References for Walk Courageously With God​—Section 2

CHAPTER 22

His Loyalty Called for Courage

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Questions From Readers

Who were the Philistines mentioned in the Bible?

The Bible often refers to a people known as the Philistines, who lived in Canaan when God’s ancient people took possession of the Promised Land. For a long time, these ancient Philistines opposed God’s people, as is highlighted in the account of David’s encounter with the giant Philistine champion named Goliath.​—1 Samuel 17:1-3, 23-53.

The Philistines continued to be a potent force in the area long after Israel entered the land that God had promised them. (Exodus 13:17; Joshua 13:2; Judges 1:18, 19; 3:3, 4; 15:9, 10; 1 Samuel 4:1-11; 7:7-14; 13:19-23; 1 Kings 16:15) As late as the reign of Judean king Uzziah, Philistines remained in their cities Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. (2 Chronicles 26:6) Others of their cities prominent in Biblical accounts were Ekron, Ashkelon, and Gaza.

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A “Pim” Testifies to the Bible’s Historicity

THE word “pim” occurs only once in the Bible. In the days of King Saul, the Israelites had to get their metal tools sharpened by Philistine smiths. “The price for sharpening proved to be a pim for the plowshares and for the mattocks and for the three-toothed instruments and for the axes and for fixing fast the oxgoad,” states the Bible.​—1 Samuel 13:21.

What was a pim? The answer to that question remained a mystery until 1907 C.E. when the first pim weight stone was excavated at the ancient city of Gezer. Bible translators of earlier dates had difficulty translating the word “pim.” The King James Version, for example, rendered 1 Samuel 13:21: “Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.”

Scholars today know that a pim was a weight measure averaging 7.82 grams, or approximately two thirds of a shekel, the basic Hebrew unit of weight. A pim measure of silver scrap was the price the Philistines charged the Israelites for sharpening their tools. The shekel weight system went out of use with the fall of the kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, in 607 B.C.E. So how does the pim measure testify to the historicity of the Hebrew text?

Referring to the pim measure mentioned at 1 Samuel 13:21, however, William G. Dever, professor of Near Eastern archaeology and anthropology, says: “[It] cannot possibly have been ‘invented’ by writers living in the Hellenistic-Roman period several centuries after these weights had disappeared and had been forgotten. In fact, this bit of biblical text . . . would not be understood until the early 20th century A.D., when the first actual archaeological examples turned up, reading pîm in Hebrew.” The professor continues: “If the biblical stories are all ‘literary inventions’ of the Hellenistic-Roman era, how did this particular story come to be in the Hebrew Bible? One may object, of course, that the pîm incident is ‘only a detail.’ To be sure; but as is well known, ‘history is in the details.’”

it “Michmas(h)” ¶4

Michmas(h)

Jonathan Initiates Rout of Philistines. Because three bands of Philistine pillagers would go out from their camp at Michmash and an outpost of the Philistines would sally forth to “the ravine pass of Michmash,” Jonathan decided to end this menace. (1Sa 13:16-23) To do this, he crossed the ravine pass, which (if Wadi Suweinit) forms a deep gorge with nearly vertical cliffs to the E of Geba (Jabaʽ). Two prominent hills with steep rocky sides rise at a point where the Wadi Suweinit makes a sharp bend. These may be the ‘toothlike crags’ Bozez and Seneh, their toothlike edges having perhaps been rounded by the erosive forces of some 30 centuries. (1Sa 14:1-7) For a stranger to have made his way through the maze of mounds, knolls, and sharp rocks in the wadi would have been next to impossible. But Jonathan, reared in Benjamite territory, apparently knew it well. While his father’s camp was at Michmash and his own at Geba, Jonathan doubtless had repeated opportunities for getting better acquainted with the terrain.

it “Mephibosheth” No. 2 ¶1

Mephibosheth

2. Son of Jonathan; grandson of King Saul. When the report about the deaths of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, Mephibosheth’s nurse began to carry the five-year-old boy and flee in panic. At that time he “had a fall and was lamed” in both feet. (2Sa 4:4) For some years thereafter, Mephibosheth lived in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel at Lo-debar. David learned this from Ziba, a former servant in Saul’s house. Doubtless remembering his covenant with Jonathan (1Sa 20:12-17, 42), David wished to exercise loving-kindness toward anyone “left over of the house of Saul.” Mephibosheth was brought before David, and when the king explained that it was his desire to exercise loving-kindness toward Mephibosheth by returning to him “all the field of Saul” and by having him “eat bread at my table constantly,” Mephibosheth responded humbly: “What is your servant, that you have turned your face to the dead dog such as I am?” However, in keeping with David’s determination in the matter, Ziba and all those dwelling in his house (including 15 sons and 20 servants) became servants to Mephibosheth, who was given Saul’s property. He thereafter resided in Jerusalem and constantly ate at the table of the king.​—2Sa 9.

CHAPTER 23

He Stood Up to a Giant

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David Versus Goliath​—Did It Really Happen?

Some people wonder if the account about David and Goliath is true history or just myth. Did such a doubt cross your mind as you read the preceding article? If so, please consider the following three questions.

1 | Could a man really be some nine and a half feet (2.9 m) tall?

The Bible says that Goliath’s “height was six cubits and a span.” (1 Samuel 17:4) The cubit in question was 17.5 inches (44.5 cm) long; the span, 8.75 inches (22.2 cm). That adds up to about nine feet six inches (2.9 m). Some insist that Goliath could not have been that tall, but consider: In modern times, the tallest man documented was over 8 feet 11 inches (2.7 m) tall. Is it really impossible that Goliath was six inches (15 cm) or so taller? He was of the tribe of the Rephaim, men who were known for their unusual size. An Egyptian document from the 13th century B.C.E. mentions that some fearsome warriors in the region of Canaan were over eight feet (2.4 m) in height. So Goliath’s height, while unusual, is hardly impossible.

2 | Was David a real person?

There was a time when scholars tried to relegate King David to the realm of myth, but that has become harder to do. Archaeologists have found an ancient inscription that mentions “the house of David.” Furthermore, Jesus Christ spoke of David as a real person. (Matthew 12:3; 22:43-45) Jesus’ identity as the Messiah is supported by two detailed genealogies showing that he descended from King David. (Matthew 1:6-16; Luke 3:23-31) Clearly, David was a real man.

3 | Did the events described in the account unfold in a real place?

The Bible says that the battle occurred in the Valley of Elah. But it gets still more specific, noting that the Philistines camped on a hillside somewhere between two towns, Socoh and Azekah. The Israelites were stationed across the valley on the opposite hillside. Were these real places?

Note what a recent visitor to the area says: “Our guide​—who was not a religious man—​took us to the Valley of Elah. We ascended a path that took us to the brow of a hill. As we looked over the valley, he had us read 1 Samuel 17:1-3. Then he pointed across the valley, saying: ‘There, to your left, lie the ruins of Socoh.’ Turning, he said, ‘Over there, to your right, are the ruins of Azekah. The Philistines camped between those towns, somewhere on the hillsides facing you. So we may be standing where the Israelites camped.’ I thought of Saul and David standing right where I was. Then we descended, and on the valley floor, we crossed a streambed, mostly dry, that was full of stones. I could not help but picture David stooping here to pick up five smooth stones, one of which killed Goliath.” That visitor, like many others, was deeply impressed with the authentic details in the Bible record.

There is no real basis for doubting the truthfulness of this historical account. It involves real people and real places. More important, it is part of God’s inspired Word, so it comes from the God of truth, the One who “cannot lie.”​—Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:16.

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A Man Agreeable to Jehovah’s Heart

When we are introduced to David, he is a young shepherd boy with the responsibility of looking after his father’s sheep. This task likely involved his spending long, lonely days and nights in the open fields. Try to imagine the scene.

David’s family lived in Bethlehem, a little town on the summit and slopes of a ridge in the hills of Judah. The stony fields around Bethlehem produced good crops of grain. Orchards, olive groves, and vineyards covered the gentler slopes and valley. In David’s day, the uncultivated uplands were likely used for pasture. Beyond lay the wilderness of Judah.

David’s occupation was not without its dangers. It was among these hills that he faced both a lion and a bear that tried to carry off sheep from the drove. This courageous youth went after the predators, killed them, and rescued his sheep from their mouths. (1 Samuel 17:34-36) Perhaps it was in this period of his life that David developed his skill with a sling. Not far from his hometown lay the territory of Benjamin. The marksmen of that tribe could sling stones “to a hairbreadth and would not miss.” David’s aim was just as accurate.​—Judges 20:14-16; 1 Samuel 17:49.

