I would say it is a 50-50 mix of the two!
Of the things omitted they really serve to tell more of the story. What’s a story without background information on settings, the development of characters and other parts of the story? There’s always more to the story! Well received with gratitude!
As far as some things being repeated, well that is an opportunity for learning, maybe seeing something new or a little different the second time through. Also, well received with gratitude!
Lots more detail on King Asa of Juda, Benjamin, and Jerusalem! Fifth from David, fourth from Solomon (Asa—Abia—Roboam—Solomon—David) in the line of succession:
And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin… and he gathered… the strangers… for many were come to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him… And he went to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul. And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman. And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets, all that were in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest year round.
So all was well and good with King Asa until one poor decision that was inconsistent with the above depiction of a trusted and trusting in the Lord ruler:
Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying: There is a league between me and thee… wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayest break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me… and when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.
At the time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not the Lord thy God… For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore, thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee. And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.
And Asa fell sick… of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians. And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
And Josaphat (Josaphat—Asa—Abia—Roboam—Solomon—David) his son reigned in his stead, and grew stronger against Israel.
And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and trusted not in Baalim, but in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel.
And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda.
And in the third year of his reign, he sent… his princes… to teach in the cities of Juda. And they taught the people in Juda, having with them the book of the law of the Lord: and they went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people.
And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat. The Philistines brought presents to Josaphat… and the Arabians brought him cattle…
In the detail of Second Paralipomenon we find another interesting tidbit. After Josaphat returns from an ill-fated attempt with King Achab of Israel to take back Ramoth Galaad from the Syrians, he basically gets chewed out by the son of the prophet that he should have listened to:
And Josaphat king of Juda returned to his house in peace in Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly. And thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord. But good works are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land of Juda, and hast prepared thy heart to seek the Lord the God of thy fathers.
After this the children of Moab, and the children of the Ammon, and with them the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat.
And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda. And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him.
Josaphat to all of Juda and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord:
O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee.
Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And dwell in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying: If evil falls upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: And we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou will hear, and save us.
Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not, do the contrary, and endeavor to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us.
O our God, will thou not them judge them? As for us we have strength enough to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee. And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.
The Lord to King Josaphat and Juda and Benjamin (through Jahaziel… was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude…):
Ye Shall Not Fear
Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God’s. To morrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel. It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear ye not, nor be you dismayed: to morrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.
Then Josaphat, and Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell flat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him.
Josaphat: Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.
So in Second Paralipomenon there are lots more details, including Asa’s lethal foot pain…
Day 149: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Asa’s Lethal Foot Pain & More Josaphat Details…
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Paralipomenon, Chapters 14-20
Bible Notes:
This book opens with the story of Solomon: his building of the Temple in Jerusalem, the beginning of sacrifices therein, his great riches, and finally his death. The latter section of the book records the history of the Southern Kingdom, Juda, up to the Babylonia Captivity. The last two verses contain the opening words of a decree by Cyrus, King of Persia, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 14: Asa destroys idolatry; Asa arms the kingdom; Asa defeats the Ethiopians.
And Abia slept with his fathers (Asa—Abia—Roboam—Solomon—David), and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead: in his days the land was quiet ten years.
…and he destroyed the altars of foreign worship, and the high places. And broke the statues, and cut down groves… (destroyed high places and cut down the groves is in contrast to Third Kings and later here in Chapter 14 of Second Paralipomenon).
And he commanded Juda to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to do the law, and all the commandments.
He built also strong cities in Juda, for he was quiet, and there had no wars risen in his time, the Lord giving peace.
And Zara, the Ethiopian, came out against them with his army.
Asa to God: Lord, there is no difference with thee, whether thou help with few, or with many, help us, O Lord our God: for with confidence in thee, and in thy name, we are come against this multitude. O Lord thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.
And the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Juda: and the Ethiopians fled… and the Ethiopians fell to utter destruction. For the Lord slew them, and his army fought against them, and they were destroyed… and they (Asa and Juda) pillaged the cities and carried off much booty.
FLASHBACK to notes of the Third Kings; which had no account of Zara the Ethiopian:
Day 119: OT Third Kings C12-16; Second Parable of the Old Testament; Vision to The Third!1
And the rest of the words of Abiam, and all that he did, are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam. And Abiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, reigned Asa king of Juda, and he reigned one and forty years on Jerusalem.
And Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father. And he took away all the effeminate out of the land, and he removed all the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made… but the high places he did not take away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his days, and he brought in the things which his father had dedicated…
And there was war between Asa, and Baasa king of Israel all their days… Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hands of his servants; and sent them to Benadad… king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying… I desire thee to come, and break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Benadad hearkening to king Asa, sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel, and they smote…
But the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his strength, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Josaphat his son reigned in his place.
END OF FLASHBACK
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 15: The prophecy of Azarias; Asa renews the covenant with God; Asa deposes his mother; Asa enriches the Temple.
And the spirit of God came upon Azarias… and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find him: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. And many days shall pass in Israel (other ten tribes under Jeroboam), without the true God, and without a priest a teacher, and without the law. And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him. At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth. For nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them all with distress. Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands be weakened: for there shall be a reward for your work.
And when Asa had heard the words, and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Juda, and out of Benjamin… and he gathered… the strangers… for many were come to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him… And he went to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul. And if any one, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman. And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets, all that were in Juda with a curse: for with all their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest year round.
Moreover Maacha the mother of king Asa he deposed for the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus.
But high places were left in Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all this days.
And there was no war unto the five and thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 16: Asa hires Syrians to drive off Baasa; Hanani reproves Asa; Last sickness and death of Asa.
