Thematic Bible: Tribe of Benjamin


Thematic Bible



Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth and had brought him to Mahanaim. He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people of Judah followed David.

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found.

There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He was a prominent person. He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he was; he stood head and shoulders above all the people.

Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel: "At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must consecrate him as a leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor on my people. Their cry has reached me!" When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, "Here is the man that I told you about! He will rule over my people."

He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. Verse ConceptsMaking KingsNorthern Kingdom Of Israel

So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. Verse ConceptsTwelve Beings

But David's soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner's men -- in all, 360 men had died! Verse ConceptsThree To Four HundredThree Hundred And AboveKilling Within Israel

The Benjaminites formed their ranks behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

Some from Benjamin and Judah also came to David's stronghold.

These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle. They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or sling stones right or left-handed. They were fellow tribesmen of Saul from Benjamin.) These were: Ahiezer, the leader, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Berachah, Jehu the Anathothite, read more.
Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, one of the thirty warriors and their leader,Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites, and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

The ninth, assigned the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite. His division consisted of 24,000 men. Verse ConceptsTwenty Thousand And Up

Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning devouring the prey, and in the evening dividing the plunder." Verse ConceptsWolvesIn The MorningDividing PlunderFierce Men

Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him; he protects him all the time, and the Lord places him on his chest. Verse ConceptsSolutions To InsecurityRest, PhysicalSafetyShouldersGod's Love For Israel

Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He was a prominent person.

Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know." Verse ConceptsNot Knowing PeopleWho Is This?

Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head. Samuel kissed him and said, "The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord's people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance. Verse ConceptsPeople KissingAnointing, Performed OnKingsKingship, HumanKissingLeaders, PoliticalOilRankKissesOlive OilThe Act Of AnointingAnointing KingsAnointing Oil

And the standard of the camp of the Ephraimites set out according to their companies; over his company was Elishama son of Ammihud. Verse ConceptsFlags

and over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites was Abidan son of Gideoni. Verse Conceptsdivision

"On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Amihud. Verse ConceptsTribes Of IsraelWest SidesFlags

Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni.

some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.) Of the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez;

Then the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites -- all those whose mind God had stirred -- got ready to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Verse ConceptsHouse Of GodPriests, Institution In Ot TimesTribes Of IsraelImpulsesMoving To A New Placejerusalem

The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, and Jediael -- three in all. The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. The five of them were leaders of their families. There were 22,034 warriors listed in their genealogical records. The sons of Beker: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alameth. All these were the sons of Beker. read more.
There were 20,200 family leaders and warriors listed in their genealogical records. The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. All these were the sons of Jediael. Listed in their genealogical records were 17,200 family leaders and warriors who were capable of marching out to battle. The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir; the Hushites were descendants of Aher.

From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, Verse ConceptsSoldiersTwo Hundred Thousand And More

From Benjamin, Saul's tribe, there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul. Verse ConceptsCoronationsThree Thousand And Up

Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant of Saul's household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king.

They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or sling stones right or left-handed. They were fellow tribesmen of Saul from Benjamin.) These were: Verse Conceptsequipping, physicalSlingsStonesWarriorsLeft HandedThrowing StonesArrows

The Benjaminites by their families: from Bela, the family of the Belaites; from Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; from Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; from Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; from Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. The descendants of Bela were Ard and Naaman. From Ard, the family of the Ardites; from Naaman, the family of the Naamanites.

I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. Verse ConceptsCircumcision, physicalDay 8ScholarsLess Than A Year OldTaking The Law To HeartJewszealots

