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Bible #12
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"The World English Bible (WEB): 2 Thessalonians" by Anonymous. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.
446 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2012
53 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Anonymous
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* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
May 17, 2025
My thoughts on this book are largely the same as on 1 Kings. See my review of that Bible book.
December 27, 2023
There are a few things that really stand out to me from these books…
~ the individual choices the kings made. There were those like Ezéchias, whose father was one of the most wicked—if not THE wickedest—and who yet was one of the very best kings of Israel, following God with all his heart. Yet his son Manassé chose to be almost as wicked as his grandfather…
~ the high places. So many times God says, “he was faithful to the Lord like David his father… YET THE HIGH PLACES WERE NOT REMOVED.”
~ the way people can be flawed and yet God calls them righteous.
~ how graciously He gives second chances, warns, forgives…
There are so many stories that speak to me…
The story of Eli, who insisted he alone served God—yet God told him that 700 other people had also refused to serve Baal. The story of Jehosaphat, who served God so faithfully, who sought God in times of danger and won incredible victories—but who chose to ally himself with Achab & his family, which ultimately ruined Jehosaphat’s family. The story of Josias, who cleaned the land and brought everyone back to God—but who was told He must punish, and who was given death as an escape.
There is so much to ponder in these books.
~ the individual choices the kings made. There were those like Ezéchias, whose father was one of the most wicked—if not THE wickedest—and who yet was one of the very best kings of Israel, following God with all his heart. Yet his son Manassé chose to be almost as wicked as his grandfather…
~ the high places. So many times God says, “he was faithful to the Lord like David his father… YET THE HIGH PLACES WERE NOT REMOVED.”
~ the way people can be flawed and yet God calls them righteous.
~ how graciously He gives second chances, warns, forgives…
There are so many stories that speak to me…
The story of Eli, who insisted he alone served God—yet God told him that 700 other people had also refused to serve Baal. The story of Jehosaphat, who served God so faithfully, who sought God in times of danger and won incredible victories—but who chose to ally himself with Achab & his family, which ultimately ruined Jehosaphat’s family. The story of Josias, who cleaned the land and brought everyone back to God—but who was told He must punish, and who was given death as an escape.
There is so much to ponder in these books.
May 2, 2015
Part of my READ THE BIBLE WITHIN A YEAR challenge.
Wish me luck, as I've got a long way to go, and I’m really beginning to struggle.
I MUST read on!
Phew, a little more focus on other things as well as fighting, killing, defeating and fleeing. This book covers various kings of Israel and Judah. I loved the stories of miracles.
Main topics that stood out to me are:
Widow only has a little oil. She is told to get as many jars as possible, and miraculously, her small amount of oil manages to fill all the jars. The man of God told her to “sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
A boy is brought back to life.
A hundred people are fed on a small amount of food, yet they are full, with food left over.
A valiant soldier is healed of leprosy.
Wish me luck, as I've got a long way to go, and I’m really beginning to struggle.
I MUST read on!
Phew, a little more focus on other things as well as fighting, killing, defeating and fleeing. This book covers various kings of Israel and Judah. I loved the stories of miracles.
Main topics that stood out to me are:
Widow only has a little oil. She is told to get as many jars as possible, and miraculously, her small amount of oil manages to fill all the jars. The man of God told her to “sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
A boy is brought back to life.
A hundred people are fed on a small amount of food, yet they are full, with food left over.
A valiant soldier is healed of leprosy.
September 14, 2020
I have always been fascinated by the lives and Ministries of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings. Knowing what a great man of faith Elijah was, I have long been encouraged byJames 5:17 which says:
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth
WOW! As a chosen child of God, we can come boldly before God in prayer. ❤
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth
WOW! As a chosen child of God, we can come boldly before God in prayer. ❤
July 3, 2017
Continuing through the hopeless, bloody downfall of Israel. As usual, these stories are gruesome and disturbing. Underlying all the violence and evil, however, is the enduring of love of God.
