Jerusalem Is Captured and Destroyed

(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)

25 ^(A) In Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month,^[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The troops set up camp outside the city and built ramps up to the city walls.

^2-3 After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth^[b] month, ^4 (B) the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall.^[c] That same night, Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to escape through the gate near the royal garden, even though they knew the enemy had the city surrounded. They headed toward the desert, ⁵ but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction.

⁶ Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. ^7 (C) Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then poked out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.

⁸ About a month later,^[d] in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem. ^9 (D) Nebuzaradan burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. ¹⁰ Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹¹ He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹² Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.

^13 (E) The Babylonian soldiers took the two bronze columns that stood in front of the temple, the ten movable bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl called the Sea. They broke them into pieces so they could take the bronze to Babylonia. ^14 (F) They carried off the bronze things used for worship at the temple, including the pans for hot ashes, and the shovels, snuffers, and also the dishes for incense, ¹⁵ as well as the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls. Nebuzaradan ordered his soldiers to take everything made of gold or silver.

¹⁶ The pile of bronze from the columns, the stands, and the large bowl that Solomon had made for the temple was too large to be weighed. ¹⁷ Each column had been eight meters tall with a bronze cap over one meter high. These caps were decorated with bronze designs—some of them like chains and others like pomegranates.^[e]

¹⁸ Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials. ¹⁹ Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisors, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found 60 more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah ²¹ near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.

Most of the people of Judah had been carried away as captives from their own country.

Gedaliah Is Made Ruler of the People Left in Judah

(Jeremiah 40.7-9; 41.1-3)

^22 (G) King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam^[f] to rule the few people still living in Judah. ²³ When the army officers and troops heard that Gedaliah was their ruler, the officers met with him at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah from Maacah.

²⁴ Gedaliah said to them, “Everything will be fine, I promise. We don't need to be afraid of the Babylonian rulers, if we live here peacefully and do what Nebuchadnezzar says.”

^25 (H) Ishmael^[g] was from the royal family. And about two months after Gedaliah began his rule,^[h] Ishmael and ten other men went to Mizpah. They killed Gedaliah and his officials, including those from Judah and those from Babylonia. ^26 (I) After that, the army officers and all the people in Mizpah, whether important or not, were afraid of what the Babylonians might do. So they left Judah and went to Egypt.

Jehoiachin Is Set Free

(Jeremiah 52.31-34)

²⁷ Jehoiachin was a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. Then Evil-Merodach became king of Babylonia,^[i] and in the first year of his rule, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month,^[j] he let Jehoiachin out of prison. ²⁸ Evil-Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin and honored him more than any of the other kings held prisoner there. ²⁹ Jehoiachin was even allowed to wear regular clothes, and he ate at the king's table every day. ³⁰ As long as Jehoiachin lived, he was paid a daily allowance to buy whatever he needed.

The Descendants of Adam

(Genesis 5.1-32; 10.1-32; 11.10-32)

1 ^1-4 Adam was the father of Seth, and his descendants were Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah, who had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

⁵ Japheth was the father of Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras, and they were the ancestors of the kingdoms named after them. ⁶ Gomer was the ancestor of Ashkenaz, Riphath,^[a] and Togarmah. ⁷ Javan was the ancestor of Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.^[b]

⁸ Ham was the father of Ethiopia,^[c] Egypt, Put, and Canaan, and they were the ancestors of the kingdoms named after them. ⁹ Ethiopia was the ancestor of Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. Raamah was the ancestor of Sheba and Dedan. ¹⁰ Ethiopia was also the father of Nimrod, the world's first mighty warrior. ¹¹ Egypt was the ancestor of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, ¹² Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim, the ancestor of the Philistines.^{[d] 13} Canaan's oldest son was Sidon; his other son was Heth. ^14-16 Canaan was also the ancestor of the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

¹⁷ Shem was the ancestor of Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech;^[e] they were the ancestors of the kingdoms named after them. ¹⁸ Arpachshad was Shelah's father and Eber's grandfather. ¹⁹ Eber named his first son Peleg,^[f] because in his time the earth was divided into tribal regions. Eber's second son was Joktan, ^20-23 the ancestor of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.

^24-27 Shem's descendants included Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abram, later renamed Abraham.

Abraham's Family

(Genesis 25.1-4,12-16)

²⁸ Abraham was the father of Isaac and Ishmael.

^29-31 Ishmael had twelve sons, who were born in the following order: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

³² Abraham and his slave woman Keturah had six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. ³³ Midian was the father of Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.

Esau's Family

(Genesis 36.1-14)

³⁴ Abraham's son Isaac was the father of Esau and Jacob.^{[g] 35} Esau was the father of Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. ³⁶ Eliphaz was the father of Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. ³⁷ Reuel was the father of Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

The First Edomites and Their Kings

(Genesis 36.20-43)

³⁸ Seir was the father of Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. ³⁹ Lotan was the father of Hori and Homam; Lotan's sister was Timna. ⁴⁰ Shobal was the father of Alvan,^[h] Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. Zibeon was the father of Aiah and Anah.

