Day 129: OT Fourth Kings C11-16; A Young King, Finances, & the Kings’ Book of Words!

A ruthless mother rules while her daughter hides her grandson to become the king later on at the age of seven. Joiada the priest protects the young ruler and together they restore the temple in Jerusalem:

And Athalia the mother of Ochozias, seeing that her son was dead, arose, and slew all the royal seed. But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, took Joas the son of Ochozias… and hid him from Athalia, so that he was not slain. And he (Joas) was with her six years, hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

Joiada the priest… made him (Joas) king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said, God save the king.

…and she (Athalia) saw the king standing upon a tribunal… she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy…

Joiada commanded the centurions… Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord. And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

Joiada restores true worship… And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people… and all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down the altars… they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal…

Now Joas was seven years old, when he began to reign.

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem… And Joas did that which was right before the Lord all the days that Joiada the priest taught him.

Here is a first glimpse of the inside finances of the early temple in Jerusalem:

All the money of the sanctified things, which is brought into the temple of the Lord by those that pass, which is offered for the price of a soul, and which of their own accord, and of their own free heart they bring into the temple of the Lord, let the priests take it according to their order, and repair the house, wheresoever they shall see any thing that wanneth repairing.

…the priests did not make the repairs of the temple… and the priests were forbidden to take any more money of the people…

And Joiada the high priest took a chest and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord.

For it (the money collected in the chest) was given to them that did the work, that the temple of the Lord might be repaired… they bestowed it faithfully…

But the money for the trespass, and the money for sins, they brought not into the temple of the Lord, because it was for the priests.

The ongoing saga of the kings in power in Israel over Samaria, in Juda including Jerusalem, and in Syria to the north continues…

Most who reigned were evil in the eyes of the Lord:

…reigned… over Israel in Samaria. And he did that which is evil before the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin.

More details are to be found in the book of words of the days of the kings of Israel and Juda:

And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

…are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

 

What have I learned about my faith through these passages?

 

I am not sure but… there was a young king, there were temple finances, and the reign of kings over time were many, and there is a book of words!

Glory be to God! Al-le-lu-ia! Amen!

Day 129: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; A Young King, Temple Finances, the Reign of Kings, and the Book of Words!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Fourth Book of Kings Chapters 11-16

Bible Notes:

This Book continues the history of the two hostile kingdoms, Israel and Juda, up to their captivity. The Assyrians in 722 B.C. led Israel away; the Babylonians in 586 B.C. led Juda into captivity.

4 Kings Chapter 11: Athalia usurps the throne by murder; Joiada’s plot; Joas is proclaimed king; Athalia is slain; Joiada restores true worship.

And Athalia the mother of Ochozias, seeing that her son was dead, arose, and slew all the royal seed. But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochizias, took Joas the son of Ochozias… and hid him from Athalia, so that he was not slain. And he (Joas) was with her six years, hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

Joiada the priest… made him (Joas) king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said, God save the king.

…and she (Athalia) saw the king standing upon a tribunal… she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy…

Joiada commanded the centurions… Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord. And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

Joiada restores true worship… And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people… and all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down the altars… they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal…

Now Joas was seven years old, when he began to reign.

4 Kings Chapter 12: Joas’ good reign; Joas orders repairs to the Temple; Hazael bribed not to attack Jerusalem; Joas murdered and succeeded by Amasias.

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem… And Joas did that which was right before the Lord all the days that Joiada the priest taught him.

All the money of the sanctified things, which is brought into the temple of the Lord by those that pass, which is offered for the price of a soul, and which of their own accord, and of their own free heart they bring into the temple of the Lord, let the priests take it according to their order, and repair the house, wheresoever they shall see any thing that wanneth repairing.

…the priests did not make the repairs of the temple… and the priests were forbidden to take any more money of the people…

And Joiada the high priest took a chest and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord.

For it (the money collected in the chest) was given to them that did the work, that the temple of the Lord might be repaired… they bestowed it faithfully…

But the money for the trespass, and the money for sins, they brought not into the temple of the Lord, because it was for the priests.

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Geth, and took it and set his face to go up to Jerusalem… Wherefore Joas king of Juda took up all the sanctified things… all the silver… and sent it to Hazael king of Syria, and he went off from Jerusalem.

And his (Joas) servants arose, and conspired among themselves, and slew Joas… and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amasias his son reigned in his stead,

4 Kings Chapter 13: Joachaz’ wicked reign in Israel; Israel saved by the prayers of Joachaz; Joas succeeds Joachaz; Joas’ wicked reign; Jeroboam succeeds Joas; Eliseus prophesies three victories; Death and burial of Eliseus; Hazael afflicts Israel until his death.

