moab. He was 120 years old when he died. Yet his eyesight was still good, and he was physically fit. The people cried for thirty days after the death of Moses. There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses. Yet, God promised the people that some day, a Great Prophet would come who would be like Moses.
When Balaam arrived in Moab, King Balak said, “What took you so long? I said I’d make you a rich man. Didn’t you believe me?” Balaam said, “I’m here now, but understand. I can only say what God tells me to say.” So Balak took Balaam onto a high cliff overlooking the entire camp of Israel. Balaam had the king build altars to the Lord, and they sacrificed to Him. Balaam told the king to stay there while he went higher up the mountain to see what God wanted him to say. God gave him a message. So he went back to where King Balak and the elders of Moab were waiting. Balaam looked out over the people and said, “King Balak sent for me. He said, ‘Come and curse Jacob. Come and denounce Israel. But how can I curse those who God doesn’t curse. How can I denounce those who God doesn’t denounce? I stand on these cliffs and look out over these people. There is no other nation like them. Oh, that I had a privilege of dying like these righteous people die.” King Balak was shocked. He said, “I brought you here to curse these people – not to bless them!” Balaam said, “I made it clear. I can only say what God tells me to say.” Balak said, “Come with me to a different spot. From there you will only see part of the people. Maybe you’ll be able to curse them.” They went to the second spot, and again they built altars and scarified to the Lord. Balaam told the king, “Stay here while I go talk to God.” The Lord met with Balaam and gave him words to say. He went back and said, “Oh King Balak, listen carefully to what I am about to say. God isn’t like people. He doesn’t change his mind. He told me to bless the people because the Lord lives among them. He’s their king, and they’re happy about that. He brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. So there isn’t a curse for them. They’ll be known for the great things God has done for them.” The king said, “If you can’t curse them, at least stop giving them a blessing.” Again King Balak took Balaam to another place so he could see the people. He said, “Try one more time and see if there is a curse for these people from here. Balaam once again had an altar built and they sacrificed to the Lord. But he didn’t go up the mountain. As he looked across the valley, the Spirit of God came upon him. “Oh, the tents of Israel are beautiful. They’re like a garden that has been planted by God. Whoever blesses these people will be blessed. Whoever curses these people will be cursed.” Balak was furious. He said, “I’ve brought you here to curse these people. I would’ve made you rich, but the Lord robbed you of those riches. Now go home!” Balaam said, “I have one more message. Someone is coming. I can’t see who it is. He is like a heavenly star. He’ll be the King of Israel. He’ll have victory over all of his enemies.” With that, Balaam left, and King Balak went back to his place. Later, Balaam went to the king and said, “I can’t curse these people, but you can cause God to curse them.” And he gave him a plan. Shortly after that, the women of Moab went down to the camp of Israel. They had sex with the men, and then invited them to a festival for their idols. The men went, and soon they were worshipping the idols. God was furious! He sent a plague and 24,000 people died. One of the Israelites brought a Midianite woman to his family tent. They walked right past Moses and the elders of Israel. The son of the high priest took a spear and went into the tent. He thrust the spear through them both, killing them on the spot. With that, God stopped the plague. The Lord then told Moses, “Take your army. Go, kill the Moabites and the Midianites because of what they have done.” The Israeli army went out and defeated both nations. Among the dead was the body of Balaam because of the advice he had given Balak.
The Israelites camped in the valley of Moab, next to the Jordan River across from Jericho. The king of Moab was a man named Balak. He was terrified when he saw the great mass of people in his valley. He had heard what they’d done to other kings. He said to the Midianites, “These people are more powerful than us. I’m afraid they’ll totally destroy us.” Together, the two nations decided to send for Balaam, a prophet who lived in the east next to the Euphrates River. They sent gifts with a message, “Come quickly. A huge mass of people has come out of Egypt, and they’re now in our valley. They’re stronger than us, so we want you to curse them so we can defeat them and send them away. We know you’re a prophet, and whoever you curse is cursed, and whoever you bless is blessed.” Balaam said, “Stay the night. In the morning I’ll tell you what God told me to do.” During the night, God said to Balaam, “Who are these men staying with you?” “They’re from the king of Moab. He says there are a large mass of people come out of Egypt, and he wants me to go and curse them.” The Lord said, “No, you’re not to go with them. You’re not to curse those people, because they’re blessed.” The next morning, Balaam told the delegation, “Go back to your king. The Lord won’t let me go with you.” The delegation went back and gave Balak this message. The king then sent a delegation of more important people. Through them he said, “Don’t let anything stop you from coming to me. If you’ll curse these people, I’ll make you a rich man.” Balaam said, “If the king filled my house with gold, I can only say what the Lord tells me to say. Still, stay the night. I’ll see if the Lord says something different.” That night, the Lord said to Balaam, “Since these men have come to you a second time, you may go with them. But, be careful. Only say what I tell you to say.” So the next morning, Balaam saddled his donkey, took his two servants, and started on his journey to Moab. As he traveled along, the Angel of the Lord stood in his path with a sword in his hand. The donkey looked up and saw the angel, so she turned and went into a field. Balaam beat her until she got back on the path. The angel went down the path and stood at a place where there was a wall on both sides. The donkey looked up and saw the angel with his sword drawn. She pushed up against the wall, trapping Balaam’s foot. He beat her again. The angel went down the path, but this time he stood in a place where there was no room on either side. The donkey looked up and saw the angel, so she crouched down beneath Balaam. Balaam flew into a rage. He took a stick and started beating his donkey. With that, God allowed the donkey to talk. She said, “Why have you beaten me three times?” Balaam yelled at her. “Because you’ve made me look like a fool. If this was a sword instead of a stick, I’d kill you right here on the spot.” The donkey said, “Haven’t I served you ever since you were born? Have I ever done this before?” Balaam said, “No, you never have.” Suddenly, his eyes were opened and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the path with his sword drawn. Balaam bowed down before him. The angel said, “You have beaten your donkey three times. Yet, if it hadn’t been for her, I would have killed you and let her live.” Balaam said, “If you don’t want me to go to Moab, I’ll turn around and go home.” The angel said, “No, you may go. But be careful. Only say the words I give you to say.” And with that, Balaam went on to Moab.
The Israelites travelled to a place where there was no water. The people went to Moses and said, “We wish we would have died with our brothers under God’s hand. You brought us here with many promises, but we don’t see any farms, fig trees, or vineyards. On top of that, there’s no water for us or our livestock.” The Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and stand in front of them with your staff. Speak to the rock, and it will give you water. There will be enough for the people and their livestock.” So Moses stood in front of the people. He said, “You’re a bunch of rebels. Do I have to provide you water from this rock?” With that, he hit the rock two times with his staff. Water came gushing out, and everyone had enough. But the Lord wasn’t pleased with Moses and Aaron. He said, “You didn’t trust my power. These people saw you disrespect my command. Therefore, you won’t take these people into the land I promised them.” As the people of Israel moved on, they came to the border of Edom. Moses sent a message to their king asking permission to pass through their land. He assured the king that they wouldn’t disturb anything, and they would pay for any water they drank. The king refused to let them pass through the land. He even sent his army to their borders and threatened war if the Israelites crossed into their land. So Moses turned away. Shortly after that, the Lord said to Moses, “Aaron is about to die. Therefore take the high priest’s garments off of him and put them on Eleazar, his son.” Moses did this, and Aaron died soon afterwards. The people of Israel mourned his death for thirty days. As the Israelites moved around Edom, the people started to complain again. They said, “We didn’t have to come here to die. We could’ve done that in Egypt. We have no water, and we hate this awful food!” So the Lord sent poisonous snakes into the camp. People were bitten, and many died. They rushed to Moses and said, “We’ve sinned! We shouldn’t have spoken against you and the Lord. Please talk to God and ask him to take away these snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake out of bronze and put it on a pole. People will be healed from their snake bites if they look at the bronze snake.” As the people of Israel traveled they came to the border of the Amorites. They sent a message to the king asking if they could travel through his land. They assured him that they would not take anything and would do no harm. The king of the Amorites refused. Instead, he took his army and attacked Israel. So the people of Israel fought them and totally defeated them. They took over all their cities and lived in them. They controlled all the land right up to the Ammonite border.
As Israel went back into the wilderness, four men decided to set things straight concerning Moses and Aaron. The leader was Korah, from the tribe of Levi. They formed a group of two hundred fifty prominent men and went to Moses. They said, “You’ve taken your authority too far. We’re a holy nation. The Lord is with all of us. Things don’t have to always go through you.” Moses said to Korah, “I know what this is about. The Levites have been chosen to do the Lord’s service. Now you want the priesthood as well. God has chosen the family of Aaron, so you are in rebellion against God. Tomorrow, all of us will stand before the Lord holding censers filled with fire and incense. The Lord will choose who he wants to lead the people.” Two of the organizers said, “We’re not coming! You’ve brought us back into the wilderness to die. Now you’re telling us what to do like a king. So, we won’t be there!” This made Moses angry. He said to the Lord, “I’ve never mistreated these people. I haven’t taken anything from them. Yet they hate me.” The next day, Moses, Aaron, and all two hundred fifty men stood before the Lord with their censers filled with fire and incense. The entire congregation was there to watch. The glory of the Lord appeared, and God said to Moses and Aaron, “Step out of the way. I’m going to destroy the entire congregation.” Moses fell down and begged, “Oh God, don’t punish everyone for what a few people have done.” God said, “Tell the people to move away from the tents of the men who refused to come to this meeting.” So everyone moved away from those tents. The two men came out and stood next to the door of their tents, along with their wives, children, and babies. Korah went and stood with them. Moses spoke to the congregation. “If these men grow old and die a natural death, then you’ll know that the Lord didn’t send me to do these things. But if something unusual happens to them, you’ll know they were speaking against God.” Suddenly, the earth opened, and these men and their families fell into the hole. The ground closed up around them as if the earth swallowed them. People screamed and ran thinking they might be swallowed as well. Then fire came and killed all two hundred fifty men who were holding censers with incense. The Lord said to Moses, “Collect all two hundred fifty censors from among the men’s ashes. Hammered them into plating and use it to overlay the altar. This will remind the people that the priesthood is only for Aaron and his descendants.” Even with all of this, the people were still talking about the priesthood the next day. A crowd gathered around Moses and Aaron to talk about the people who died. They said, “You killed God’s people.” Moses turned and saw that God’s anger was hot against the crowd. He said to Aaron, “Quick, go get a censer and fill it with incense and fire. Run among the people and make atonement for their sins. God’s anger is flowing out, and he’s striking them with a plague.” As Aaron did this, he saw that the plague had started. He made atonement for the people, standing between the dead and those who were alive. The plague stopped, but 14,700 died that day. To solve the issue of the priesthood, the Lord said to Moses, “Have each tribe bring a walking stick. Put Aaron’s name on Levi’s walking stick. Place them in the Tabernacle. I’ll make one of them sprout. This will make the people stop complaining about you!” Moses followed the Lord’s instructions. The next day, not only had Aaron’s walking stick sprouted, it formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! The people saw this and were amazed. From that day, they didn’t even want to go near the Tabernacle, in case they would die. Aaron’s staff was put back into the Tabernacle for safekeeping.
