My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 13:1-25

1 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.

2 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin, and departed not therefrom.

3 And the Lord was angry with Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all his days.

4 And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord heard him: for he saw the trouble of Israel, wherewith the king of Aram troubled them.

5 (And the Lord gave Israel a deliverer, so that they came out from under the subjection of the Aramites. And the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as beforetime.

6 Nevertheless, they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam which made Israel sin, but walked in them, even the grove also remained still in Samaria)

7 For he had left of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, because the king of Aram had destroyed them, and made them like dust beaten to powder.

8 Concerning the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, and his valiant deeds, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

10 In the seven and thirtieth year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.

11 And did evil in the sight of the Lord: for he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin, but he walked therein.

12 Concerning the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his valiant deeds, and how he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

13 And Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat upon his seat: and Joash was buried in Samaria among the kings of Israel.

14 When Elisha fell sick of his sickness whereof he died, Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen of the same.

15 Then Elisha said unto him, Take a bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it. And Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands,

17 And said, Open the window Eastward. And when he had opened it, Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, Behold, the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance against Aram: for thou shalt smite the Aramites in Aphek, till thou hast consumed them.

18 Again he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite the ground. And he smote thrice, and ceased.

19 Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, so thou shouldest have smitten Aram, till thou hadst consumed it, where now thou shalt smite Aram but thrice.

20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. And certain bands of the Moabites came into the land that year.

21 And as they were burying a man: behold, they saw the soldiers: therefore they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha. And when the man was down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood upon his feet.

22 But Hazael king of Aram vexed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 Therefore the Lord had mercy on them and pitied them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from him as yet.

24 So Hazael the King of Aram died: and Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his stead.

25 Therefore Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz returned, and took out of the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken away by war out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father: for three times did Joash beat him, and restored the cities unto Israel.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 12:1-21

1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign, and reigned forty years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

2 And Jehoash did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his time that Jehoiada the Priest taught him. (a)

3 But the high places were not taken away: for the people offered yet and burnt incense in the high places.

4 And Jehoash said to the Priests, All the silver of dedicated things that be brought to the house of the Lord, that is, the money of them that are under the count, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that one offereth willingly, and bringeth into the house of the Lord,

5 Let the Priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and they shall repair the broken places of the house, wheresoever any decay is found.

6 Yet in the three and twentieth year of King Jehoash the Priests had not mended that which was decayed in the Temple.

7 Then King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the Priest, and the other Priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the ruins of the Temple? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, except ye deliver it to repair the ruins of the Temple.

8 So the Priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the decayed places of the Temple.

9 Then Jehoiada the Priest took a chest and bored an hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side, as every man cometh into the Temple of the Lord. And the Priests that kept the door, put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.

10 And when they saw there was much money in the chest, the king’s Secretary came up and the high Priest, and put it up after that they had told the money that was found in the house of the Lord,

11 And they gave the money made ready into the hands of them, that undertook the work, and that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders that wrought upon the house of the Lord,

12 And to the masons and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone, to repair that was decayed in the house of the Lord, and for all that which was laid out for the reparation of the Temple.

13 Howbeit there was not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, instruments of music, basins, trumpets, nor any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.

14 But they gave it to the workmen, which repaired therewith the house of the Lord.

15 Moreover, they reckoned not with the men, into whose hands they delivered that money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

16 The money of the trespass offering, and the money of the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord: for it was the Priests’.

17 Then came up Hazael king of Aram, and fought against Gath, and took it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Aram, and he departed from Jerusalem.

19 Concerning the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20 And his servants arose and wrought treason, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, when he came down to Silla.

21 Even Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer his servants smote him and he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

(a) Editor’s thought - I am reminded here of Proverbs 22:6

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 11:1-21

1 Then Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah when she saw that her son was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the King’s seed.

2 But Jehosheba the daughter of king Joram, and sister to Ahaziah took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the King’s sons that should be slain, both him and his nurse, keeping them in the bedchamber, and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

3 And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years, and Athaliah did reign over the land.

4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the captains over hundreds, with other captains and them of the guard, and caused them to come unto him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the King’s son.

5 And he commanded them, saying, This is it that ye must do, The third part of you, that cometh on the Sabbath, shall ward toward the King’s house:

6 And another third part in the gate of Sur: and another third part in the gate behind them of the guard: and ye shall keep watch in the house of Massah.

