Reading for January 7th

 Read 2 Kings 15.23-38. In verse 27: Twenty years is difficult to fit into a chronology for Israel. If it is not a simple error or exaggeration, it may indicate that Israel was divided and that Pekah reigned over a splinter section of it before becoming king over the entire country. In verse 29: The sites listed in this verse are all in northern Israel which along with Damascus and Syria, was ravaged in 733-32 BCE. In verse 30: Tiglath-pileser helped Hoshea to overthrow Pekah. The overthrow and Hoshea's pro-Assyrian policy kept Israel from meeting the fate as Syria in 732. Hoshea's kingdom, however, was only a part of the former state, since the northern part of the country was made into an Assyrian province. In verse 37: Pekah and Rezin wanted to force Judah to join them in a coalition to resist Tiglath-pileser of Assyria. The matter came to a head during the reign of Ahaz. See 16.5. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 6th

 Read 2 Kings 15.1-22. In 15.1-38: Azaiah and Jotham of Judah; Zecaraiah, Shallum, Menahem, and Pekahiah of Israel. In verse 1: Azariah also known as Uzziah (2 Chr 26). In verse 4: High places were shrines other than the temple of Jerusalem. In verse 5: Leprosy was a word used for a variety of skin diseases. It was greatly feared because it was regarded as fatal and incurable. Lepers were isolated because the disease was contagious. Hence, Azaiah and his son Jotham were co-regents, that is they ruled together. In verse 12: The prophecy about the duration of the Jehu dynasty occurs in 10.30. The rapid succession of contenders to the throne at the end of the Jehu dynasty is reminiscent of the last days of Baasha's house in 1 Kings 16. In verse 15: The rest of the deeds is part of the standard deuteronomistic formula. Since he reigned only one month (v. 13), Shallum did not have time to accomplish many deeds. In verse 16: Tiphsah was a town on the Euphrates, quite out of Menahem's reach. a better reading is Tappuah (as in the Septuahgint), which was within Israel. The practice of rip[ping] open pregnant women is mentioned elsewhere in the bible in the context of wars with other countries (2 Kings 8.12; Hos 13.16; Am 1.13). The reason for Menahem's brutality against the town of Tappuah is unknown, but it has been suggested that this was Sahllum's hometown. In verse 19: Pul was another name for Tiglath-pileser III, one of the greatest kings of the Assyrian empire (see v. 29). A talent was between 45 and 130 pounds. A thousand talents of silver was an enormous sum. In verse 20: A shekel was slightly less than half an ounce. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for January 5th

 Read 2 Kings 14.11-29. In verse 13: A cubit was about 18 inches, so 400 cubits is about 200 yards. The wall of the city was essential for its protection. In verse 19: Lachish was an important fortress and city about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. In verse 22: Elath was an important port city at the tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. Amaziah was able to rebuild and restore it to Judah after he defeated Edom (v. 7). In verse 25: Lebo-hamath represented the idealized northern border of Israel in northern Syria as described for Solomon (1 Kings 8.65). The Sea of the Arabah was the Dead Sea. Jonah was the prophet about whom the book of Jonah was written. The oracles referred to here, however, are not recorded. In verse 28: Jeroboam's reign was a prosperous one, but he did not restore Damascus and Hamath to Israel, nor had they once belonged to Judah. The text has been damaged in transmission, and the original reading is uncertain. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 4th

 Read 2 Kings 14.1-10. In 14.1-29: The reigns of Amaziah and Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel. In verse 4: The high places were shrines other than the Temple of Jerusalem. In verse 6: The law referred here is Deut 24.16. In verse 7: The location of the Valley of Salt is uncertain, but most scholars locate it south of the Dead Sea in the same depression in which the Dead Sea or Salt Sea lies. Sela means "rock" or "crag." The meaning of Jokth-el is uncertain. One suggestion is that it means "God destroys." In verse 8: Let us look one another in the face is a challenge to battle (v. 11). In verse 9: The fable does not imply any marriage treaty or relationship between Amaziah and Joash. Its point, rather, is that Amaziah is trying to make himself more important than he is and that he will be trampled down if he continues. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 3rd

