16 Now the word of the Lord came to Jehu^(A) son of Hanani^(B) against Baasha: ² “Because I raised you up from the dust^(C) and made you ruler over my people Israel,^(D) but you have walked in the ways of Jeroboam and have caused my people Israel to sin,^(E) 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:^(F)

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.^{(H) 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^(I) 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.^(J)

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^(K) two years.

⁹ His servant Zimri,^(L) commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk^(M) in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household^(N) 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.^(O)

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,^[b](P) 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.^{(Q) 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^(R) with their worthless idols.^(S)

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.^(T)

Israel’s King Zimri

¹⁵ In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah.^(U) Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.^{(V) 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.^{(W) 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.^(X)

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,^{(Y) 24} then he bought the hill of Samaria^(Z) from Shemer for 150 pounds^[c] of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria^[d] 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.^{(AA) 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.^{(AB) 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.^{(AC) 31} Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel,^(AD) the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,^(AE) and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.^{(AF) 32} He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal^(AG) that he had built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole.^(AH) Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.^(AI)

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.^(AJ)

The Life of the New Man

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(A) 2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{(B) 3} For you died,^(C) and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears,^(D) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(E)

⁵ Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,^(F) lust,^(G) evil desire, and greed,^(H) which is idolatry.^{(I) 6} Because of these, God’s wrath^(J) is coming upon the disobedient,^{[b] 7} and you once walked in these things when you were living^(K) in them. ⁸ But now, put away^(L) all the following: anger,^(M) wrath,^(N) malice,^(O) slander,^(P) and filthy language from your mouth.^{(Q) 9} Do not lie^(R) to one another, since you have put off^(S) the old self^(T) with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on^(U) the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your^[c] Creator.^{(V) 11} In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.^(W)

The Christian Life

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved,^(X) put on compassion, kindness,^(Y) humility,^(Z) gentleness,^(AA) and patience,^{(AB) 13} bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.^{(AC) 14} Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called^(AD) in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,^[d] singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name^(AE) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Christ in Your Home

¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.^{(AF) 19} Husbands,^(AG) love your wives^(AH) and don’t be bitter^(AI) toward them. ²⁰ Children,^(AJ) obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers,^(AK) do not exasperate^(AL) your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. ²² Slaves, obey your human^(AM) masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.^{(AN) 23} Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,^{(AO) 24} knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer^(AP) will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

Sacrifices at Appointed Times

46 “This is what the Lord God says: The gate of the inner court that faces east is to be closed during the six days of work, but it will be opened on the Sabbath day^(A) and opened on the day of the New Moon. ² The prince should enter from the outside by way of the gate’s portico and stand at the gate’s doorpost while the priests sacrifice his burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He will bow in worship at the gate’s threshold and then depart, but the gate is not to be closed until evening. ³ The people of the land will also bow in worship before the Lord at the entrance of that gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons.

⁴ “The burnt offering that the prince presents to the Lord^(B) on the Sabbath day is to be six unblemished lambs^(C) and an unblemished ram. ⁵ The grain offering will be half a bushel^[a] with the ram,^(D) and the grain offering with the lambs will be whatever he wants to give, as well as a gallon^[b] of oil for every half bushel. ⁶ On the day of the New Moon, the burnt offering is to be a young, unblemished bull, as well as six lambs and a ram without blemish. ⁷ He will provide a grain offering of half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he can afford with the lambs, together with a gallon of oil for every half bushel. ⁸ When the prince enters,^(E) he is to go in by way of the gate’s portico and go out the same way.

⁹ “When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed times,^[c](F) whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship is to go out by way of the south gate, and whoever enters by way of the south gate is to go out by way of the north gate. No one may return through the gate by which he entered, but is to go out by the opposite gate. ¹⁰ When the people enter, the prince will enter with them, and when they leave, he will leave. ¹¹ At the festivals and appointed times, the grain offering will be half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he wants to give with the lambs, along with a gallon of oil for every half bushel.

¹² “When the prince makes a freewill offering, whether a burnt offering or a fellowship offering as a freewill offering to the Lord,^(G) the gate that faces east is to be opened for him. He is to offer his burnt offering or fellowship offering just as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he will go out, and the gate is to be closed after he leaves.

¹³ “You are to offer an unblemished year-old male lamb as a daily burnt offering to the Lord; you will offer it every morning.^{(H) 14} You are also to prepare a grain offering every morning along with it: three quarts,^[d] with one-third of a gallon^[e] of oil to moisten the fine flour—a grain offering to the Lord. This is a permanent statute to be observed regularly. ¹⁵ They will offer the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.

Transfer of Royal Lands

¹⁶ “This is what the Lord God says: If the prince gives a gift to each of his sons as their inheritance, it will belong to his sons. It will become their property by inheritance. ¹⁷ But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom,^(I) when it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it is theirs. ¹⁸ The prince must not take any of the people’s inheritance, evicting them from their property.^(J) He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of my people will be displaced from his own property.”

The Temple Kitchens

¹⁹ Then he brought me through the entrance^(K) that was at the side of the gate, into the priests’ holy chambers, which faced north. I saw a place there at the far western end. ²⁰ He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering,^(L) and where they will bake the grain offering,^(M) so that they do not bring them into the outer court and transmit holiness to the people.” ²¹ Next he brought me into the outer court and led me past its four corners. There was a separate court in each of its corners. ²² In the four corners of the outer court there were enclosed^[f] courts, 70 feet^[g] long by 52½ feet^[h] wide. All four corner areas had the same dimensions. ²³ There was a stone wall^[i] around the inside of them, around the four of them, with ovens built at the base of the walls on all sides. ²⁴ He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the people’s sacrifices.”

Psalm 102

Affliction in light of Eternity

A prayer of a suffering person who is weak and pours out his lament before the Lord.^(A)