7 And two parts of you, that is, all that go out on the Sabbath day, shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.

8 And ye shall compass the King round about, every man with his weapon in his hand, and whosoever cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: be you with the King, as he goeth out and in.

9 ¶ And the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the Priest commanded, and they took every man of his men that entered into their charge on the Sabbath, with them that went out of it on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the Priest.

10 And the Priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the shields that were King David’s, and were in the house of the Lord.

11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side, about the altar and about the house, round about the King.

12 Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the Testimony, and they made him king: also they anointed him, and clapped their hands, and said, God save the King.

13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the running of the people, she came into the people in the house of the Lord.

14 And when she looked, behold, the King stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the King, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, treason.

15 But Jehoiada the Priest commanded the captains of the hundreds that had the rule of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges, and he that followeth her, let him die by the sword: for the Priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord.

16 Then they laid hands on her, and she went by the way, by the which the horses go to the house of the King, and there was she slain.

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the King and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people: likewise between the King and the people.

18 Then all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it with his altars, and his images brake they down courageously, and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the altars: and the Priest set a guard over the house of the Lord.

19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, and the other captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land: and they brought the King from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the King’s house: and he sat him down on the throne of the kings.

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: for they had slain Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house.

21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter10:1-36

1 Ahab had now seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria unto the rulers of Jezreel, and to the Elders, and to the bringers up of Ahab’s children, to this effect,

2 Now when this letter cometh to you, (for ye have with you your master’s sons, ye have with you both chariots and horses, and a defensed city, and armor)

3 Consider therefore which of your master’s sons is best and most meet, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold two kings could not stand before him, how shall we then stand?

5 And he that was governor of Ahab’s house, and he that ruled the city, and the Elders, and the bringers up of the children sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us: we will make no king: do what seemeth good to thee.

6 Then he wrote another letter to them, saying, If ye be mine, and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men that are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. (Now the king’s sons, even seventy persons were with the great men of the city, which brought them up)

7 And when the letter came to them, they took the King’s sons, and slew the seventy persons, and laid their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel.

8 Then there came a messenger and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the King’s sons. And he said, Let them lay them on two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

9 And when it was day he went out, and stood and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath brought to pass the things that he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all that were great with him, and his familiars, and his priests, so that he let none of his remain.

12 And he arose, and departed, and came to Samaria. And as Jehu was in the way by an house where the shepherds did shear,

13 He met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah, and go down to salute the children of the King and the children of the Queen.

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the well beside the house where the sheep are shorn, even two and forty men, and he left not one of them.

15 And when he was departed thence, he met with Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and he blessed him, and said to him, Is thine heart upright, as mine heart is toward thine? And Jehonadab answered, Yea, doubtless. Then give me thine hand. And when he had given him his hand, he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see the zeal that I have for the Lord: so they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah.

18 Then Jehu assembled all the people, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu shall serve him much more.

19 Now therefore call unto me all ye prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, and let not a man be lacking: for I have a great sacrifice for Baal: whosoever is lacking, he shall not live. But Jehu did it by a subtlety to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

21 So Jehu sent unto all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came, and there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was full from end to end.

22 Then he said unto him that had the charge of the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the servants of Baal. And he brought them out vestments.

23 And when Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal, he said unto the servants of Baal, Search diligently, and look, lest there be here with you any of the servants of the Lord, but the servants of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to make sacrifice and burnt offering, Jehu appointed four score men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands, escape, his soul shall be for his soul.

25 And when he had made an end of the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard, and to the captains, Go in, slay them, let not a man come out. And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the guard, and the captains cast them out, and went unto the city, where was the temple of Baal.

26 And they brought out the images of the temple of Baal, and burnt them.

27 And they destroyed the image of Baal, and threw down the house of Baal, and made a jakes of it unto this day.

28 So Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 But from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from them, neither from the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan.

30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast diligently executed that which was right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all things that were in mine heart, therefore shall thy sons unto the fourth generation sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu regarded not to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. (a)

32 In those days the Lord began to loathe Israel, and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel,

33 From Jordan Eastward, even all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and them that were of Manasseh, from Aroer (which is by the river Arnon) and Gilead and Bashan.

34 Concerning the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his valiant deeds, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria is eight and twenty years.

(a) Editor’s thought - Jehu did not fully serve God with all his heart as he still allowed idolatry.  

