2 Chronicles 11

2 Chronicles 11:1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he collected the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred eighty thousand tried young soldiers—to fight against Israel to restore Rehoboam’s reign.

2 Chronicles 11:2 But the word of Yahveh came to Shemaiah, the man of God:

2 Chronicles 11:3 “Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people:

2 Chronicles 11:4: ‘This is what Yahveh says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers. Each of you return to your house, for this incident has come from me.” So, they listened to what Yahveh said and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

2 Chronicles 11:5 Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah.

2 Chronicles 11:6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

2 Chronicles 11:7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

2 Chronicles 11:8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

2 Chronicles 11:9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

2 Chronicles 11:10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

2 Chronicles 11:11 He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

2 Chronicles 11:12 He also put large shields and spears in every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.

2 Chronicles 11:13 The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam,

2 Chronicles 11:14 for the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons refused to let them serve as priests of Yahveh.

2 Chronicles 11:15 Jeroboam appointed his priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made.

2 Chronicles 11:16 Those from every tribe of Israel who had determined in their hearts to seek Yahveh their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahveh, the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years.

2 Chronicles 11:18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and Abihail, daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.

2 Chronicles 11:19 She gave birth to[1] sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

2 Chronicles 11:20 After her, he married Maacah, daughter of Absalom. She gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him.

2 Chronicles 11:21 Rehoboam cared for Maacah, daughter of Absalom, more than all his wives and concubines. He acquired eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

2 Chronicles 11:22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah, son of Maacah, chief and leader among his brothers, intending to make him king.

2 Chronicles 11:23 Rehoboam also showed discernment by dispersing some of his sons to all the regions of Judah and Benjamin and all the fortified cities. He gave them plenty of provisions and sought many wives for them.

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[1] יָלַד = give birth to, be born, father. 2 Chronicles 11:19, 20, 21; 13:21; 24:3.

links:

this incident has come from me – Devotions
this thing is from me

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Chronicles 10

2 Chronicles 10:1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.

2 Chronicles 10:2 When Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard about it, because he was in Egypt, where he had run[1] from King Solomon’s presence – Jeroboam returned from Egypt.

2 Chronicles 10:3 So they invited him. Then Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam:

2 Chronicles 10:4 “Your father made our yoke harsh. Therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will work for you.”

2 Chronicles 10:5 Rehoboam replied, “Return to me again[2] in three days.” So, the people left.

2 Chronicles 10:6 Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had attended his father, Solomon, when he was living, asking, “How do you advise me to respond to these people?”

2 Chronicles 10:7 They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your slaves forever.”

2 Chronicles 10:8 But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him, and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, the ones attending him.

2 Chronicles 10:9 He asked them, “What message do you advise we send back to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

2 Chronicles 10:10 Then the young men who had grown up with him told him, “This is what you should say to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us! ‘ This is what you should say to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

2 Chronicles 10:11 Now therefore, my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.'”

2 Chronicles 10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”

2 Chronicles 10:13 Then the king answered[3] them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the elders’ advice

2 Chronicles 10:14 and spoke to them according to the young men’s advice, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.”

2 Chronicles 10:15 The king did not listen to the people because the turn of events came from God, in order that Yahveh might carry out his word that he had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

2 Chronicles 10:16 When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king: What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, each to your tent; David, look after your own house now! So, all Israel went to their tents.

2 Chronicles 10:17 But as for the Israelites living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

2 Chronicles 10:18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. However, King Rehoboam was tough[4] enough to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 10:19 Israel is in rebellion against the house of David until today.

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[1] בָּרָח = run, run through, drive out. 2 Chronicles 10:2.

[2] עוֹד = again, continually, still, more. 2 Chronicles 10:5; 13:20; 14:7; 17:6; 18:6, 7; 20:33; 27:2; 28:17; 32:16; 33:17; 34:3, 16.

[3] עָנָה = answer. 2 Chronicles 10:13; 34:15.

[4] אָמֵץ = tough. 2 Chronicles 10:18; 11:17; 13:7, 18; 24:13; 32:7; 36:13.

links:

an imperfect union
one decision
the single brick – Devotions

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Chronicles 9

2 Chronicles 9:1 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s impressive[1] life, so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a huge powerful[2] display, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind.

2 Chronicles 9:2 So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too complicated for Solomon to explain to her.

2 Chronicles 9:3 When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built,

2 Chronicles 9:4 the food at his table, his slaves’ residence, his attendants’ ministry and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at Yahveh’s temple, it took her breath[3] away.

2 Chronicles 9:5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and your wisdom is reliable.[4]

2 Chronicles 9:6 But I didn’t believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Notice, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You add to[5] the report I heard.