When the Israelites arrived at the border of Canaan, God said to Moses, “Send twelve men to search out the land.” So Moses selected one man from each tribe of Israel. He told them to go into the land and bring back information about the people and their cities. He also told them to bring back some of the fruit that was growing in the land. The men stayed in Canaan for forty days. When they came back, two of them were carrying a large cluster of grapes on a pole between them. When the men gave their report, ten of the men said, “It’s true, the land is great and flows with milk and honey. But, the people are big and powerful and live in cities with high walls.” The other two men were Caleb and Joshua. They gave a different report. They said, “We must go up and take this land. We can do it!” The other ten yelled, “No, we can’t attack these people! They are stronger than we are. We felt like grasshoppers next to them!” The Israelites were afraid when they heard this report. They turned against Moses and said, “Did God bring us here to be killed? We could’ve died in Egypt! The men of this land will kill us and make slaves of our wives and children. We’re going to select a new leader and go back to Egypt.” Joshua and Caleb ran out in front of the people and tore their clothes. They cried out, “This land is very good, and the Lord is about to give it to us! Don’t rebel against him because you’re afraid. The Lord is with us. We’ll swallow up these people!” The people of Israel attacked Joshua and Caleb, but suddenly the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tabernacle. God said to Moses, “How long will these people refuse to believe in me? They saw the wonders I did in Egypt. They saw the many miracles I did among them. Yet they still test me. “Therefore these people won’t see the land I promised their fathers. I’m sending them back into the wilderness, and they’ll stay there for forty years until they’re all dead. Everyone who is twenty years old or older will not see the land, except for my servants Caleb and Joshua. They’ll go into Canaan because they followed me without hesitation. Since these people worried about their children, I’ll take their children into the land of Canaan, and give it to them.” Moses told the Israelites what the Lord had said, and they broke down and cried. The ten men who brought back a bad report were suddenly stuck by a plague and died. Early the next morning the people said, “We now realize we’ve sinned. We’ll go into the land as the Lord commanded.” Moses said, “No! The Lord is sending you back into the wilderness. Don’t disobey him again. If you go into the land, you’ll be defeated because God is not going with you.” Nevertheless, they went into Canaan against God’s will. And just like Moses said, they were defeated in battle. Many were killed and the rest came back in disgrace. So the people of Israel turned back into the wilderness where they remained for the next forty years. All of the adults who came out of Egypt would die there. Still, the Lord was with them and met their needs. Their clothes and shoes didn’t get old, and God provided their daily food.
Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron. One day, she and Moses’ wife had a disagreement. Because of this, Miriam and Aaron started criticizing Moses, calling his wife an Arabian woman – a Cushite! They said, “Moses isn’t the only one that God speaks through. He also speaks through us.” The Lord heard this complaint and knew that Moses was a quiet and humble man. Suddenly God said, “Moses, Aaron, Miriam – Come to the Tent of Meetings!” Once they were there, the cloud of God came down and stood like a pillar before them. He said, “Aaron and Miriam, step forward.” Once they did, the Lord said, “When I talk to you or one of the prophets within the camp, I speak in dreams and visions. But that’s not the way I talk to Moses. He and I come together as family members and talk openly. We look at one another and speak in plain language. How dare you talk against my servant Moses!” With that, God then turned away from them in anger and left. Aaron looked at Miriam and saw that her skin was white with leprosy. He cried out to Moses. “Please, my lord, don’t punish us for our foolish talking. Please don’t let your sister be like a baby who is born dead – whose flesh is rotting away.” Moses cried out to God, “Oh my Lord! Please heal my sister.” God said, “I’ll heal her. Still, if her father spit in her face, she would live in disgrace for seven days. So she is to stay outside of the camp for seven days. So Miriam was taken outside the camp and she stayed there for seven days. The people of Israel remained at that location until Miriam was allowed back in the camp. They then moved to the place where they were to enter into the land of Canaan.
As the people of Israel traveled toward Canaan, they started complaining about the food. They said, “All we have to eat is this manna. We miss the meat and the fish and the vegetables we had in Egypt.” The grumbling spread from family to family, until Moses could hear it from every tent. In frustration he prayed, “Lord, what have I done to deserve this heartache? Why have you done this to me? I didn’t give birth to these people, so why do I have to nurse them? I can’t take it any more! If this is what you want for me, then kill me right now.” The Lord said to Moses, “Choose seventy leaders from the people and bring them to me. I will take some of the Spirit that is on you, and put it on them. They’ll help you bear the burden of the people.” He also said, “Tell the people to prepare themselves. Tomorrow they’ll have meat to eat. They keep craving … longing … for Egypt, so they’ll eat meat until they’re totally sick of it.” Moses went and told the people this, and then he called the seventy leaders to come before the Lord. When they arrived, only 68 men were there. Two of them were still back in the camp. The Lord took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy men – all of them. Immediately, the men started prophesying, even the two who were still in the camp. Joshua said to Moses, “Tell those two men to stop!” Moses said, “Oh Joshua, don’t be jealous for me. I wish that God’s Spirit would fall on all his people.” The next day, the Lord sent a wind that blew quail in from the sea. They dropped down to about three feet off the ground, and covered an area in all directions as far as a man could walk in a day. People went out and caught them. They worked all day and into the night. The person who gathered the smallest amount of quail, still gathered thirty-three bushels full. Every family was able to get a large amount of meat for their family. Still, God was angry with them because they longed for Egypt and wouldn’t trust his care for them. So, as the people were eating the meat – while it was still between their teeth – God struck them with a plague. Many died at that place and were buried there. So the people called it, “Graves of the Craving.”
God gave exact instructions to the people of Israel for how they were to worship him. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was chosen to be the high priest, and his sons were to serve with him. When Aaron would eventually die, they would replace him as high priest. The congregation gathered at the Tabernacle for the ordination of these men. Moses anointed them with oil and made sacrifices to the Lord. He told Aaron and his sons that their ordination would last for seven days, and they were not leave the Tabernacle until it was over. Aaron’s oldest two sons were Nadab and Abihu. During this time of ordination, they decided on their own to burn incense before the Lord. But they hadn’t yet been told how to do that. So they didn’t know they were to use live coals from the altar. Since they didn’t know that, they put coals from a common fire in to their censers. As soon as they came into the presence of the Lord, fire blazed out and killed both men. Everyone was shocked, but nothing could be said. Moses had some men take the bodies out of the camp. He told Aaron and his other sons that they had to continue with the ordination since they had already been anointed with oil before the Lord. This meant that they couldn’t properly mourn their loss. So the rest of Israel mourned the death of the two men, while their father and brothers continued at the Tabernacle. On the second anniversary of leaving Egypt, the people of Israel celebrated Passover. They were still at Mount Sinai. A cloud hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and it looked like fire at night. God had told them that as long as the cloud hovered there, they were to stay where they were. But if the cloud lifted, they knew it was time to continue their travels. One month later after celebrating Passover, it was time for them to move toward the land of Canaan. As the people watched, the cloud lifted and they set out from the mountain of God. They traveled toward the place where they were to enter the land of Canaan. Within a short time, the people started complaining openly about their hardships. This made the Lord angry and he sent a fire among them, especially around the edges of the camp. Many people died. So the others ran to Moses for help. He prayed for them and the fire stopped. They named that place “Burning.”
Because the people of Israel had worshipped the golden calf, Moses went up the mountain and begged the Lord to forgive them. He said, “O Lord, your people have sinned against you. If you will forgive their sins …” He couldn’t continue, but finally said, “If you can’t forgive them, blot me out of your book.” The Lord said, “I’m not blotting your name out of my book, but I will blot out the names of the people who sinned against me.” Then God struck the people with a plague and many died. After that, the Lord told Moses, “Lead your people to the land I promised them. I won’t go with you, but I’ll send my angel to guide you. If I lived among these obstinate people for even a moment, I’d destroy them.” Moses went down and told the people that God wouldn’t live among them. The people broke down and cried. They grieved that their sin had cost them so much. Moses went outside the camp and set up a meeting tent so he could talk with the Lord. As the people watched, the cloud of God came down and stood in front of the tent. There, Moses and God talked. Moses said, “If I’m your friend, and if you’re pleased with me, then live among us. We want you to lead us. If you refuse, then we’ll stay here. Don’t make us leave. Without you among us, we’re no different from anyone else!” The Lord replied, “You’re my friend, and I’m pleased with you. Therefore, I’ll do as you have asked.” Then the Lord told Moses to cut out two more stone tablets and bring them up the mountain. Once there, the Lord said, “This is my agreement with you and your people. I’ll force the people out of Canaan with great miracles, but you must obey my commandments.” Moses stayed on the mountain and wrote down all the laws and commandments of God. He also wrote the Ten Commandments on the two tablets of stone. He was there for forty days and forty nights, and didn’t eat bread or drink water. Afterwards, he went back to the people with God’s commands. He didn’t realize his face was glowing because of all the time he had spent with the Lord. This made the Israelites afraid, so Moses wore a veil when he talked to the people. He told them all the commandments the Lord had given him. He said, “It’s time to build the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place. Therefore, those who are willing to give an offering to the Lord are to bring gold, silver, bronze, special yarn, fine linen, animal skins, woods, oils, spices, stones, and gems. We need skilled craftsman who will dedicate themselves to build the Tabernacle, the tent that will surround it, and the furniture inside.” The next day, people started bringing the things needed to build the Tabernacle. Skilled craftsmen came to do the work. Day after day, the people brought their gifts until finally Moses sent out word, “Stop bringing offerings. There is more than enough!” The people were careful to build the tabernacle exactly as God had told Moses. It was finished exactly two years after they left Egypt – to the very day. Moses inspected the work and found they had done just as the Lord had commanded, so he blessed them. Then a cloud came and hovered over the tent. As the people watched, the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. So from that day on, in all of their travels, the Lord was with them.