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 9:1-37

Friends and Brethren in Christ, greetings in His Name

Over the last few chapters we have read how those who would abandon the word of God will suffer in the end.  Today’s reading is no exception. In today’s age, there are many who refuse to understand that God is righteous. They dismiss that He does indeed, reward those who turn from Him with the wages of their sin.  Such cannot fathom it saying that a loving God would not punish His children.  Yet, as parents, do we not at times punish our own, because we love them, and wish for them to learn from the wrongs that they do?  We are instructed to discipline with love, and so we do, but we discipline all the same. And so it is with our Creator.  It is not his wish that any should perish in the final judgment, but all come to repentance, yet that day will come, and when it does, those who have turned will be caught up with those who have repented, and God will judge both of them on that day. (a)

Turn now friends, and seek Him while He may still be found. Note the end of Jezebel, wherein even her earthly remains were devoured, so that, other than the writings of the OT, none would have known of her existence.  Her reward for her wickedness, was to be cast out, and remembered no more, in so much as not even a trace of her bones would be found.  It is my sad to duty to be so blunt, but again I ask the non-believer who is reading this to consider their own end, and repent. 

1 Then Elisha the Prophet called one of the children of the Prophets, and said unto him, Gird thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and get thee to Ramoth Gilead.

2 And when thou comest thither, look where is Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and lead him to a secret chamber.

3 Then take the box of oil and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee for king over Israel: then open the door, and flee without any tarrying.

4 So the servant of the Prophet got him to Ramoth Gilead.

5 And when he came in, behold, the captains of the army were sitting. And he said, I have a message to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he answered, To thee, O captain.

6 And he arose, and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee for king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.

7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the Prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord of the hand of Jezebel.

8 For the whole house of Ahab shall be destroyed: and I will cut off from Ahab, him that maketh water against the wall, as well him that is shut up, as him that is left in Israel.

9 And I will make the house of Ahab, like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the field of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

11 ¶ Then Jehu came out to the servants of his lord. And one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and what his talk was.

12 And they said, It is false, tell us it now. Then he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee for King over Israel.

13 Then they made haste, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is King.

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram: (Now Joram kept Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Aram.

15 And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds, which the Aramites had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Aram) and Jehu said, If it be your minds, let no man depart and escape out of the city, to go and tell in Jezreel.

16 So Jehu got up into a chariot, and went to Jezreel: for Joram lay there, and Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

17 And the watchman that stood in the tower in Jezreel spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Jehoram said, Take a horseman and send to meet them, that he may say, Is it peace?

18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the King, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

19 Then he sent out another on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn behind me.

20 And the watchman told, saying, He came to them also, but cometh not again, and the marching is like the marching of Jehu the son of Nimshi: for he marcheth furiously.

21 Then Jehoram said, Make ready: and his chariot was made ready. And Jehoram king of Israel, and Ahaziah king of Judah went out either of them in his chariot against Jehu, and met him in the field of Naboth the Jezreelite.

22 And when Jehoram saw Jehu, he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace? whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are yet in great number?

23 Then Jehoram turned his hand, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, O Ahaziah, there is treason.

24 But Jehu took a bow in his hand, and smote Jehoram between the shoulders, that the arrow went through his heart: and he fell down in his chariot.

25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar a captain, Take, and cast him in some place of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for I remember that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him.

26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, said the Lord, and I will render it thee in this field, saith the Lord: now therefore take and cast him in the field according to the word of the Lord.

27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house: And Jehu pursued after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot: and they smote him in the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and there died.

28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.

29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

31 And as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, which slew his master?

32 And he lift up his eyes to the window, and said, Who is on my side, who? Then two or three of her Eunuchs looked unto him.

33 And he said, Cast her down: and they cast her down, and he sprinkled of her blood upon the wall, and upon the horses, and he trode her under foot.

34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Visit now yonder cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a King’s daughter.

35 And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her, than the skull and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

36 Wherefore they came again and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the field of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel.

37 And the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the ground in the field of Jezreel, so that none shall say, This is Jezebel.

(a) Editor’s notation - Re: Preface - Read also 2 Peter 3:9-10; Ezekiel 33:11;  1 Timothy 2:4

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 8:1-29

1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Up, and go, thou, and thine house, and sojourn where thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine, and it cometh also upon the land seven years.