The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "How could such a wicked thing take place? Now, hand over the good-for-nothings in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness." But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers. The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah to make war against the Israelites. read more.
That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah. Among this army were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers. Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target. The men of Israel (not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior. The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, "Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?" The Lord said, "Judah should lead." The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah. The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah. The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day. The Israelite army took heart and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before. The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, "Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?" The Lord said, "Attack them!" So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day. The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers. So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord. The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God's covenant was there in those days; Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the Lord in those days), "Should we once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers, or should we quit?" The Lord said, "Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them over to you." So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah. The Israelites attacked the Benjaminites the next day; they took their positions against Gibeah just as they had done before. The Benjaminites attacked the army, leaving the city unguarded. They began to strike down their enemy just as they had done before. On the main roads (one leads to Bethel, the other to Gibeah) and in the field, they struck down about thirty Israelites. Then the Benjaminites said, "They are defeated just as before." But the Israelites said, "Let's retreat and lure them away from the city into the main roads." All the men of Israel got up from their places and took their positions at Baal Tamar, while the Israelites hiding in ambush jumped out of their places west of Gibeah. Ten thousand men, well-trained soldiers from all Israel, then made a frontal assault against Gibeah -- the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was at their doorstep. The Lord annihilated Benjamin before Israel; the Israelites struck down that day 25,100 sword-wielding Benjaminites. Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated. The Israelites retreated before Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah. The men hiding in ambush made a mad dash to Gibeah. They attacked and put the sword to the entire city. The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush sent up a smoke signal from the city, the Israelites counterattacked. Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; they struck down about thirty men. They said, "There's no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle." But when the signal, a pillar of smoke, began to rise up from the city, the Benjaminites turned around and saw the whole city going up in a cloud of smoke that rose high into the sky. When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep. They retreated before the Israelites, taking the road to the wilderness. But the battle overtook them as men from the surrounding cities struck them down. They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them from Nohah, and annihilated them all the way to a spot east of Geba. Eighteen thousand Benjaminites, all of them capable warriors, fell dead. The rest turned and ran toward the wilderness, heading toward the cliff of Rimmon. But the Israelites caught five thousand of them on the main roads. They stayed right on their heels all the way to Gidom and struck down two thousand more. That day twenty-five thousand sword-wielding Benjaminites fell in battle, all of them capable warriors. Six hundred survivors turned and ran away to the wilderness, to the cliff of Rimmon. They stayed there four months. The Israelites returned to the Benjaminite towns and put the sword to them. They wiped out the cities, the animals, and everything they could find. They set fire to every city in their path.

The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph. Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. read more.
It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. This is the western border. The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan River. This was the southern border. The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. These cities belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba -- a total of twelve cities and their towns. Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath -- a total of fourteen cities and their towns. This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.

From the descendants of Benjamin: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name. Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the Benjaminites, presented an offering. His offering was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing 70 shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each of them full of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; one gold pan weighing 10 shekels, full of incense; read more.
one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a purification offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, "Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite." So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably. They said, "Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?" An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today!" read more.
The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace. The Israelites asked, "Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?" They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed. The Israelites regretted what had happened to their brother Benjamin. They said, "Today we cut off an entire tribe from Israel! How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, we took an oath in the Lord's name not to give them our daughters as wives." So they asked, "Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?" Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering. When they took roll call, they noticed none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there. So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors against Jabesh Gilead. They commanded them, "Go and kill with your swords the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children. Do this: exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male. But spare the lives of any virgins." So they did as instructed. They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young girls who were virgins -- they had never had sexual relations with a male. They brought them back to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. The entire assembly sent messengers to the Benjaminites at the cliff of Rimmon and assured them they would not be harmed. The Benjaminites returned at that time, and the Israelites gave to them the women they had spared from Jabesh Gilead. But there were not enough to go around. The people regretted what had happened to Benjamin because the Lord had weakened the Israelite tribes. The leaders of the assembly said, "How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out. The remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out. But we can't allow our daughters to marry them, for the Israelites took an oath, saying, 'Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!' However, there is an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel (east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem) and south of Lebonah." So they commanded the Benjaminites, "Go hide in the vineyards, and keep your eyes open. When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, jump out from the vineyards. Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin. When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we'll say to them, "Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don't worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.'" The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down.

from the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Kislon;


Then Abner spoke privately with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.

When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. Verse ConceptsWarfare, Examples OfAssembling IsraelOne Hundred Thousand And MoreReinstating PeopleCivil War

These are the Benjaminites, according to their families, and according to those numbered of them, 45,600. Verse ConceptsForty Thousand And Up

from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He was a prominent person.

When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment. Verse ConceptsHandsTaxationTributesAnswered PrayerLeft Handed

The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight with Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel suffered greatly. Verse Conceptsenemies, of Israel and JudahAttacking

They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, they follow after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers. From Makir leaders came down, from Zebulun came the ones who march carrying an officer's staff. Verse ConceptsCaptainsRankRootsStaff

Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,

The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. Verse ConceptsTribes Of Israel

The Benjaminites by their families: from Bela, the family of the Belaites; from Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; from Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites;

The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir; the Hushites were descendants of Aher.

Benjamin was the father of Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was born second, Aharah third, Verse ConceptsFirstborn Sons

Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who moved them. Gera was the father of Uzzah and Ahihud. Verse ConceptsPeople Exiled

These were the descendants of Ehud who were leaders of the families living in Geba who were forced to move to Manahath: Verse ConceptsPeople Exiled

Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns.