Time Well Spent

For the most part, shepherding was a tranquil and solitary occupation. But David did not allow himself to become bored. On the contrary, the peaceful stillness afforded him numerous opportunities for meditation. It seems likely that some of David’s reflections included in his psalms are traceable to his youth. Was it during moments of solitude that he pondered man’s place in the universal order and the wonders of the heavens​—sun, moon, and stars, “the works of [Jehovah’s] fingers”? Was it in the fields around Bethlehem that he contemplated the productive land, the cattle and oxen, the birds and “the beasts of the open field”?​—Psalm 8:3-9; 19:1-6.

No doubt David’s own experience as a shepherd made him feel all the more deeply Jehovah’s tenderness toward His faithful ones. David thus sang: “Jehovah is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by well-watered resting-places he conducts me. Even though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear nothing bad, for you are with me; your rod and your staff are the things that comfort me.”​—Psalm 23:1, 2, 4.

it “Eliab” No. 4 ¶1

Eliab

4. The firstborn of King David’s father Jesse. (1Sa 17:13; 1Ch 2:13) Eliab’s appearance and the height of his stature so impressed Samuel that he concluded this one was God’s choice for the kingship. Jehovah, though, had rejected Eliab and selected David.​—1Sa 16:6-12.

CHAPTER 24

She Faced Two Angry Men

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A Discreet Woman Averts Disaster

Meanwhile, sheepshearing had begun in Carmel. This was a festive occasion, similar to harvesttime for the farmer. It was also a time of openhanded generosity, when sheep owners would reward those who had worked for them. So David was not being presumptuous when he sent ten men to the city of Carmel to ask Nabal for food in repayment for the service that they had performed in behalf of his flocks.​—1 Samuel 25:4-9.

it “Life” ¶45

Life

“The Bag of Life.” When Abigail appealed to David to turn back from his mission of vengeance upon Nabal, thereby restraining him from entering into bloodguilt, she said: “When man rises up to pursue you and look for your soul, the soul of my lord will certainly prove to be wrapped up in the bag of life with Jehovah your God; but, as for the soul of your enemies, he will sling it forth as from inside the hollow of the sling.” (1Sa 25:29-33) Just as a person wraps up something valuable to protect and preserve it, so David’s life as an individual was in the hands of the living God, and He would preserve David’s life from his enemies, as long as David did not try to bring his salvation by his own hand, but waited on Jehovah. However, the soul of David’s enemies God would throw away.

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“The Insight of a Man Certainly Slows Down His Anger”

HOW INSIGHT SLOWS DOWN ANGER

Insight is the ability to see into a situation. To have insight means to see beyond the surface of a matter. How does that help when we are offended or provoked?

When we see an injustice, we may well become indignant. However, if we follow our emotions and react violently, we may end up hurting ourselves or someone else. Just as an uncontrolled fire can burn down a house, the flare of anger may destroy our reputation and our relationships with others, even with God. So when we feel anger welling up inside us, it is time to take a deeper look into the situation. Seeing a more complete picture of what is happening will surely help us to control our emotions.

Solomon’s father, King David, narrowly escaped incurring bloodguilt in connection with a man named Nabal, thanks to David’s being helped to see into the situation. David and his men protected Nabal’s sheep in the Judean wilderness. When the time came for shearing the flock, David asked Nabal for some provisions. At that, Nabal answered: “Do I have to take my bread and my water and the meat that I butchered for my shearers and give it to men who come from who knows where?” What an insult! When David heard those words, he, with some 400 men, set out to annihilate Nabal and his household.​—1 Samuel 25:4-13.

Nabal’s wife, Abigail, learned about the incident and went out to see David. Upon meeting David and his men, she fell at his feet and said: “Let your servant girl speak to you, and listen to the words of your servant girl.” Then, she explained to David how senseless Nabal was and pointed out that David would regret taking revenge and shedding blood.​—1 Samuel 25:24-31.

What insight did David gain from Abigail’s words that helped to defuse the tense situation? First, he saw that Nabal was a senseless man by nature, and second, David saw that he could incur bloodguilt if he avenged himself. Like David, you may be infuriated by something. What should you do? “Take a few moments to breathe deeply and count to 10,” suggests a Mayo Clinic article on anger management. Yes, stop and think what the cause of the problem is and what the consequences of your intended action might be. Let insight slow down your anger​—even dispel it.​—1 Samuel 25:32-35.

In a similar way, many today have been helped to control their anger. Sebastian explained how, as a 23-year-old inmate in a Polish prison, he learned to control his temper and strong emotions through a study of the Bible. “First, I think about the problem,” he said. “Then, I try to apply the Bible’s counsel. I found that the Bible is the best guidebook.”

Setsuo followed basically the same tactic. He said: “I used to shout at others when I was irritated by them at work. Now that I’ve studied the Bible, instead of shouting I ask myself: ‘Who is at fault anyway? Am I not the one causing the problem?’” Thinking about such questions slowed down his anger, and he was able to contain the strong feelings that welled up in his heart.

The emotion of anger may be very strong, but counsel from God’s Word is stronger still. By applying the Bible’s wise counsel and praying for God’s help, you too can let your insight slow down or control your anger.

CHAPTER 25

Courage Guided by Conscience

it “Abishai” ¶3-5

Abishai

Abishai came to be more distinguished for his prowess than the 30 mighty warriors over whom he served as chief, his reputation even rivaling those of David’s three most mighty men, for he once struck down 300 of the enemy single-handed, but “to the rank of the first three he did not come.”​—2Sa 23:18, 19.

Abishai loyally supported his uncle David in all his military campaigns but tended to be impulsive and ruthless and on occasion had to be restrained. For example, when he and David stole into Saul’s military camp by night he would have pinned sleeping Saul, “the anointed of Jehovah,” to the earth with Saul’s own spear had not David restrained him. (1Sa 26:6-9) When Absalom rebelled, Abishai had to be held back twice from executing king-cursing Shimei. However, David was not able to prevent Abishai from collaborating in the death of Abner.​—2Sa 3:30; 16:9-11; 19:21-23.

Abishai was noted for his taking the lead in striking down 18,000 Edomites and, again, in leading in the rout of the Ammonites. He also cooperated in putting down the rebellion of Sheba, a good-for-nothing Benjaminite. In David’s last recorded battle had it not been for Abishai, he would have lost his life at the hand of a Philistine of great stature.​—1Ch 18:12; 19:11-15; 2Sa 20:1, 6; 21:15-17.

it “Partridge” ¶4

Partridge

The partridge has a delicate flesh and was hunted as food from ancient times, the hunters often using throwing sticks to bring down the bird when it was flushed from cover. Since the partridge seeks escape by running, dodging behind rocks and other obstacles, and seeking out a hiding place in clefts of rocks or similar places of concealment, David, moving from hiding place to hiding place in his endeavor to evade King Saul’s relentless pursuit, aptly likened himself to “a partridge upon the mountains.”​—1Sa 26:20; compare La 3:52.

CHAPTER 26

He Corrected the King

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Nathan​—Loyal Advocate of Pure Worship

Much of what we know about Nathan may have been written by the prophet himself. Yet, his silence regarding certain matters tells us much about him. Nathan evidently was an unassuming historian. He was not ambitious, wanting to make a name for himself. In the words of one Bible dictionary, he appears in the inspired record “with no introduction and no pedigree.” We know nothing about Nathan’s ancestry or personal life.

it “David” ¶29

David

And so it proved to be. The adulterine child born to Bath-sheba soon died, even though David fasted and mourned over the sick child for seven days. (2Sa 12:15-23) Then David’s firstborn son Amnon raped his own half sister Tamar, and he was subsequently murdered by her brother, to the grief of his father. (2Sa 13:1-33) Later, Absalom, the third and beloved son of David, not only attempted to usurp the throne but openly despised and publicly disgraced his father by having relations with David’s concubines. (2Sa 15:1–16:22) Finally, the humiliation reached its peak when civil war plunged the country into a struggle of son against father, ending in Absalom’s death, contrary to the wishes of David and much to his grief. (2Sa 17:1–18:33) During his flight from Absalom, David composed Psalm 3, in which he says, “Salvation belongs to Jehovah.”​—Ps 3:8.

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Nathan​—Loyal Advocate of Pure Worship

Nathan was aware that Solomon was to succeed elderly David as king. So Nathan acted decisively when Adonijah attempted to usurp the throne during David’s waning years. Tact and loyalty again characterized Nathan’s actions. First he urged Bath-sheba to remind David of his sworn intention to make their son Solomon king. Then Nathan himself entered the king’s presence to ask whether David had authorized Adonijah’s succession. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the aged king instructed Nathan and other loyal servants to have Solomon anointed and proclaimed king. Adonijah’s coup was thwarted.​—1 Ki. 1:5-53.