2 Chronicles 9:7 How happy are your men. How happy are these slaves of yours, who continually stand in your presence, hearing your wisdom?

2 Chronicles 9:8 Praised be Yahveh your God! He delighted in you and put you on his throne as king for Yahveh your God. Because your God cared for Israel enough to establish them permanently, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.”

2 Chronicles 9:9 Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a significant quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never before had such spices been given to King Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:10 In addition, Hiram’s slaves and Solomon’s slaves who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.

2 Chronicles 9:11 The king made the algum wood into walkways for Yahveh’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.

2 Chronicles 9:12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked — far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her slaves, returned to her own country.

2 Chronicles 9:13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,

2 Chronicles 9:14 besides what was brought by the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 15 pounds of hammered gold went into each shield.

2 Chronicles 9:16 He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 7 1/2 pounds of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

2 Chronicles 9:17 The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold.

2 Chronicles 9:18 The throne had six steps, a footstool covered in gold, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.

2 Chronicles 9:19 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.

2 Chronicles 9:20 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time,

2 Chronicles 9:21 because the king’s ships kept going to Tarshish with Hiram’s slaves, and once every three years, the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

2 Chronicles 9:22 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and wisdom.

2 Chronicles 9:23 All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

2 Chronicles 9:24 Each of them would bring his tribute – items of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, and horses and mules- as an annual tribute.

2 Chronicles 9:25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. He placed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 9:26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 9:27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.

2 Chronicles 9:28 They were bringing horses for Solomon from Egypt and all the countries.

2 Chronicles 9:29 The remaining events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of the Prophet Nathan, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Visions of the Seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat.

2 Chronicles 9:30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

2 Chronicles 9:31 Solomon lied down[6] with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father, David. His son Rehoboam became king in his place.

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[1] כָּבֵד = heavy, impressive. 2 Chronicles 9:1; 10:4, 11.

[2] חַיִל = capable, powerful, efficient.  2 Chronicles 9:1; 13:3; 14:8, 9; 16:4, 7, 8; 17:2, 13, 14, 16, 17; 23:14; 24:23, 24; 25:6; 26:11, 12, 13, 17; 28:6; 33:14.

[3] רוּחַ = breath, wind.  2 Chronicles 9:4; 15:1; 18:20, 21, 22, 23; 20:14; 21:16; 24:20; 36:2.

[4] אֱמֶת = reliable, reliability. 2 Chronicles 9:5; 15:3; 18:15; 31:20; 32:1.

[5] יָסַף = add to, again. 2 Chronicles 9:6; 10:11, 14; 28:13, 22; 33:.

[6] שָׁכַב = lie down (die). 2 Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13, 14; 21:1; 26:2, 23; 27:9; 28:27; 32:33; 33:20;.

links:

evaluation results
evident blessings

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Chronicles 8

2 Chronicles 8:1 At the end of twenty years during which Solomon had built Yahveh’s temple and his palace —

2 Chronicles 8:2 Solomon had rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given him and settled the Israelites there.

2 Chronicles 8:3 Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and caught it.

2 Chronicles 8:4 He built Tadmor in the open country along with all the storage cities that he built in Hamath.

2 Chronicles 8:5 He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon- fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars.

2 Chronicles 8:6 Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, all the chariot cities, the cavalry cities, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.

2 Chronicles 8:7 As for all the peoples who survived[1] of the Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not from Israel —

2 Chronicles 8:8 Their descendants who survived in the land after them, those the Israelites had not wholly destroyed,- Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is this way today.

2 Chronicles 8:9 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to be slaves for his work; they were soldiers, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry.

2 Chronicles 8:10 These were King Solomon’s deputies: 250 captains of the people.

2 Chronicles 8:11 Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh from the city of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the house of King David of Israel because the places the ark of Yahveh has come into are sacred.”

2 Chronicles 8:12 At that time, Solomon offered ascending offerings to Yahveh on Yahveh’s altar he had made in the face of the portico.

2 Chronicles 8:13 He followed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed festivals: the Festival of Matzah,[2] The Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Huts.[3]

2 Chronicles 8:14 According to the judgments of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests over their service, of the Levites over their responsibilities to offer praise and to minister before the priests following the daily requirement, and of the gatekeepers by their divisions with respect to each temple gate, for this had been the command of David, the man of God.

2 Chronicles 8:15 They did not turn aside from the king’s command regarding the priests and the Levites concerning any matter or concerning the treasuries.

2 Chronicles 8:16 All of Solomon’s work was carried out from the day the foundation was laid for Yahveh’s temple until it was finished. So Yahveh’s temple was completed.

2 Chronicles 8:17 At that time, Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the seashore in the land of Edom.

2 Chronicles 8:18 So Hiram sent ships to him by his slaves, along with crews of experienced seamen. They went with Solomon’s slaves to Ophir, took seventeen tons of gold from there, and delivered it to King Solomon.

