Thematic Bible: Monarchical


Thematic Bible



Then his wife Jezebel said: Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, eat and be happy. I will give you the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite. So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the elders and nobles who were in authority with Naboth. The letter she wrote is as follows: Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people. read more.
Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying: Naboth has been stoned and is dead. Jezebel, hearing that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, said to Ahab: Get up and take as your heritage the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he would not give you for money. Naboth is dead. When he heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab went down to the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite to take it as his heritage.

King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life. Now by the living God Jehovah who has given me my throne from David my father. He made me one of a line of kings. He gave me his word. Adonijah will be put to death this day. King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada to attack and kill him.

Joab received news of this for Joab had been one of Adonijah's supporters. He was not on Absalom's side. Then Joab went in flight to the Tent of Jehovah and put his hands on the corners of the altar. When King Solomon heard about this he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill him. Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah and told Joab: Come out. Joab said: No! Let me die here. So Benaiah returned to the king and gave him the answer Joab gave him. read more.
The king said: Do as he said. Kill him there and bury him in the earth. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from my father's family and me. Jehovah will punish Joab for those murders he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. Jehovah will repay him for the blood Joab shed. The blood will fall on Joab and on his descendants as long as they live. Jehovah will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne. So Benaiah went to the Tent of Jehovah's presence and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness.

The king sent for Shimei and said to him: Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and do not leave the city. If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will die and it will be your fault. As you say, Your Majesty, Shimei answered. I will do what you say. So he lived in Jerusalem a long time. read more.
Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. When Solomon heard what Shimei did, he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command? You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. Jehovah will punish you for it. But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever. The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control.

Rehoboam went to Shechem. All the people of northern Israel gathered to make him king. Jeroboam son of Nebat went to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. When he heard this news he returned from Egypt. The people of the northern tribes sent for him. Then they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him: read more.
Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects. Come back in three days and I will give you my answer, he replied. So they left. Then King Rehoboam consulted elders who had been with Solomon his father when he was living. He said: In your opinion, what answer am I to give to these people? They said to him: If you will be a servant to this people today, caring for them and giving them a favorable answer, then they will be your servants for ever. But he paid no attention to the opinion of the elders. He went to the young men who were his advisors: What is your opinion? He asked: What answer are we to give to this people? They want me to lighten the burdens placed on them by my father. His young advisors said: This is the answer to give to the people who came to you saying: 'Your father put a hard yoke on us; will you make it less?' Say to them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's body.' If my father put a hard yoke on you, I will make it harder! My father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give you blows with snakes.' So all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day just as the king ordered. The king gave them a harsh answer. He paid no attention to the suggestion of the elders. He gave them the answer suggested by the young advisors. He said: My father made your yoke hard, but I will make it harder! My father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give it with snakes. The king did not listen to the people. This came about by Jehovah's purpose, so that what he had said by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, son of Nebat, might be fulfilled. 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.


David responded to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth: I once seized a man who told me that Saul had died. He thought he was bringing good news. I killed him in Ziklag to reward him for his news. How much more should I reward wicked men who kill an innocent man on his own bed in his home? Jehovah has rescued me from every trouble. I solemnly swear, as Jehovah lives, I will now seek revenge for his murder and rid the land of you. read more.
David gave the order for his soldiers to kill Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet. They killed them and hung their hands and feet near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb there at Hebron.

David asked the young man who brought him the news: Where are you from? He answered: I am an Amalekite, son of a foreign resident. David asked: Why were you not afraid to take it upon yourself to destroy Jehovah's (YHWH) anointed king? David called one of the young men and said: Execute him! So he struck him and he died. read more.
David said to him: Your blood is on your head. Your mouth has testified against you. For you admit that you killed Jehovah's anointed.

The next morning, David wrote a letter and told Uriah to deliver it to Joab. The letter said: Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is the worst. Pull the troops back from him, so that he will be wounded and die. Joab carefully watched the city of Rabbah. He put Uriah in a place where he knew there were some of the enemy's best soldiers. read more.
The men of the city came out and fought Joab. Some of David's mercenaries fell and died. This included Uriah the Hittite.


The officer in charge said to Daniel: I fear my lord the king. He has appointed your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces worse looking than other young people your age? Would you endanger my head with the king?

The king answered: I have decided. If you do not make the dream known to me and it's interpretation you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill (foul smelling pile of rubbish). But if you tell me the dream and what it means you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore tell me the dream and the interpretation of it. They answered the second time. They said: Let the king tell his servants the dream. Then we will tell the interpretation. read more.
The king responded: I am certain that you bargain for time, because you see my command is firm. If you do not tell me my dream, the law will apply to you. You are stalling by speaking lies to me until I change my requirements. Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me the interpretation of it. The Chaldeans answered: There is no man on earth who can do what the king requires. No king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. It is a rare thing that the king requires. There is no other person who can show it to the king, except the gods, and they do not live with humans. This caused the king to be angry. In fact he became furious! He commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree was delivered. The wise men were to be executed. They searched for Daniel and his companions to execute them.

Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he chose he killed and whom he chose he kept alive. Whom he chose he raised up, and whom he chose he put down.


Saul heard that David and his men were found. Saul stayed in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at the worship site. He held his spear in his hand. All his officials stood around him.

Saul said: Listen here, son of Ahitub! He responded: Here I am lord. Saul asked him: Why did you and Jesse's son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You even prayed to God that he could rise up against me and ambush me, as he is doing now. Ahimelech asked the king: But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he is your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He is honored in your own household. read more.
Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You should not blame my family or me for this. I knew nothing at all about this. The king said: Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die. The king said to the guards who were attending him: Turn around and kill the priests of Jehovah! They are also with David. They knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king were not willing to lift a hand to attack the priests of Jehovah. The king said to Doeg: You turn around and attack the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using his sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.


He immediately commanded his guard to behead John the Baptist and bring his head to him. He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the young lady. In turn she gave it to her mother.