Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites, Samuel said. Agag came to him trembling. Surely, the bitterness of death is past, Agag said. But Samuel said: As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women. Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of Jehovah at Gilgal.

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening. As soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they take his carcass down from the tree and throw it at the entering gate of the city. They raised a large pile of rocks over it that is there to this day.

Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon: Kill us yourself. It takes a man to do this job. Gideon killed them and took the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

The Israelites took the Midianite women and children as prisoners of war. They also took all their animals, their livestock, and their valuables as loot. They burned the cities where the Midianites lived and all their settlements. They took everything as loot including all the people and animals, read more.
and brought the prisoners of war, the loot, and everything to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the congregation of Israel at the camp on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho. Moses, the priest Eleazar, and all the leaders of the congregation went outside the camp to meet them. Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of the companies and battalions, who were returning from battle. Moses asked them: Have you spared all the women? Look, these women caused the Israelites, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor. Thus the congregation of Jehovah experienced the plague. So kill all the Midianite boys and every Midianite woman who has gone to bed with a man. But keep alive for yourselves every girl who has never gone to bed with a man. Everyone who killed a person or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp seven days. You and your prisoners of war must use the ritual water on the third and seventh days in order to take away your sin. You must do the same for all the clothes and everything made of leather, goats' hair, or wood.

When Jehovah your God lets you capture the city, kill every man in it.

When you go to war with your enemies and Jehovah your God hands them over to you, you may take them captive.

All Israel returned with Joshua to the camp at Gilgal. These five kings ran away and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told: The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. read more.
Joshua said: Roll large stones in front of the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. Do not stay there but pursue after your enemies and strike the rear guard. Do not enter their cities for Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hand. When Joshua and the children of Israel finished slaying them those who escaped entered the fortified cities. All the people returned in peace to Joshua's at Makkedah. No one spoke against any of the children of Israel. Then Joshua said: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me. They did so, and brought the five kings to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. When they brought out the kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him: Come near, put your feet on the back of the necks of (humiliate) (abase) these kings. They came near, and put their feet upon their necks. Joshua said: Do not be afraid. Do not be terrified! Be strong and have courage: for this is what Jehovah will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua struck and killed them. He hanged them on five trees: and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they remove them. They took them down from the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hidden. They laid large stones in the mouth of the cave. Even today the stones are there. That day Joshua struck Makkedah with the edge of the sword. The king was destroyed all the people who lived there. He let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah the same as he did to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel went with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah: Jehovah delivered it and the king into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the persons who lived there. He let none remain: and he did to the king of Libnah as he did to the king of Jericho. Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: Jehovah delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel on the second day. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the persons who lived there according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. Joshua killed him and his people, until he had left none remaining. From Lachish Joshua went to Eglon, and all Israel with him. They encamped against it, and fought against it: They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword. All that were there were destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. Joshua and all Israel with him went from Eglon to Hebron; and they fought against it: They capture it and destroyed it with the edge of the sword. This included the king and all the cities, and all the people who were there. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and destroyed all the people there. Joshua and all Israel returned with him to Debir and fought against it: He took it, and the king and all the cities there. They killed them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all people there. He left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king. So Joshua struck all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Jehovah God of Israel commanded.

They killed all the people there with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them. None were left alive. He burned Hazor with fire.

They captured the two Midianite chiefs, Oreb and Zeeb; they killed Oreb at Oreb Rock, and Zeeb at the Winepress of Zeeb. They continued to pursue the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now east of the Jordan.

Kill all the males, and also every woman who is not a virgin.

He defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

Why are you crying? Hazael asked. Because I know the horrible things you will do against the people of Israel, Elisha answered. You will burn their fortresses, slaughter their finest young men, batter their children to death, and rip open their pregnant women.

At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed.


At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed.


In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through. When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylon came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer. read more.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylon. The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem.


Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.

At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed.


Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives when they left their land.

They made the king a prisoner and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged.

But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed.

The Babylonians captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath. The king of Babylon passed sentence on him there.

Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.


Jehovah also spoke when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah. It was during the eleven years that Zedekiah, another son of Josiah, was king of Judah. Jehovah continued to speak to Jeremiah until the people of Jerusalem were taken away into captivity in the fifth month of the year.

This is the message that the prophet Jeremiah gave to Seraiah, son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah, when Seraiah went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah's rule. Seraiah was the quartermaster.

Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town. They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land. read more.
An opening was made in the wall of the town. All the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls by the king's garden. The Chaldaeans were stationed around the town: and the king went by the way toward the plain of Arabah. But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction. They made the king a prisoner and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged. They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon. It was the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He had the Temple of Jehovah, the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned with fire. The army of the Chaldaeans under the command of the captain of the army broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. read more.
The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.

Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah during Zedekiah's tenth year as king of Judah. This was Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year as king. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was blockading Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was locked up in the courtyard of the prison. This prison was in the palace of the king of Judah.

In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through. When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylon came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer. read more.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylon. The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.

On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls. The blockade of the city lasted until Zedekiah's eleventh year as king. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food. read more.
The enemy broke through the city walls, and all Judah's soldiers fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, they took the road to the plain of Jericho. The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plain of Jericho. His entire army had deserted him. The Babylonians captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath. The king of Babylon passed sentence on him there. The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons as Zedekiah watched. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze shackles. The king of Babylon took him to Babylon and put him in a prison, where he stayed until he died. On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned down Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. Every important building was burned down. The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms. The Babylonians broke apart the copper pillars of Jehovah's Temple, the stands, and the copper pool in Jehovah's Temple. They shipped all the copper to Babylon. they took the pots, shovels, snuffers, bowls, dishes, and all the copper utensils used in the Temple service. The captain of the guard also took pans, incense burners, bowls, pots, lamp stands, dishes, and the bowls used for wine offerings. The captain of the guard took all of the trays and bowls that were made of gold or silver. The copper from the two pillars, the pool, and the twelve copper bulls under the stands that King Solomon had made for Jehovah's Temple could not be weighed. One pillar was twenty-seven feet high and eighteen feet in circumference. It was three inches thick and hollow. The crown that was on it was seven and one half feet high with filigree and pomegranates around it. They were all made of copper. The second pillar was the same. It also had pomegranates. There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides. The total number of pomegranates on the surrounding filigree was one hundred. The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three doorkeepers. From the city he also took an army commander, seven men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and sixty common people whom he found in the city. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives as they left their land. These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar took captive: In his seventh year as king, he took three thousand and twenty-three Jews. In his eighteenth year, Nebuchadnezzar took eight hundred and thirty-two people from Jerusalem. In Nebuchadnezzar's twenty-third year as king, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took away seven hundred and forty-five Jews. In all, four thousand six hundred people were taken away.