2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God, and went both she and her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

3 And at the seven year’s end, the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines, and went out to call upon the king for her house and for her land.

4 And the King talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great acts, that Elisha hath done.

5 And as he told the king, how he had restored one dead to life, behold, the woman, whose son he had raised to life, called upon the king for her house and for her land. Then Gehazi said, My lord, O King, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him: so the King appointed her an Eunuch, saying, Restore thou all that are hers, and all the fruits of her land since the day she left the land, even until this time.

7 Then Elisha came to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad the king of Aram was sick: and one told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.

8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go meet the man of God, that thou mayest inquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took the present in his hand, and of every good thing of Damascus, even the burden of forty camels, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-Hadad king of Aram hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

10 And Elisha said to him, Go, and say unto him, Thou shalt recover: howbeit the Lord hath showed me, that he shall surely die.

11 And he looked upon him steadfastly, till Hazael was ashamed, and the man of God wept.

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, because I know the evil that thou shalt do unto the children of Israel: for their strong cities shalt thou set on fire, and their young men shalt thou slay with the sword, and shalt dash their infants against the stones, and rent in pieces their women with child.

13 Then Hazael said, What? is thy servant a dog, that I should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath showed me, that thou shalt be King of Aram.

14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest recover.

15 And on the morrow he took a thick cloth and dipped in it water, and spread it on his face, and he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

16 Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat King of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.

17 He was two and thirty years old, when he began to reign: and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

18 And he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he had promised him to give him a light, and to his children forever. (a)

20 In those days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah, and made a King over themselves.

21 Therefore Joram went to Zair, and all his chariots with him, and he arose by night, and smote the Edomites which were about him, with the captains of the chariots, and the people fled into their tents.

22 So Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah unto this day: then Libnah rebelled at that same time.

23 Concerning the rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab King of Israel, did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, like the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.

28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram in Ramoth Gilead, and the Aramites smote Joram.

29 And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Aramites had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

(a) Editor’s thought - This promise would culminate in Jesus Christ, who would come to rule all of God’s people. He is a lamp, a shinning light to all who seek Him. 

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 7:1-20

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord: thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow this time a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then a prince, on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Though the Lord would make windows in the heaven, could this thing come to pass? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt noteat thereof. (a)

3 Now there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the city, the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall into the camp of the Aramites: if they save our lives, we shall live: and if they kill us, we are but dead.

5 So they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Aramites: and when they were come to the utmost part of the camp of the Aramites, lo, there was no man there.

6 For the Lord had caused the camp of the Aramites to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, and a noise of a great army, so that they said one to another, Behold, the King of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us.

7 Wherefore they arose, and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their lives.

8 And when these lepers came to the utmost part of the camp, they entered into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it: after, they returned, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Then said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. If we tarry till daylight, some mischief will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go, and tell the king’s household.

10 So they came and called unto the porters of the city, and told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Aramites, and lo, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied and asses tied: and the tents are as they were.

11 And the porters cried and declared to the king’s house within.

12 Then the King arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will show you now, what the Aramites have done unto us. They know that we are famished, therefore they are gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.

13 And one of his servants answered, and said, Let me take now five of the horses that remain, and are left in the city, (behold, they are even as all the multitude of Israel that are left therein: behold, I say, they are as the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed) and we will send to see.

14 So they took two chariots of horses, and the king sent after the host of the Aramites, saying, Go and see.

15 And they went after them unto Jordan, and lo, all the way was full of clothes and vessels which the Aramites had cast from them in their haste: and the messengers returned, and told the king.

16 Then the people went out and spoiled the camp of the Aramites: so a measure of fine flour was at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel according to the word of the Lord.

17 And the king gave the prince (on whose hand he leaned) the charge of the gate, and the people [m]trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, which spake it, when the king came down to him.

18 And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the King, saying, Two measures of barley at a shekel, and a measure of fine flour shall be at a shekel, tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.

19 But the prince had answered the man of God, and said, Though the Lord would make windows in the heaven, could it come so to pass? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eat thereof.

20 And so it came unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

(a) Editor’s thought - In the various translations, some have it as a question, and others as a statement of fact that it cannot happen. However, it is this writer’s thought that either way the prince was not only showing disbelief, but openly mocking God. Hence his end is predicted, and in verse 20 fulfilled.