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[1] יָתַר = survive, reserve, rest. 2 Chronicles 8:7, 8; 31:10.

[2] מַצָּה = Matzah (unleavened bread). 2 Chronicles 8:13; 30:13, 21; 35:17.

[3] סֻכָּה = hut. 2 Chronicles 8:13.

links:

serve Him first – Devotions
serving out of faith

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Chronicles 7

2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire fell from the sky and consumed[1] the ascending offerings and the sacrifices, and the impressive appearance of Yahveh filled the temple.

2 Chronicles 7:2 The priests were not able to enter Yahveh’s temple because the impressive appearance of Yahveh filled the temple of Yahveh.

2 Chronicles 7:3 All the Israelites were watching when the fire fell and the impressive appearance of Yahveh came on the temple. They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground. They worshiped and praised Yahveh because he is good, because his covenant faithfulness lasts permanently.

2 Chronicles 7:4 The king and all the people were offering sacrifices in Yahveh’s presence.

2 Chronicles 7:5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep and goats. In this manner, the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple.

2 Chronicles 7:6 The priests and the Levites were standing at their stations. The Levites had the musical instruments of Yahveh, which King David had made to give thanks to Yahveh “because his covenant faithfulness lasts permanently” when he offered praise with them. Across from the Levites, the priests were blowing trumpets, and all the people were standing.

2 Chronicles 7:7 Since the bronze altar that Solomon had made could not accommodate the ascending offering, the tribute offering,[2] and the fat of the fellowship offerings, Solomon first consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in the face of Yahveh’s temple, and then offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the sacrifices for healthy relationships[3] there.

2 Chronicles 7:8 So Solomon and all Israel with him- a vast gathering, from the entrance to Hamath to the Brook of Egypt- observed the festival at that time for seven days.

2 Chronicles 7:9 On the eighth day, they held a sacred congregation because the dedication of the altar lasted seven days and the festival seven days.

2 Chronicles 7:10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people home, rejoicing and with happy hearts for the goodness Yahveh had done for David, for Solomon, and for his people Israel.

2 Chronicles 7:11 Solomon finished Yahveh’s temple and royal palace. Everything that had entered Solomon’s heart to do for Yahveh’s temple and his own palace succeeded.

2 Chronicles 7:12 Then Yahveh appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice.

2 Chronicles 7:13 Notice[4] when I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command[5] the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people,

2 Chronicles 7:14 and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:15 My eyes will now be open and my ears attentive to prayer from this place.

2 Chronicles 7:16 And I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.

2 Chronicles 7:17 As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you guard my prescribed tasks[6] and judgments,

2 Chronicles 7:18 I will establish your royal throne, as I promised your father David: You will never have a man cut off before me, ruling[7] in Israel.

2 Chronicles 7:19 However, if you turn away and abandon my prescriptions[8] and my commands that I have set before you, and if you go and slave for other gods and bow in worship to them,

2 Chronicles 7:20 then I will uproot Israel from the soil that I gave them, and this temple that I have sanctified for my name, I will banish from my presence; I will make it a parable[9] and a taunt among all the people.

2 Chronicles 7:21 As for this temple, which was exalted, everyone who passes by will be appalled and will say: Why did Yahveh do this to this land and this temple?

2 Chronicles 7:22 Then they will say: Because they abandoned Yahveh, the God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They clung strongly to other gods, bowed in worship to them, and slaved for them. Because of this, he brought all this ruin on them.

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[1] אָכַל = consume. 2 Chronicles 7:1, 13; 18:26; 28:15; 30:18, 22; 31:10.

[2] מִנְחָה = tribute offering, tribute.  2 Chronicles 7:7; 9:24; 17:5, 11; 26:8; 32:23.

[3] שֶׁלֶם = sacrifice for healthy relationships. 2 Chronicles 7:7; 29:35; 30:22; 31:2; 33:16.

[4] הֵן = notice.  2 Chronicles 7:13.

[5] צָוָה = command. 2 Chronicles 7:13, 17; 18:30; 19:9; 23:8; 25:4; 33:8; 34:20.

[6] חֹק = prescribed task.  2 Chronicles 7:17; 19:10; 33:8; 34:31; 35:25.

[7] מָשַׁל = influence, rule. 2 Chronicles 7:18; 9:26; 20:6; 23:20.

[8] חֻקָּה = prescription. 2 Chronicles 7:19.

[9] מָשָׁל = parable. 2 Chronicles 7:20.

links:

God alone is Immortal
God is Different
if my people…
keeping the blessing
passing the test

The 2 Chronicles shelf in Jeff’s library