August 19, 2025
7/2/2024 - 8/19/2024 Read with The Bible Recap
7/2/2025 - 8/19/2025 Read with The Bible Recap
7/2/2025 - 8/19/2025 Read with The Bible Recap
August 31, 2021
سفر الملوك هو آخر فصول السردية "التاريخية" في العهد القديم قبل السبي البابلي. يرجح أنه يستند إلى سجلات وحوليات من القرن السابع قبل الميلاد في أواخر أيام مملكة يهودا قبل السبي البابلي وإن كان تجميعه وتحريره قد تم في فترة السبي في بابل كسائر الكتاب المقدس اليهودي.
يبدأ سفر الملوك بذكر الأيام الأخيرة من حياة الملك داود وتسابق زوجاته وأبنائهن على الظفر بالعرش قبل وفاته، وهي المعركة التي ينتصر فيها ابنه سليمان، مدشناً بذلك أزهى عصور بني إسرائيل، حيث تمتد مملكته من حماة شمالاً حتى بحر أيلة جنوباً ومن حدود مصر إلى صحاري شرق الأردن بعد أن دانت له ممالك شرق الأردن ودمشق بالإضافة إلى مدن الكنعانيين والفلسطيين الذين طالما كانوا عقبة قوية في وجه أسلافه، وفي هذا العهد الزاهر يبني سليمان الهيكل المشهور وقصره الأسطوري بمساعدة صديقه (أو ربما تابعه) ملك صور، ويتفنن الكتاب بوصف تفاصيل البناء وأبعاده وأطواله والمواد المستخدمة في كل جزء منه، وفي وصف ثروة سليمان من الذهب والفضة والحيوانات والأطعمة الفاخرة وجيوشه الجرارة بخيلها وعرباتها الحربية المهيبة، وتجارته مع الشرق والغرب والجنوب والشمال وجلبه للذهب والعطور من بلاد الجنوب، وفي هذا السفر نجد قصة ملكة سبأ وزيارتها لسليمان لتقف بنفسها على ما سمعته به من عجائب ملك سليمان، وهي قصة أقل تفصيلاً وإثارة للاهتمام بكثير من التي في القرآن.
سليمان في سفر الملوك هو سليمان الحكيم ولكنه ليس صاحب المعجزات والأعاجيب الذي نعرفه في التراث الإسلامي، فسليمان هنا لا يعرف منطق الطير وليس له وزراء من الهداهد وحوارات مع النمل ولا حرس خاص من العفاريت، إنما هو أشبه بهارون الرشيد، قد ورث مملكة في أوج استقرارها ويديرها بحكمة واعتدال، ويتوج مجد بني إسرائيل ببناء الهيكل والقصر. أما التفاصيل المذكورة في القرآن فينبغي البحث عنها في كتابات أخرى خارج الكتاب المقدس.
ولأن سليمان يمثل أوج المملكة الإسرائيلية فإن الانحدار يبدأ حتى قبل وفاته حين يتورط في مجاملة زوجاته وجواريه (وعددهن بالمئات) في جلبهنّ الأوثان من بلادهن، وكأن هذا الإثم هو البذرة التي تؤدي لاحقاً لدمار المملكة وسبي كامل بني إسرائيل. ويموت سليمان تنقسم المملكة على يد ابنه الأرعن رحبوعم ("لئن كان قيد أبي بحجم الأنملة فسيكون قيدي بحجم الفخذ، ولئن كان يعذبكم بالسياط فسأعذبكم بالعقارب")
فتستحيل المملكة إلى مملكتين: مملكة إسرائيل في الشمال ومملكة يهودا في الجنوب.
هنا يبدأ النفَس الأسطوري بالانحسار تدريجياً ويتحول الكتاب إلى مزيج من الحوليات الملكية والتاريخ الوعظي، مطرز بالأدب السردي الذي يحكي مواجهات الملوك والنبلاء والقادة والكهنة والأنبياء والرسل، كإلياس وإليسع اللذين يؤديان دوراً أساسياً في سير الأحداث. هذا لا يعني أننا أمام كتاب تاريخي حقيقي، فنحن ما زلنا في عالم يعج بالمعجزات ويستمر الرب فاعلاً في الأحداث ومخاطباً للبشر عن طريق النبوءات، ولكن يتخذ الكتاب شكل الحوليات الملكية التي تتركز حول الحروب والتحالفات السياسية الداخلية والخارجية، ويصبح بالإمكان مطابقة بعض الأشخاص والأحداث مع أشخاص وأحداث في المصادر التاريخية الأخرى.