CHAPTER 27

He Refused to Become Bitter

it “Machir” No. 2

Machir

2. Son of Ammiel (and resident of Lo-debar) with whom Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth resided until David sent for him and made provision for his care. (2Sa 9:4-7, 13) Later, during Absalom’s rebellion, Machir was among the persons who supplied King David and his associates with food and other provisions.​—2Sa 17:27-29.

it “Dog” ¶5

Dog

Further indication of the contempt in which these wild, scavenging dogs were held are the following examples: “Am I a dog?” bellowed Goliath to David, because the latter came to him with a staff. (1Sa 17:43) “After whom are you chasing? After a dead dog?” asked David of King Saul, thus showing that he was insignificant and could do no more harm to Saul than a dead dog. (1Sa 24:14) Similarly, Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, in speaking to King David, referred to himself as “the dead dog,” the lowest condition possible. (2Sa 9:8; see also 2Sa 3:8; 16:9; 2Ki 8:13.) The prophet Isaiah compared God’s professed spiritual watchmen to speechless, slumbering dogs full of soulful desire, completely ineffectual in the case of danger. (Isa 56:10, 11) The enemies of Jehovah’s servants were likened to dogs, and so were the Gentiles. (Ps 22:16, 20; 59:6, 14; Mt 15:26, 27; see SYROPHOENICIAN.) Jesus Christ compared persons having no appreciation for spiritual things to dogs, saying: “Do not give what is holy to dogs.”​—Mt 7:6.

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They Coped With Thorns in Their Flesh

¹¹ Later on, Mephibosheth had to contend with another thorn in his flesh. His servant Ziba slandered him before King David, who was then fleeing Jerusalem because of the rebellion of Absalom, David’s son. Ziba said that Mephibosheth had disloyally stayed behind in Jerusalem in the hope of acquiring the kingship for himself. David believed Ziba’s slander and turned over all of Mephibosheth’s property to that liar!​—2 Samuel 16:1-4.

[Footnote]

An ambitious scheme of that kind would have been out of character for such an appreciative, humble man as Mephibosheth. No doubt he well knew the faithful record set by his father, Jonathan. Although a son of King Saul, Jonathan had humbly recognized David as Jehovah’s choice to be king over Israel. (1 Samuel 20:12-17) As the God-fearing parent of Mephibosheth and a loyal friend to David, Jonathan would not have taught his young son to aspire to royal power.

it “Mephibosheth” No. 2 ¶3

Mephibosheth

When the Gibeonites sought the death of Saul’s descendants to atone for that king’s evil attempt against them, David felt compassion for Mephibosheth because of the oath of Jehovah between David and Jonathan and spared Mephibosheth. (2Sa 21:7, 8) The Scriptures provide no further information about Mephibosheth, though Saul’s family continued in existence to a later generation through Mephibosheth’s son Mica (Micah). (2Sa 9:12; 1Ch 9:39-44) Evidently Mephibosheth also had the name Merib-baal, as 1 Chronicles 8:34 and 9:40 would indicate.

CHAPTER 28

Completely Devoted to Jehovah “All His Life”

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Does It Matter How We Worship God?

The centers for the mixed worship of the Israelites were “the high places,” or local shrines equipped with altars, incense stands, sacred stone pillars, and sacred poles, apparently wooden symbols of Asherah, a Canaanite goddess of fertility. There were many such centers in Judah. Second Kings 23:5, 8 mentions “high places in the cities of Judah and the surroundings of Jerusalem, . . . from Geba [northern border] as far as Beer-sheba [southern border].”

At these high places, the Israelites made “sacrificial smoke to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations of the zodiac and to all the army of the heavens.” They had houses for “male temple prostitutes . . . in the house of Jehovah” and offered their children “through the fire to Molech.”​—2 Kings 23:4-10.

Archaeologists have found hundreds of terra-cotta figurines in Jerusalem and Judah, mainly in the ruins of private homes. Most were depictions of a nude female with exaggerated breasts. Scholars identify these figurines with the fertility goddesses Ashtoreth and Asherah. The figurines are believed to have been “talismans abetting conception and childbirth.”

How did the Israelites view these local centers for mixed worship? Professor Ephraim Stern of Hebrew University observed that many of these high places were probably “dedicated to Yahweh [Jehovah].” Inscriptions found at archaeological sites seem to support this view. For example, one says, “I bless you by Yahweh of Samaria and by his asherah,” and another says, “I bless you by Yahweh of Teman and by his asherah!”

These examples illustrate how the Israelites compromised by mixing the pure worship of Jehovah God with shameful pagan practices. The result was moral degradation and spiritual darkness. How did God view this form of compromised worship?

it “Hanani” No. 2

Hanani

2. The seer, or visionary, who rebuked King Asa of Judah for making an alliance with the king of Syria instead of relying upon Jehovah, and who was put in the house of the stocks because the king took offense at what he said. (2Ch 16:1-3, 7-10) Hanani apparently was the father of Jehu, the prophet who rebuked Baasha the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah.​—1Ki 16:1-4, 7; 2Ch 19:2, 3; 20:34.

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Highlights From the Book of Second Chronicles

14:2-5; 15:17—Did King Asa remove all “the high places”? Apparently, he did not. It may be that Asa removed only the high places associated with the worship of false gods but not those where people worshipped Jehovah. It could also be that high places were built again in the latter part of Asa’s reign. These his son Jehoshaphat removed. Actually, the high places did not disappear completely, even during Jehoshaphat’s reign.​—2 Chronicles 17:5, 6; 20:31-33.

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“There Exists a Reward for Your Activity”

AT THE head of his army, King Asa hastens down the deep valley from the Judean highlands to the coastal plain. Where the valley widens, Asa pauses and gasps. Below him is an enemy camp​—and it is huge! Those Ethiopian troops must number one million​—literally. Asa’s army totals a little over half that many men.

In the face of an impending battle, what occupies Asa more than anything else? Orders for his generals? Encouragement for his troops? Letters to his family? No, indeed! Faced with this crisis, Asa prays.

ASA’S RECORD

Pleased with Asa’s zeal for true worship, Jehovah rewarded him with years of peace. The king could thus say: “We have searched for Jehovah our God. We have searched, and he gives us rest all around.” The people made use of this situation by fortifying the cities of the kingdom of Judah. “They went building and proving successful,” says the Biblical account.​—2 Chron. 14:1, 6, 7.

ON THE BATTLEFIELD

In view of Asa’s record, we should not be surprised that he prayed when confronted with the largest human army mentioned in the Scriptures. Asa knew that God rewards acts of faith. In his prayer, the king pleaded for Jehovah’s help. Asa recognized that if he relied on God and had his backing, it did not matter how numerous or powerful the enemy was. Jehovah’s name was involved in this conflict, and Asa therefore appealed to God on that basis. The king prayed: “Help us, O Jehovah our God, for upon you we do lean, and in your name we have come against this crowd. O Jehovah, you are our God. Do not let mortal man retain strength against you.” (2 Chron. 14:11) That was like saying: ‘The Ethiopian invasion is an attack on you, Jehovah. Do not allow your name to be dishonored by permitting weak humans to overthrow those who bear your name.’ So it was that “Jehovah defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians took to flight.”​—2 Chron. 14:12.

Today, Jehovah’s people face many powerful opponents. We will not fight them with material weapons on a literal battlefield. Yet, we can be sure that Jehovah will reward with victory all faithful ones who wage spiritual warfare in his name. Our personal battles may include exertion to resist the pervading spirit of moral laxity, to fight our own weaknesses, or to protect our family from defiling influences. Whatever adversity we face, however, we can find encouragement in Asa’s prayer. His victory was Jehovah’s victory. It showed what can be expected by all who rely upon God. No human power can withstand Jehovah.

ENCOURAGEMENT AND A WARNING

On his return from battle, Asa was met by Azariah. This prophet gave both encouragement and a warning: “Hear me, O Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! Jehovah is with you as long as you prove to be with him; and if you search for him, he will let himself be found by you, but if you leave him he will leave you. . . . Be courageous and do not let your hands drop down, because there exists a reward for your activity.”​—2 Chron. 15:1, 2, 7.

These words can strengthen our faith. They show that Jehovah will be with us as long as we serve him faithfully. When we cry out to him for help, we can be confident that he hears us. “Be courageous,” said Azariah. It often takes great courage to do what is right, but we know that we can do so with Jehovah’s help.

Because Asa’s grandmother Maacah had made “a horrible idol to the sacred pole,” Asa faced the difficult task of removing her from her royal position as “lady.” He met the challenge and also burned her idol. (1 Ki. 15:13) Asa was blessed for his resolve and courage. We too must stick unflinchingly to Jehovah and his righteous standards whether our relatives are loyal to God or not. If we do, Jehovah will reward us for our faithful conduct.

