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2 Kings | Chapter Summaries + Study Questions

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 <div class="book bk1SA">
 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="1SA.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="s1">The Ark Returned to Israel</div><div class="p"> 1When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory seven months, 2the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, &#8220;What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3They answered, &#8220;If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back to him without a gift; by all means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The Philistines asked, &#8220;What guilt offering should we send to him?&#8221;</div><div class="p">They replied, &#8220;Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. 5Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory to Israel&#8217;s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land. 6Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel&#8217;s god dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 8Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, 9but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. 11They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. 12Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.</div><div class="p"> 13Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight. 14The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 15The Levites took down the ark of the Lord, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord. 16The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.</div><div class="p"> 17These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the Lord&#8212;one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. 18And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers&#8212;the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.</div><div class="p"> 19But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy#6:19 A few Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint 50,070 of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. 20And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, &#8220;Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, &#8220;The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk1SA">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="1SA.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="nb"> 1So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab&#8217;s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time&#8212;twenty years in all.</div><div class="s1">Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah</div><div class="p">Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, &#8220;If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.&#8221; 4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.</div><div class="p"> 5Then Samuel said, &#8220;Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.&#8221; 6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, &#8220;We have sinned against the Lord.&#8221; Now Samuel was serving as leader#7:6 Traditionally judge; also in verse 15 of Israel at Mizpah.</div><div class="p"> 7When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8They said to Samuel, &#8220;Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.&#8221; 9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel&#8217;s behalf, and the Lord answered him.</div><div class="p"> 10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.</div><div class="p"> 12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,#7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help. saying, &#8220;Thus far the Lord has helped us.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel&#8217;s territory. Throughout Samuel&#8217;s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.</div><div class="p"> 15Samuel continued as Israel&#8217;s leader all the days of his life. 16From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. 17But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.</div>
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New International Version

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 <div class="book bkPSA">
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 <div class="q1">16In the camp they grew envious of Moses</div><div class="q2">and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;</div><div class="q2">it buried the company of Abiram.</div><div class="q1"> 18Fire blazed among their followers;</div><div class="q2">a flame consumed the wicked.</div><div class="q1"> 19At Horeb they made a calf</div><div class="q2">and worshiped an idol cast from metal.</div><div class="q1"> 20They exchanged their glorious God</div><div class="q2">for an image of a bull, which eats grass.</div><div class="q1"> 21They forgot the God who saved them,</div><div class="q2">who had done great things in Egypt,</div><div class="q1"> 22miracles in the land of Ham</div><div class="q2">and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.</div><div class="q1"> 23So he said he would destroy them&#8212;</div><div class="q2">had not Moses, his chosen one,</div><div class="q1">stood in the breach before him</div><div class="q2">to keep his wrath from destroying them.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 24Then they despised the pleasant land;</div><div class="q2">they did not believe his promise.</div><div class="q1"> 25They grumbled in their tents</div><div class="q2">and did not obey the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 26So he swore to them with uplifted hand</div><div class="q2">that he would make them fall in the wilderness,</div><div class="q1"> 27make their descendants fall among the nations</div><div class="q2">and scatter them throughout the lands.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 28They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor</div><div class="q2">and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;</div><div class="q1"> 29they aroused the Lord&#8217;s anger by their wicked deeds,</div><div class="q2">and a plague broke out among them.</div><div class="q1"> 30But Phinehas stood up and intervened,</div><div class="q2">and the plague was checked.</div><div class="q1"> 31This was credited to him as righteousness</div><div class="q2">for endless generations to come.</div><div class="q1"> 32By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord,</div><div class="q2">and trouble came to Moses because of them;</div><div class="q1"> 33for they rebelled against the Spirit of God,</div><div class="q2">and rash words came from Moses&#8217; lips.#106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkPRO">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="PRO.