يتمحور الكتاب بعد سليمان حول سير ملوك المملكتين الشمالية والجنوبية كخطين متوازيين (ما عدا بعض التقاطعات وهنا تزداد الإثارة)، فيبدأ عهد كل ملك عادةً بعبارة "وقد عمل ما هو إثم في عيني الرب" والإثم دوماً هو التسامح مع عبادة آلهة الأقوام المجاورة وإقامة المزارات والمذابح والمعابد "غير المرخصة"، وذلك بدءً من أول ملوك الشمال (يروبعم) في محاولة لصرف رعيته عن هيكل أورشليم الخاضع لغريمه في الجنوب. لكن العقوبة الإلهية تأتي عاجلاً أم آجلاً وتشتمل في أقل الأحوال على قتلة بشعة أو مهينة وانتزاع الحكم من ذرية الملك الآثم، وقد تصل إلى إبادة كافة ذرية الملك الآثم بل وكافة عشيرته، وهو المصير الذي حل بالملك أخاب الذي تعدت آثامه الإشراك بعبادة إله بني إسرائيل لتصل إلى ظلم الرعية والتعدي على أموالهم وأنفسهم (وهذا الملك بالمناسبة هو المذكور في مدونات الآشوريين والذي واجه الآشوريين في معركة قرقر إلى جانب ملوك آرام وجندب ملك العرب). ولا ينجو من اللوم في هذه السلسلة إلا بضعة ملوك من الجنوب. وعلى الرغم من الطابع المتكرر لهذه القصص لكن تبرز فيها عدة فصول مثيرة للاهتمام:
- يذكر المؤلف بشكل صريح معلومة قد يستشفها القارئ بنفسه من الأسفار السابقة وهي أن بني إسرائيل في ذلك الزمن يمثلون طبقة النبلاء والمحاربين وملاك الأراضي في بلاد كنعان وأن الكنعانيين من غير بني إسرائيل يمثلون طبقة الفلاحين والصناع والخدم، مما يخالف فكرة الغزو الشامل وإجلاء أهل البلاد لدى دخول الأرض المقدسة على النحو الوارد في سفر يوشع بن نون.
- إقامة أول ملوك الشمال لمعبدين بعجلين ذهبيين ودعوته لقومه بعبادتها: "هذا ربكم الذي أخرجكم من بلاد مصر" فيما يبدو أنه أصل قصة العجل في سفر الخروج
- قصة النبي إلياس ومعجزاته التي تشابه ما ينسب إلى عيسى في الثراث الإسلامي والكتابات المسيحية "غير الرسمية"
- قصة إزابيل الفينيقية زوجة أخاب المذكور، والمتصعبة لإله قومها "بعل" ونهايتها البشعة على يد القائد "ياهو"، وهو الذي يقوم بانقلاب على آل أخاب بتحريض من النبي إليسع، وكأنه مزيج بين محمد بن عبد الوهاب وأبي العباس السفاح، فيكرّس جهده في حملة تطهير مرعبة ضد كل من له صلة قرابة بالملك أخاب ثم كافة كهنة الإله بعل وتدمير ممنهج لكافة المزارات والمذابح وتتبعه للسحرة والكهنة وغيرهم من أهل البدع والخرافات
- ويحتوي فصل ياهو رغم عنفه الشديد على شيء من أروع السرد الأدبي في هذا القسم من الكتاب والذي يمكن وصف حواراته بالسينمائية في بعض الأحيان ("أخزيا! خيانة!" هذا كل ما يقوله ملك إسرائيل وهو مدبر هرباً نحو حليفه أخزيا ملك يهودا بعد أن عرف نوايا قائده ياهو، والذي يقتله بسهم في ظهره على الفور).