CHAPTER 29

“My God Is Jehovah”

it “Raven” ¶5

Raven

The raven, unlike the crow, is usually a bird of the wilderness, often inhabiting mountainous regions and even deserts. It was among the creatures envisioned by Isaiah as inhabiting the emptiness and wasteness of ruined Edom. (Isa 34:11) The raven also has the practice of storing surplus food in rock crevices or burying it beneath leaves. These birds were thus an apt selection when God used them miraculously to carry in bread and meat twice daily to Elijah while the prophet was concealed in the torrent valley of Cherith.​—1Ki 17:2-6.

it “Elijah” No. 1 ¶11

Elijah

Miracles. Eight miracles are credited to Elijah in the Bible account. They are: (1) shutting off rain from heaven, (2) keeping the flour and oil supply of the widow of Zarephath renewed, (3) resurrecting the widow’s son, (4) having fire fall from heaven in answer to prayer, (5) having rain break the drought in answer to prayer, (6) calling down fire on King Ahaziah’s captain and his 50 men, (7) calling down fire on a second captain and his 50, and (8) parting the Jordan River by smiting it with his official garment. His ascension to the heavens was also miraculous, but it was the direct act of God, not something initiated by a prayer or proclamation made by Elijah.

ba 17 ¶3

Can This Book Be Trusted?

In some cases the omission of certain details only adds to the credibility of the Bible writer. For example, the writer of 1 Kings tells of a severe drought in Israel. It was so severe that the king could not find enough water and grass to keep his horses and mules alive. (1 Kings 17:7; 18:5) Yet, the same account reports that the prophet Elijah ordered enough water to be brought to him on Mount Carmel (for use in connection with a sacrifice) to fill a trench circumscribing an area of perhaps 10,000 square feet [1,000 sq m]. (1 Kings 18:33-35) In the midst of the drought, where did all the water come from? The writer of 1 Kings did not trouble himself to explain. However, anyone living in Israel knew that Carmel was on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, as an incidental remark later in the narrative indicates. (1 Kings 18:43) Thus, seawater would have been readily available. If this otherwise detailed book were merely fiction masquerading as fact, why would its writer, who in that case would be a clever forger, have left such an apparent difficulty in the text?

w14 2/1 12 ¶3

He Endured in the Face of Injustice

Did Elijah also feel a bit hesitant about delegating some of his responsibilities, sharing his privileges, or someday being replaced? We cannot say; nor can we rule out the possibility that such concerns crossed his mind. He was, after all, “a man with feelings like ours.” (James 5:17) In any case, the Bible record states: “Elijah went over to him and threw his official garment on him.” (1 Kings 19:19) Elijah’s official garment​—likely of sheepskin or goatskin—​was worn as a cloak and signified his special appointment from Jehovah. Throwing it over Elisha’s shoulders, then, was a gesture full of meaning. Elijah willingly submitted to Jehovah’s command to appoint Elisha as his successor. Elijah trusted his God and obeyed him.

CHAPTER 30

She Found Courage in the Face of Despair

it “Sidon” ¶6

Sidon

Sidonian Religion and Its Consequence. Religiously, the Sidonians were depraved; lewd sex orgies in connection with the goddess Ashtoreth were a prominent part of their worship. The Israelites, allowing the Sidonians to remain among them, were eventually ensnared into worshiping their false gods. (Jg 10:6, 7, 11-13) Some of the foreign wives that Solomon married were Sidonians, and these caused the king to go after the disgusting fertility goddess Ashtoreth. (1Ki 11:1, 4-6; 2Ki 23:13) King Ahab also did what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes by marrying Jezebel, the daughter of a Sidonian king. Jezebel, in turn, zealously promoted false worship in Israel.​—1Ki 16:29-33; 18:18, 19.

it “Ethbaal”

Ethbaal

(Eth·baʹal) [With Baal].

King of the Sidonians, the father of Jezebel the wife of King Ahab. (1Ki 16:31) By giving his daughter in marriage to Ahab, Ethbaal entered into a political alliance with him. Ethbaal is evidently the Ithobal mentioned in Josephus’ quotation of historian Menander as being the priest of the goddess Astarte (Ashtoreth). This priest got the kingship by murdering Phelles, a descendant of Hiram the king of Tyre with whom Solomon had had dealings in connection with the building of the temple. Ethbaal is said to have ruled for 32 of the 48 years of his life. (Against Apion, I, 123 [18]) Indicative of the commercial expansion carried on during his reign is Menander’s reference to Ethbaal’s building Auza in Libya. Menander also mentions that a one-year drought occurred during Ethbaal’s reign.​—Jewish Antiquities, VIII, 324 (xiii, 2).

g93 11/22 13 ¶1-2

The Facts Behind Christmas, Easter, and Halloween

This family’s holiday festivities begin early in the morning as they rise to greet the sunrise with reverent awe. The children are decked in the best new finery, complete with new bonnets. The celebration includes emblems of rabbits, baskets full of gaily colored eggs, and hot cross buns. It must be Easter. Or is it?

Springtime was sacred to the sex worshipers of Phoenicia. Their fertility goddess, Astarte, or Ishtar (Aphrodite to the Greeks), had as her symbols the egg and the hare. She had an insatiable thirst for blood and immoral sex. Her statues variously depicted her as having rudely exaggerated sex organs or with an egg in her hand and a rabbit at her side. Sacred prostitution was part of her cult. In Canaan, the sex goddess was styled the wife of Baal. She was honored by drunken sex orgies, the worshipers believing that their sexual intercourse helped to bring about the full awakening and mating of Baal with his wife. According to the book Recent Discoveries in Bible Lands, “in no country has so relatively great a number of figurines of the naked goddess of fertility, some distinctly obscene, been found.”

w14 2/15 15 ¶5

The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith

Had the woman recalled a sin that troubled her conscience? Did she think that her son’s death was divine retribution and that Elijah was God’s messenger of death? The Bible does not tell us, but one point is clear: The widow did not accuse God of any unrighteousness.

w03 5/1 ¶1-2, 29 ¶7-31 ¶2

Does Jehovah Notice What You Do?

HOW would you answer that question? Many would say: ‘I believe that God noticed the accomplishments of men like Moses, Gideon, and David, but I doubt that he is interested in anything I can do. I am certainly no Moses, Gideon, or David.’

It is true that some faithful men in Bible times performed extraordinary acts of faith. They ‘defeated kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, stayed the force of fire, and escaped the edge of the sword.’ (Hebrews 11:33, 34) Others, though, displayed their faith in less spectacular ways, and the Bible assures us that God noticed their acts of faith too. To illustrate, consider the Scriptural examples of a shepherd, a prophet, and a widow.

A Widow Prepares a Meal

Imagine, an unnamed widow obtained two blessings because she prepared a simple meal! She was, not an Israelite, but a foreigner who lived in the tenth century B.C.E. in the town of Zarephath. Near the end of a long period of drought and famine, the widow’s food supply was running out. All she had left was a handful of flour and enough oil to make one last meal for herself and her son.

At this point, a visitor approached. It was God’s prophet Elijah, who asked to share the widow’s meager fare. There was little enough for her and her son, and certainly she had nothing to spare for the visitor. But Elijah assured her, by Jehovah’s word, that if she shared her food with him, she and her son would not go hungry. It took faith to believe that the God of Israel would notice her, a foreign widow. Yet, she believed Elijah, and Jehovah rewarded her. “The large jar of flour itself did not get exhausted, and the small jar of oil itself did not fail, according to Jehovah’s word that he had spoken by means of Elijah.” The woman and her son had a regular supply of food until the famine ended.​—1 Kings 17:8-16.

However, another blessing awaited the widow. Some time after that miracle, her beloved son fell ill and died. Moved with pity, Elijah implored Jehovah to restore the boy to life. (1 Kings 17:17-24) That would require an unprecedented miracle. There is no record of anyone being resurrected before! Would Jehovah again show mercy to this foreign widow? He did. Jehovah empowered Elijah to restore the boy to life. Jesus later observed regarding this privileged woman: “There were many widows in Israel . . . Yet Elijah was sent . . . to Zarephath in the land of Sidon to a widow.”​—Luke 4:25, 26.

Today’s economic climate is far from stable, even in industrialized lands. Some large corporations have laid off employees who have been loyal workers for decades. Faced with the prospect of unemployment, a Christian might be tempted to spend an inordinate amount of time at work, hoping that his company will retain him. Doing so may leave him little time to attend Christian meetings, to share in the field ministry, or to care for the emotional and spiritual needs of his family. However, he feels that he must keep that job at almost any cost.

A Christian in such an economically difficult situation has a right to be concerned. It is difficult to find employment these days. Most of us are not striving to get rich, but like the widow of Zarephath, we do want to put food on the table. However, the apostle Paul reminds us that God said: “I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.” We can confidently say: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5, 6) Paul staked his very life on that promise, and Jehovah always took care of him. God will do the same for us if we do not forsake him.