⁴¹ Anah was the father of Dishon and the grandfather of Hemdan,^[i] Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. ⁴² Ezer was the father of Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan.^[j] Dishan^[k] was the father of Uz and Aran.

⁴³ Before kings ruled in Israel, Bela son of Beor ruled the country of Edom from its capital of Dinhabah. ⁴⁴ After Bela's death, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah became king. ⁴⁵ After Jobab's death, Husham from the land of Teman became king. ⁴⁶ After Husham's death, Hadad son of Bedad became king and ruled from Avith. Earlier, Bedad had defeated the Midianites in the territory of Moab. ⁴⁷ After Hadad's death, Samlah from Masrekah became king; ⁴⁸ after Samlah's death, Shaul from the town of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River became king; ⁴⁹ and after Shaul's death, Baal Hanan son of Achbor became king. ⁵⁰ After Baal Hanan's death, Hadad ruled from Pai. His wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Mezahab.

⁵¹ The Edomite clans^[l] were Timna, Alvah,^[m] Jetheth, ⁵² Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, ⁵³ Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, ⁵⁴ Magdiel, and Iram.

The Lord Makes Solomon Wise

(1 Kings 3.1-15)

1 King Solomon, the son of David, was now in complete control of his kingdom, because the Lord God had blessed him and made him a powerful king.

^2-5 (A) At that time, the sacred tent that Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the desert was still kept at Gibeon, and in front of the tent was the bronze altar that Bezalel^[a] had made.

One day, Solomon told the people of Israel, the army commanders, the officials, and the family leaders, to go with him to the place of worship at Gibeon, even though his father King David had already moved the sacred chest from Kiriath-Jearim to the tent that he had set up for it in Jerusalem. Solomon and the others went to Gibeon to worship the Lord, ⁶ and there at the bronze altar, Solomon offered a thousand animals as sacrifices to please the Lord.^[b]

⁷ God appeared to Solomon that night in a dream and said, “Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you.”

⁸ Solomon answered:

Lord God, you were always loyal to my father David, and now you have made me king of Israel. ^9 (B) I am supposed to rule these people, but there are as many of them as there are specks of dust on the ground. So keep the promise you made to my father ¹⁰ and make me wise. Give me the knowledge I'll need to be the king of this great nation of yours.

¹¹ God replied:

Solomon, you could have asked me to make you rich or famous or to let you live a long time. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom and knowledge to rule my people. ¹² So I will make you wise and intelligent. But I will also make you richer and more famous than any king before or after you.

¹³ Solomon then left Gibeon and returned to Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel.

Solomon's Wealth

(1 Kings 10.26-29)

^14 (C) Solomon had a force of 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses that he kept in Jerusalem and other towns.

¹⁵ While Solomon was king of Israel, there was silver and gold everywhere in Jerusalem, and cedar was as common as ordinary sycamore trees in the foothills.

^16-17 (D) Solomon's merchants bought his horses and chariots in the regions of Musri and Kue.^[c] They paid 600 pieces of silver for a chariot and 150 pieces of silver for a horse. They also sold horses and chariots to the Hittite and Syrian kings.

Job and His Family

1 Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of Uz.^[a] He was a truly good person, who respected God and refused to do evil.

² Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters. ³ He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pair of oxen, 500 donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the richest person in the East.

⁴ Job's sons took turns having feasts in their homes, and they always invited their three sisters to join in the eating and drinking. ⁵ After each feast, Job would send for his children and perform a ceremony, as a way of asking God to forgive them of any wrongs they may have done. He would get up early the next morning and offer a sacrifice for each of them, just in case they had sinned or silently cursed God.

Angels, the Lord, and Satan

^6 (A) One day, when the angels^[b] had gathered around the Lord, and Satan^[c] was there with them, ⁷ the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?”

Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”

⁸ Then the Lord asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.”

^9 (B) “Why shouldn't he respect you?” Satan remarked. ¹⁰ “You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. ¹¹ Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face.”

¹² The Lord replied, “All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job.”

Then Satan left.

Job Loses Everything

¹³ Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, ¹⁴ when someone rushed up to Job and said, “While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, ¹⁵ a gang of Sabeans^[d] attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁶ That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running and said, “God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁷ Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, “Three gangs of Chaldeans^[e] attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

¹⁸ That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, ¹⁹ when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

²⁰ When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God ^21 (C) and said:

²² In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong.

Love Is Better than Wine

She Speaks:

The Young Women Speak:

She Speaks:

He Speaks:

She Speaks:

He Speaks:

She Speaks: