Thematic Bible: The israelites


Thematic Bible



And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel, and the people took great sorrow. And they rose up early in the morning and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, "Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place of which the LORD said, for we have sinned."


And when the people heard this evil tidings, they sorrowed: and no man did put on his best raiment.


And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against thee: make intercession to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." And Moses made intercession for the people.


"Pluck up your hearts and be strong: Be not afraid or in any wise discouraged for dread of the king of Assyria, and of the great multitude that is with him: for there is one greater with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh: But with us is the LORD our God for to help us and to fight our battles!" And the people were well couraged with the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

And I will send peace in your land, that ye shall sleep, and no man shall make you afraid. And I will rid evil beasts out of your land, and there shall no sword go throughout your land. "'And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you upon the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall before you upon the sword.


And the multitude cried out, and the people wept throughout that night, and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them, "Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, either we would that we had died in this wilderness. Wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land to fall upon the sword, that both our wives, and also our children should be a prey? Is it not better that we return unto Egypt again?" read more.
And they said, one to another, "Let us make a captain and return unto Egypt again." And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the congregation of the multitude of the children of Israel.

Notwithstanding, ye would not consent to go up, but were disobedient unto the mouth of the LORD your God, and murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hateth us, therefore he hath brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us. How shall we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying the people is greater and taller than we, and the cities are great and walled even up to heaven, and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.'


And when the men of Israel saw themselves in a strait, and that the people were encumbered, they hid themselves in caves, in privy holes, in rocks, dens and pits. And the Hebrews went over Jordan unto the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was yet in Gilgal, and all the people that followed him were astonished.


And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, ran away from him, and were sore afraid.


And the men of Ai smote of them upon a thirty and six men, and chased them before the gates even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down. And the hearts of the people were discouraged and melted like water.


And now ye think to prevail against the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because ye be a great multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. And have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests like the nations of other lands? Even whosoever cometh and filleth his hand with an ox and seven rams, the same is made priest to them that are no Gods. But with us is the LORD our God whom we have not forsaken, and the priests of the sons of Aaron ministering unto the LORD, and the Levites in office: read more.
burning unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet cense: and the shewbread put in order upon a pure table: and the candlestick of gold with the lamps of the same, to be lighted every evening. For we keep the watch of the LORD our God: but ye have forsaken him. Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you." But for all that, Jeroboam sent men privily above to come behind upon them: and so they were before Judah, and the layers in wait were behind them. And when Judah turned and saw the battle behind and before, they cried unto the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets and the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into the hands of Judah. And Abijah and his people slew a great slaughter of them: so that there were stricken down dead of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. And so the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed: because they leaned unto the LORD God of their fathers.


And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hands with all that were with the Hagrites. For they cried to God in their battle, and he heard them, because they trusted to him.


and the people believed. And when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and had looked upon their tribulation, they bowed themselves, and worshipped.


Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the necks of their fathers that did not believe the LORD their God.

For of all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted me now this ten times and have not hearkened unto my voice, there shall not one see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that railed upon me, see it.

Notwithstanding yet God sent Prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD. And they testified unto them. But they would not hear.

But they mocked the messengers of God and despised their words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD so arose against his people that it was past remedy. And so he brought upon them the king of Chaldeans and slew their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and neither spared young man nor maiden, neither old man, neither so much as him that stooped for age: But gave all into his hand.

But our fathers were proud, and hard necked, so that they followed not thy commandments, and refused to hear, and were not mindful of the wonders that thou didst for them: but became obstinate and heady insomuch that they turned back to their bondage in their disobedience. But thou, my God, forgavest, and wast gracious, merciful, patient, and of great goodness, and forsookest them not.

and testified unto them, that they should turn again unto thy law. Notwithstanding, they were proud, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned in thy laws, which a man should do and live in them, and turned the shoulder away, and were stiff-necked, and would not hear. And many years didst thou forbear them, and testified unto them through thy spirit, even by the office of thy prophets, and yet would they not hear. Therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the nations in the lands.

And I will visit the wickedness of him, of his seed, and of his servants. Moreover all the evil that I have promised them, though they heard me not, will I bring upon them, upon the inhabiters of Jerusalem, and upon all Judah."


And when Moses heard the people weep in their households every man in the door of his tent, then the wrath of the LORD waxed hot exceedingly: and it grieved Moses also. And Moses said unto the LORD, "Wherefore dealest thou so cruelly with thy servant? Wherefore do I not find favour in thy sight, seeing that thou puttest the weight of this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people, or have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, 'Carry them in thy bosom, as a nurse beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?' read more.
Where should I have flesh to give unto all this people? For they weep unto me saying, 'Give us flesh that we may eat.' I am not able to bear all this people alone, for it is too heavy for me. Wherefore, if thou deal thus with me; kill me, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thy sight: and let me not see my wretchedness." And the LORD said unto Moses, "Gather unto me seventy of the elders of Israel, which thou knowest that they are the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them unto the tabernacle of witness, and let them stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there, and take of the spirit which is upon thee and put upon them, and they shall bear with thee in the burden of the people, and so shalt thou not bear alone. And say unto the people, 'Hallow your selves against tomorrow, that ye may eat flesh, for ye have whined in the ears of the LORD saying: Who shall give us flesh to eat? For we were happy when we were in Egypt! Therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day only, either two or five days, either ten or twenty days: but even a month long, and until it come out at the nostrils of you, that ye be ready to parbreak: because that ye have cast the LORD aside which is among you, and have wept before him saying: Why came we out of Egypt?"


And the rascal people that was among them fell a lusting. And the children of Israel also went to, and wept, and said, "Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we should eat in Egypt for nought, and of the cucumbers and melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now our souls are dried away, for our eyes look on nothing else, save upon Manna."


And the people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars and boke it in pans and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like unto the taste of an oilcake.


Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, which stung them: so that much people died in Israel.


And the children of Israel did even so, and gathered some more some less,


And the people spake against God and against Moses, "Wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt, for to die in the wilderness? For here is neither bread nor water, and our souls loatheth this light bread."


He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar; for they kept his testimonies, and the law that he gave them.

When Moses saw that the people were naked - for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame when they made insurrection - he went and stood in the gate of the host and said, "If any man pertain unto the LORD, let him come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together and came unto him. And he said unto them, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Israel, 'Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the host: and slay every man his brother, every man his friend and every man his neighbor." read more.
And the children of Levi did as Moses had said. And there were slain of the people the same day, about three thousand men. Then Moses said, "Fill your hands unto the LORD this day, every man upon his son and upon his brother: to bring upon you a blessing this day."

And the children of Israel went and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

He that sayeth unto his father and mother, 'I saw him not,' and unto his brethren, 'I knew not,' and to his son, 'I know not': for they have observed thy words and kept thy covenant.

And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had seen all the great works of the LORD that he did to Israel.

According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, even so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses beheld all the work, and see, they had done it even as the LORD commanded: and then Moses blessed them.

If it chanced that the cloud abode any space of time upon the habitation, then they kept their tents at the mouth of the LORD: and they journeyed also at the commandment of the LORD. And if it happened that the cloud was upon the habitation from evening unto morning and was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed. Whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.


Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants and the law that was given and the service of God, and the promises,


And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel, and the people took great sorrow.


And the LORD said unto Moses, "Behold, I see this people, that it is a stiffnecked people,

Understand therefore that it is not for thy righteousness' sake, that the LORD thy God doth give thee this good land to possess it, for thou art a stiff-necked people.

Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, 'I see this people how that it is a stiff-necked people;


And there went a man of the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi. And the wife conceived and bare a son. And when she saw that it was a proper child, she hid him three months long. And when she could no longer hide him, she took a basket of bulrushes and daubed it with slime and pitch, and laid the child therein, and put it in the flags by the river's brink. read more.
And his sister stood afar off, to wete what would come of it.

I have perfectly seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now, come: and I will send thee into Egypt.'

Then there rose up a new king in Egypt which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his folk, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us play wisely with them: lest they multiply, and then - if there chance any war - they join themselves unto our enemies and fight against us, and so get them out of the land." read more.
And he set taskmasters over them, to keep them under with burdens. And they built unto Pharaoh treasure cities: Pithom and Rameses. But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grew: so that they abhorred the children of Israel. And the Egyptians held the children of Israel in bondage without mercy, and made their lives bitter unto them with cruel labour in clay and brick, and all manner work in the fields, and in all manner of service, which they caused them to work cruelly. And the king of Egypt said unto the midwives of the Hebrews' women, of which the one's name was Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When ye midwife the women of the Hebrews and see in the birth time that it is a boy, kill it. But if it be a maid, let it live." Notwithstanding, the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them: but saved the men children. Then the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them, "Why have ye dealt on this manner and have saved the men children?" And the midwives answered Pharaoh, that the Hebrews' women were not as the women of Egypt: but were sturdy women, and were delivered yer the midwives came at them. And God therefore dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty, and - because the midwives feared God - he made them houses. Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, "All the men children that are born, cast into the river; and save the maid children alive."