We may feel that we could never match the exploits of such spiritual individuals as Moses, Gideon, and David, but we can imitate their faith. And we can remember the simple acts of faith that Abel, Enoch, and the widow of Zarephath performed. Jehovah is interested in all acts of faith​—even small ones. When a God-fearing student refuses to accept drugs from a peer, when a Christian worker rejects immoral advances on the job, or when an older Witness faithfully attends congregation meetings despite fatigue and poor health, Jehovah sees it. And he rejoices!​—Proverbs 27:11.

Do You Notice What Others Do?

Yes, Jehovah notices what we do. Hence, as imitators of God, we should be alert to recognize the efforts of others. (Ephesians 5:1) Why not take a closer look at the challenges your fellow Christians face in order to attend congregation meetings, to engage in the field ministry, even to go about their daily life?

Then, let your fellow worshipers of Jehovah know that you appreciate their efforts. They will be glad that you noticed, and your concern may serve to reassure them that Jehovah notices too.

CHAPTER 31

A Captive Child Speaks Up

w96 5/15 8 ¶3

A Little Girl Who Spoke With Courage

During one raid, “a little girl” was mercilessly torn away from her God-fearing family. (2 Kings 5:2) Taken to Syria, she was forced to live among those whom she may have found frightening and strange​—a people who worshiped the sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, and even stones. How different they were from her family and friends, who worshiped the one true God, Jehovah! Even in this strange environment, however, this girl exhibited outstanding courage regarding the worship of Jehovah. As a result, she changed the life of a prominent official serving under the king of Syria. Let us see how.

it “Leprosy” ¶3-4

Leprosy

Varieties, With Their Effects. Today leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, which is only slightly communicable, manifests itself in three basic varieties. One, the nodular type, results in a thickening of one’s skin and the forming of lumps, first in the skin on the face and then on other parts of the body. It also produces degenerative effects in mucous membranes of the victim’s nose and throat. This is known as black leprosy. Another type is anesthetic leprosy, sometimes called white leprosy. It is not as severe as black leprosy and basically affects the peripheral nerves. It may manifest itself in skin that is painful to the touch, though it can also result in numbness. The third type of leprosy, a mixed kind, combines the symptoms of both forms just described.

As leprosy progresses toward its advanced stage, the swellings that initially develop discharge pus, the hair may fall from one’s head and eyebrows, nails may loosen, decay, and fall off. Then the victim’s fingers, limbs, nose, or eyes may be slowly eaten away. Finally, in the most serious cases, death ensues. That Biblical “leprosy” certainly included such a serious disease is apparent from Aaron’s reference to it as a malady wherein the flesh is “half eaten off.”​—Nu 12:12.

w05 8/1 9 ¶2

Highlights From the Book of Second Kings

5:15, 16​—Why did Elisha not accept Naaman’s gift? Elisha refused the gift because he recognized that the miracle of healing Naaman was performed by Jehovah’s power, not his own. It would have been unthinkable on his part to profit from his God-appointed office. True worshippers today do not reach out for personal gain from Jehovah’s service. They take to heart Jesus’ admonition: “You received free, give free.”​—Matthew 10:8.

w05 8/1 9 ¶3

Highlights From the Book of Second Kings

5:18, 19​—Was Naaman requesting forgiveness for having to participate in a religious act? The Syrian king evidently was old and weak and had to lean upon Naaman for support. When the king bowed down in worship to Rimmon, Naaman did also. For Naaman, though, it was a purely mechanical act, strictly for the purpose of supporting the body of the king and not for rendering worship. Naaman was asking Jehovah to forgive him for performing this civil duty. Believing Naaman, Elisha said to him: “Go in peace.”

w13 8/1 10 ¶4, 6

Why Are Some Bible Characters Left Unnamed?

There are other unnamed individuals in the Bible record who played important​—even heroic—​roles in Jehovah’s purpose. Think of the little Israelite girl who was a slave in the house of Naaman, a Syrian army chief. She boldly spoke to her mistress, Naaman’s wife, about Jehovah’s prophet in Israel. This led to a great miracle. (2 Kings 5:1-14) The daughter of the Israelite judge Jephthah also set an outstanding example of faith. She willingly gave up the prospect of marriage and childbearing in order to fulfill a vow that her father had made. (Judges 11:30-40) Similarly, there are composers of over 40 psalms who are left unnamed as well as unnamed prophets who faithfully carried out prominent assignments.​—1 Kings 20:37-43.

The Bible does not explain in each case why some individuals are named and others are not. But we can learn much from faithful individuals who served God without any prospect of fame or prominence.

CHAPTER 32

“O Jehovah, Open His Eyes”

it “Elisha” ¶2

Elisha

The son of Shaphat and a prophet of Jehovah in the tenth and ninth centuries B.C.E.; successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah was directed by Jehovah to anoint Elisha from Abel-meholah. Finding Elisha plowing, Elijah threw his official garment over him, designating an appointment. (1Ki 19:16) Elisha was plowing behind 12 spans of bulls, “and he with the twelfth.” It is of interest that in the 19th century William Thomson in The Land and the Book (1887, p. 144) reported that it was a custom among the Arabs to work together with their small plows, and one sower could easily sow all that they plowed in a day. Elisha, in the rear of the group, would be able to stop without disrupting the work of the rest. The fact that he sacrificed a span of the bulls and used the implements as fuel speaks for Elisha’s promptness, decisiveness, and appreciativeness for Jehovah’s call. After preparing a meal, Elisha immediately left to follow Elijah.​—1Ki 19:19-21.

w03 11/1 31 ¶2-5

Questions From Readers

Why did Elisha ask for “two parts” of Elijah’s spirit?

In harmony with Jehovah’s direction, the prophet Elijah had anointed Elisha as his successor. (1 Kings 19:19-21) For some six years, Elisha served as Elijah’s faithful attendant and was determined to do this to the end. Even on Elijah’s last day as a prophet in Israel, Elisha stuck to his mentor. Although Elijah urged Elisha to stop following him, the younger prophet stated three times: “I will not leave you.” (2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6; 3:11) Indeed, Elisha viewed the older prophet as his spiritual father.​—2 Kings 2:12.

However, Elisha was not the only spiritual son of Elijah. Elijah and Elisha associated with a group of men known as “the sons of the prophets.” (2 Kings 2:3) The account in Second Kings indicates that these “sons” also felt a close bond with their spiritual father, Elijah. (2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 15-17) Yet, as the anointed successor, Elisha was the foremost among Elijah’s spiritual sons​—he was like the firstborn. In ancient Israel, a literal firstborn son received two parts of his father’s inheritance, whereas the other sons each received one part. Hence, Elisha asked for two parts of Elijah’s spiritual inheritance.

Why did Elisha make this request at that particular time? Because he was about to take on a weighty task​—that of succeeding Elijah as prophet in Israel. Elisha realized that in order to fulfill the responsibilities related to this daunting assignment, he needed spiritual power far beyond his own capabilities, power that only Jehovah could provide. He needed to be as fearless as Elijah had been. (2 Kings 1:3, 4, 15, 16) Thus, he asked for two parts of Elijah’s spirit, a spirit of courage and of being “absolutely jealous for Jehovah”​—desirable qualities produced by God’s spirit. (1 Kings 19:10, 14) How did Elijah respond?

Elijah knew that Elisha had asked for something that was not his but only God’s to give. So Elijah modestly replied: “You have asked a difficult thing. If you see me when taken from you, it will happen to you that way.” (2 Kings 2:10) And, indeed, Jehovah allowed Elisha to see Elijah ascend in a windstorm. (2 Kings 2:11, 12) Elisha’s request was granted. Jehovah provided him with the spirit he needed to take on his new task and to face coming trials.

it “Blindness” ¶6

Blindness

The blindness that was brought on the military force of the Syrians at the word of Elisha was evidently mental blindness. If the entire army had been struck with physical blindness, they would all have had to be led by hand. But the account simply says that Elisha told them: “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me.” On this phenomenon William James in his Principles of Psychology (1981, Vol. 1, p. 59) states: “A most interesting effect of cortical disorder is mental blindness. This consists not so much in insensibility to optical impressions, as in inability to understand them. Psychologically it is interpretable as loss of associations between optical sensations and what they signify; and any interruption of the paths between the optic centres and the centres for other ideas ought to bring it about.” This was apparently the kind of blindness removed by Jehovah when the Syrian army reached Samaria. (2Ki 6:18-20) Such mental blindness also may have been involved in the case of the men of Sodom, since the account shows that, instead of being distressed at loss of the faculty of sight, they persisted in trying to find the door of Lot’s house.​—Ge 19:11.

it “Elisha” ¶27-28

Elisha

Work Accomplished. Through God’s spirit upon Elisha, he had performed 15 miracles up to this point. But even after his death he is used by Jehovah for a 16th miracle. Elisha had been faithful till death, approved by God. The record relates that after Elisha’s burial another man was being buried when a marauding band of Moabites caused the burial party to throw the man into Elisha’s burial place and flee. Upon touching Elisha’s bones, the dead man came to life and stood upon his feet.​—2Ki 13:20, 21.