 Read 2 Kings 13.14-25. In 13.14-25: Elisha's death. This story lies outside of the framework for Joash (vv. 12-13) but precedes the beginning formula for Jeroboam II (14.23-24). Since the deuteronomistic editor regularly uses these formulas as the frame work for the history, this story may be either out of place or a later addition. In verse 14: My father is a term of respect showing the king's subordination to the prophet. The exact sense of the chariots of Israel and its horsemen here is uncertain. It recalls previous episodes in the Elisha stories (2.12; 6.17) and may have become a kind of nickname for him because of those episodes. In verses 15-17: Symbolic acts like this one are frequently carried out by prophets in the bible, especially by Ezekiel and Jeremiah. In this case, the Lord's arrow of victory is shot eastward (v. 17), toward Aram (Syria), to represent victory over the Arameans. In verses 18-19: This is an example of bellomancy, the use of weapons of war to foretell the future, which was common in the ancient Near East. In verses 20-21: Elisha's miraculous powers continue even after his death. In verses 22-23: While these verses were certainly written after the fall of Israel in 721 BCE, the writer still appeals to the people of the north stating that the Lord has not ultimately abandoned them. In verses 24-25: These verses fulfill Elisha's prediction in v. 19. Comments or Questions..

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..

Reading for December 26th

 Read 2 Kings 9.1-13. In 9.1-10.36: Jehu's revolt. In 9.1-3: The revolt is begun by Elisha. Again, the anointing of Jehu is apparently meant as a carrying out of the commission to Elijah (1 Kings 19.16). In verses 7-10a: These verses are an addition by the deuteronomistic editor. They violate Elisha's order too anoint Jehu and flee (v. 3). They are  also comparable to the prophetic oracles against the houses of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14.7-11), Baasha (1 Kings 16.2-4), and Ahab (1 Kings 21.21-24). As in 1 Kings 21.21-24, the dynasty here is referred to as the house of Ahab (vv. 8-9), even though it is actually the "house of Omri." The reason is the focal role of Ahab's reign in 1-2 Kings and his reputation as the worst king of Israel (1 Kings 21.25). In verse 11: In part because of such ecstatic experiences, a prophet was sometimes called a madman (Jer 29.26; Hos 9.7). In verse 13: By spreading their cloaks before him, the other commanders signal their submission to Jehu as their king (Mt 21.8). Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for December 25th

 Read 2 Kings 8.16-29. In 8.16-29: Regnal formulas for Joram and Ahaziah. In verse 20: The king of Edom referred to in 3.9 may have been only a "deputy" under the king of Judah (1 Kings 22.47). In verse 28: Ramoth-gilead was east of the Jordan in territory disputed between Israel and Aram. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 24th

 Read 2 Kings 8.7-15. In 8.7-15: The designation of Hazael. Elisha here apparently carries out the commission given to Elijah in 1 Kings 19.15. In verse 8: Inquire is a technical term for divination. Stories of inquiry through a prophet in the case of illness are found also in 1 Kings 14.1-14; 2 Kings 1.2-17. In verse 9: Forty camel loads would be an enormous sum. That this is exaggeration is also clear from the fact that forty is a round number for a large quantity. Your son is an expression of humility and self-effacement. Ben-hadad is placing Elisha above him. In verse 11: The subject of these verbs is apparently Elisha. Perhaps Elisha stared at Hazael until Hazael was ashamed. Another possibility is that Elisha stared in a kind of trance until he himself became ashamed. In verse 12: Elisha foresees that Hazael refers himself as a mere dog, not because he sees violent acts described by Elisha as despicable but because he is of low social status and does not have the power to carry out such deeds. Elisha explains, however, that he is to be king over Aram. In verse15: Until he did suggests that Hazael is responsible for Ben-hadad's death. The Hebrew is more ambiguous, however. Placing the wet bed-cover over the kings face may have been simply a way of cooling him off, and this verse may only explain the time of his death. Comments or Question..