- يكثر في هذا السفر أن يرسل الرب السباع لافتراس الناس حتى أن الافتراص يصبح بمثابة "الموتيف" في ثنايا الكتاب، فأحد الأنبياء يعصي تعليمات الرب بسبب خديعة من نبي آخر فيقتله أسد في الطريق ويقف بجانبه حتى يأتي النبي الآخر لدفنه، وعندما يسخر بعض الصبية من "صلعة" النبي إليسع يأمر إليسع الدببة بافتراس الأولاد، وعندما يأتي البابليون بأقوام من مناطق أخرى للاستيطان في بلاد يهودا والسامرة يرسل الرب الأسود لافتراسهم حتى يأمرهم الحاكم بالبابلي بتقديم الأضاحي لإرضائه. لا أزعم أني أعرف المغزى من كثرة حوادث الافتراس لكنها تضفي طابعاً أسطورياً-ميثولوجياً غريباً -- وجميلاً -- على كتاب يقدم نفسه كسرد تاريخي.
- لا يخلو السرد من بعض الكوميديا السوداء، ومن ذلك في أثناء الحصار الآشوري لأورشليم يرعد القائد الآشوري بخطبة يهدد فيها أهالي المدينة وحكامها فيقاطعه وزراء الملك طالبين منه بأدب أن يكلم خدّامه باللسان الآرامي بدلاً من اليهودي فلا داعي أن يسمع الأهالي كل تلك الإهانات، فيستنكر القائد قائلاً "وهل أرسلني مولاي الملك بهذا الخطاب لكم وليس لرعاياكم؟ ألن يأكلوا ويشربوا من فضلاتهم وبولهم كما ستفعلون؟". (اضطر الآشوريون للانسحاب في النهاية)
من ناحية تاريخية يوجد في هذه الكتابات معلومات مثيرة للاهتمام ولا يبدو أنه قد وصلنا من ذلك العصر سرد تاريخي بهذا القدر من التفصيل لكنه كما أسلفنا تاريخ عقائدي وأدبي في نفس الوقت وما يزال يحتوي على الكثير من الأسطورة والخيال والتفاصيل المبهرة والحوارات المثيرة، فالمؤلف وإن كان يعتمد على مصادر وحوليات رسمية إلا أنه ليس مجرد ناقل وإنما نحن أمام واعظ وأديب متمكن من أدواته السردية، حتى لو لم يرق النفس الأدبي إلى مستوى السفر السابق له (سفر صموئيل) الذي يمثل قمة من قمم الأدب القديم والوسيط معاً.
ينتهي سفر الملوك باستيلاء الآشوريين على مملكة الشمال وإجلاء السكان إلى بلاد آشور، ثم حصار نبوخذنصر ملك بابل لأورشليم عاصمة مملكة يهودا وتدميرها وسبي الأهالي إلى بابل واستبدالهم بأقوام آخرين خصوصاً من الرافدين، ويذكرنا المؤلف أن السبب أولاً وأخيراً هو عزوف بني إسرائيل عن عبادة الرب وحده وانتكاساتهم المتكررة إلى عبادة الآلهة الآخرين. ويختم المؤلف بمعلومة تاريخية مهمة وهي إبقاء البابليين على الفقراء ليستمروا بفلاحة الأرض، كما يذكر لنا أن المهجرين من البلاد الأخرى كانوا ما يزالون يسكنون في بلاد يهودا والسامرة وقت تأليف الكتاب وأنهم يعبدون إله بني إسرائيل إلى جانب آلهتهم الرافدية والآرامية.
إذاً شيء من الأسطورة وشيء من التاريخ وشيء من الأدب والكثير من المواعظ الدينية، وتظل ملحمة "الكتابات التاريخية" في العهد القديمة تجربة فريدة كنافذة في الحياة السياسية والروحية والاجتماعية لمجتمع من مجتمعات الشرق القديمة في قالب سردي متطور ونابع من داخل المجتمع نفسه ومعبراً عن قيمه وتصوراته وتناقضاته.