Jesus calls Elisha a prophet at Luke 4:27, and he is undoubtedly alluded to along with Elijah at Hebrews 11:35, both having performed resurrections. Elijah had come into his prophetic work at a time when Israel was steeped in Baal worship, and this required zeal for true worship. He accomplished a great work in turning the hearts of many back to Jehovah. Elisha took up where Elijah left off, and while his ministry itself was more peaceable, he saw to it that the work started by Elijah was thoroughly carried out, and he lived to see it done. He is credited with 16 miracles as compared with Elijah’s 8. Like Elijah, he showed great zeal for Jehovah’s name and true worship. He manifested patience, love, and kindness and yet was very firm when Jehovah’s name was involved; he did not hesitate to express God’s judgment against the wicked. He earned for himself a place among the “so great a cloud of witnesses” mentioned at Hebrews 12:1.

CHAPTER 33

He Defended the Kingship

it “Carian Bodyguard”

Carian Bodyguard

(Caʹri·an).

A body of troops that aided Jehoiada in the overthrow of Athaliah and the installation of Jehoash as king of Judah.​—2Ki 11:4, 13-16, 19.

Many scholars consider the Carian bodyguard to be another name for the Cherethites, mentioned as serving in the military forces of David and Solomon. In the view of some scholars, the Cherethites also functioned as a special bodyguard for these kings. (2Sa 8:18; 1Ki 1:38; 1Ch 18:17) This connection of the Carian bodyguard with the Cherethites is additionally based on the fact that the Masoretic text says “Carian bodyguard” at 2 Samuel 20:23, while the reading in its margin, as well as in many Hebrew manuscripts, is “Cherethites.”

w91 2/1 31 ¶5-6

“The Diadem and the Testimony”

So why​—and how—​did the high priest “put” the Testimony upon the young king? Consider the observation of German scholar Otto Thenius: “The Law, a book in which Mosaic decrees were recorded. This was symbolically held on the king’s head, after he had been adorned with the diadem.” (Die Bücher der Könige) Similarly, Professor Ernst Bertheau remarks: “The laying of the Law [upon the king] indeed carried a symbolic sense, that the king was obliged to rule in accordance with it.”​—Die Bücher der Chronik.

God commanded that when the king took his seat upon the throne, he should write for himself a copy of the Law, studying and applying it all his life. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20) Putting “the Testimony” upon the new king may have been a brief symbolic gesture illustrating that even though he was now king, he was not above Jehovah’s Law. Unhappily, after the death of high priest Jehoiada, Jehoash forgot this vital lesson and gradually left Jehovah’s worship, eventually dying at the hands of assassins.​—2 Chronicles 24:17-25.

it “Jehoash” No. 1 ¶5

Jehoash

Jehovah’s house was badly in need of repairs not merely because of age (now no more than 150 years old) but also because of neglect and plunder during the reign of Athaliah. As a consequence, Jehoash urged the Levites to raise the money for the restoration by going from city to city throughout Judah, but the response of the Levites was not wholehearted, and the work was not getting done. (2Ki 12:4-8; 2Ch 24:4-7) In time the arrangements for gathering and administering the funds were changed. The people responded well, and the repair work moved ahead to its completion.​—2Ki 12:9-16; 2Ch 24:8-14.

“son of Barachiah” study note on Matt. 23:35, nwtsty

son of Barachiah: According to 2Ch 24:20, this Zechariah was “the son of Jehoiada the priest.” It has been suggested that Jehoiada may have had two names, as is the case with others in the Bible (compare Mt 9:9 with Mr 2:14), or that Barachiah was Zechariah’s grandfather or an earlier ancestor.

w09 4/1 25

Jehoash Left Jehovah Because of Bad Association

Teach Your Children

Do you think Jehoash continued to listen to Jehoiada and to do what was right?— He did as long as Jehoiada was alive. Jehoash even saw to it that people gave money to repair God’s temple, which had been neglected by his father, Ahaziah, and his grandfather Jehoram. But let’s see what happened when High Priest Jehoiada died.​—2 Kings 12:1-16.

By then Jehoash was about 40 years old. Rather than continue keeping company with those who served Jehovah, Jehoash became friends with those who worshipped false gods. Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, was Jehovah’s priest by that time. What do you think Zechariah did when he learned about the bad things that Jehoash was now doing?—

Zechariah told Jehoash: “Because you have left Jehovah, he will, in turn, leave you.” Those words made Jehoash so angry that he ordered that Zechariah be stoned to death. Just imagine​—Jehoash had been saved from a murderer, but now he himself had Zechariah murdered!​—2 Chronicles 24:1-3, 15-22.

Can you see lessons for us to learn from this account?— Well, we never want to be like Athaliah, who was hateful and cruel. Rather, we should love our fellow worshippers and even our enemies, just as Jesus taught us to do. (Matthew 5:44; John 13:34, 35) And remember, if we start out doing what is good, as Jehoash did, we need to continue to make friends with those who love Jehovah and who encourage us to serve him.

w05 11/1 26 ¶3-27 ¶2

Contributions That Warm God’s Heart

The newly installed king was also to make a contribution that would warm God’s heart. The house of Jehovah was badly in need of repairs. Athaliah’s unbridled ambition to be sole ruler of Judah resulted not only in the neglecting of the temple but also in the pillaging of it. So Jehoash set his heart on rebuilding and restoring the temple. Without delay, he issued an edict to gather needed funds for the rehabilitation of Jehovah’s house. He said: “All the money for the holy offerings that is brought to the house of Jehovah, the money at which each one is assessed, the money for the souls according to individual valuation, all the money that it comes up on the heart of each one to bring to the house of Jehovah, let the priests take for themselves, each one from his acquaintance; and let them, for their part, repair the cracks of the house wherever any crack is found.”​—2 Kings 12:4, 5.

The people contributed willingly. The priests, however, were not wholehearted in fulfilling their duty to repair the temple. Hence, the king decided to take matters into his own hands and ordered that all contributions go directly into a special box. He put Jehoiada in charge, and the account states: “Jehoiada the priest now took a chest and bored a hole in its lid and put it beside the altar on the right as a person comes into the house of Jehovah, and there the priests, the doorkeepers, put all the money that was being brought into the house of Jehovah. And it came about that as soon as they saw that there was a great deal of money in the chest, the secretary of the king and the high priest would come up, and they would bind it up and count the money that was being found at the house of Jehovah. And they gave the money that had been counted off over to the hands of doers of the work that were appointed to the house of Jehovah. In turn they paid it out to the workers in wood and to the builders that were working at the house of Jehovah, and to the masons and to the hewers of stone, and to buy timbers and hewn stones for repairing the cracks of the house of Jehovah and for all that was expended upon the house to repair it.”​—2 Kings 12:9-12.

The people’s response was wholehearted. Jehovah’s house of worship was restored so that his worship could continue in a dignified manner. Thus, all contributed funds were used appropriately. King Jehoash made sure of that!

Today, Jehovah’s visible organization watches carefully that all donated funds are properly used to advance the worship of Jehovah, and true Christians have responded as those ancient Israelites did​—in a wholehearted way. Perhaps you are among those who contributed toward the furtherance of Kingdom interests during the past service year. Let us take note of some of the ways your contributions have been used.

CHAPTER 34

“He Held Fast to Jehovah”

w11 5/1 15 ¶3

Did You Know?

How do names on ancient clay seals compare with names mentioned in the Bible?

Researchers have found hundreds of ancient seal impressions, known as bullae. Some of these carry the names of people mentioned in the Bible. For example, archaeologists have found impressions made from what are believed to be the personal seals of two Judean kings. One text reads: “Belonging to Ahaz [son of] Yehotam [Jotham], King of Judah.” Other texts read: “Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz, King of Judah.” (2 Kings 16:1, 20) Ahaz and Hezekiah reigned during the eighth century B.C.E.

ip-1 190-191 ¶5-6

Jehovah’s Counsel Against the Nations

⁵ King Uzziah was strong enough to contain the threat posed by Philistia. (2 Chronicles 26:6-8) To them, he was like a serpent, and his staff kept striking that unfriendly neighbor. After Uzziah died​—‘his staff was broken’—​the faithful Jotham ruled, but “the people were yet acting ruinously.” Next, Ahaz became king. Things changed, and the Philistines conducted successful military raids on Judah. (2 Chronicles 27:2; 28:17, 18) Now, however, things are changing again. In 746 B.C.E., King Ahaz dies and the young Hezekiah takes the throne. If the Philistines feel that things will continue in their favor, they are sadly mistaken. Hezekiah proves to be a deadly foe. A descendant of Uzziah (the “fruit” from his “root”), Hezekiah is like “a flying fiery snake”​—rapidly darting to the attack, striking in a lightninglike fashion, and producing a burning effect, as if injecting his victims with venom.