Reading for December 23rd

 Read 2 Kings 8.1-6. In 8.1-6: Elisha and the Shunammite woman. These verses refer to and may continue the stories in 4.8-37. In verse 1: Seven years is a round number for completeness, indicating that the famine was severe and long lasting. In verse 2: The land of the Philistines was along the southern coast of Palestine near the area known today as the Gaza strip. In verse 3: It is not clear who is trying to take the woman's land, but they are more than squatters, for they are making a legal claim. In verses 4-5: The miraculous part of the tale is the timing. The woman appeared just as the fascinated king was hearing the story of her involvement with Elisha. Gehazi appears here without reference to his leprosy. Either this episode is connected with 4.8-37 or it comes from a source completely apart from the story in ch. 5. However, the fact that Gehazi alone is speaking with the king may indicate that this story arose after Elisha's death. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 22nd

 Read 2 Kings 7.3-20. In verse 3: On leprosy, see comment on 5.1. People with skin diseases were isolated from society because leprosy was contagious. Hence, these four leprous men are outside the city gate. In verse 4: The four men surrender to the Arameans because they have nothing to lose. In verse 6: Egypt (Heb., "Misrayim") may be a mistake for Musri, an area in Anatolia (modern Turkey), which was also the home of the Hittites. In verses 17-20: These verses explain the fulfillment of the oracle in v. 2. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 21st

 Read 2 Kings 6.24-7.2. In 6.24-7.20: The siege of Samaria. In 6.24-25: In a siege a city was surrounded and its food supply cut off in order to starve out the inhabitants. Thus, food prices within the city soared. A shekel was a measure of weight just less tan a half an ounce. A kab was slightly more than a quart. In verse 27: The threshing floor was a flat, raised area where grain was separated from the hull. A wine press was where grapes were squeezed for their juice to make wine. The king is replying that he has no more access to food supplies than does the woman who was asking for help. His wish, let the Lord help you, seems sarcastic in this context, as he likely blames the Lord for the predicament of the city. In verses 28-29: The woman's complaint is a legal case, since the king is, in effect, the supreme court of the land. The case she brings reflects the separate straits of the city, where people have resorted to cannibalism. It also recalls, in a distorted way, the case of Solomon's judgment in 1 Kings 3.16-28. In verse 30: Sackcloth is a transliteration of the Hebrew "saq," which refers to some kind of garment worn to symbolize mourning. In verse 31: It is not clear why the king holds Elisha responsible for the siege, but it seems to be a classic case of blaming the messenger for the message. The Lord sent the trouble (v.33) and Elisha is the Lord's messenger. In verse 33: The king maybe asking why he should hope in the Lord any longer or what more (punishment) he cane expect from the Lord if he kills Elisha. In 7.1: Compare 6.25. Elisha predicts that the availability of food will dramatically increase and hence the prices be drastically reduced within a day. In verse 2: On whose hand the king leaned was a title for a special assistant to the king. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 20th

 Read 2 Kings 6.11-23. In verse 12: The Aramean officer tells his king that Elisha knows even the most intimate words spoken by the king in his bedchamber. Though this is certainly an exaggeration, it is quite disconcerting to the king. In verses 13-14; The story stresses Elisha's importance since he is the reason for an invasion by the  Arameans. In verse 17: This verse vividly illustrates the title "the Lord of hosts" (Yahweh "sebaoth"), since the Lord controls both earthly and heavenly armies (see 2.11). In verse 21: Father is a term of respect for a superior. Thus, in this story the king was subject to the prophet. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 19th

 Read 2 Kings 6.1-10. In 6.1-23: More wonders of Elisha. In verses 1-7: This story, in which Elisha makes an ax head float, is set near the Jordan River where trees grow because of the abundance of water. In verses 8-10: Elisha's strategic importance for the Israelites is invaluable, since he is able to warn them of impending actions of their enemies, the Arameans, (Syria). Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for December 18th

