Daily Text and Bible Reading: Thursday, May 22 [Press play below]

15.1 Now the spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.
15.2 So he went out to meet Asa and said to him: “Hear me, O Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! Jehovah is with you as long as you remain with him; and if you search for him, he will let himself be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
15.3 For a long time Israel had been without the true God, without a priest teaching, and without law.
15.4 But when in their distress they returned to Jehovah the God of Israel and searched for him, he let himself be found by them.
15.5 In those times no one could travel safely, for there was much unrest among all the inhabitants of the lands.
15.6 Nation was being crushed by nation and one city by another city, because God kept them in disorder with every sort of distress.
15.7 But you, be strong and do not become discouraged, for your activity will be rewarded.”
15.8 As soon as Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the disgusting idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had captured from the mountainous region of Ephraim, and he restored Jehovah’s altar that was before the porch of Jehovah.
15.9 And he gathered together all Judah and Benjamin and the foreign residents with them from Ephraim and Manasseh and Simeon, for they had deserted to him from Israel in great number when they saw that Jehovah his God was with him.
15.10 So they were gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month of the 15th year of Asa’s reign.
15.11 On that day they sacrificed to Jehovah from the spoil they had brought, 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep.
15.12 Furthermore, they entered into a covenant to search for Jehovah the God of their forefathers with all their heart and with all their soul.
15.13 Whoever would not search for Jehovah the God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
15.14 So they took an oath to Jehovah with a loud voice, with joyful shouting, and with the trumpets and horns.
15.15 And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had taken the oath with all their heart and they eagerly sought him and he let himself be found by them, and Jehovah continued to give them rest on every side.
15.16 Asa the king even removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen mother, because she had made an obscene idol for the worship of the sacred pole. Asa cut down her obscene idol and pulverized it and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
15.17 But the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless, Asa’s heart was complete all his life.
15.18 And he brought the things that he and his father had made holy into the house of the true God—silver, gold, and various utensils.
15.19 There was no war until the 35th year of Asa’s reign.

16.1 In the 36th year of the reign of Asa, King Baasha of Israel came up against Judah and began to build up Ramah to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.
16.2 At that Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of Jehovah’s house and the king’s house and sent them to King Ben-hadad of Syria, who was dwelling in Damascus, saying:
16.3 “There is a treaty between me and you and between my father and your father. I am sending you silver and gold. Come, break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”
16.4 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the chiefs of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they struck down Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the storage places of the cities of Naphtali.
16.5 When Baasha heard of it, he immediately quit building Ramah and abandoned his work on it.
16.6 King Asa then took all Judah, and they carried off the stones and timbers of Ramah that Baasha had been building with, and with them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
16.7 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on Jehovah your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
16.8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a very great army with many chariots and horsemen? But because you relied on Jehovah, he gave them into your hand.
16.9 For the eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on there will be wars against you.”
16.10 However, Asa became offended at the seer and put him in prison because he was enraged at him over this. And Asa began to mistreat others among the people at that same time.
16.11 Now the history of Asa, from beginning to end, is written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and of Israel.
16.12 In the 39th year of his reign, Asa developed an ailment in his feet until he became very sick; and even in his sickness, he turned, not to Jehovah, but to the healers.
16.13 Then Asa was laid to rest with his forefathers; he died in the 41st year of his reign.
16.14 So they buried him in the grand burial place that he had excavated for himself in the City of David, and they laid him on a bier that had been filled with balsam oil and different sorts of ingredients mixed into a specially made ointment. Further, they made an extraordinarily great funeral burning for him.