The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, and made them to cast out their young children, that they should not remain alive.


then set I the people after their kindreds with their swords, spears, and bows beneath, in the low places behind the wall;

And from that time forth it came to pass, that the half part of the young men did the labour, and the other half part held spears, shields, bows, and breastplates: and the rulers stood behind all the house of Judah,


"God chose new fashions of war, for when they had war at their gates: there was not seen, among forty thousand, either shield or spear in Israel.

And so in time of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hands of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: save for Saul and Jonathan his son was there somewhat found.


But there was no smith throughout the land of Israel. For the Philistines thought that then the Hebrews might make them swords or spears.


And there had gone a company of soldiers out of Syria a running, and had brought out of the country of Israel a little maid, which was with Naaman's wife.

And he made great ordinance before them. And when they had eaten and drunk, sent them away, and they went to their master. And so the soldiers of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.


Then there came a man of God and said unto the king of Israel, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Because the Syrians say that the LORD is but a God of the hills, and not God of the valleys too: therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand that ye may know that I am the LORD.'" And they pitched one over against the other seven days, and the seventh day joined battle. And the children of Israel slew of the Syrians, a hundred thousand footmen in one day. And the rest fled to Aphek into the city. And there fell a wall upon twenty seven thousand of them that were left. And Benhadad fled and went into the city, from chamber to chamber.


Then there came a Prophet to the king of Israel, and said to him, "Go forth and play the man: be wise and take heed what thou doest. For when the year is about, the king of Syria will come against thee again." Then said the servants of the kings of Syria to him, "The gods of the hills are their gods, and therefore they had the better of us. But let us fight with them in the plain, and for what ye will, we shall have the better of them. And this do: take the kings away every man out of his place, and put dukes in their rooms. read more.
And do thou number thee a host, like the host that thou hast lost, and horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and let us fight with them in the plain; and for a wager, we get the better of them." And the king hearkened unto their voice and did even so.


And behold there came a Prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Seest thou all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into thine hand this day, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD.'" And Ahab said, "By whom?" And he said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Even by the men of the governors of the shires.'" And Ahab said, "Who shall join battle?" And he said, "Thou." Then he numbered the men of the governors of the shires: and they were two hundred and thirty two. And after them he numbered all the people, and all the children of Israel were seven thousand. read more.
And they went out at noon when Benhadad was a drinking strong drink in the pavilions with the thirty two kings that holp him. And the men of the sheriffs of the shires went out first. And Benhadad sent out, and they showed him, saying, "There came men out of Samaria." And he said, "If they come out for peace, take them alive. And also if they come for war, take them yet alive." And when those men of the sheriffs of the shires were come out of the city and the Host after them, they slew every one of them his man. And the Syrians fled, and Israel followed after them. And Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with his horsemen.


Then said his servants unto him, "Behold, we have heard say that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sack cloth about our Loins and ropes about our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: haply he will save thy life." And they girded sack cloth about their loins and put ropes about their heads, and went out to the king of Israel and said, "Thy servant Benhadad sayeth, 'I pray thee let me live.'" And he said, "Is he yet alive? He is my brother." And they took the word for good luck and hastily caught it out of his mouth, and said, "Yea, thy brother Benhadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." And Benhadad came out to him, and the other took him up into the chariot. read more.
And Benhadad said, "The cities which my father took from thy father, I will restore again. And thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. And I will make a covenant with thee and send thee away." And so he made a covenant with him and sent him away. Then a certain man of the children of the Prophets said unto his fellow, with the word of the LORD, "Smite me, I pray thee." And the man would not smite him. And he said, "Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD: behold, as soon as thou art departed from me a lion shall slay thee." And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him and slew him. Then he found another man and said to him, "Smite me, I pray thee." And the man gave him a good stripe and wounded him. And the Prophet went forth and waited for the king by the way and altered his face with ashes. And when the king came by, he cried unto him and said, "Thy servant went out in the midst of the battle. And see, there was one began to flee. And there came a man to me and said, 'Keep this man. And if he be missed thy life shall go for his, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.' And as thy servant had here and there to do, he was gone." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Even so shall thy judgment be, as thou hast defined it thyself." And he hasted and took the ashes away from his eyes: and the king of Israel knew him, that he was of the Prophets. And he said unto the king, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Because thou hast let go a man that ought to have died, thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his." And the king of Israel went to his house wayward and heavy, and entered into Samaria.