So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord. Verse ConceptsFasting, Nature OfAsceticism, TypesPrayer, Practicalities OfSacrifice, In OtUnhappinessWeepingArk Of The Covenant, EventsAction Until EveningFasting

Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. Verse ConceptsDeserts, Specificborders

These cities belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,

Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.

But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah, as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. Verse ConceptsTen PeopleMonth 7Killing Named Individuals

All of the officers of the Judahite army and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite.

So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived there with him. He stayed there to live among the people who had been left in the land of Judah. Now some of the officers of the Judean army and their troops had been hiding in the countryside. They heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to govern the country. They also heard that he had been put in charge over the men, women, and children from the poorer classes of the land who had not been carried off into exile in Babylon. So all these officers and their troops came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite. read more.
Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. "Do not be afraid to submit to the Babylonians. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you. I for my part will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians whenever they come to us. You for your part go ahead and harvest the wine, the dates, the figs, and the olive oil, and store them in jars. Go ahead and settle down in the towns that you have taken over." Moreover, all the Judeans who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard what had happened. They heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people to stay in Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. So all these Judeans returned to the land of Judah from the places where they had been scattered. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs. Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They said to him, "Are you at all aware that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, "Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear."

But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama who was a member of the royal family and had been one of Zedekiah's chief officers, came with ten of his men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together with him there at Mizpah, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him stood up, pulled out their swords, and killed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Thus Ishmael killed the man that the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the country. Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonian soldiers who happened to be there. read more.
On the day after Gedaliah had been murdered, before anyone even knew about it, eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves to show they were mourning. They were carrying grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them. He was pretending to cry as he walked along. When he met them, he said to them, "Come with me to meet Gedaliah son of Ahikam." But as soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw their bodies in a cistern. But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us. For we will give you the stores of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey we have hidden in a field. So he spared their lives and did not kill them along with the rest. Now the cistern where Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of those he had killed was a large one that King Asa had constructed as part of his defenses against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with dead bodies. Then Ishmael took captive all the people who were still left alive in Mizpah. This included the royal princesses and all the rest of the people in Mizpah that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had put under the authority of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took all these people captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites. Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the atrocities that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed. So they took all their troops and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the large pool at Gibeon. When all the people that Ishmael had taken captive saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him, they were glad. All those people that Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah.

King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. King Asa used the materials to build up Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah. Verse ConceptsExemptCarrying Other LoadsWood And Stone

King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. He used the materials to build up Geba and Mizpah. Verse ConceptsStones

Then Samuel called the people together before the Lord at Mizpah. He said to the Israelites, "This is what the Lord God of Israel says, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt and I delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, "No! Appoint a king over us." Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.'" read more.
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, "Has the man arrived here yet?" The Lord said, "He has hidden himself among the equipment." So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all. Then Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? Indeed, there is no one like him among all the people!" All the people shouted out, "Long live the king!" Then Samuel talked to the people about how the kingship would work. He wrote it all down on a scroll and set it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away to their homes.

Adjacent to him Ezer son of Jeshua, head of Mizpah, worked on another section, opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. Verse ConceptsStairwaysArmoryThe Angle

Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, head of the district of Mizpah, worked on the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, put on its roof, and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. In addition, he rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the royal garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David. Verse ConceptsGarden, NaturalHorticultureStairwaysPoolsNamed GatesStepsGardens Attached To Palaces

Adjacent to them worked Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, who were men of Gibeon and Mizpah. These towns were under the jurisdiction of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. Verse ConceptsGovernorsHuman Authority, Nature OfBeyond The River

All the Israelites from Dan to Beer Sheba and from the land of Gilead left their homes and assembled together before the Lord at Mizpah. The leaders of all the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God's people, which numbered four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers. The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. Then the Israelites said, "Explain how this wicked thing happened!"

We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army. When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel." Verse ConceptsA Tenth Of PeoplePeople Providing Food

Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,

Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places. Verse ConceptsCirclesEvery Year

Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf." Verse ConceptsAssemblyReligious AwakeningsPray For UsFasting And Prayer

Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns.

Thus Jesus no longer went around publicly among the Judeans, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples. Verse ConceptsActing In SecretDisciples' MovementsTemporary Stay In The Wilderness

Raiding bands went out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One band turned toward the road leading to Ophrah by the land of Shual; Verse ConceptsThree GroupsNations Attacking Israel

Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

another band turned toward the road leading to Beth Horon; and yet another band turned toward the road leading to the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim in the direction of the desert.

in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat,

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