يبدأ سفر الملوك بذكر الأيام الأخيرة من حياة الملك داود وتسابق زوجاته وأبنائهن على الظفر بالعرش قبل وفاته، وهي المعركة التي ينتصر فيها ابنه سليمان، مدشناً بذلك أزهى عصور بني إسرائيل، حيث تمتد مملكته من حماة شمالاً حتى بحر أيلة جنوباً ومن حدود مصر إلى صحاري شرق الأردن بعد أن دانت له ممالك شرق الأردن ودمشق بالإضافة إلى مدن الكنعانيين والفلسطيين الذين طالما كانوا عقبة قوية في وجه أسلافه، وفي هذا العهد الزاهر يبني سليمان الهيكل المشهور وقصره الأسطوري بمساعدة صديقه (أو ربما تابعه) ملك صور، ويتفنن الكتاب بوصف تفاصيل البناء وأبعاده وأطواله والمواد المستخدمة في كل جزء منه، وفي وصف ثروة سليمان من الذهب والفضة والحيوانات والأطعمة الفاخرة وجيوشه الجرارة بخيلها وعرباتها الحربية المهيبة، وتجارته مع الشرق والغرب والجنوب والشمال وجلبه للذهب والعطور من بلاد الجنوب، وفي هذا السفر نجد قصة ملكة سبأ وزيارتها لسليمان لتقف بنفسها على ما سمعته به من عجائب ملك سليمان، وهي قصة أقل تفصيلاً وإثارة للاهتمام بكثير من التي في القرآن.
سليمان في سفر الملوك هو سليمان الحكيم ولكنه ليس صاحب المعجزات والأعاجيب الذي نعرفه في التراث الإسلامي، فسليمان هنا لا يعرف منطق الطير وليس له وزراء من الهداهد وحوارات مع النمل ولا حرس خاص من العفاريت، إنما هو أشبه بهارون الرشيد، قد ورث مملكة في أوج استقرارها ويديرها بحكمة واعتدال، ويتوج مجد بني إسرائيل ببناء الهيكل والقصر. أما التفاصيل المذكورة في القرآن فينبغي البحث عنها في كتابات أخرى خارج الكتاب المقدس.
ولأن سليمان يمثل أوج المملكة الإسرائيلية فإن الانحدار يبدأ حتى قبل وفاته حين يتورط في مجاملة زوجاته وجواريه (وعددهن بالمئات) في جلبهنّ الأوثان من بلادهن، وكأن هذا الإثم هو البذرة التي تؤدي لاحقاً لدمار المملكة وسبي كامل بني إسرائيل. ويموت سليمان تنقسم المملكة على يد ابنه الأرعن رحبوعم ("لئن كان قيد أبي بحجم الأنملة فسيكون قيدي بحجم الفخذ، ولئن كان يعذبكم بالسياط فسأعذبكم بالعقارب")
فتستحيل المملكة إلى مملكتين: مملكة إسرائيل في الشمال ومملكة يهودا في الجنوب.
هنا يبدأ النفَس الأسطوري بالانحسار تدريجياً ويتحول الكتاب إلى مزيج من الحوليات الملكية والتاريخ الوعظي، مطرز بالأدب السردي الذي يحكي مواجهات الملوك والنبلاء والقادة والكهنة والأنبياء والرسل، كإلياس وإليسع اللذين يؤديان دوراً أساسياً في سير الأحداث. هذا لا يعني أننا أمام كتاب تاريخي حقيقي، فنحن ما زلنا في عالم يعج بالمعجزات ويستمر الرب فاعلاً في الأحداث ومخاطباً للبشر عن طريق النبوءات، ولكن يتخذ الكتاب شكل الحوليات الملكية التي تتركز حول الحروب والتحالفات السياسية الداخلية والخارجية، ويصبح بالإمكان مطابقة بعض الأشخاص والأحداث مع أشخاص وأحداث في المصادر التاريخية الأخرى.