Read 2 Kings 5.1-27. In 5.1-27: The healing of Naaman.  The story presupposes a time when Aram (Syria) dominates Israel. This was the case during the Jehu dynasty (see 10.32) not during Omri dynasty where this story is set, according to its current placement in 2 Kings. However, neither the king of Aram nor the king of Israel (v. 5) is named. Leprosy is a broad term for some skin diseases. It was greatly feared because it was regarded as incurable, disfiguring, fatal, and highly contagious. In verse 3: The prophet is later identified as Elisha. The story shows how his fame reached beyond the borders of Israel. In verse 5: A talent could weigh from 45 to 130 pounds. A shekel was probably less than half an ounce. In verse 13: Father is a title of respect here and does not indicate any blood relationship. In verse 15: Naaman's statement is very similar to Israel's confession of faith (Deut 6.4). In verse 17: The idea behind Naaman's request for two mule loads of earth was the the Lord (Yahweh) could only be worshipped on Israelite soil. In verse 18: Rimmon ("pomegranate') is a mocking distortion of Ramman, a tittle for the Syrian god Hadad. Naaman continues to worship the deity of his native land only because he is forced to do so; he no longer believes in Hadad. In verses 19b-27: This episode shows the danger of trying to deceive a prophet. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for December 17th

 Read 2 Kings 4.38-44. In 38-41: This story is similar to the one in 2.19-22. In verses 42-44: Compare the New testament stories of Jesus' multiplication of the loaves (Mt 14.13-21; 15.32-38; and their parallels in the other Gospels). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 16th

 Read 2 Kings 4.8-37. This story is also similar to the one about Elijah in 1 Kings 17.17-24, which it has influenced (see 1 Kings 17). Mount Carmel (v. 25) was a holy site and the location of Elijah's victory in 1 Kings 18. It has apparently become Elisha's residence. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, is mentioned here (v. 25), without introduction, for the first time. as in 1 Kings 17, Elisha's resuscitation of the boy involves contactual magic (v.34), though the miracle is clearly seen as the Lord's doing (v.33). The boy's sneezing (v. 35) is a sign of life. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 15th

 Read 2 Kings 4.1-7. In 4.1-44: Elisha's wonders. In verses 1-7: This story is similar to the one about Elijah in 1 Kings 17.8-16. The sale of oneself or one's family members to pay debts was permitted on a temporary basis by Israelite law (Lev 25.39-42: Deut 15.1-17). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 14th

 Read 2 Kings 3.21-27. In verse 22: The red color of the water is appropriate to Edom, which comes from the word for red and which was know for its red sandstone (see Gen 25.25, 30). In verse 27: Child sacrifice was practiced in the ancient Near East. Here the king of Moab sacrifices his son to Chemosh, Moab's god. It is not clear what is meant by great wrath came upon Israel.  Perhaps it means that the Israelites became afraid when they witnessed this desperate act, though the most natural interpretation would seem to be that Chemosh's wrath was directed against Israel in some form. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 13th

 Read 2 Kings 3.13-20. In verse 13: What have I do with you? means "We have nothing in common", Elisha wants nothing to do with the king of Israel. Jehoram's father was Ahab and his mother Jezebel, worshippers of Baal and Asherah (1 Kings 18.19). In verse 15: Music was used to induce the prophets ecstatic experience in which he would give his oracle (compare 1 Sam 10.5, 9-13). In verse 19: The measures described in this verse would ruin a piece of land for agriculture. In verse 20: The morning offering or oblation was made at dawn. 1 Kings 18.29 refers to the second oblation at about 3 p.m. The practice of two oblations may have begun in the Exile or later. This is an indication that this story was written at a later date. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 12th

 Read 2 Kings 3.1-12. In 3.1-27: The independence of Moab. In verse 1: The information here is about the beginning of Jehoram's reign disagrees with that of 1.17. The two verses maybe based on two distinct chronologies. In verse 2: A pillar was often used, much as an idol would be, as a symbol for god in worship. In verse 3: The sin of Jeroboam was the two shrines at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12.25-33). In verse 4: Moab was the country across the Dead Sea from Israel. the lambs and wool that King Mesha sent to Israel were the yearly payment of tribute of a subject state to its overlord. In verse 8: Edom was east of Judah and south of Moab. It was apparently controlled at this time by Judah. Jehoram plans to attack Moab from the south. In verse 11: As in 1 Kings 22.7, it is the righteous King Jehoshaphat of Judah who asks for a prophet of the Lord. To inquire is a technical term for divination or seeking an oracle from god. Elisha is here recognized as Elijah's servant who used to pour water on his hands. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 11th

