2-Chronicles 13:8 Themes and Topics

This became Israel's sin, worshiping the golden calves. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf.

But Jehu did not take care to keep the law of Jehovah with all his heart. He did not keep himself from the sin that Jeroboam did and made Israel do. Verse Concepts

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. Verse Concepts

But Jehu did not keep himself from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and the evil he made Israel do. The gold calves were still worshiped in Bethel and in Dan. Verse Concepts

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. Verse Concepts

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out Jehovah's priests! You evicted the descendants of Aaron and the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours. We still serve Jehovah our God! We have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them. read more.
Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! God is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel do not wage war against Jehovah the God of your ancestors. You will not succeed. Jeroboam set an ambush to attack them from behind. So Jeroboam's army was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. Judah's soldiers looked around and found the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to Jehovah! The priests blew the trumpets, The men of Judah shouted! When they shouted God attacked Jeroboam and all Israel in front of Abijah and Judah. The Israelites fled from Judah's army. God handed them over to Judah. Abijah and his men defeated them decisively. Five hundred thousand of the best men of Israel were killed. The Israelites were humbled at that time. The people of Judah won because they trusted Jehovah God of their ancestors.

They broke all the laws of Jehovah their God. They made two metal bull-calves to worship. They also made an image of the goddess Asherah. Also they worshiped the stars and served the god Baal. Verse Concepts

The people who live in the city of Samaria will be afraid and will mourn the loss of the gold bull at Bethaven. They and the priests who serve the idol will weep over it. They will wail when it is stripped of its golden splendor. Verse Concepts

But Jehu did not keep himself from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and the evil he made Israel do. The gold calves were still worshiped in Bethel and in Dan. Verse Concepts

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. Verse Concepts

As an alternative, Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the illegal worship sites and the goat and calf statues he had made as idols. Verse Concepts

After asking for advice, the king made two golden calves. He said: You have been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt. Verse Concepts

It was as if he copied the evil ways of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. He took as his wife Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Zidon, and became a servant and worshipper of Baal. Verse Concepts

King Jeroboam of Israel fortified the town of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there for a while. Then he left and fortified the town of Penuel. He thought to himself: The way things are my people will go to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices to Jehovah at the Temple there. They will transfer their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah and will kill me. read more.
After asking for advice, the king made two golden calves. He said: You have been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt. He placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan. This became Israel's sin, worshiping the golden calves. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf. Jeroboam built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests. Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah. He went to the altar in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He appointed priests from the illegal worship sites to serve in Bethel. He went to his altar in Bethel to burn an offering on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the festival he invented for the Israelites.

He lived exactly like Jeroboam, Nebat's son. He sinned and led Israel to sin with worthless idols. The Israelites made Jehovah the God of Israel furious. Verse Concepts

You have committed far greater sins than those who ruled before you. You have rejected me and have aroused my anger by making idols and metal images to worship. Verse Concepts

Jehovah will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and led the people of Israel into sin.

King Jeroboam of Israel still did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from ordinary families to serve at the altars he had built. He ordained as priest anyone who wanted to be one. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam. It brought about its ruin and total destruction from the face of the earth.

I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. You have gone the way of Jeroboam. You made my people Israel do evil, moving me to wrath by their sins. Verse Concepts

The priests abandoned their land and property and went to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his descendants rejected them as Jehovah's priests. Verse Concepts

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out Jehovah's priests! You evicted the descendants of Aaron and the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours.

When all Israel realized that the king would not respond to their request, the people in answer said to the king: What share do we have in David? What is our heritage in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel; now see to your people, David. So Israel went away to their tents. Rehoboam was still king over those of the children of Israel who were living in the towns of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the overseer of the forced work. He was stoned to death by all Israel. King Rehoboam went quickly and got into his carriage to escape to Jerusalem. read more.
Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they requested a meeting of the people. At that meeting they made him king over Israel. There was none who followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah.

Do you not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants kingship over Israel from generation to generation? Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against Solomon, his king. Later he organized a group of worthless scoundrels. They forced their will on Rehoboam son of Solomon, who was too young and inexperienced to resist them. read more.
Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out Jehovah's priests! You evicted the descendants of Aaron and the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours. We still serve Jehovah our God! We have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them. Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! God is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel do not wage war against Jehovah the God of your ancestors. You will not succeed.

