Reading for January 2nd

 Read 2 Kings 13.1-13. In 13.1-13: The reigns of Jehoahaz and Joash. In verse 1: Joash and Jehoah are two versions of the same name. In verse 2: The sins of Jeroboam are the shrines at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12.25-33). In verse 3: Like the rest of the regnal formulas, this verse is deuteronomistic and sounds much like part of the deuteronomistic formula found in the book of Judges (Judg 2.14; 4.1-2; 6.1). In verse 5: The idea and language are also borrowed from the book of Judges. The identity of this savior is not clear, bit it may be a reference to Elisha (vv. 4-21). In verse 6: The sins of the house of Jeroboam are the same as the sins Jeroboam (v. 2). The sacred pole was used in the worship of the Canaanite goddess Asherah. In verse 7: Like the dust at threshing means that the army had scattered. In verse 10: While they bear the same name, Joah king of Judah and Jehoash king of Israel are two different people. In verse 13: This Jeroboam is distinct from the one in 1 Kings 12-14 and is often called Jeroboam II. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 1st

 Read 2 Kings 12.1-21. In 12.1-21: The reign of Jehoash. In verse 1: Forty years is probably a round number for a generation. In verse 3: The high places were shrines other than the Temple of Jerusalem. In verses 4-16: Jehoash repairs the Temple. Jehoash has to admonish the priests (v. 7), who are slow to carry out the repairs. Money is literally "silver." Parts of this account, however, seem to assume that the contributions were in the form  of coins, which would be an anachronism since coins began to be used widely in Palestine no earlier than the late 6th century BCE. In verse 18: Votive gifts were special items of value that the kings of Judah had dedicated tot he Temple. By paying these to Hazael as tribute, Jehoash capitulated to him and in effect bribed him to prevent him from attacking Jerusalem. In verse 19; The Annals of the Kings of Judah may have been official records of the monarchy of Judah. They no longer exist. In verse 20: Millo means 'fill"; it probably refers to the earthwork done by David to fill in the saddle between the Temple area and the palace area south of it ((2 Sam 5.9). In verse 21: The motive behind Joash's assassination is not explained in 2 Kings. See Chr 24.20-27. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 31st

 Read 2 Kings 11.9-21. In verse 10: The spears and shields mentioned here were originally of gold and dedicated by David (2 Sam 8.7). But they had been replaced by Rehoboam with bronze articles after Shishak's invasion (1 Kings 14.26-27). In verse 12: The covenant would have been a written document, perhaps laws or a contract between the people and the king. However, the word may be an error or armlet, associated with the crown in 2 Sam 1.10. See comment on 11.7. In verse 14: The pillar in front of the Temple is meant here. In verse 17: Only after Athaliah's removal is the covenant made. it appears to be an agreement between the people and the king to follow the Lord, but its exact nature and its relationship to the laws in the Bible are unknown. In verse 20: The exact identity of the people of the land is disputed.  They may have been landholders or leading citizens of Judah. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 30th

 Read 2 Kings 11.1-8. in 11.1-21: The reign of Athaliah and revolt of Jehoash. In verses 1-3: Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel who married Joram king of Judah in a treaty between Israel and Judah (8.18). After the death of her son, Ahaziah, she seized power. No regnal formula is reported for her because the writer of 2 Kings did not consider her a legitimate ruler. In verse 4: Jehoiada was a priest. Since the new king, Jehoash (or Joash), was only seven years old, Jehoiada was really in charge of the kingdom. The Carites were apparently the royal bodyguard, and this may be an error for Cherethites, the of the bodyguard under David and Solomon (2 Sam 8.18). In verses 5-7: The parenthetical statement in v. 6 is probably a late gloss or explanatory addition, trying to identify the other two divisions. The gate Sur is unknown. Jehoida chooses the change of guard on the sabbath as the time of revolt. This made all the troops available to him in order to protect Jehoash. It was also a time when troop movements would not be suspicious. Comments or Question..

Reading for December 29th

 Read 2 Kings 10.15-36. In verse 15: Son of Rechab designates Jehonadab's clan rather than his father. The Rechabites were ascetics and strict devotees of the Lord (Yahweh). See Jer 35. In verse 24-25: Hosea 1.4 seems to condemn Jehu's bloodshed. In verse 32: The reigns of Jehu and his decedents were marked by the subjugation of Israel by Aram (Syria). See also 13.3. many of the stories about prophets earlier in 1 Kings seem to presuppose this political situation, which was not true under Omri dynasty. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 28th

 Read 2 Kings 10.1-14. In verse 1: Sons probably means descendants, that is, sons and grandsons, although Ahab may have had a large enough harem to produce seventy sons. In verses 9-10: The exact meaning of Jehu's words in v. 9 is unclear. However, he seems to be suggesting that his revolt is more than a rebellion by a single individual and that the Lord is behind it. Hence, the prophecies against Ahab's house will be fulfilled (v. 10). In verse 14: Forty two was also the number of boys killed by bears in 2.24. This may indicate that it was a conventional number for disaster. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

 Read 2 Kings 9.14-37. In verses 21. 25-26: Either The story of Jehu's revolt has been tailored as a fulfillment of Elijah's oracles in 1 Kings 21 in punishment for the murder of Naboth, or the verses reflect the original setting of the oracle against Ahab and Jezebel, which has been changed in order to attribute it to Elijah in 1 Kings 21. In verse 22: Whoredoms probably refers to  the worship of other gods, as is frequently the case in the Bile (compare the book of Hosea). Sorceries may also refer to other practices (divination and the like) associated with the worship of other gods. In verse 30: It is not clear why Jezebel dresses up. It may be that she is described this way in order to fit the image of a prostitute. In verse 31: Jezebel calls Jehu Zimri because Zimri lead a revolt and was murderer of (his) master. Zimri's subsequent reign lasted only seven days, so that Jezebel is also implying that Jehu's kingship will be unsuccessful (1 Kings 16.9-20). In verses 32-33: Eunuchs were used to guard the harem. Jezebel was thrown from the second story of the building. In verses 34-37: Jezebel's death is described as the fulfillment, though elaborated, of Elijah's prophecy in 1 Kings 21.23. Her gruesome end fulfills the threat of non-burial in 1 Kings 21.24 (compare 2 Kings 9.10). Comments or Questions..