⁶ This is an apt description of the new king. “It was [Hezekiah] that struck down the Philistines clear to Gaza and also its territories.” (2 Kings 18:8) According to the annals of Assyrian King Sennacherib, the Philistines become subjects of Hezekiah. “The lowly ones”​—the weakened kingdom of Judah—​get to enjoy security and material plenty, while Philistia suffers famine.​—Read Isaiah 14:30, 31.

g 12/10 27 ¶3-5

A Book You Can Trust​—Part 2

In the year 740 B.C.E., Assyria conquered Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and took its people into exile. Eight years later, Assyria invaded Judah. (2 Kings 18:13) The Assyrian King Sennacherib demanded of Judean King Hezekiah a tribute of 30 talents of gold and 300 talents of silver. The Bible record states that this tribute was paid. Even so, Sennacherib insisted that the capital of Judah, Jerusalem, also surrender unconditionally to him.​—2 Kings 18:9-17, 28-31.

At Nineveh archaeologists have found an account of the same events in the annals of Sennacherib. In the text, which is inscribed on a hexagonal clay prism, the Assyrian king boasted: “As to Hezekiah, the Jew, he did not submit to my yoke, I laid siege to 46 of his strong cities, walled forts and to the countless small villages in their vicinity, and conquered (them) . . . Himself [Hezekiah] I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence, like a bird in a cage.” Sennacherib then claims that Hezekiah sent him “30 talents of gold, 800 talents of silver, precious stones, . . . (and) all kinds of valuable treasures,” inflating the number of silver talents that he actually received.

Note, though, that Sennacherib does not claim to have conquered Jerusalem. In fact, he says nothing about the crushing defeat his army suffered through divine intervention. According to the Bible, God’s angel took the lives of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. (2 Kings 19:35, 36) Says scholar Jack Finegan: “In view of the general note of boasting which pervades the inscriptions of the Assyrian kings, however, it is hardly to be expected that Sennacherib would record such a defeat.”

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Did You Know?

Did King Hezekiah really build a tunnel into Jerusalem?

In the 19th century, just such a tunnel was discovered. It became known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel, or the Siloam Tunnel. Inside the tunnel, an inscription was found that described the final phases of the tunnel’s excavation. The shape and form of the letters of this inscription lead most scholars to date it to the time of Hezekiah. A decade ago, however, some suggested that the tunnel was built about 500 years later. In 2003, a team of Israeli scientists published the results of their research aimed at fixing a reliable date for the tunnel. What conclusion did they reach?

Dr. Amos Frumkin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem says: “The carbon-14 tests we carried out on organic material within the plaster of the Siloam Tunnel, and uranium-thorium dating of stalactites found in the tunnel, date it conclusively to Hezekiah’s era.” An article in the scientific journal Nature adds: “The three independent lines of evidence​—radiometric dating, palaeography and the historical record—​all converge on about 700 BC, rendering the Siloam Tunnel the best-dated Iron-Age biblical structure thus far known.”

CHAPTER 35

The Courage to Repent

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What God’s Kingdom Will Do

⁵ The situation now is similar to that in Canaan some 3,500 years ago. The Bible says: “Everything detestable to Jehovah that he does hate they have done to their gods, for even their sons and their daughters they regularly burn in the fire to their gods.” (Deuteronomy 12:31) Jehovah informed the nation of Israel: “It is for the wickedness of these nations that Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you.” (Deuteronomy 9:5) Bible historian Henry H. Halley noted: “The worship of Baal, Ashtoreth, and other Canaanite gods consisted in the most extravagant orgies; their temples were centers of vice.”

⁶ Halley showed how gross their wickedness had become, for in one of many such areas, archaeologists “found great numbers of jars containing the remains of children who had been sacrificed to Baal.” He said: “The whole area proved to be a cemetery for new-born babes. . . . Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence, as a religious rite, in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale. . . . Did a civilization of such abominable filth and brutality have any right longer to exist? . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder that God did not destroy them sooner than he did.”

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Israel in Its Surroundings

At the time of the Exodus, the Amorites were likely the dominant tribe. (De 1:19-21; Jos 24:15) They had seized Moabite land down to the torrent valley of Arnon, though the area across from Jericho was still called “the desert plains of Moab.” Amorite kings also ruled Bashan and Gilead.​—Nu 21:21-23, 33-35; 22:1; 33:46-51.

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Manasseh

Manasseh was punished for paying no attention to Jehovah’s message, the king of Assyria taking him captive to Babylon, one of the Assyrian monarch’s royal cities. (2Ch 33:10, 11) ‘Manasseh of Judah’ is mentioned in Assyrian King Esar-haddon’s list of 22 tribute-paying “kings of Hatti, the seashore and the islands.” Manasseh’s name also appears in a list of kings tributary to Ashurbanipal.​—Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. Pritchard, 1974, pp. 291, 294.

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Hook

Human captives were sometimes led by hooks in the lips, nose, or tongue. An Assyrian pictorial representation shows the king holding three captives by cords fastened to hooks in their lips while he blinds one of them with a spear. It was, therefore, understandable to King Sennacherib of Assyria when Jehovah spoke figuratively to him through the prophet Isaiah: “I shall certainly put my hook in your nose and my bridle between your lips, and I shall indeed lead you back by the way by which you have come.”​—2Ki 19:20, 21, 28; Isa 37:29.

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Leveling Instrument

A leveling instrument may be used to construct a building properly or to test its fitness for preservation. Jehovah foretold that he would apply to wayward Jerusalem “the measuring line applied to Samaria and also the leveling instrument applied to the house of Ahab.” God had measured and found Samaria and the house of King Ahab to be morally bad or crooked, resulting in their destruction. Likewise, God would judge Jerusalem and its rulers, exposing their wickedness and bringing about the destruction of that city. These events actually occurred in 607 B.C.E. (2Ki 21:10-13; 10:11) Through Isaiah the various wicked braggarts and rulers of the people in Jerusalem were apprised of their coming calamity and of Jehovah’s declaration: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the leveling instrument.” The standards of true justice and genuine righteousness would reveal who were really God’s servants and who were not, resulting in either preservation or destruction.​—Isa 28:14-19.

CHAPTER 36

He Led the People Back to Jehovah

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Are You Acquainted With Shaphan and His Family?

Shaphan Supports True Worship

In 642 B.C.E., when King Josiah was about 25, we find Shaphan serving as the king’s secretary and copyist. (Jeremiah 36:10) What did that involve? The above-mentioned reference work states that a royal scribe and secretary was a close adviser to the king, in charge of financial matters, competent in diplomacy, and knowledgeable in foreign affairs, international law, and trade agreements. Thus, as a royal secretary, Shaphan was one of the most influential men in the kingdom.

Ten years earlier, young Josiah had “started to search for the God of David his forefather.” Shaphan was evidently much older than Josiah and could therefore be a good spiritual adviser to him and a supporter of Josiah’s first campaign of restoring true worship.​—2 Chronicles 34:1-8.

During temple repair work, “the very book of the law” was found, and Shaphan “began to read it before the king.” Josiah was shocked to hear its content and sent a delegation of trusted men to Huldah the prophetess in order to inquire of Jehovah concerning the book. The king showed confidence in Shaphan and his son Ahikam by including them in the delegation.​—2 Kings 22:8-14; 2 Chronicles 34:14-22.

This is the only reference in the Scriptures to what Shaphan himself did. In other Bible verses, he is just referred to as a father or a grandfather. Shaphan’s offspring came into close contact with the prophet Jeremiah.

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Did You Know?

In Bible times, what was the significance of a person’s deliberately ripping apart his garments?

THE Scriptures describe a number of situations in which individuals tore their own clothes. Such an action may seem strange to modern-day readers, yet among the Jews it was an expression of strong emotion caused by despair, grief, humiliation, indignation, or mourning.

For example, Reuben “ripped his garments apart” when he found that his plan to deliver his brother Joseph was foiled because Joseph had been sold into slavery. Their father, Jacob, “ripped his garments apart” when he assumed that Joseph had been devoured by a wild animal. (Gen. 37:18-35) Job “ripped apart his garment” when he was told that all his children were killed. (Job 1:18-20) A messenger “with his garments ripped apart” appeared before High Priest Eli to inform him that the Israelites had been defeated in battle, Eli’s two sons had been killed, and the ark of the covenant had been captured. (1 Sam. 4:12-17) When Josiah heard the words of the Law being read to him and recognized the errors of his people, “he ripped his garments apart.”​—2 Ki. 22:8-13.