Moses stayed with God for forty days and forty nights. The people grew restless, and finally they went to Aaron and said, “We don’t know what’s happened to Moses. Make us a god we can see, one that will be with us.” So they gave Aaron their gold earrings, and he melted them down. He then formed the gold into the shape of a calf. The people were happy with this and said, “This is the god who brought us out of Egypt!” They sacrificed to it and had a feast. Afterwards they celebrated with a wild party. On the mountain, God said to Moses, “Go down to your people, the ones you brought out of Egypt. They’ve corrupted themselves and turned away from what I told them to do. They’ve made an idol and bowed down to it with sacrifices. Step aside and don’t stop Me. I’ll destroy them and make your descendants into a great nation.” Moses pleaded with God, “Don’t be so angry with your people, the ones you brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. If you destroy them now, the Egyptians will laugh and say you brought them here to kill them. Remember your promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You said their descendants would inherit the land, and become as numerous as the stars in the sky.” So the Lord listened to Moses and didn’t destroy the people. Moses then went down the mountain with the two stone tablets God had given him. He got angry when he saw the calf and the dancing. He threw the two tablets down and shattered them on the ground. He burned the golden calf in the fire, ground it to powder, put it in water, and made the Israelites drink it. Then Moses said to Aaron, “Why did you make this golden calf? Look at the people! See how it has caused them to go into deep sin.” Aaron said, “Please don’t be angry with me. You know how wicked these people are. They said, ‘Make us a god.’ I told them to give me their gold. I threw it into the fire and … out came this calf!” Moses then stood at the gate of the camp. He saw how the people were still out of control. He shouted, “Those who are on the Lord’s side, come and stand with me!” The sons of Levi separated themselves from the rest of the people and stood with Moses. The Lord then commanded them to strap on their swords and fight against those who refused to stand with Moses. Three thousand men died that day. Afterwards, Moses called the people together and said, “You have committed a great sin. I’ll go before the Lord, and maybe I can make an atonement for you.” With that, he went back up the mountain.
The Israelites came to Mount Sinai three months after they left Egypt. They set up camp at the base, and Moses went up the mountain to talk with God. The Lord said, “Tell the people, ‘If you obey me and keep my commandments, then you’ll be my treasured possession. You’ll be my holy people among all the nations.’” When Moses told this to the people, they all agreed and said, “We’ll do everything God says!” So Moses went back up the mountain and told God that the people agreed to his conditions. Then the Lord said, “I want them to hear me talking to you so they’ll always trust you. Tell them to spend three days cleansing their hearts and washing their clothes. Then I’ll come down on the mountain and talk to them.” So the people did as they were told. They washed their clothes and dedicated themselves to the Lord. Suddenly, on the third day, the mountain burned with fire. The ground shook, and a cloud covered the entire mountain. There was thunder and lightning, and the people heard what sounded like trumpets that grew louder and louder. Then God said, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt with a mighty hand! You’re not to worship other gods. You’re not to make idols of any kind. You’re to keep my name holy and not misuse it. You’re not to work on the seventh day, but instead, keep it holy. Honor your parents and you’ll live long upon the earth. You’re not to murder. You’re not to commit adultery. You’re not to steal. You’re not to lie to others or about others. You’re not to desire to have anything that belongs to someone else.” The people cried out, “Tell God to stop talking to us. We’ll die if he keeps talking! Let him talk to you, and then you tell us what he said. We’ll listen to you.” Moses said, “Don’t be afraid. God wants you to stand in awe of him, so you’ll stay away from sin.” Then Moses went up the mountain to talk with God. God gave him detailed instructions on how the people were to live their lives and how they were to treat one another. God told how to offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. He also gave instructions on how to build the Ark of God, so he could live among his people. Finally, God gave Moses two tablets of stone with his laws written by the finger of God.
As the people of Israel continued to move toward Mount Sinai, they camped at a place that had no water. They once again complained to Moses, “Why did you bring us here to die? At least in Egypt we had water. Is the Lord really with us?” Moses yelled at the Lord, “What am I to do with these people! I bring them here, and now they’re about to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Take your staff and stand in front of the people. Have some of the elders with you. I’ll stand in front of the rock. Hit the rock and water will come out so the people can drink.” Moses did as the Lord commanded and hit the rock. Water gushed out. It was enough for all the people and the livestock. While they were at that same location, the people of Amalek attacked them. Moses told Joshua to organize the men for battle. Moses then stood on the side of the hill and held his hands in the air. As long as his hands were high in the air, Joshua was victorious. But when his hands came down, the people of Amalek started winning. Moses’ arms became tired and heavy, so he sat on a stone with Aaron and Hur on each sides. They supported his hands, so he could keep them high in the air. The three men stayed there until the sun went down. Joshua was victorious over Amalek. Moses then built a monument and called it “The Lord, My Banner.” Jethro was the father-in-law of Moses. He had watched over his daughter and her two sons while Moses was in Egypt. He brought them back once the Israelites camped at Mt Sinai. Moses went out to greet his family. He told Jethro about what the Lord had done for the people of Israel – how God’s hand was against Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He also shared some of their hardships, and how the Lord delivered them. Jethro then led the people in a sacrifice to God. The next day, Moses sat down to do his work as a judge for the people. Jethro watched as people came with every dispute they had, great and small. It was up to Moses to decide who was right in each case. This went on all day. As he was judging, Moses was also teaching God’s laws to the people. That evening Jethro said, “What you’re doing isn’t good. You’re wearing yourself down, as well as the people. You need to realize that this is too big of a job for one man to handle. Here is some advice, and I believe its God Will for you. “It’s your job to teach the people about the Lord and his commandments. You’re also to represent their needs to God. You must keep yourself free to do this. “So, select some good men who fear God. Make sure they don’t take bribes. If they do, the people won’t trust them. Place them at different levels over one another. Their full time job should be judging the people. “They’re to deal with everyday problems, while bringing the more difficult conflicts to you. The people will be happy with this, but mainly it frees you to do God’s will.” Moses listened to this advice, and followed it. He chose qualified men, and placed them at different levels of responsibility. These men devoted themselves to their new task. Still, all the difficult cases were brought to Moses. After all of this was done, Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went home.
The people of Israel walked through the Rea Sea on dry ground. Then God killed the Egyptian army when they tried to cross. From there, Moses led the people into the wilderness, toward Mount Sinai. They traveled for three days without finding water. They finally came to a pool, but it was undrinkable. The people complained and said, “What are we going to drink?” The Lord said to Moses, “Cut down that small tree and throw it into the water.” Moses threw the tree into the water, and instantly the water was drinkable. God said, “If you obey me and follow my commandments, you won’t be sick like the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you. From there, the Israelites went and camped at a place that had twelve springs. They stayed there a little over a month, and then left and headed toward Mount Sinai. As they traveled, they started complaining, “We should’ve died in Egypt. Yes, we were slaves, but at least we had plenty of food to eat. Every night we had a pot of meat and all the bread we wanted. Here we have nothing.” The Lord said to Moses, “I’m going to rain bread from heaven for the people. But I’ll use this to see if they’ll follow my instructions.” Moses said to the people, “You’re not complaining against me and Aaron. You’re complaining against the Lord. Still, He’s heard you. Tonight you’ll have meat, and in the morning you’ll have bread.” That evening, a flock of quail came and landed in the camp. This provided meat for the people to eat. In the morning, they saw that the ground was covered with heavy dew. When it evaporated, there was something on the ground that looked like frost. The people went and looked at it. They said, “What is it?” They tasted it and it was like a light wafer, sweetened with honey. Moses said, “God will provide this bread from heaven six days out of every week. For the first five days, you’re to gather only enough for one day. On the sixth day, you may gather enough for two days. In this way, you’ll have food to eat on the Sabbath. It won’t appear on the Sabbath. Some of the people disobeyed God’s instructions and gathered more than one day’s worth. The next morning it stunk and was full of maggots. This didn’t happen when they gathered more on the sixth day. It was still good to eat on the Sabbath. Some of the people went out to gather bread on the Sabbath, but found that there was none. The people called the bread manna, which means, “What is it?” God provided manna for them for the entire forty years they were in the wilderness.
God led the Israelites out of Egypt by what appeared to be a pillar of fire. The fire became a pillar of cloud during the day. God didn’t lead them straight to Canaan along the most direct route, but took them out into the wilderness toward the Red Sea. He told Moses to have the people camp at a certain location next to the Sea. He said, “I’m going to make Pharaoh stubborn one more time, and he’ll chase after you. After that, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” Pharaoh saw that the Hebrews had gone to the Red Sea, and were hemmed in and vulnerable. He said to his servants, “Why did we let our slaves go? They should be here, serving us.” So he took his army and chased after them. The people of Israel saw this and yelled at Moses. “Why have you brought us here to die? If we were still serving the Egyptians, they would let us live. But now, because of you, we’re about to die.” Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid! Watch and see what God is about to do. He’ll fight your battle for you. Look at the Egyptians! You’ll never see them again after today.” God said to Moses, “Lift your shepherd’s staff in to the air, and point your hand out over the sea. The people of Israel are going to the other side – on dry ground.” Then the pillar of cloud that was in front of the Israelites moved behind them – between them and the Egyptians. It stayed there the rest of the day and into the night. Moses pointed his hand toward the sea. And when he did, God caused a strong wind to sweep back the waters, so they formed a wall on the right side and on the left. And then the wind blew on the path between the two walls for the rest of that day and into the night – until the ground became dry. That night, God told Moses and the Israelites to cross over to the other side, using the path between the walls of water. The people moved across the sea throughout the night. Once they were across, God allowed the Egyptians to chase after them, using the same path. When they were in the middle of the sea, God caused them to be totally confused, and their chariot wheels started to break. Suddenly, the Egyptian army saw the seriousness of their situation. They shouted, “Run! The Lord is fighting for the Israelites!” They turned and tried to run for safety. God said to Moses, “Point your hand out over the water.” So Moses pointed his hand toward the sea just as the sun was about to come up. Suddenly the walls of water crashed together, covering the entire Egyptian army. Not one of them survived! The Israelites watched the power of God from the other side of the sea. And as the sun rose that morning, they saw the dead bodies washed up on the shore. Then the people worshiped the Lord with singing. They had seen the power of God and believed in Him, and they believed in His servant Moses.
Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “If you don’t let the Israelites go, God will send locusts like you have never seen. They’ll cover the land and eat anything that wasn’t destroyed by the hail.” Pharaoh’s officials begged him, “Please let them go. Egypt is already destroyed!” So Pharaoh said to Moses, “The men may go and worship.” Moses said, “When we leave, we’ll take everyone with us – men and women, young and old. We’ll also take our animals with us.” Pharaoh became angry, “Absolutely not!” He then had them thrown out of his court. The next day Moses stretched out his staff, and the locusts came. Never had such a swarm of locusts invaded Egypt. They ate every green thing on the land. They were everywhere and even invaded the houses. Pharaoh quickly called for Moses. He said, “I’m sorry for my sin. Please ask God to take the locusts away.” Moses prayed to God, and a wind carried the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one remained. When they were gone, Pharaoh again turned against God and the Israelites. God then told Moses to stretch his hand toward the sky. When he did, darkness covered the land of Egypt. It was so thick, the people could feel it, and they couldn’t see anything. It lasted for three days. Still, the Israelites had light in their homes. Pharaoh called Moses to him and said, “I’ll allow your people to go worship in the desert, but leave your flocks and herds.” Moses shook his head. “No! We’ll take everyone and everything, including the animals.” Pharaoh once again became angry. “I’m not letting the people go. Now get out of here and don’t ever come back! Mark my word. If I ever see your face again, you’ll die!” The Lord told Moses, “I’ll bring one more plague upon the Egyptians, and then Pharaoh will let the people go. He’ll insist that you leave!” “Give my people these instructions. Each family is to select a one-year-old male lamb with no defects. They are to kill it and smear its blood above the door and on the doorposts. The people are to stay inside their houses. They won’t be safe outside of their houses.” “Roast the meat of the lamb and eat it with your coats and sandals on, as if in a hurry. If it’s too much for one family to eat it all, they’re to invite another family to join them.” “At midnight I’ll go throughout the land of Egypt and kill the firstborn of every family – from Pharaoh’s house down to the lowest slave. But when I see the blood on your houses, I’ll pass over you and won’t kill your firstborn.” The Israelites did exactly as God instructed. That night, the Lord moved across the land of Egypt and killed the firstborn of every household. He even killed the firstborn of their livestock. There was loud crying and screaming in the night, because no household escaped this judgment of God. Yet, the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites when he saw the blood on their doorposts. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and yelled at them, “Go! Go! Take your people, take your flocks, and go.” All the Egyptians wanted the people to go because they were afraid that they might all die! They gave them things made of gold and silver. So the people left, while it was still night. From that day on, the Israelites were to observe the Lord’s Passover every year. It was to be a reminder of what God did for them that night.
The Lord told Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh in the morning when he was walking next to the Nile River. Moses said, “Because you refuse to free our people, the waters of Egypt will turn to blood. The fish will die and the water will be undrinkable.” Aaron then struck the water with his staff and it turned into blood. The court magicians also turned some water into blood. Therefore Pharaoh ignored Moses and Aaron. Soon the water throughout the land turned to blood and was undrinkable. The people had to dig wells to find fresh water. After seven days, Moses told Pharaoh, “Because of your stubbornness, frogs will infest your land.” So Aaron stretched out his staff, and frogs started coming up out of the rivers and lakes. The magicians also made some frogs appear. Soon there were frogs everywhere. They went to every city street. They got into people’s houses and into their food – and even into their beds! Pharaoh said to Moses, “I’ve changed my mind. Your people can go into the wilderness and worship their God. Ask Him to get rid of the frogs.” Moses asked, “When do you want the frogs to leave?” Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” The next day the frogs died, and people gathered them up into big piles. Soon they started to stink! Pharaoh then changed his mind and refused to let the people go. Next, Aaron struck the ground with his staff and the dust turned into lice. Soon, all the people and animals throughout Egypt were infested with lice. Pharaoh’s magicians were unable to do this. They said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” Still he wouldn’t let the people go. Next, God sent swarms of flies to cover the land. But there were no flies in the part of Egypt where the Hebrews lived. Pharaoh agreed to let the people go. Moses said the flies would be gone the next day, but he added, “Take care. Don’t change your mind again!” However, that is exactly what he did. Once the flies were gone, Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the people go. God sent a plague upon the livestock, but again it didn’t affect the livestock of Israel. Pharaoh became more stubborn, and refused to let the Hebrews go. Moses took a handful of ashes and tossed it into the air. It became a fine dust that spread through all of Egypt causing boils on all the people and animals. The magicians couldn’t stand before Pharaoh because of their boils! Pharaoh was angry, and refused to listen to Moses. God had told Moses that Pharaoh would act like this. Moses went to Pharaoh with a special message from God. He said, “Up to this point I’ve restrained My hand against you. Now, My plagues will be directed toward you and your people. When I’m done, all the nations on earth will know I am the Lord!” “Tomorrow I’ll send a hailstorm like you’ve never seen before! All people and animals are to stay under shelters, or they’ll die!” The next day, fierce hail mixed with fire came down and ruined the crops that were in the fields. Yet, the hail didn’t fall in the land where the Israelites lived. Some of the Egyptians did as Moses told them. They put their animals and slaves under shelters. But others didn’t, and their livestock and slaves died in the storm. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. “I know I’ve sinned. I’m wrong and God is right. Please pray and ask Him to stop this storm. I’ll let your people go.” Moses said, “This storm will stop as soon as I leave here.” He started to leave, then turned to Pharaoh. “I know you don’t fear God.” And it was true. As soon as Pharaoh saw the storm and the hail stop, he stubbornly turned against God and the people of Israel.
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says. ‘Let my people go into the wilderness for three days so they can worship me.’ ” The Pharaoh was shocked and said, “Who does the God of the Hebrews think he is — telling me what to do? I don’t know him, and I’m certainly not going to let my slaves go into the wilderness.” He then focused on Moses and Aaron. “All of your talk about worship is keeping my slaves from doing their work. Stop all this talk and get back to work!” He then called for his slave drivers. “My slaves are lazy! They have so much time on their hands that they’re talking about going out into the wilderness and worshipping God. “Well I’ll fix that. From now on, stop giving them straw for the bricks. Let them go get it themselves. Still, they’re to make just as many bricks as before. That’ll teach them not to stand around and listen to these fools!” The slave drivers went and told the Israelite foremen what the Pharaoh said. “We’re not going to give you any more straw. You have to get it yourselves. Still you’re to produce just as many bricks as before.” So the people immediately went throughout Egypt gathering straw. Because of this, they weren’t able to fulfill their allotted quota for making bricks. Therefore the slave drivers beat the foremen. They said, “You aren’t doing your job. You aren’t making enough bricks.” The foremen went to Pharaoh. “Why are you treating your slaves this way? If we don’t have the straw, we can’t make the same amount of bricks as before.” Pharaoh yelled at them. “You’re lazy – lazy I say! You’ve got time to stand around and say, ‘we want to go worship the Lord.’ So now it’s time to work. Go get your own straw, and I want the same amount of bricks as before.” Moses was waiting for the foremen when they left Pharaoh. They said to him, “You have made us stink before Pharaoh. You put a sword in his hand, and he’s going to kill us with it.” Moses went to the Lord and said, “Why did you send me here? You haven’t delivered the people. You’ve only caused them more trouble.” The Lord said, “Oh Moses. You’re about to see what I’m going to do with Pharaoh. When I’m done, he’ll beg you to take these people away. “Go tell the people that I am the Lord. I have heard their groaning, and I’m about to take them back to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses went to the people and gave them this message, but they wouldn’t listen to him. They were defeated and discouraged. Then the Lord told Moses to go and talk to Pharaoh again. “Tell him to let my people leave this land.” Moses said, “I’m not any good at this. If the people of Israel won’t listen to me, why would Pharaoh?” The Lord said, “Moses, I have made you like a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your prophet. Go and I’ll give you the words to say.” So Moses and his brother Aaron stood before Pharaoh and asked him to allow the people of Israel to go into the desert and worship. Pharaoh asked for a sign, so Aaron threw his staff on the ground and it became a snake. The court magicians and sorcerers threw their sticks on the ground and they also turned into snakes. Suddenly Aaron’s snake ate the rest of the snakes! Still, Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to them.
Moses said to Jethro, his father-in-law, “I want to go back to Egypt to see if my family is still alive.” Jethro agreed and gave his blessings for the trip. The Lord said to Moses, “Go back to Egypt. Those who were trying to kill you are now dead.” So Moses made preparation for the journey. He then took his wife and sons and together they left Midian. He made sure he had God’s staff with him. At the same time, God said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he left Egypt and headed towards Midian. As Moses traveled, the Lord gave him instructions of what he was to do once he was back in Egypt. God said, “Do all the wonders I’ve given you, but don’t be surprised. Pharaoh won’t listen to you! I have hardened his heart, so he won’t let the people go willingly. “Here is my message to him. ‘Israel is my firstborn son. You refuse to let my son go and worship me. Therefore, I’ll kill your firstborn son.’” In the evening, Moses and his family made camp for the night. Suddenly the Lord attacked Moses because his sons weren’t circumcised. Quickly Zipporah jumped up and grabbed a knife. She circumcised her sons and threw their foreskins at the feet of her husband. With that, the Lord let Moses go. Zipporah looked at all the blood and yelled at Moses. “You’re a bridegroom of blood to me.” The next day, Moses saw Aaron coming toward him. The two brothers greeted one another with joy. Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had said. He told him about the signs God had given him, and what he was to do. Together they went back and gathered the elders of Israel. Aaron stood before the people and told them what the Lord had said to Moses. He showed them the signs from God. The people were amazed with what they heard and saw. They believed Moses and Aaron, and bowed down and worshipped God. Moses realized it was best to send his family back to Midian. There they could be under the protection of Jethro, his father-in-law.
After Moses married Zipporah, he became a shepherd for his father-in-law, Jethro. Forty years later, when Moses was 80 years old, he led his flock near a particular mountain. Suddenly, off in the distance, he saw that a bush was on fire, but it wasn’t being consumed. He went closer so he could see it better. When he was near, God called to him from out of the bush. “Moses, Moses.” He stepped back. “Yes, I’m here.” “Don’t come any closer. Take off your shoes. You’re standing on holy ground.” As Moses took off his sandals, the Lord said, “I’m the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. “My people are suffering in the land of Egypt. It’s time to deliver them out of their slavery. I’ve selected you to lead them back to the land of Canaan. Therefore, go back to Egypt and talk to Pharaoh. “Oh Lord, not me! I’m not the right one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. I’m not able to talk to Pharaoh.” God was patient with Moses. “I’ll be with you. When you think of this mountain, you’ll remember that I sent you. Go to Egypt and bring my people back here to worship.” Moses said, “But if I stand before the people and say, ‘the God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ they’ll say, ‘What God? What’s his name?’ What should I tell them?” God said, “I Am Who I Am! Tell them ‘I AM’ sent you to them. I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. I am the God of Jacob. “The people will listen to you, but Pharaoh won’t. Therefore I’ll strike him with a hard blow. When I’m done, he’ll finally let my people go.” Moses still hesitated. So God said to him, “What’s in your hand?” “Oh … it’s a shepherd’s staff.” “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground and it became a poisonous snake! Moses jumped back in fear. Then God said, “Reach out and pick up the snake by the tail.” Moses grabbed the tail, and instantly the snake once again became a shepherd’s staff. God said, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” Moses did, and when he pulled it out it was covered with leprosy. “Put your hand back in your shirt.” He did, and when he pulled it out, the leprosy was gone. God said, “Show the people these signs and they’ll believe you.” “Oh, Lord, I’ve never been able to talk well. I have a speech problem.” “Moses, who made your mouth? I’m the one who causes a person to be deaf, mute, blind or seeing! Go, and do as I say. I’ll help you talk, and teach you what you’re to say.” Moses bowed his head. “Lord, I just don’t want to go. Please send someone else.” With this, the Lord became angry. “Your brother Aaron is coming to meet you. He speaks fluently. Take him and go to Egypt!” So Moses went to Jethro and asked permission to return to Egypt.