يتمحور الكتاب بعد سليمان حول سير ملوك المملكتين الشمالية والجنوبية كخطين متوازيين (ما عدا بعض التقاطعات وهنا تزداد الإثارة)، فيبدأ عهد كل ملك عادةً بعبارة "وقد عمل ما هو إثم في عيني الرب" والإثم دوماً هو التسامح مع عبادة آلهة الأقوام المجاورة وإقامة المزارات والمذابح والمعابد "غير المرخصة"، وذلك بدءً من أول ملوك الشمال (يروبعم) في محاولة لصرف رعيته عن هيكل أورشليم الخاضع لغريمه في الجنوب. لكن العقوبة الإلهية تأتي عاجلاً أم آجلاً وتشتمل في أقل الأحوال على قتلة بشعة أو مهينة وانتزاع الحكم من ذرية الملك الآثم، وقد تصل إلى إبادة كافة ذرية الملك الآثم بل وكافة عشيرته، وهو المصير الذي حل بالملك أخاب الذي تعدت آثامه الإشراك بعبادة إله بني إسرائيل لتصل إلى ظلم الرعية والتعدي على أموالهم وأنفسهم (وهذا الملك بالمناسبة هو المذكور في مدونات الآشوريين والذي واجه الآشوريين في معركة قرقر إلى جانب ملوك آرام وجندب ملك العرب). ولا ينجو من اللوم في هذه السلسلة إلا بضعة ملوك من الجنوب. وعلى الرغم من الطابع المتكرر لهذه القصص لكن تبرز فيها عدة فصول مثيرة للاهتمام:
- يذكر المؤلف بشكل صريح معلومة قد يستشفها القارئ بنفسه من الأسفار السابقة وهي أن بني إسرائيل في ذلك الزمن يمثلون طبقة النبلاء والمحاربين وملاك الأراضي في بلاد كنعان وأن الكنعانيين من غير بني إسرائيل يمثلون طبقة الفلاحين والصناع والخدم، مما يخالف فكرة الغزو الشامل وإجلاء أهل البلاد لدى دخول الأرض المقدسة على النحو الوارد في سفر يوشع بن نون.
- إقامة أول ملوك الشمال لمعبدين بعجلين ذهبيين ودعوته لقومه بعبادتها: "هذا ربكم الذي أخرجكم من بلاد مصر" فيما يبدو أنه أصل قصة العجل في سفر الخروج
- قصة النبي إلياس ومعجزاته التي تشابه ما ينسب إلى عيسى في الثراث الإسلامي والكتابات المسيحية "غير الرسمية"
- قصة إزابيل الفينيقية زوجة أخاب المذكور، والمتصعبة لإله قومها "بعل" ونهايتها البشعة على يد القائد "ياهو"، وهو الذي يقوم بانقلاب على آل أخاب بتحريض من النبي إليسع، وكأنه مزيج بين محمد بن عبد الوهاب وأبي العباس السفاح، فيكرّس جهده في حملة تطهير مرعبة ضد كل من له صلة قرابة بالملك أخاب ثم كافة كهنة الإله بعل وتدمير ممنهج لكافة المزارات والمذابح وتتبعه للسحرة والكهنة وغيرهم من أهل البدع والخرافات
- ويحتوي فصل ياهو رغم عنفه الشديد على شيء من أروع السرد الأدبي في هذا القسم من الكتاب والذي يمكن وصف حواراته بالسينمائية في بعض الأحيان ("أخزيا! خيانة!" هذا كل ما يقوله ملك إسرائيل وهو مدبر هرباً نحو حليفه أخزيا ملك يهودا بعد أن عرف نوايا قائده ياهو، والذي يقتله بسهم في ظهره على الفور).
- يكثر في هذا السفر أن يرسل الرب السباع لافتراس الناس حتى أن الافتراص يصبح بمثابة "الموتيف" في ثنايا الكتاب، فأحد الأنبياء يعصي تعليمات الرب بسبب خديعة من نبي آخر فيقتله أسد في الطريق ويقف بجانبه حتى يأتي النبي الآخر لدفنه، وعندما يسخر بعض الصبية من "صلعة" النبي إليسع يأمر إليسع الدببة بافتراس الأولاد، وعندما يأتي البابليون بأقوام من مناطق أخرى للاستيطان في بلاد يهودا والسامرة يرسل الرب الأسود لافتراسهم حتى يأمرهم الحاكم بالبابلي بتقديم الأضاحي لإرضائه. لا أزعم أني أعرف المغزى من كثرة حوادث الافتراس لكنها تضفي طابعاً أسطورياً-ميثولوجياً غريباً -- وجميلاً -- على كتاب يقدم نفسه كسرد تاريخي.