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Necho(h)

A pharaoh of Egypt contemporaneous with Judean King Josiah. According to the Greek historian Herodotus (II, 158, 159; IV, 42), Nechos (Necho) was the son of Psammetichus (Psammetichos, Psamtik I) and succeeded his father as ruler of Egypt. Although beginning construction work on a canal linking the Nile with the Red Sea, he did not complete this project. However, he did send a Phoenician fleet on a voyage around Africa. This journey was successfully completed in three years.

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Humble Josiah Had Jehovah’s Favor

Was Huldah’s prophecy accurate, since Josiah died in battle? (2 Kings 23:28-30) Yes, for the “peace” in which he was gathered to his graveyard is in contrast with “the calamity” due to come upon Judah. (2 Kings 22:20; 2 Chronicles 34:28) Josiah died before the calamity of 609-607 B.C.E. when the Babylonians besieged and destroyed Jerusalem. And ‘being gathered to one’s forefathers’ does not necessarily exclude dying a violent death. A comparable expression is used with reference to both violent and nonviolent deaths.​—Deuteronomy 31:16; 1 Kings 2:10; 22:34, 40.

CHAPTER 37

“He Would Not Defile Himself”

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Daniel​—A Book on Trial

¹⁴ Daniel 1:1 reads: “In the third year of the kingship of Jehoiakim the king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and proceeded to lay siege to it.” Critics have found fault with this scripture because it does not seem to agree with Jeremiah, who says that the fourth year of Jehoiakim was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar. (Jeremiah 25:1; 46:2) Was Daniel contradicting Jeremiah? With more information, the matter is readily clarified. When first made king in 628 B.C.E. by Pharaoh Necho, Jehoiakim became a mere puppet of that Egyptian ruler. This was about three years before Nebuchadnezzar succeeded his father to the throne of Babylon, in 624 B.C.E. Soon thereafter (in 620 B.C.E.), Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and made Jehoiakim a vassal king under Babylon. (2 Kings 23:34; 24:1) To a Jew living in Babylon, Jehoiakim’s “third year” would have been the third year of that king’s vassal service to Babylon. Daniel wrote from that perspective. Jeremiah, however, wrote from the perspective of the Jews living right in Jerusalem. So he referred to Jehoiakim’s kingship as starting when Pharaoh Necho made him king.

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Treasury

Concerning the Babylonian treasury, Daniel 1:2 says that Nebuchadnezzar brought the valuable utensils of Jehovah’s house into “the treasure-house of his god.” One Babylonian inscription represents Nebuchadnezzar as saying about the temple of Merodach: “I stored up inside silver and gold and precious stones . . . and placed there the treasure house of my kingdom.” (Compare Ezr 1:8.) The Babylonians may have had secondary treasuries in different parts of the empire. (Da 3:2) The Persians had such an arrangement, with the more localized treasuries holding some of the money collected as taxes by the satraps. (Ezr 7:20, 21) At least the main Persian treasuries also served as royal archives, containing important records in addition to gold and other valuables.​—Ezr 6:1, 2; Es 3:9.

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Magic and Sorcery

“Black” magic is said to consist of spells, special curses, and “the evil eye” that bring harm to one’s enemies. “White” magic, on the other hand, is said by its practicers to produce good results by breaking the spells and canceling the curses. Among some ancient peoples “black” magic was forbidden under penalty of death. The Bible, however, goes a step further and forbids every form of spiritistic magic. (Le 19:26; De 18:9-14) By the use of magic formulas, said to be obtained through supernatural knowledge and wisdom, the practitioner attempts to influence people and alter future events. In this respect magic differs from divination, which attempts only to discover future events rather than influence or change them.​—See DIVINATION.

Much of the concept of magic-working sorcery is based on the belief that evil spirits can be induced either to leave or to enter a person, that they can be tricked and deceived, and that they can be captured or trapped in a piece of wood or a clay image. For example, it is claimed that by making magic paths of honey or other agreeable things, the demons can be led around at the will of the magician.

All such notions naturally gave rise to a crafty class of magic-practicing priests, who exercised great power over the lives of the people, extorting large payments from those under their influence on the pretense of possessing supernatural powers over and beyond those of the demons. The people believed that these professional sorcerers could invoke the demons to obey but that the demons had no power over the sorcerers.

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Tested​—But True to Jehovah!

²⁵ Ten days on ‘vegetables and water’​—would they become “dejected-looking” as compared with the others? “Vegetables” is translated from a Hebrew word that basically means “seeds.” Certain Bible translations render it as “pulse,” which is defined as “the edible seeds of various leguminous crops (as peas, beans, or lentils).” Some scholars feel that the context indicates a diet including more than just edible seeds. One reference work states: “What Daniel and his companions were requesting was the plain vegetable fare of the general populace rather than the richer, meaty diet of the royal table.” Thus, vegetables could have included nourishing dishes prepared with beans, cucumbers, garlic, leeks, lentils, melons, and onions and bread made from various grains. Surely no one would consider that a starvation diet. Apparently the guardian saw the point. “Finally he listened to them as regards this matter and put them to the test for ten days.” (Daniel 1:14) What was the result?

CHAPTER 38

They “Quenched the Force of Fire”

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Tested​—But True to Jehovah!

¹⁴ Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzar, meaning “Protect the Life of the King.” Evidently, this was a shortened form of an invocation to Bel, or Marduk, the principal god of Babylon. Whether Nebuchadnezzar had a hand in choosing this name for Daniel or not, he was proud to acknowledge that it was “according to the name of [his] god.” (Daniel 4:8) Hananiah was renamed Shadrach, which some authorities believe to be a compound name meaning “Command of Aku.” Interestingly, Aku was the name of a Sumerian god. Mishael was renamed Meshach (possibly, Mi·sha·aku), apparently a clever twist of “Who Is Like God?” to “Who Is What Aku Is?” Azariah’s Babylonian name was Abednego, probably meaning “Servant of Nego.” And “Nego” is a variant of “Nebo,” the name of a deity after which a number of Babylonian rulers were also named.

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Their Faith Survived the Crucible

³ Consider King Nebuchadnezzar. His very name means “O Nebo, Protect the Heir!” Nebo was the Babylonian god of wisdom and agriculture. Nebuchadnezzar was a deeply religious man. As noted earlier, he built and beautified the temples of numerous Babylonian gods and was especially devoted to Marduk, to whom he credited his military victories. It also appears that Nebuchadnezzar relied heavily upon divination to formulate his battle plans.​—Ezekiel 21:18-23.

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Their Faith Survived the Crucible

¹⁰ Despite their devotion to various patron gods, most of those gathered before Nebuchadnezzar’s image would have no qualms about worshiping it. “They were all accustomed to worship idols, and the worship of one god did not prevent their doing homage also to another,” explained one Bible scholar. He continued: “It accorded with the prevailing views of idolaters that there were many gods . . . and that it was not improper to render homage to the god of any people or country.”

CHAPTER 39

“If I Am to Perish, I Will Perish”

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Should You Look to Numbers for Guidance?

In ancient times, casting lots was a legitimate way of settling a controversy. (Proverbs 18:18) But Haman cast lots to practice divination​—something that the Bible condemns. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states that God detests “anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events . . . Everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”

The Bible links divination and uncanny power to spiritism. Wicked spirits can maneuver events to suit their purpose. Whether this is the case in a specific instance or not, one thing is certain: The practice of spiritism is condemned by God, and it can bring one under the control of wicked spirits.​—1 Samuel 15:23; Ephesians 6:12.

CHAPTER 40

He Rebuilt the Wall

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Did You Know?

What was involved in being cupbearer to the king?

Nehemiah was cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes. (Nehemiah 1:11) In the royal courts of the ancient Middle East, the king’s cupbearer was no menial servant. On the contrary, he was a high-ranking official. Classical literature and a wealth of ancient pictorial representations of cupbearers allow us to draw a number of conclusions regarding Nehemiah’s role at the Persian court.

The cupbearer would taste the king’s wine to protect him from poisoning. The cupbearer thus had the king’s unreserved confidence. “The great need for trustworthy court attendants is underscored by the intrigues which were endemic to the Achaemenid [Persian] court,” says scholar Edwin M. Yamauchi. The cupbearer was likely also a favorite official who had considerable influence with the king. His close proximity to the monarch on a daily basis may have enabled him to decide who had access to the king.

Such a position may have had a bearing on the success of Nehemiah’s request to be allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. Nehemiah must have been highly valued by the king. The Anchor Bible Dictionary observes: “The king’s only reply was ‘How soon will you come back?’”​—Nehemiah 2:1-6.