Pharaoh’s daughter raised Moses as if he were her own son. When he was grown, he went out to his people and saw how they were being abused as slaves. Suddenly, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his people. Moses looked around to see if anyone was watching. He then hit the Egyptian and killed him. He quickly hid the body in the sand. The next day, he went out again, but this time he saw two Hebrews fighting. He stopped them and said, “With all of your problems, why are you fighting each other?” They pulled back and yelled, “Who made you our leader? You’re not our judge! Are you planning to kill us like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” Moses was shocked! He now realized his crime wasn’t a secret. Soon Pharaoh found out about it and sent men to kill Moses. So he ran away and barely escaped Egypt with his life. He ended up out in the wilderness, at a place called Midian. Once he got there, he sat down next to a well. Soon seven women came to the well to draw water for their sheep. They were the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian. Suddenly, some shepherds come and started to chase the women away. Moses stepped in and defended them. After the fight, he helped the women draw the water for their sheep. When they got back home, Jethro was surprised his daughters were back so soon. They said, “An Egyptian protected us from the shepherds, and he even helped draw water for the flock.” “So where is he? What! Did you leave him at the well? Go get him and invite him to come and have a meal with us.” Moses stayed with Jethro and his family, and eventually married one of his daughters, a woman named Zipporah. Together, they had two sons.
The descendants of Jacob were called Hebrews or Israelites. Over the years, their numbers greatly increased in Egypt. They were treated well until a new Pharaoh came to power; who didn’t remember Joseph or anything he did. This new Pharaoh felt he needed to do something about the Hebrews, since their population was growing, and they were becoming powerful. His first plan was to enslave the people and force them to make bricks and build cities. Still, the Israelites grew in numbers. So the Egyptians increased their workload and beat them. In spite of this, the Hebrew population continued to grow. Pharaoh thought of an idea of how to stop this. He told the midwives, “When you help an Israelite woman deliver a child, kill all the baby boys as soon as they are born. Only the baby girls are allowed to live.” The midwives didn’t obey Pharaoh. Instead they feared God and allowed the boys to live as well as the girls. They told Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are much stronger than Egyptian women. They deliver their own children before we get to them.” God blessed these women because they refused to kill the children. The Israelite population continued to increase in number, so Pharaoh issued a new law for the nation. “Every Hebrew boy-child is to be thrown into the Nile River.” During this time of persecution, a boy was born to one of the Hebrew families. His mother hid him for three months, but it became more difficult with each passing week. Finally, she realized she needed to do something different. So she made a waterproof basket, put the child inside, and placed it in the Nile River among the reeds near the banks. The boy’s sister was Miriam. She hid nearby to see what would happen to her brother. Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to take a bath. She saw the basket floating among the reeds and sent her servants to get it. When she opened the basket, the baby started to cry and she felt sorry for it. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew children.” Miriam came out of her hiding place and spoke up. “Do you want me to go find a Hebrew mother who can nurse this child?” “Yes. I’d like that. Go get a nursing mother.” So the girl went and got her own mother – the mother of the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Nurse this child for me and I’ll pay you.” When the boy was old enough, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter and the boy became her son. She called him Moses (which means “pulled out”) saying, “I pulled him out of the water.”
Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, so he sent his ten oldest sons to go and buy food. He didn’t send Benjamin because he was afraid of losing him. When they arrived in Egypt, they went before the governor of the land. They didn’t know it was Joseph. He recognized them, but pretended not to know them. He wanted to test them to see if they had changed. “Where are you from?” When they answered, he glared at them. “You’re spies!” The brothers were shocked, “No, we’re honest men – all the sons of a man who lives in Canaan. One of our brothers stayed at home, and the other one is … uh … gone.” Joseph said, “Prove it to me. I’ll keep one of you here. The rest of you go home and bring back your younger brother. Then I’ll know if you’re telling the truth.” He kept Simeon, and sent the others home with sacks of grain. Without them knowing, he had their money put into the grain sacks. They told Jacob what happened. They said, “We need to take Benjamin back to Egypt in order to get Simeon out of prison.” It was then they discovered the money in their sacks of grain. They were afraid, and Jacob said, “You’re not taking Benjamin away from me! Joseph is gone, and now Simeon is gone. Benjamin is all I have left! If I lose him, I’ll die with grief!” In time their grain from Egypt was gone. Jacob told his sons to go back and buy more. Judah reminded him that they couldn’t go back unless they took Benjamin with them. He said, “Send him with me. I’ll guarantee his safety. Let us go. We need the food!” Finally Jacob agreed, and the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin. They took double the money so they could return the money they found in their sacks. When Joseph saw them, he told his servant to take them to his house for the noon meal. The brothers tried to return the money they had found, but the servants said they were not missing any payments. The next morning, the brothers were sent back to Canaan with their sacks full of grain. Joseph had his servant put a silver cup in the sack belonging to Benjamin. When the men had gone a short way, the servants of Joseph caught up with them and said, “One of you has stolen our master’s silver cup!” The brothers were shocked! “We wouldn’t do such a thing. If you find that any of us have it, that person will die and the rest of us will become slaves of your master.” Each of the brothers opened his sack, and they found the cup in the one belonging to Benjamin. The brothers were horrified. They returned to the city with the guards, and fell down in front of Joseph. He asked, “Why have you done this?” Judah replied, “How can we prove our innocence? All of us will now be your slaves.” “No! Only the guilty one will be my slave. The rest of you can go home to your father.” Judah said, “I promised our father that I’d guarantee Benjamin’s safety. So allow me to be your slave instead of him. I can’t bear to see my father’s grief when the boy doesn’t return to him.” When Joseph heard this, he started to cry. He said to his brothers. “I’m Joseph!” The men were terrified and weren’t able to answer him. He said, “Come! Come closer and see! I’m your brother, the one you sold into slavery! God sent me here to save your lives. There are still five years of famine left, and God brought me here to prepare a place for you!” He then told them to go back and bring their father and their families to Egypt. Pharaoh heard of this and told Joseph, “The best of Egypt will be theirs!” Jacob was stunned when his sons told him all that had happened. But his spirit revived when he heard what Joseph had said and done. Finally he, his children, and all their children went to Egypt. There Pharaoh provided for them because of Joseph.
Life in prison was hard for Joseph, but God was with him and blessed him. His jailor came to respect him and finally started to use him as an assistant. Eventually Joseph was in charge of the entire prison. One day, Pharaoh put his chief butler and chief baker in the prison. While they were there, each man had a dream. Joseph asked to hear them. The butler said, “I saw three branches on a vine. They blossomed and then had grapes. I squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup and served it to him.” “Ah,” said Joseph, “the three branches are three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift your head and you’ll be given back your old job. Please, remember me, and ask Pharaoh to set me free from this prison. I’ve done nothing to deserve this.” After hearing this, the baker was eager to tell Joseph his dream. “I had three baskets of Pharaoh’s bread on my head. Birds flew up and ate all the bread from out of the baskets.” “Oh,” said Joseph, “the three baskets are also three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift your head – off from you, and hang you from a tree until you’re dead. Birds will eat your flesh.” It all happened just as Joseph said! Pharaoh restored the butler to his previous position, and hung the baker from a tree. Unfortunately, the butler soon forgot about Joseph. Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams. He woke up after the first one, but went back to sleep. He then had a second dream, but this time he was so troubled he couldn’t go back to sleep. He called for his counselors and told them his two dreams. They couldn’t figure out their meanings. Suddenly the chief butler remembered Joseph. He told Pharaoh about the man in prison who interpreted his dream and the baker’s dream. Pharaoh sent guards to bring Joseph to him immediately. They got him, cleaned him up, and brought him before Pharaoh. He told Joseph about his dreams. “In the first one, I saw seven fat cows come out of the river and graze along its banks. Suddenly seven skinny cows came up out of the river and ate the fat ones. And yet, they were just as skinny as before.” “In my second dream I saw seven plump heads of grain growing on a stalk. Suddenly, seven dried-up heads of grain sprouted up on a stalk next to it. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the healthy ones. Still, they were as thin and dried up as before.” Joseph said, “God is telling you what he’s about to do. The seven good cows and the seven good heads of grain are seven years of great abundance. After that, there’ll be seven years of famine. It’ll be so severe that the good years will be forgotten.” “Therefore, look for a wise man to put in charge of the land. Have him organize the collection of food during the good years and store it up for the bad years. If you don’t do this, the country will be ruined by famine.” Pharaoh said to his officials, “Are we able to find anyone better than Joseph for this job? He has the spirit of God within him.” He turned to Joseph. “The people will submit to your commands. Next to me, you’ll be the most powerful man in Egypt.” During the next seven years, Joseph traveled throughout the land, collecting and storing food. Then, just as God had shown him, the seven years of famine started. This famine also affected all the surrounding countries. When the people of Egypt started to feel the famine, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold them grain. Soon all the countries around Egypt came and bought grain from Joseph.
Judah was the fourth son of Jacob. There came a time when he left his brothers to lived on his own. He married a Canaanite woman, who gave birth to three sons. When the time was right, Judah found a wife for his oldest son. Her name was Tamar. Unfortunately, the oldest son was evil, and the Lord put him to death. Judah told his second son to have sex with Tamar so his oldest brother would have an heir, and the family name would continue on. The second son slept with Tamar, but didn’t like the idea of producing a child for his brother. So at the last moment during sex, he withdrew so she couldn’t get pregnant. This made the Lord angry and he killed the second son. Judah then told Tamar, “Go back and live as a widow in your father’s house. I’ll give you my youngest son when he grows up” So she did as she was told. Years went by and yet Judah didn’t give Tamar his youngest son. He was worried that his last son would die like his brothers. Still, she could see that the youngest was now old enough to marry. About that same time, Judah’s wife died. Afterwards, he and his friend traveled to a place to shear sheep. Someone told this to Tamar. She immediately changed her clothes, so she wouldn’t look like a widow. She then covered her face with a veil. She went and sat down next to the road, where her father-in-law would travel that day. He saw her and assumed she was a prostitute because she wore a veil over her face. He didn’t know she was his daughter-in-law. He said to her, “Let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me?” He said, “When I get to my flock, I’ll send you a young goat.” She said, “I’ll have sex with you, but you must leave something with me so I can be sure you’ll send me the young goat.” “What do you want?” She said, “I want your walking stick and the ring you keep on the cord around you neck.” He gave these things to her, and then had sex with her. She became pregnant. After they were done, she went home, removed her veil, and once again put on her widow clothes. Once Judah got to his flock, he asked a friend to take the young goat back to the prostitute. He said, “Be sure to get the things I left with her.” When the friend got there, he couldn’t find her. He asked some men who lived in that area, “Where is the prostitute that sits by this road?” They said, “There has never been a prostitute sitting by this road.” The friend went back and told all of this to Judah. He laughed, “Then let her keep those things I gave her. I tried to fulfill my part of the bargain.” Three months later, someone told Judah, “Your daughter-in-law acted like a prostitute and now she’s pregnant.” Judah was furious. He yelled, “Bring her here! We’ll burn her.” As they were getting her, she sent a message to her father-in-law. It said, “I can identify the man who got me pregnant. These things belong to him. Do you recognize them?” As soon as he saw his ring and walking stick, he knew what had happened. He said, “She’s a better person than me. I promised to give her my youngest son, but didn’t do it.” He never went to bed with her again. She gave birth to twin boys. As they were being born, one child stuck his hand out. The midwife tied a red thread around it, saying, “This is the firstborn.” Suddenly, the hand went back in and the other child was born. So they named that child, Perez, which means, “Break out.” Then his brother was born. Because of the bright red thread on his wrist, they named him Zerah, which means “Bright.”