Baasa the king of Israel came up against Juda, and built a wall about Rama, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa.
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king’s treasures, and sent to Benadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying: There is a league between me and thee… wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayest break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, and make him depart from me… and when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Rama, and interrupted his work.
At the time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Juda, and said to him: Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not the Lord thy God… For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore, thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee. And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison: for he was greatly enraged because of this thing: and he put to death many of the people at that time.
And Asa fell sick… of a most violent pain in his feet, and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians. And he slept with his fathers: and he died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 17: Josaphat’s good reign; Josaphat sends teachers to Juda; A time of Peace; Josaphat’s captains.
And Josaphat (Josaphat—Asa—Abia—Roboam—Solomon—David) his son reigned in his stead, and grew stronger against Israel.
And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and trusted not in Baalim, but in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel.
And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda.
And in the third year of his reign, he sent… his princes… to teach in the cities of Juda. And they taught the people in Juda, having with them the book of the law of the Lord: and they went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people.
And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat. The Philistines brought presents to Josaphat… and the Arabians brought him cattle…
And Josaphat grew, and became exceedingly great…
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 18: Josaphat and Achab are allies; Achab and Josaphat consult false prophets; Achab and Josaphat send for Micheas; The Prophecy of Micheas; Micheas is imprisoned; Achab killed by arrow.
FLASHBACK to notes of the Third Kings; which had basically the same story of Josaphat and Achab:
Day 123: OT Third Kings C21-22 (END); God’s Word Reigns Eternally; to All Generations!
And the Third Book of Kings ends with a chapter about how Achab and Josaphat king of Juda listened to false prophets and invaded Ramoth Galaad. They were defeated and Achab was killed in battle.
This is a testimony to how God can utilize deceiving spirits and lying spirts to present false guidance to powerful people that results in their own demise:
And there passed three years without war between Syria and Israel.
Achab: Know ye not that Ramoth Galaad (a Levitical city and city of refuge east of the Jordan River) is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria.
Josaphat king of Juda said to Achab king of Israel: As I am, so art thou: my people and thy people are one: and my horseman, thy horseman… Inquire, I beseech thee, this day, the word of the Lord.
There is only one man left, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: Micheas… but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good to me, but evil.
Then the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, sat each on his throne clothed with royal robes, in a court by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them… And all the prophets prophesized in like manner, saying: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hands.
Micheas the only prophet? Who were all these other prophets? False prophets.
Micheas: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord shall say to me, that will I speak.
Micheas: I saw Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.
Micheas: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne… And the Lord said: who shall deceive Achab… that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Galaad? And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him… I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
Achab: Put this man (Micheas) in prison, and fee him with bread of affliction, and water of distress, till I return in peace.
Micheas to Achab: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me… Hear, all ye people.
The battle at Ramoth Galaad:
And a certain man bent his bow, shooting at a venture, and chanced to strike the king of Israel between the lungs and the stomach…
Achab: for I am grievously wounded…
And the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died in the evening: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot… according to the word of the Lord which he (Micheas) had spoken.
How do we find our true prophets like Micheas in our own lives?
…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?
So Achab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned in his steed.
Josaphat… began to reign over Juda in the fourth year of Achab king of Israel… and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem… And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, and he declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?
And Josaphat slept with his fathers… and Joram his son reigned in his steed.
END OF FLASHBACK
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 19: Josaphat returns to Jerusalem; Josaphat appoints judges; Josaphat appoints priests and Levites.
And Josaphat king of Juda returned to his house in peace in Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly. And thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord. But good works are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land of Juda, and hast prepared thy heart to seek the Lord the God of thy fathers.
And Josphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again to the people from Bersabee to mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord the God of their fathers.
And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Juda, in every place.
In Jerusalem also Josaphat appointed Levites, and priests… and he charged them, saying: Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord faithfully, and with a perfect heart… the law, the commandment, the ceremonies, the justifications… show it to them, that they may not sin against the Lord, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brethren: and so doing you shall not sin.
And Amarias the priest your high priest shall be chief of things which regard God,,, take courage and do diligently, and the Lord will be with you in good things.
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 20: Enemies approach; Josphat prays and fasts; Josaphat’s prayer; God’s answer; The people worship God; Josaphat marches against his enemies; The victory of Josaphat; Joy over the victory; Josaphat’s reign; Josaphat’s ships are destroyed.
After this the children of Moab, and the children of the Ammon, and with them the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat.
And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda. And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him.
Josaphat to all of Juda and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord:
O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee.
Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And dwell in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying: If evil falls upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: And we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou will hear, and save us.
Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not, do the contrary, and endeavor to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us.
O our God, will thou not them judge them? As for us we have strength enough to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee. And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.
The Lord to King Josaphat and Juda and Benjamin (through Jahaziel… was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude…):
Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God’s. To morrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel. It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear ye not, nor be you dismayed: to morrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.
Then Josaphat, and Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell flat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him.
Josaphat: Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.
… the Lord turned their ambushments upon themselves, that is to say… for the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another and destroyed one another. And when Juda came to the watch tower, that looketh toward the desert, they saw afar off all the country, for a great space, full of dead bodies, and that no one was left that could escape death…. Nor in three days take away the spoils, the booty was so great… in the Valley of the Blessing.
And every man of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat at their head, into Jerusalem with great joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet, and God gave him peace round about.
And Josaphat reigned over Juda, and he was five and thirty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem… And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and departed not from it, doing things that were pleasing before the Lord. But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers. But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Nanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel.
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