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="s1">Warning Against the Adulterous Woman</div><div class="q1"> 1My son, keep my words</div><div class="q2">and store up my commands within you.</div><div class="q1"> 2Keep my commands and you will live;</div><div class="q2">guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.</div><div class="q1"> 3Bind them on your fingers;</div><div class="q2">write them on the tablet of your heart.</div><div class="q1"> 4Say to wisdom, &#8220;You are my sister,&#8221;</div><div class="q2">and to insight, &#8220;You are my relative.&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,</div><div class="q2">from the wayward woman with her seductive words.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 6At the window of my house</div><div class="q2">I looked down through the lattice.</div><div class="q1"> 7I saw among the simple,</div><div class="q2">I noticed among the young men,</div><div class="q2">a youth who had no sense.</div><div class="q1"> 8He was going down the street near her corner,</div><div class="q2">walking along in the direction of her house</div><div class="q1"> 9at twilight, as the day was fading,</div><div class="q2">as the dark of night set in.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10Then out came a woman to meet him,</div><div class="q2">dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.</div><div class="q1"> 11(She is unruly and defiant,</div><div class="q2">her feet never stay at home;</div><div class="q1"> 12now in the street, now in the squares,</div><div class="q2">at every corner she lurks.)</div><div class="q1"> 13She took hold of him and kissed him</div><div class="q2">and with a brazen face she said:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 14&#8220;Today I fulfilled my vows,</div><div class="q2">and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.</div><div class="q1"> 15So I came out to meet you;</div><div class="q2">I looked for you and have found you!</div><div class="q1"> 16I have covered my bed</div><div class="q2">with colored linens from Egypt.</div><div class="q1"> 17I have perfumed my bed</div><div class="q2">with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.</div><div class="q1"> 18Come, let&#8217;s drink deeply of love till morning;</div><div class="q2">let&#8217;s enjoy ourselves with love!</div><div class="q1"> 19My husband is not at home;</div><div class="q2">he has gone on a long journey.</div><div class="q1"> 20He took his purse filled with money</div><div class="q2">and will not be home till full moon.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 21With persuasive words she led him astray;</div><div class="q2">she seduced him with her smooth talk.</div><div class="q1"> 22All at once he followed her</div><div class="q2">like an ox going to the slaughter,</div><div class="q1">like a deer#7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool stepping into a noose#7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.</div><div class="q2"> 23till an arrow pierces his liver,</div><div class="q1">like a bird darting into a snare,</div><div class="q2">little knowing it will cost him his life.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 24Now then, my sons, listen to me;</div><div class="q2">pay attention to what I say.</div><div class="q1"> 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways</div><div class="q2">or stray into her paths.</div><div class="q1"> 26Many are the victims she has brought down;</div><div class="q2">her slain are a mighty throng.</div><div class="q1"> 27Her house is a highway to the grave,</div><div class="q2">leading down to the chambers of death.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="EPH.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="nb"> 1Follow God&#8217;s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.</div><div class="p"> 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God&#8217;s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person&#8212;such a person is an idolater&#8212;has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.#5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God&#8217;s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.</div><div class="p"> 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible&#8212;and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14This is why it is said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Wake up, sleeper,</div><div class="q2">rise from the dead,</div><div class="q2">and Christ will shine on you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Be very careful, then, how you live&#8212;not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord&#8217;s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div class="s1">Instructions for Christian Households</div><div class="p"> 21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.</div><div class="p"> 22Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.</div><div class="p"> 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing#5:26 Or having cleansed her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church&#8212; 30for we are members of his body. 31&#8220;For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.&#8221;#5:31 Gen. 2:24 32This is a profound mystery&#8212;but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.</div>
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 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="EPH.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="p"> 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2&#8220;Honor your father and mother&#8221;&#8212;which is the first commandment with a promise&#8212; 3&#8220;so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.&#8221;#6:3 Deut. 5:16</div><div class="p"> 4Fathers,#6:4 Or Parents do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.</div><div class="p"> 9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.</div><div class="s1">The Armor of God</div><div class="p"> 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil&#8217;s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.</div><div class="p"> 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord&#8217;s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.</div><div class="s1">Final Greetings</div><div class="p"> 21Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.</div><div class="p"> 23Peace to the brothers and sisters,#6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family. and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.#6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="JHN.1.12">
 <div class="p">12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God&#8212; </div>
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