Jacob had twelve sons, but his favorite was Joseph. To show his love, Jacob gave Joseph a special coat made with many colors. This made the other sons jealous. Joseph made things worse by telling his brothers about his unusual dreams. “In one dream, we were binding bundles of grain. My bundle suddenly stood upright, and your bundles bowed down to it!” This made his brothers angry. They couldn’t imagine Joseph ruling over them. “In another dream, the sun, moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me!” Even his father questioned him on this. “Will your mother and I, as well as your brothers bow down to you?” Still, Jacob kept it in mind. Some time later, the ten older brothers took the flocks to graze in a distant field. Jacob decided to send Joseph to see how they were doing. When the brothers saw him coming, they said, “Here comes that ‘dreamer.’ Let’s kill him and throw him into a deep pit. Then we’ll see what happens to his dreams!” Reuben was the oldest brother and said, “Don’t kill him! Just throw him into a pit.” His plan was to rescue the boy later and send him back to his father. So the brothers agreed, and threw Joseph into a pit. Reuben went on an errand while the others ate a meal. While they were eating, a group of merchants came by on their way to Egypt. Suddenly one of the brothers, named Judah, had an idea. “Why should we kill Joseph? After all, he’s our brother. Instead, let’s sell him!” So they sold him to the merchants. Reuben came back later and was shocked to see that the boy was gone. The brothers told him what they had done. Together they thought of a story to tell their father. They killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s coat in the blood. When they got home, they showed the coat to their father. Jacob grabbed it and cried out, “Joseph has been killed by wild animals!” He tore his clothes and started crying for his son. The others tried to comfort him, but he mourned for Joseph from the depths of his heart. He said, “I’ll mourn his death for the rest of my life.” Once Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to a man named Potiphar. Joseph adjusted to his life as a slave and God prospered everything he did. He grew in his abilities and gained the respect of his master. Eventually, Potiphar put Joseph in charge of the entire household, including the finances. Potiphar didn’t even know what he owned except for the food that was put in front of him. One day, Potiphar’s wife asked Joseph to go to bed with her. He refused, telling her that this would be a sin to his master – and to God. But she was a determined woman, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She pursued him every chance she got, but he always refused her. One day, she saw an opportunity when her husband wasn’t home. She waited until Joseph came into the house, and then grabbed him. He tried to pull away, but she held onto his coat and wouldn’t let go. Finally he left the coat in her hands and ran away. This made her furious, so she decided to get revenge. She screamed and the household servants came running. She told them that Joseph had come into her room and tried to pull her into bed. She said he ran away when she screamed. She showed them his coat as proof of what she was saying. When her husband came home, she told him the same story. He was angry and had Joseph put in prison.
Jacob had eleven sons but only one daughter. Her name was Dinah. One day, she went out to be with some of the young women of that area. While she was there, a prince named Shechem saw her and raped her. After he was done, he felt affection for her and spoke tenderly to her. He said to his father, “I love this girl and I want you to talk with her father so she can be my wife.” Jacob heard about his daughter’s rape while his sons were away watching the cattle. Before they returned, Shechem’s father came and talked to Jacob about the possibilities of a wedding. Dinah’s brothers were furious when they heard about all of this. They felt this was an outrage to the entire family of Israel. The young man’s father said, “Please think about the good that can come from this. My son loves your daughter. Let them get married. We’ll then give you our daughters to marry, and we’ll become one people.” Shechem said, “I’ll do whatever you ask if you’ll allow me to marry Dinah.” Jacob’s sons thought of a plan to get revenge. They said, “We can’t give you our women because your men aren’t circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. The only way we could agree to your terms is if every man in your city was circumcised. If you agree to this, we’ll give you Dinah and take your daughters as our wives. But if you refuse to do this, we will take Dinah and leave.” Shechem and his father were happy with these terms. They went back to the city and met with all the men. They explained the agreement and then said, “This is a great deal for us. They have a lot of possessions. In time, it’ll all be ours. All we have to do is be circumcised.” All the men agreed and were immediately circumcised. Three days later, they were still in great pain. Two of Dinah’s brothers, Simeon and Levi, went into the city and totally caught the men by surprise. Systemically, they killed them all with swords. They also killed Shechem and his father and took Dinah from their house. Afterwards, the other brothers went and plundered the city. They looted every house and all the fields. They took the women and children, their possessions, and all the livestock. Jacob was shocked when he found out about this. He said to Simeon and Levi, “You’ve caused this whole land to turn against us. Once news of this gets out, all the surrounding towns will come at us with a mighty force and totally destroy us.” They said, “What choice did we have? They can’t treat our sister like a prostitute.” God said to Jacob, “Hurry! Go to Bethel. Build an altar at the spot I appeared to you when you were running from Esau.” Jacob then gave instructions to his family and all the people with him. He said, “Purify your hearts and get rid of all your idols. We’re going to Bethel, and I’m going to build an altar to God. He has always helped me wherever I’ve gone.” So the people gave him all their false gods and earrings. Jacob hid them under an oak near the town of Shechem. They then went to Bethel, where Jacob built an altar. God sent a terror over the cities around them, so they were afraid to attack Jacob and his sons. God met with him and gave him all the promises of Abraham. Afterwards they left Bethel and moved south. Along the way, Rachel died giving birth to her son Benjamin. She was buried near Bethlehem.
Jacob and his family were going back to his homeland. Suddenly God’s angels met him. With that, he knew he was not alone, so he called the place “Two Camps.” From there he sent messengers to his brother Esau saying, “I’m coming home with all my possessions, and I’m hoping you’ll accept me.” The messengers came back and said, “Your brother is coming with four hundred men.” This struck fear in Jacob’s heart. He immediately divided everything into two camps, saying, “If Esau attacks one camp, the other can escape.” He prayed, “Oh God of Abraham and Isaac. You told me to come back to my country. You said I’d prosper here. I’m not worthy of the kindness you’ve shown me. I left this land with only my walking stick. Now I’m two camps. “Please rescue me from my brother. You said my descendants would be as hard to count as the sand on the seashore.” He then prepared gifts for his brother, which included goats, sheep, camels, cows, and donkeys. He divided them into three groups and sent them ahead. He told his servants, “When Esau comes to the first group, say to him, ‘Your slave Jacob is sending these to you. Look, you can see him back there.’ ” He told the second and third the same things. He was hoping these things would help Esau be more forgiving. He then spent the night waiting for his brother’s arrival in the morning. Since he couldn’t sleep, he went off to be by himself. Suddenly a man appeared and grabbed him. Jacob fought back, and the two of them wrestled all night. At daybreak the stranger saw that Jacob was determined not to lose this fight. So the man struck Jacob’s side and dislocated his hip socket. He said, “I’ve got to go. It’s daybreak.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.” The man said, “What’s your name?” “I’m Jacob!” The man said, “No, that’s no longer your name. You’ll be called Israel, which means ‘wrestled with God.’ You’ve fought with God, and have lived to tell about it.” Jacob said, “What’s your name?” The man said, “I’m not telling you my name.” With that, he blessed Jacob. Jacob called the place “God’s Face.” He said, “I’ve seen God’s face and I’m still alive.” Jacob limped back to his camp. Off in the distance he could see Esau and his four hundred men coming. He put each of his families into different groups, and then he went out front. He bowed seven times as he hobbled toward his brother. Esau ran up to him and gave him a hug. Both men cried. Esau then pointed to the people standing behind Jacob. “Who are these people with you?” After Esau met Jacob’s family, he said, “Why did you put all those animals along the way?” “Oh, I gave those to you in hopes of winning your forgiveness.” Esau said, “No, no. I have enough. You keep them.” But Jacob insisted. “Please, accept my gifts. It would make me very happy.” So Esau agreed. Then Esau and his men went home that same day. Jacob went to an area near a city called Shechem. There he built an altar and called it “God, the God of Israel.”
Jacob wanted to have a private conversation with his two wives, so they met out in the field. He said to them, “I worked hard for your father, even though he changed our deal ten times. The Lord protected me, and every time Laban changed our agreement, God changed how the lambs were born. Now your father is angry with me. So the Angel of God has told me to return to the land of my fathers.” Both women agreed with him. They said, “Do what God has told you to do. Our father sold us to you and then spent the money. You haven’t gotten anything from him that doesn’t already belong to us and our children.” So without telling Laban, Jacob took all that he had, and started driving his herds toward Canaan. Before they left, Rachel stole her father’s family idol. Three days later, Laban heard that Jacob had left. He immediately took a group of men and chased after Jacob. It took seven days to catch up with him. The night before, God appeared to Laban and said, “Watch out! Don’t do anything to Jacob, good or bad.” The next day, Laban met Jacob and said, “Why did you do this to me? You left like a thief in the night, and took my daughters and grandchildren like they were prisoners. If you had told me, I would’ve put on a grand party and sent you off with a flair.” “Now you’ve disgraced me, and if I wanted to, I could destroy you right here. But last night, the God of your fathers told me not to do anything to you. “I suppose I can understand your being homesick and wanting to go home. But why did you steal my family idol?” Jacob said, “I didn’t steal your idol. Look for yourself. Go ahead. Search our tents. If you find it, I’ll kill the person who took it.” He didn’t know that Rachel had taken it. Laban searched the tents belonging to Jacob, Leah, and the two maidservants. He then went into Rachel’s tent. She was sitting on her camel seat, where she had put the idol. She said, “Father, please forgive me for not standing. I am having my monthly period.” Laban looked throughout her tent and didn’t find his idol. At this point, Jacob became angry. He said, “You’ve chased me here like I was a criminal. You’ve searched everything I have. Have you found anything that belongs to you? Bring it out and put it in front of your men. “No, you haven’t found anything! I worked for you for twenty years. I endured the extreme heat in the day, and the frost at night. I worked without much sleep, so you could prosper. I endured these hardships, and you still mistreated me through it all. “Then you made me bear all the loss for anything that went wrong. I had to pay you if someone stole a sheep. If an animal killed a lamb, suddenly it was my lamb.” “You changed our agreement ten times. I would be standing here penniless if God hadn’t made things right. Now he’s protecting me from you.” Laban said, “Everything you have belongs to me. Those are my daughters! Those are my grandsons! Those are my flocks! But what can I do now? Let’s make a firm agreement that can’t be changed. Everyone here will be a witness to it.” So all the men took stones and piled them in a mound. Jacob and Laban agreed that neither man would ever go to the other side of the mound. Laban said, “These rocks are an agreement between us. You’re not to mistreat my daughters and take any other wives.” Jacob then made a sacrifice to God and afterwards everyone sat down to a meal. The next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren, and blessed them. He then returned to his home.