A man of God from Judah went to Bethel. He arrived there while Jeroboam was at the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. He actually spoke against the altar: O altar, altar, this is what Jehovah says: 'A child, whose name will be Josiah, will be born to the family of David. He will slaughter the priests serving at the pagan altars who offer sacrifices on you. He will burn human bones on you.' The prophet went on to say: This altar will fall apart. The ashes on it will be scattered. Then you will know that Jehovah has spoken through me. read more.
King Jeroboam heard this. He pointed his outstretched hand at him and ordered: Seize that man! At once the king's arm became paralyzed so that he could not pull it back. The altar suddenly fell apart and the ashes spilled to the ground. This is what the prophet predicted in the name of Jehovah. King Jeroboam said to the prophet: Please pray to Jehovah your God for me, and ask him to heal my arm! The prophet prayed to Jehovah and the king's arm was healed. Then the king said to the prophet: Come home with me and have something to eat. I will reward you for what you have done. The prophet answered: Even if you gave me half of your wealth, I would not go with you or eat or drink anything with you. I was ordered by the word of Jehovah, he said: You are not to take food or a drink of water, and you are not to go back the way you came. So he went another way, and not by the way he came to Bethel.

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out Jehovah's priests! You evicted the descendants of Aaron and the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours. We still serve Jehovah our God! We have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them. read more.
Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him!

Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. Verse Concepts

Jehovah answered: Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king. Verse Concepts

You have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and distresses. You said to him: No! Place a king over us. Now then, stand in front of Jehovah by your tribes and family groups.' Verse Concepts

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said: We want a king! Verse Concepts

The Rabshakeh said to them: Say to Hezekiah: These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope? You say you have counsel and [military] strength for war. These are only words. To whom are you looking for support that you rebel against me? You rely on Egypt that broken reed of a staff. If a man leans on it (relies on its power) his hand (strength) will be pierced (wounded) (diminished). So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who put their faith in him. read more.
If you say to me: We trust in Jehovah our God, is he not the one whose high places and altars have been taken away by Hezekiah. For he told Judah and Jerusalem that worship may only be given before this altar in Jerusalem? And now, make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them. How then can you put to shame the least of my master's servants? You put your hope in Egypt for chariots and horsemen: Have I now come to destroy this place without Jehovah? It was Jehovah who said to me: 'Go up against this land and make it waste.' Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh (the commander): Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall. He replied: Do you think you and the king are the only ones the king sent me to say these things? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall. They will have to eat their excrement and drink their own urine, just as you will. The official stood up and shouted in Hebrew: Listen to what the king of Assyria is telling you! He warns you: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Hezekiah cannot save you.' Do not let Hezekiah convince you to rely on Jehovah. Do not think that Jehovah will save you or that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing you. Do not listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. Make peace with me and you will be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells (cisterns). The king will resettle you in a country much like your own. There are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread there. It is a land of olives, olive oil, and honey. Do what he commands and you will not die. Do not let Hezekiah fool you into thinking Jehovah will rescue you. Did the gods of other nations save their countries from the king of Assyria? Where are they now? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did anyone save Samaria? When did any of the gods of all these countries ever save their country from our king? What makes you think Jehovah can save Jerusalem? The people kept quiet. They did as King Hezekiah told them. They did not say a word.

The armies met in the hill country of Ephraim. King Abijah went up Mount Zemaraim and called out to Jeroboam and the Israelites: Listen to me! He shouted. Do you not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants kingship over Israel from generation to generation? Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against Solomon, his king. read more.
Later he organized a group of worthless scoundrels. They forced their will on Rehoboam son of Solomon, who was too young and inexperienced to resist them. Now you plan to fight against the royal authority Jehovah gave to David's descendants. You have a huge army! You have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. You drove out Jehovah's priests! You evicted the descendants of Aaron and the Levites. In their place you appointed priests in the same way that other nations do. Anybody who comes along with a bull or seven sheep can get himself consecrated as a priest of those so-called gods of yours. We still serve Jehovah our God! We have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them. Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! God is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel do not wage war against Jehovah the God of your ancestors. You will not succeed.