Judah’s King Abijam

15 In the eighteenth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah, ² and he reigned three years in Jerusalem.^(A) His mother’s name was Maacah^(B) daughter^[a] of Abishalom.

³ Abijam walked in all the sins his father before him had committed,^(C) and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God as his ancestor David had been.^{(D) 4} But for the sake of David, the Lord his God gave him a lamp^[b] in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him and by preserving Jerusalem.^{(E) 5} For David did what was right in the Lord’s sight, and he did not turn aside from anything he had commanded him all the days of his life,^(F) except in the matter of Uriah^(G) the Hethite.

⁶ There had been war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Rehoboam’s life.^{(H) 7} The rest of the events of Abijam’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^(I) There was also war between Abijam and Jeroboam.^{(J) 8} Abijam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.^(K) His son Asa became king in his place.^(L)

Judah’s King Asa

⁹ In the twentieth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam,^(M) Asa became king of Judah, ¹⁰ and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s^[c] name was Maacah^(N) daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did what was right in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done.^{(O) 12} He banished the male cult prostitutes^(P) from the land and removed all of the idols that his ancestors had made.^{(Q) 13} He also^(R) removed his grandmother^[d] Maacah from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. Asa chopped down her obscene image and burned it^(S) in the Kidron Valley.^{(T) 14} The high places were not taken away,^(U) but Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his entire life.^{(V) 15} He brought his father’s consecrated gifts and his own consecrated gifts into the Lord’s temple: silver, gold, and utensils.^(W)

¹⁶ There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.^{(X) 17} Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah.^(Y) He built Ramah^(Z) in order to keep anyone from leaving or coming to King Asa of Judah. ¹⁸ So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple^(AA) and the treasuries of the royal palace and gave it to his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad^(AB) son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion king of Aram who lived in Damascus,^(AC) saying, ¹⁹ “There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father.^(AD) Look, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Go and break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel^(AE) so that he will withdraw from me.”

²⁰ Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon,^(AF) Dan,^(AG) Abel-beth-maacah,^(AH) all Chinnereth,^(AI) and the whole land of Naphtali.^{(AJ) 21} When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stayed in Tirzah.^{(AK) 22} Then King Asa gave a command to everyone without exception in Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then King Asa built Geba^(AL) of Benjamin and Mizpah^(AM) with them.

²³ The rest of all the events of Asa’s reign,^(AN) along with all his might, all his accomplishments, and the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^(AO) But in his old age he developed a disease in his feet.^{(AP) 24} Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his ancestor David.^(AQ) His son Jehoshaphat^(AR) became king in his place.

Israel’s King Nadab

²⁵ Nadab son of Jeroboam^(AS) became king over Israel in the second year of Judah’s King Asa; he reigned over Israel two years. ²⁶ Nadab did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and walked in the ways of his father and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.^(AT)

²⁷ Then Baasha^(AU) son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon^(AV) of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon. ²⁸ In the third year of Judah’s King Asa,^(AW) Baasha killed Nadab^(AX) and reigned in his place.

²⁹ When Baasha became king, he struck down the entire house of Jeroboam.^(AY) He did not leave Jeroboam any survivors but^[e] destroyed his family according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.^{(AZ) 30} This was because Jeroboam had angered^[f] the Lord God of Israel by the sins he had committed and had caused Israel to commit.^(BA)

³¹ The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(BB) 32} There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.^(BC)

Israel’s King Baasha

³³ In the third year of Judah’s King Asa, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah^(BD) twenty-four years. ³⁴ He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and walked in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.^(BE)

16 Now the word of the Lord came to Jehu^(BF) son of Hanani^(BG) against Baasha: ² “Because I raised you up from the dust^(BH) and made you ruler over my people Israel,^(BI) but you have walked in the ways of Jeroboam and have caused my people Israel to sin,^(BJ) angering me with their sins, ³ take note: I will eradicate Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat:^(BK)

⁵ The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(BM) 6} Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place. ⁷ But through the prophet Jehu^(BN) son of Hanani the word of the Lord also had come against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the Lord’s sight. His actions angered the Lord, and Baasha’s house became like the house of Jeroboam, because he had struck it down.^(BO)

Israel’s King Elah

⁸ In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah^(BP) two years.

⁹ His servant Zimri,^(BQ) commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk^(BR) in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household^(BS) at Tirzah. ¹⁰ In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in and struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.^(BT)

¹¹ When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male,^[h](BU) including his kinsmen and his friends. ¹² So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.^{(BV) 13} This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, angering the Lord God of Israel^(BW) with their worthless idols.^(BX)

¹⁴ The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^(BY)

Israel’s King Zimri

¹⁵ In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah.^(BZ) Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.^{(CA) 16} When these troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp. ¹⁷ Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.^{(CB) 18} When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died ¹⁹ because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and by walking in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.^(CC)

²⁰ The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ²¹ At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. ²² However, the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.

Israel’s King Omri

²³ In the thirty-first year of Judah’s King Asa, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,^{(CD) 24} then he bought the hill of Samaria^(CE) from Shemer for 150 pounds^[i] of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria^[j] based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.

²⁵ Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.^{(CF) 26} He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat in every respect and continued in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, angering the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.^{(CG) 27} The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ²⁸ Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.

Israel’s King Ahab

²⁹ Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. ³⁰ But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him.^{(CH) 31} Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel,^(CI) the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,^(CJ) and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.^{(CK) 32} He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal^(CL) that he had built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole.^(CM) Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.^(CN)

³⁴ During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he finished its gates, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.^(CO)

The Bread of Life

²² The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat.^[a](A) They also saw that Jesus had not boarded the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone. ²³ Some boats from Tiberias^(B) came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. ²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi,^(C) when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw^[b] the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. ²⁷ Don’t work for the food that perishes^(D) but for the food that lasts for eternal life,^(E) which the Son of Man^(F) will give you, because God the Father^(G) has set his seal of approval on him.”

²⁸ “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

²⁹ Jesus replied, “This is the work^(H) of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”^(I)

³⁰ “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(J) in the wilderness,^(K) just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”^[c](L)

³² Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses^(M) didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

³⁵ “I am^(N) the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me^(O) will ever be hungry,^(P) and no one who believes in me^(Q) will ever be thirsty^(R) again. ³⁶ But as I told you, you’ve seen me,^[d] and yet you do not believe. ³⁷ Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out.^{(S) 38} For I have come down from heaven,^(T) not to do my own will, but the will of him^(U) who sent me. ³⁹ This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise^(V) them up on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father: ^(W) that everyone who sees the Son^(X) and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise^(Y) him up on the last day.”

⁴¹ Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph,^(Z) whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³ Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws^[e] him, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ^(AA) And they will all be taught by God.^[f](AB) Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father^(AC) comes to me— ⁴⁶ not that anyone has seen the Father^(AD) except the one who is from God.^(AE) He has seen the Father.^(AF)

⁴⁷ “Truly I tell you, anyone who believes^[g] has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life.

Psalm 67

All Will Praise God

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.