Jacob worked for his uncle Laban a total of fourteen years to get his two wives. It was obvious that he loved Rachel more than Leah. The Lord saw that Leah was unloved, so he kept Rachel from having children. After Leah had four sons, Rachel was so jealous that she yelled at Jacob, “Give me a son or I’ll die!” He said, “I’m not God. I didn’t make you barren.” With this, Rachel gave him her maidservant. She said, “Sleep with my servant. She can have children for me.” Jacob agreed and soon the servant started having children. Suddenly Leah was unable to bear children. So she gave her maidservant to Jacob. Soon, with three women, Jacob had ten sons and one daughter. At that point God allowed Rachel to give birth to a son. She called him Joseph. He was the eleventh son. At this point, Jacob went to Laban and said, “I want to return to my home. Give me the freedom to take my wives and children and go.” Laban said, “Oh Jacob, be kind to me and don’t leave. I’ve learned that the Lord has blessed me because of you. I’ll pay you whatever you want.” Jacob said, “You don’t have to pay me anything. Instead, allow me to build up my wealth by keeping a part of the flock.” “I’ll oversee your flocks, but I’ll keep all the goats and sheep that are born speckled, spotted, or streaked. You keep the rest. In this way, you’ll know if I’m stealing from you. Simply check my flocks and see if they all have the right markings on them.” Laban agreed to these terms. So they separated the flocks according to those markings. Jacob had a way of making the lambs be born speckled, spotted, and streaked. Using this process, he made sure all the strongest of the flock were his, and all the weakest of the flock were Laban’s. In frustration, Laban changed their agreement ten times in order to gain the advantage. Even so, Jacob became very rich over the years. One day, he overheard a conversation between his brothers-in-law. They said, “Jacob has built his wealth by taking what really belongs to our father.” He also noticed that Laban’s attitude had changed towards him. The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land I gave to your fathers, and I’ll be with you.”
Jacob started his journey to his mother’s country. His father had said, “You’re not to marry a Canaanite woman. Go back to your mother’s family and find a wife there. May God give you the blessings he promised Abraham!” Jacob traveled all day. That night, he slept on the ground, using a rock for a pillow. During the night he dreamed he saw a ladder that went up to Heaven. There were angels going up and coming down! He saw the Lord standing above the ladder saying, “I’m the Lord God of Abraham and your father Isaac. I’m giving this land to you and your descendants. All the earth will be blessed because of them! I’m with you and will watch over you as you go. I’ll bring you back to this land.” Suddenly Jacob woke up and was afraid. He said, “Oh, … God is here and I didn’t know it! This is the house of God and the doorway to Heaven!” He took the rock he had used as a pillow and used it to build an altar. He poured oil on it and called the place Bethel, which means “the house of God.” He said, “If God watches over me, and provides for me, and brings me back to this land, then he’ll be my God, and I’ll give him a tenth of all he gives to me.” Jacob traveled on to the home of his mother’s brother. His uncle Laban received him with joy. Now Laban had two daughters. The oldest was Leah, and the youngest was Rachel – who was beautiful. At the end of a month, Laban said to Jacob, “Work for me and I’ll give you wages. What’s your price?” Jacob said, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban agreed and said, “It’s a deal!” So Jacob worked for Laban seven years, and it seemed like a few days because of his great love for Rachel. At the end of that time, Laban invited people to a wedding feast. At the appropriate time, he brought his daughter and gave her to Jacob. It wasn’t until morning that Jacob realized his uncle had given him Leah, the oldest daughter. He was furious! He went to Laban and said, “Why did you deceive me? You know I love Rachel! I served you seven years for her.” Laban said, “In our country, a younger daughter isn’t allowed to marry until the older one is married. But, this is what we can do. Fulfill Leah’s bridal week, and then I’ll give you Rachel and she can also be your wife. It’ll only cost you another seven years of work.” So Jacob agreed, and after seven days, he married Rachel as well.
As Isaac got older, he became blind, and thought he was going to die soon. So he decided to give the family blessing to Esau. He said, “Go hunt for wild game and prepare it the way I like. After I eat, I’ll give you the family blessing.” Rebekah overheard this and told Jacob. She said, “Go get two young goats. I’ll prepare them as a meal for your father, and make it the way that will please him. You serve it to him and get the blessing.” Jacob said, “Esau is a hairy man, and I have smooth skin. If my father touches me, he’ll know that I’m trying to trick him. He’ll give me a curse instead of a blessing!” Rebekah said, “Let your curse be on me! Go and do as I’ve said.” So Jacob went and got the two young goats and gave them to his mother. She gave him Esau’s hunting clothes to put on. After she prepared the meal, she covered Jacob’s arms with goatskins – as well as the back of his neck. Jacob took the food to his father’s tent. He said, “Father.” Isaac turned his blind eyes toward him. “Yes, son, who are you?” “I’m Esau. Please, sit up and eat so you can give me the blessing.” Isaac said, “I’m surprised you’re back so fast! “Your God was with me and gave me success.” Isaac said, “Come close to me so I can make sure you’re really Esau.” So Jacob stepped closer and Isaac reached out and touched his arm. It was hairy like Esau’s arm. Isaac then reached around to the back of Jacob’s neck. Once again he found it was hairy. He said, “Son, I’m confused. Your voice sounds like Jacob, yet your skin feels like Esau. Are you really Esau?” “Yes, father, I’m Esau.” “Well ... uh ... please, serve me the meal.” Jacob served the food to his father. It tasted exactly the way Esau would have prepared it. Still Isaac was not convinced. So he asked his son to come and give him a kiss. When Jacob leaned over to kiss his father, Isaac smelled the clothes his son was wearing. It had the smell of the outdoors. He said, “The smell of my son is like the smell of a field - blessed by God! May God give you of heaven’s dew and earth’s richness: an abundance of grain and new wine! May nations serve you and people bow down to you. You’ll be the master over your brothers The sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.” Soon after Jacob left the tent, Esau came in with the meat he had prepared. “Father, sit up and eat the meal I’ve prepared for you. Then you can give me the blessing.” Isaac looked up. “Who are you?” “I’m Esau, your firstborn son! Please, sit up.” Isaac began to tremble. “Then who brought me a meal of wild game? I gave him the blessing. And… indeed, the blessing is his. Esau was shocked. He shouted, “Bless me too, my father!” “Ah, your brother deceived me and took your blessing. I’ve made him your lord. All of his relatives will serve him. I’ve given him everything – all of our grain and new wine. What else can I possibly give you?” As Esau left his father’s tent, he said, “After my father dies, I’ll kill Jacob!” Rebekah heard this, and rushed to tell Jacob. “You must leave. Go to my brother’s house! I’ll send for you once Esau gets over his anger. Go quickly. I don’t want to lose both of you in one day!” She then got Isaac’s permission for Jacob’s trip. Isaac agreed that Jacob should go to Rebekah’s country and find a wife.
Isaac was a farmer while he lived among the Philistines. The Lord blessed his harvest so much that he became more and more wealthy. Eventually, his wealth was so great that the Philistines became jealous. They decided to plug up some wells Abraham had dug. In time, Abimelech asked Isaac to leave their country. He said, “You’ve become too powerful. We feel you’re a threat to us.” Isaac moved to another valley, and his servants unplugged some of Abraham’s wells. They also dug some new ones. Suddenly they found precious spring water. The herdsmen in that area said, “That water belongs to us.” So Isaac’s servants went and dug other wells, and again found water. Again, the herdsmen said, “That’s our water.” They went to another area and dug some more wells. This time, no one argued about the water they found. Isaac said, “Finally! The Lord has made room for us. We can now prosper at this spot. He called that place, “Plenty of Room.” Abimelech and a delegation from the Philistines went to Isaac. When he saw them he said, “You sent me away in anger. So why have you come to me now?” Abimelech said, “It’s clear to us that the Lord has been with you all this time. We want a treaty with you. We were good to you when you lived among us. Yes, we sent you away, but it was in peace. Now, let’s agree that you’ll treat us the same way and won’t harm us.” So Isaac prepared a banquet, and they all ate and drank together. The next morning they each gave an oath that they would live in peace with one another. As Abimelech and his delegation left, servants came and told Isaac about their newest well. They said, “We’ve found water.” So he called the place Beer-sheba, which means “Well of the Oath.”
A great famine hit the place where Isaac lived, so he realized he needed to move to another area. The Lord appeared to him and said, “Don’t go to Egypt. Stay in this land, even though you’re a foreigner here. I’ll bless you, and give you all the promises I gave to your father Abraham. Your descendants will be as hard to count as the stars. I’ll give them all of this land, and through them all the nations on earth will be blessed.” So Isaac didn’t go to Egypt, but instead settled in the land of Abimelech, king of the Philistines. When the men there saw that Rebekah was a beautiful woman, they asked Isaac about her. He immediately became concerned for his life, thinking they would kill him because of her. So he said, “She’s my sister.” When Isaac had been there for a while, the king looked out of his window and saw Isaac hugging and kissing Rebekah. The king sent for him and said, “This woman is your wife! Why did you tell everyone she was your sister?” Isaac explained how he was afraid he might be killed because of her. The king said, “You’ve put all of us at risk. One of our men could have easily had sex with her. Then we all would’ve suffered because of it.” So Abimelech sent out a warning to all his people. “If anyone harms Isaac or his wife, that person will die.”