 Read 2 Kings 2.13-25. In 2.13-25: Elisha as Elijah's successor. The stories here show that Elisha inherited Elijah's power as a man of God. In verses 13-14: Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah which was a symbol of his prophetic power (1.8; Zech 13.4). He then struck the water of the Jordan with it and parted it just as Elijah had done (2.8) and much as Joshua did when he succeeded Moses (Ex 14.21-22; Josh 3.13-17). In verse 15: The company of prophets (see comment on 2.3)) recognize Elisha as Elijah's successor. In verses 16-18: Elisha knows that Elijah has been taken up and will not be found, but he acquiesces to a search at the insistence of the other prophets. In verses 19-22: Elisha's miraculous purification of the spring also shows that he has the power of Elijah. This story offers a etiological explanation for the renowned spring at Jericho that is still active today. In verse 23-25: This legend was preserved not for its high ethical quality but to show the power now vested in Elisha and how to teach that one should have respect for prophets. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 10th

 Read 2 Kings 2.1-12. In 2.1-12: The translation of Elijah. The stories in this chapter fall outside of the standard wording that marks the beginning and ending of the reigns of the kings called regnal formulas (1.17-18; 3.1), which may indicate that they, along with other stories about the prophets, are later additions to the deuteronomistic History. In verse 1: The only other person in the Bible who was taken up to heaven without dying was Enoch (Gen 5.24). In verse 3: The company of prophets, literally "the sons of the prophets," were followers of prophets, perhaps even a guild or school of prophets. They were also aware, perhaps through prophetic agency, that the Lord will take Elijah away. In verse 8: Elijah's mantle is a symbol of his power as a prophet (see 1.8; Zech 13.4), which Elisha will inherit (2.13). His division of the Jordan here is reminiscent of Moses' division of the Red Sea (Ex 14.21-22) and of Joshua's division of the Jordan (Josh 3.13-17). In verse 9: Double share does not mean twice as much as Elijah but the portion of the first born son (Deut 21.17), or two-thirds. In verse 12; Elisha calls Elijah his father out of respect for his teacher, not because there is a blood relationship between them. The chariots of Israel and its horsemen may allude to the image of the Lord as commander of the heavenly armies ("Yahweh sebaoth," "the Lord of host"; see 6.17). Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for December 9th

 Read 2 Kings 1.1-18. In 1.1-18: The death of Ahaziah. In verse 1: This verse anticipates the story in 3.4-27 and may be out of place here. In verse 2: This lattice was decorative, but also functional in the sense of admitting light and air while providing some privacy. It was not strong enough to keep a person from falling, as the story shows. Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire, a technical term for divination. Baalzebub, meaning "lord of the fly," is a deliberate mocking distortion of the name Baal-zebul, "Baal the prince." In verse 3: The Hebrew word for angel also means messenger. In verse 8: A hairy man, literally "a man of hair," may refer to a course garment that was the mantle of the prophets (Zech 13.4). In verses 10, 12: The fire of God from heaven was probably lightning. Comments or Question..

Reading for December 8th

 Read Luke 24.36-53. In 24.36-53: The messiah's final appearance, commission, and departure. In verses 36-37: Luke's story emphasizes both the awesome wonder of Jesus' appearance and the physical reality of his resurrected body (flesh and bones, see 20.34-36). In verse 41; Disbelieving for joy and wondering is more like Mary's faith than Zechariah's doubt at the beginning of the story (1.18-20, 28-28). In verses 42-43: Broiled fish are also mentioned in Jn 21.4-14, and Jesus' witnesses recall eating with him in Acts 10.41. In verses 44-45: The law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms is very inclusive catalog in a time probably before Israel's scriptures were gathered in a single book. In verses 46-48: This saying of Jesus is not literally written in any surviving version of Israel's scriptures. This is the testimony from the scriptures his witnesses are sent to make. In verses 49-52: The promise of the Father is the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to be awaited in Jerusalem (Acts 1.4, 8; 2.33). In verse 53: The temple remains a crucial center for divine activity (1.9; 2.27, 37, 46; 20.1; Acts 3.1; 4.1; 6.13). Comments or Questions..