17.1 And his son Jehoshaphat became king in his place, and he strengthened his position over Israel.
17.2 He stationed military forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.
17.3 Jehovah continued with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his forefather David and did not search for the Baals.
17.4 For he searched for the God of his father and followed his commandment and not the practices of Israel.
17.5 Jehovah kept the kingdom firmly established in his hand; and all Judah continued to give gifts to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and glory in abundance.
17.6 His heart became bold in the ways of Jehovah, and he even removed the high places and the sacred poles from Judah.
17.7 In the third year of his reign he sent for his princes, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
17.8 There were Levites with them: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, and along with them Elishama and Jehoram the priests.
17.9 They began teaching in Judah, taking with them the book of Jehovah’s Law, and they went around through all the cities of Judah teaching among the people.
17.10 And the dread of Jehovah came upon all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, and they did not fight against Jehoshaphat.
17.11 And the Philistines brought to Jehoshaphat gifts and money as tribute. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats from their flocks.
17.12 Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he continued building fortified places and storage cities in Judah.
17.13 He carried out extensive projects in the cities of Judah, and he had soldiers, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem.
17.14 These were grouped by their paternal houses: of Judah the chiefs of thousands, Adnah the chief, and with him were 300,000 mighty warriors.
17.15 And under his command was Jehohanan the chief, and with him were 280,000.
17.16 And also under his command was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for Jehovah’s service, and with him were 200,000 mighty warriors.
17.17 And out of Benjamin was Eliada, a mighty warrior, and with him were 200,000 men equipped with the bow and shield.
17.18 And under his command was Jehozabad, and with him were 180,000 men equipped for the army.
17.19 These were ministering to the king in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.


18.1 Jehoshaphat had riches and glory in abundance, but he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.
18.2 So years later he went down to Ahab at Samaria, and Ahab sacrificed sheep and cattle in abundance for him and for the people with him. And he urged him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.
18.3 Then King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He replied to him: “I am the same as you, and my people are the same as your people and will support you in the war.”
18.4 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel: “First inquire, please, for the word of Jehovah.”
18.5 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, 400 men, and said to them: “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” They said: “Go up, and the true God will give it into the king’s hand.”
18.6 Jehoshaphat then said: “Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah? Let us also inquire through him.”
18.7 At that the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “There is still one more man through whom we can inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good things concerning me, but always bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah.” However, Jehoshaphat said: “The king should not say such a thing.”
18.8 So the king of Israel called a court official and said: “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly.”
18.9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in royal attire; they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
18.10 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself iron horns and said: “This is what Jehovah says, ‘With these you will gore the Syrians until you exterminate them.’”
18.11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same way, saying: “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and you will be successful; Jehovah will give it into the king’s hand.”
18.12 So the messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him: “Look! The words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Let your word, please, become like theirs, and speak favorably.”
18.13 But Micaiah said: “As surely as Jehovah is living, whatever my God says is what I will speak.”
18.14 Then he came in to the king, and the king asked him: “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” At once he replied: “Go up and you will be successful; they will be given into your hand.”
18.15 At that the king said to him: “How many times must I put you under oath not to speak to me anything but the truth in the name of Jehovah?”
18.16 So he said: “I see all the Israelites scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd. Jehovah said: ‘These have no master. Let each one go back to his house in peace.’”
18.17 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “Did I not tell you, ‘He will not prophesy good things concerning me, only bad’?”
18.18 Micaiah then said: “Therefore, hear the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne and all the army of the heavens standing at his right and at his left.
18.19 Jehovah then said, ‘Who will fool King Ahab of Israel, so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one was saying one thing while another said something else.
18.20 Then a spirit came forward and stood before Jehovah and said, ‘I will fool him.’ Jehovah asked him, ‘How will you do it?’
18.21 He replied, ‘I will go out and become a deceptive spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ So he said, ‘You will fool him, and what is more, you will be successful. Go out and do that.’
18.22 And now Jehovah has put a deceptive spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, but Jehovah has declared calamity for you.”
18.23 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah now approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said: “Which way did the spirit of Jehovah pass from me to speak with you?”
18.24 Micaiah replied: “Look! You will see which way on the day when you will enter the innermost room to hide.”
18.25 Then the king of Israel said: “Take Micaiah and turn him over to Amon the chief of the city and to Joash the king’s son.
18.26 Tell them, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this fellow in the prison and feed him with a reduced allowance of bread and water until I return in peace.”’”
18.27 But Micaiah said: “If you do return in peace, Jehovah has not spoken with me.” Then he added: “Take note, all you peoples.”
18.28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
18.29 The king of Israel now said to Jehoshaphat: “I will disguise myself and will go into the battle, but you should put on your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they entered the battle.
18.30 Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders: “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
18.31 And as soon as the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said to themselves: “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat began to cry for help, and Jehovah helped him, and God at once diverted them from him.
18.32 When the chariot commanders saw that it was not the king of Israel, they immediately turned back from following him.
18.33 But one man shot his bow at random, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his coat of mail. So the king said to his charioteer: “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I have been badly wounded.”
18.34 The fighting raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel had to be propped up in the chariot, facing the Syrians until the evening; and he died at sunset.