After Sarah died, Abraham married a woman named Keturah. Together they had six sons. Years later, when Abraham knew he was going to die, he gave gifts to Keturah and her sons, and sent them away to the land of the East. He then gave everything he owned to Isaac. Abraham died when he was 175 years old. Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the same cave where Sarah was buried. After twenty years of marriage, Isaac prayed for his wife because she was unable to have children. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant with twin boys. Near the end of her term, she felt like there was fighting inside her womb. She was in so much pain that she prayed, “Oh God, what is happening to me?” The Lord said, “You have two nations inside of you. Two people groups will come from your womb. One will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” At the time of birth, the oldest baby was red and covered with hair. They named him Esau, which means “hairy.” His brother was born holding on to Esau’s heel. They named him Jacob, which means, “heel.” Isaac was sixty years old when the boys were born. As a man, Esau became skilled as an outdoorsman, which included hunting. Jacob was quiet, and preferred to stay home. Rebekah loved Jacob, but Isaac loved the taste of wild game, so he favored Esau. One day, Esau came home exhausted from a trip. He found Jacob cooking a pot of stew. He said, “I’m tired and hungry. Give me some of that red stew.” Jacob said, “I’ll trade my stew for your birthright.” “That’s a deal! My birthright won’t do me any good if I die of hunger. Now give me the stew, I want the whole pot.” Jacob said, “No. You must first swear an oath that you’re giving me your birthright.” “I swear to you. The birthright is yours.” With that, Jacob gave his brother an entire meal of bread, stew, and drink. Esau ate and drank heartily, and then got up and left. From then on, it was said of Esau, “He despised his birthright.” Also, people referred to him as “Edom,” which means “Red.” This was because of the value he placed on that red stew.
When Sarah died, Abraham realized he needed to find a wife for his son Isaac. He said to his servant, “I’m sending you back to my homeland so you can find a wife for my son. Promise me you won’t choose a woman from the people around here. Make sure she’s from among my relatives.” The servant was concerned. “What if I find a woman, and she’s not willing to leave her home and come here? Perhaps I should take Isaac back there to marry her.” “Absolutely not! You’re not to take Isaac back to that country! Listen, the Lord will send his angel before you. He’ll prepare the way. But if the woman isn’t willing to come back with you, then you’re released from this assignment.” After a long journey, the servant reached the town where Abraham’s relatives lived. He stopped at a well on the outskirts of town and prayed, “Oh God, help me find the right woman for Isaac.” Suddenly he had an idea. “Lord, I’ll ask a woman for a drink of water. I’ll know she’s the right one if she gives me a drink, and then offers to draw water for all ten of these camels!” Soon a young woman named Rebekah came to the well. She was beautiful … and virtuous … and … she wasn’t married. She filled her jar and started to walk away. The servant stepped forward and asked for a drink of water. She gave him one, and then offered to draw water for all his camels. While she was doing this, the servant asked God to help him know for sure that this was the woman for Isaac. After Rebekah was done, the servant gave her several pieces of jewelry and asked, “Who’s your family, and is there room at your father’s house for my men and me to spend the night?” She told the servant the names of her father and grandfather, and the servant knew they were Abraham’s relatives. Rebekah said that there was plenty of room for them to spend the night. She then left the servant and ran home to tell her family about this conversation. Her brother was Laban, and when he saw the valuable jewelry, he hurried to the well to see who had given her these things. He asked the servant, “Come, we’ve prepared a place for you and your servants, as well as your camels!” Once they got to the house, the servant was invited to sit down and eat a meal with them. But he said, “Before we eat this meal, I must tell you my story.” He told them about the assignment Abraham had given him. He then said, “I prayed and asked God to show me the right woman for Isaac. As a sign, I asked that she’d be willing to give me a drink of water and also draw water for all the camels. Rebekah did exactly that. I believe she’s the woman God has chosen to be Isaac’s wife.” Laban and his father were amazed when they heard this story. They agreed with him and immediately gave their blessing. The next morning they asked Rebekah if she was willing to go with Abraham’s servant and marry Isaac. She said she was willing to go. So, they blessed Rebekah and sent her with the servant. Isaac was in the field when he saw, off in the distance, the servant’s caravan of camels. So he started walking toward it. Rebekah saw him coming their way. She asked the servant, “Who is that man?” “Oh, that is my master, Isaac.” So Rebekah covered herself with a veil. The servant told Isaac all about his trip, and how God led him to just the right woman. So Isaac took Rebekah to be his wife, and the love between them was great.
King Abimelech came to Abraham and said, “We can clearly see that God is with you in everything you do. So let’s make an agreement that there’ll be peace between your people and my people.” Abraham said, “I agree, but there is a problem we need to talk about. Your people have taken one of my wells.” The king said, “I didn’t know anything about this. Why didn’t you tell me before now? I’ll take care of it.” So they made an agreement and Abraham sealed it with giving Abimelech cattle and sheep. But he set aside seven ewe lambs. Abimelech asked about this. Abraham said, “You are to accept these seven lambs as you’re way of saying that I own this well.” The king accepted the seven ewe lambs, and Abraham called the place Beer-sheba, which means, “Well of the Oath.” He planted a tamarisk tree there and worshipped the Lord, the Everlasting God. Soon after the destruction of Sodom, Lot and his two daughters left the little town where they lived because he was afraid of what might happen to them there. They went to the mountains and lived in a cave. One day, the oldest daughter said to her sister, “Our father is old, and we have no hope of getting a husband and having children. Therefore, it’s up to us to preserve our father’s line for future generations. I have a plan. Let’s get our father drunk until he no longer knows what he’s doing. We’ll then have sex with him.” The sister agreed, so that night they got their father drunk. The oldest daughter had sex with him. He didn’t know anything that happened. The next day, the older daughter said to her sister, “Tonight it’s your turn. Remember, we’re doing this to preserve our father’s line.” So they got their father drunk, and the younger daughter had sex with him. Again, Lot didn’t know anything that happened. Both daughters became pregnant by their father. The oldest sister gave birth to a son who became the father of the Moabites. The younger sister gave birth to a son who became the father of the Ammonites. Years later, Sarah died, having lived 127 years. Their encampment was near Hebron at the time, so Abraham went to the Hittites and said, “We both live in this land together. Please allow me to buy a place where I can bury my dead.” They said, “You’re God’s chosen. None of us would hinder you from burying your dead.” Abraham got up and bowed down before them. “One of you owns a particular cave at the end of a field. Talk to him and persuade him to sell it to me at full price.” That man stepped forward and said, “I am that man, and I can tell you that you’re free to bury your dead there at no charge.” So the two men met in front of all the people and Abraham said, “Please allow me to buy this cave at full price.” The man said, “The cave is worth 400 shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me. Bury your dead freely in the cave. So Abraham weighed out 400 shekels and paid it to the man in front of everyone. So Abraham buried Sarah in the cave of Hebron, and it became his procession from that day on.
When Isaac was a young man, God came to Abraham and said, “Abraham, take Isaac, the son you love so dearly, and go to a place I’ll show you. There, you’re to sacrifice him as a burnt offering.” So the next morning, Abraham got up early and cut wood for the sacrifice...
When Abraham was a hundred years old, Sarah gave birth to a son. They called him Isaac, which means “laughter,” because Sarah said; “God has put laughter in my heart. And all who hear about me giving birth to a child will laugh with me. Who would have thought that I could nurse a baby?”...
Abraham travelled to an area where Abimelech was king. He told the people there, “Sarah is my sister.” So Abimelech sent people to get Sarah and bring her to his household. Once she was there, the Lord prevented the king from having sex with her. God came to Abimelech in a dream and said, “You’re about to die because that woman you brought into your house is married.”...
In the early evening, two angels entered Sodom. They found Lot sitting at the city gate. As soon as he saw them, he went and bowed before them. He said, “I’m your humble servant. Please come to my house so I can make you comfortable. I’ll wash your feet and give you a place to spend the night. Then I’ll wake you up early so you can be on your way.” They said, “No, we’ll just spend the night here in the town square.” “Oh, no, my lords! You must come with me right now. Please follow me.”...
Abraham had three guests. One of them was the Lord. He served them a meal under the shade of a tree. Afterwards they got up and started walking toward Sodom. Abraham walked with them for a short distance. Suddenly the Lord stopped and said to the others, “I’m going to tell Abraham what I’m about to do...
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord said to him, “You’ll be the father of many nations and some of your descendants will be kings! Therefore I’m changing your name to Abraham, which means the ‘father of many nations’...
After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai became concerned that she hadn’t yet had a child like the Lord promised. She said to her husband, “I have a solution to this problem. Go to bed with my slave Hagar. When she delivers a child, it’ll be the same as if I had the child...
Both Abram and Lot were prosperous. Soon their herdsmen started arguing over grazing rights. Abram said, “We shouldn’t be fighting. After all, we’re family. There is plenty of land here. You choose. You go one way and I’ll go the other.”...
Terah lived in a place called Ur. He had three sons and at least one daughter. One of the sons had a child named Lot. Another son was Abram, who married his half-sister Sarai. When Lot’s father died, Terah took the entire family and moved north to a place called Haran. They stayed there until Terah died...
After the Flood, Noah planted a vineyard. In time he drank some of the wine from his harvest and got drunk. He went to his tent and fell asleep on the floor without any clothes on. His youngest son saw his father lying there, and went and told his brothers what he had seen. His brothers draped a coat between them and walked backwards into the tent, draping the coat over their father...
After people disobeyed God and went into sin, they became extremely wicked. All of their thoughts and actions were evil. God knew he had to destroy the people he created. Yet, a man named Noah walked with God. The Lord said to him, “I’m going to destroy the entire earth with a flood because the people are wicked. Therefore, I’m making an agreement with you to preserve life on the earth. Build an ark. I’ll give you the exact dimensions I want you to use. After you’re done, a flood will kill all the people and animals on the earth. You and your family will be saved, as well as the animals you take with you.”
Adam and Eve had a son and named him Cain. In time they had another son named Abel. Abel became a herdsman – working with animals. Cain became a farmer, tilling the soil. One day, when it was time to bring a sacrifice to the Lord, Cain decided to bring fruits and vegetables, instead of a lamb. Abel also brought an offering, but it was the best lamb from his flock. The Lord was pleased with Abel’s offering, but he wasn’t happy with Cain’s.
God created Adam and Eve and provided all they needed in the Garden of Eden. Like the animals, they had no need of clothes, yet they were not ashamed. The snake was most clever of all the animals. One day he said to Eve, “Is it true God won’t let you eat from all the trees in the garden?”
Imagine the earth when it was new – before the plants had come up. In those days, God hadn’t yet allowed it to rain on the earth, but caused a mist to come each day to water the land. During this time, God took some soil and shaped the first man. He breathed into his nostrils, and Adam was alive.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was lifeless, empty, and dark. Then the Spirit of God moved across the vast emptiness. He said, “Let there be light.” Suddenly light shone around the entire sphere of the earth! God looked at the light, and said, “That’s good.”