And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Change thee and get thee to war: but put on thine own apparel." And the king of Israel changed himself, and went to battle also. But the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, of which he had thirty two, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save with the king of Israel only." And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he had been the king of Israel, and therefore turned to him to fight. read more.
But Jehoshaphat cried out. And when the captains of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from him. And a certain man drew a bow ignorantly and smote the king of Israel between the ribs of his harness. Wherefore the king said unto the driver of his chariot, "Turn thy hand and carry me out of the host, for I am hurt." And the battle increased that day, and the king continued in his chariot before the Syrians, and died at evening. And the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. And there went a proclamation throughout the host after the sun was down, saying, "Every man to his city and to his own country."


And as soon as the year was about, Benhadad numbered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to war with Israel. And the children of Israel were numbered and provided of victuals, and went against them, and pitched before them like two little flocks of kids: but the Syrians filled the country.


Then said the king of Israel unto his servants, "Know ye not that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we sit still and take it not out of the hands of the king of Syria?" And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle, to Ramoth in Gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "I will be as thou art, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine." And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "Ask counsel, I pray thee, of the LORD today." read more.
And then the king of Israel gathered of the Prophets together, upon a four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall I go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or be still?" And they said, "Go: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the king." And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there never a Prophet of the LORD's here, more, that we might enquire of him?" And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one, by whom we may ask counsel of the LORD: one Micaiah the son of Imlah. But I hate him: for he never prophesieth good unto me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of Israel called unto one of his chamberlains and said, "Fetch Micaiah the son of Imlah hither at once." And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat either in his seat and their apparel on them, in a void place beside the entering of the gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophesying before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron and said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'With these horns thou shalt winnow the Syrians until thou have made an end of them." And all the Prophets prophesied even so, saying, "Go to Ramoth in Gilead and prosper, for the LORD shall deliver it into the hands of the king." And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, said unto him, "See, the words of the Prophets speak good unto the king with one voice: let thy words, I pray thee, be like the words of one of them, and speak that is good." And Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, what the LORD putteth in my mouth, that will I speak." And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or shall we be still?" And he said unto him, "Go and prosper, the LORD deliver it unto the hands of the king." And the king said unto him, "How often shall I adjure thee, that thou tell me nothing but truth, in the name of the LORD?" Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have no shepherds. And the LORD said, 'Those have no master; let them return, every man to his house in peace.'" Then said the king of Israel to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee, that he would prophesy no good unto me, but evil?" And Micaiah said, "Hear therefore the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sit on his seat and all his company of heaven standing about him, on his righthand and on his left. And the LORD said, 'Who shall deceive Ahab that he may go and be slain at Ramoth in Gilead?' And one said on this manner and another on that. Then came forth a spirit and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will deceive him.' And the LORD said, 'Wherewith?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all Prophets.' And the LORD said, 'Thou shalt deceive him and also prevail, go forth and do even so.' Now therefore behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets: when in very deed the LORD hath spoken evil toward thee." Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "How is the spirit of the LORD gone from me, to speak in thee?" And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee." And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and carry him back again into Amon the governor of the city, and unto Joab the king's son, and say, 'Thus sayeth the king. Put ye this fellow in the prison house and feed him with bread and water straightly, until I return in peace.'" Then Micaiah said, "If thou come safe again, the LORD hath not spoken in me." And he said moreover, "Hearken to the people every one of you." And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth in Gilead.


And the king of Syria fought against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such a place and in such a place will I pitch." And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, "Beware thou go not by such a place, for there are the Syrians gone down." And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there more than once or twice. read more.
And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled therewith, that he sent for his servants and said to them, "Will ye not show me which of us telleth the king of Israel?" And one of his servants said, "Nay, my lord king: Elisha the prophet that is in Israel, he telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy sleeping chamber."


And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.


Then said they unto Moses, "Were there no graves for us in Egypt, but thou must bring us away for to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou served us thus, for to carry us out of Egypt? Did not we tell thee this in Egypt saying, 'Let us be in rest and serve the Egyptians?' For it had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, than for to die in the wilderness."


and said unto them, "The LORD look unto you and judge! For ye have made the savour of us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and of his servants, and have put a sword into their hands to slay us."


And when the angel of the LORD had spoken these words unto all the children of Israel, the people cried out and wept. And called the name of the said place, Bochim, and offered there unto the LORD.


And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel, and the people took great sorrow.