Israel/Samaria to the north and Juda/Jerusalem to the south (referenced map).

In the three and twentieth year of Joas son of Ochozias king of Juda, Joachaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria, seventeen years. And he did evil before the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin, and he departed not from them.

And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael the king of Syria, and into the hand of Benadad the son of Hazael, all days.

Bit Joachaz besought the face of the Lord; and the Lord heard him, for he saw the distress of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them, and the Lord gave Israel a savior, and they were delivered out of the hand of the king of Syria…

And Joachaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria: and Joas his son reigned in his stead.

In the seven and thirtieth year of Joas, king of Juda, Joas the son of Joachaz reigned over Israel in Samaria sixteen years. And he did that which is evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

And Joas slept with his fathers: and Jeroboam sat upon the throne.

Now Eliseus was sick of the illness whereof he died: and Joas king of Israel went down to him…

Joas to Eliseus: O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the guider thereof…

Eliseus to Joas: The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of the deliverance from Syria: and thou shall strike the Syrians in Aphec, till thou consume them… And he struck three times and stood still. And the man of God (Eliseus) was angry with him (Joas)… If thou hadst smitten five or six or seven times, thou hadst smitten Syria even to utter destruction: but now three times shalt thou smite it.

And Elias died, and they buried him. And the rovers from Moab… were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulcher of Eliseus. And when he had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood on his feet.

Now Hazael king of Syria afflicted Israel all the days of Joachaz, and the Lord had mercy on them, and returned to them because of the covenant, which he had made with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob…three times did Joas (king of Israel) beat him (Benadad king of Syria, son of Hazael), and restored the cities to Israel.

4 Kings Chapter 14: Amasias’ good reign in Juda; Amasias defeats the Edomites; Joas defeats Amasias; Jeroboam succeeds Joas; Amasias assassinated; Azarias succeeds Amasias; Jeroboam’s wicked reign; Zacharias succeeds Jeroboam.

… reigned Amasias son of Joas king of Juda… And he did that which was right before the Lord, but yet not like David his father… And when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king his father, but the children of the murderers he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the look of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded saying:

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: but every man shall die for his own sins.

He (Amasias) slew of Edom in the valley of the Saltpits ten thousand men, and took the rock by war, and called the name thereof Jectehel, unto this day.

Amasias (Juda/Jerusalem) sent messengers to Joas (Israel/Samaria): Come let us see one another… And Juda was put to the worst before Israel… But Joas took Amasias and him into Jerusalem: and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem… four hundred cubits… And he (Joas) took all the gold, and silver, and all the vessels, that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the king’s treasures, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

And Joas slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria… and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead…

Now they made a conspiracy against him (Amasias) in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachis… and killed him there.

And all the people of Juda took Azarias, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amasias…

…reigned Jeroboam the son of Joas king of Israel in Samaria… And he did that which was evil before the Lord. He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin. He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath, unto the sea of wilderness, according to the word of the Lord the God of Israel… that there was no one to help Israel… but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam…

 Kings Chapter 15: Azarias becomes leprous; Joathan succeeds Azarias; Zacharias is assassinated; Manahem slays Sellum and takes the throne; Manahem pays tribute to the Assyrians; Phaceia succeeds Manahem; Phacee slays and succeeds Phaceia; Osee slays and succeeds Phacee; Joatham’s good reign in Juda; Achaz succeeds Joatham.

…reigned Azarias son of Amasias, king of Juda. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign… And the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwell in a free house apart: but Joatham the king’s son governed the palace, and judged the people of the land… And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? …and Joatham his son reigned in his stead.

…reigned Zacharias son of Jeroboam over Israel in Samaria. And he did that which is evil before the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin.

Sellum… reigned one month in Samaria. And Manahem… came into Samaria, and struck Sellum… and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Sellum, and his conspiracy, which he made, are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

And Manahem slept with his fathers; and Phaceia his son reigned in his stead.

…reigned Joatham son of Ozias king of Juda.

And Joatham slept with his fathers… and Achaz his son reigned in his stead.

4 Kings Chapter 16: Achaz’ wicked reign in Juda; Achaz hires the Assyrians to help him; Achaz desecrates the Temple; Ezechias succeeds Achaz.

…reigned Achaz… But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel: moreover he consecrated also his son, making him pass through the fire according to the idols of the nations: which the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

And Achaz slept with his fathers… and Ezechias his son reigned in his stead.

 

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