Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Herod highly disagreed with them at Tyre and Sidon. But they finally came to an agreement. They secured the support of Blastus a trusted personal servant of the king. They desired peace because their country was supported by the king's country.

The queen came into the banquet hall. She said: O king, may you live for a very long time: do not let your thoughts trouble you or change your countenance. There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In your fathers day, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding for interpreting dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving doubts. Let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

Many seek favor from the ruler; but every man's judgment comes from Jehovah.


Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. Is this a friendly visit? She asked. Yes, he answered. I have something to discuss with you. He said. What is it? She asked. He said: You know the kingship was mine. All Israel expected me to be their king. But the kingship has been turned over to my brother because Jehovah gave it to him. read more.
I have one request to make to you. Do not say no to me. She responded: Tell me. He said: Will you go to Solomon the king for he will not say 'No' to you. And make my request that he give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife? Bathsheba said: Indeed, I will make your request to the king.

He told his servant Gehazi to call the woman. When she came, he said to Gehazi: Ask her what I can do for her in return for all the trouble she has had in providing for our needs. Maybe she would like me to go to the king or the army commander and put in a good word for her. I have all I need here among my own people, she answered.

The leaders of Judah exchanged letters with Tobiah. For in Judah there were a number of people who had made an agreement by oath with him. For he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah and his son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah. They spoke a good deal about the good he had done in my presence, and reported what I said to him. Tobiah sent letters with the purpose of causing me fear.

The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons. She bowed down and requested a favor of him. What is your desire? he asked. She said to him: Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom. Jesus told her: You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup I am about to take? read more.
They said: We are able. Truly, you will take of my cup, he said. But to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father. When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers.


Word was given to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had done the building of the wall and that there were no more broken places in it though even then I had not put up the gates in the gateways. Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying: Come; let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono. But their purpose was to do me evil. I sent men to them saying: I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you? read more.
They sent this to me four times. I sent them the same answer. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. There was written in it: It has been heard among the nations what Geshem is saying, / He is saying that you and the Jews are hoping to make yourselves free from the king's authority. That this is why you are building the wall. They say that it is your purpose to be their king. And that you have prophets preaching about you in Jerusalem, and saying: 'There is a king in Judah.' Now an account of these things will be sent to the king. So come now, and let us have a discussion. I responded to him, saying: No such things as you say are being done. They are only a fiction you have made up yourself. They hoped to put fear in us, saying: Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done. But now, O God, make my hands strong. And I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his house. He said: Let us have a meeting in the house of God, inside the Temple, and let the doors be closed for they will come to kill you. Truly, in the night they will come to kill you. I replied: Am I the sort of man to go in flight? What man, in my position, would go into the Temple to keep safe? I will not go in. Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so. For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me. Keep in mind, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat and what they did, and Noadiah, the woman prophet, and the rest of the prophets whose purpose was to frighten me.

They spoke a good deal about the good he had done in my presence, and reported what I said to him. Tobiah sent letters with the purpose of causing me fear.