- لا يخلو السرد من بعض الكوميديا السوداء، ومن ذلك في أثناء الحصار الآشوري لأورشليم يرعد القائد الآشوري بخطبة يهدد فيها أهالي المدينة وحكامها فيقاطعه وزراء الملك طالبين منه بأدب أن يكلم خدّامه باللسان الآرامي بدلاً من اليهودي فلا داعي أن يسمع الأهالي كل تلك الإهانات، فيستنكر القائد قائلاً "وهل أرسلني مولاي الملك بهذا الخطاب لكم وليس لرعاياكم؟ ألن يأكلوا ويشربوا من فضلاتهم وبولهم كما ستفعلون؟". (اضطر الآشوريون للانسحاب في النهاية)
من ناحية تاريخية يوجد في هذه الكتابات معلومات مثيرة للاهتمام ولا يبدو أنه قد وصلنا من ذلك العصر سرد تاريخي بهذا القدر من التفصيل لكنه كما أسلفنا تاريخ عقائدي وأدبي في نفس الوقت وما يزال يحتوي على الكثير من الأسطورة والخيال والتفاصيل المبهرة والحوارات المثيرة، فالمؤلف وإن كان يعتمد على مصادر وحوليات رسمية إلا أنه ليس مجرد ناقل وإنما نحن أمام واعظ وأديب متمكن من أدواته السردية، حتى لو لم يرق النفس الأدبي إلى مستوى السفر السابق له (سفر صموئيل) الذي يمثل قمة من قمم الأدب القديم والوسيط معاً.
ينتهي سفر الملوك باستيلاء الآشوريين على مملكة الشمال وإجلاء السكان إلى بلاد آشور، ثم حصار نبوخذنصر ملك بابل لأورشليم عاصمة مملكة يهودا وتدميرها وسبي الأهالي إلى بابل واستبدالهم بأقوام آخرين خصوصاً من الرافدين، ويذكرنا المؤلف أن السبب أولاً وأخيراً هو عزوف بني إسرائيل عن عبادة الرب وحده وانتكاساتهم المتكررة إلى عبادة الآلهة الآخرين. ويختم المؤلف بمعلومة تاريخية مهمة وهي إبقاء البابليين على الفقراء ليستمروا بفلاحة الأرض، كما يذكر لنا أن المهجرين من البلاد الأخرى كانوا ما يزالون يسكنون في بلاد يهودا والسامرة وقت تأليف الكتاب وأنهم يعبدون إله بني إسرائيل إلى جانب آلهتهم الرافدية والآرامية.
إذاً شيء من الأسطورة وشيء من التاريخ وشيء من الأدب والكثير من المواعظ الدينية، وتظل ملحمة "الكتابات التاريخية" في العهد القديمة تجربة فريدة كنافذة في الحياة السياسية والروحية والاجتماعية لمجتمع من مجتمعات الشرق القديمة في قالب سردي متطور ونابع من داخل المجتمع نفسه ومعبراً عن قيمه وتصوراته وتناقضاته.
December 29, 2018
Elisha is a fascinating person to read about --- but I do have a terrible time differentiating between Elisha and Elijah. It doesn't help any that their lives have obvious parallels either. And I've never understood why their names are so similar, as that's the perfect way to cause confusion. Then again, maybe it doesn't really matter which prophet performed which miracles. Both were relying on the power of the same God.
October 10, 2020
Reading through the Bible in a year. Just finished 2 Kings. I really love the OT Books.
September 2, 2024
Is it not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
December 16, 2025
I was not ready for the sequel.
May 5, 2022
5/4/22: Sometimes it's the smallest details in a text that leave you thinking the most. After re-reading the book of 2 Kings for the first time post-pandemic, I'm left thinking about . . .
. . . gold.
Near the end of the book, when the kingdom of Judah finally follows its neighbor Israel into exile after a long and depressing slide into corruption, what do the invaders do?
"So the king of Babylon took [Jehoiachin] captive in the eighth year of his reign. He also carried off from there all the treasures of the Lord's temple and the treasures of the king's palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord's sanctuary, just as the Lord had predicted."
~2 Kings 24:12-13
So? What's so interesting about an invading army taking loot from their captives? That's just par for the course, right?
Maybe. But there's a deeper point here to be made. I'll let Ambrose of Milan--the preacher whose influence would eventually sway Augustine to Christianity--explain it:
"The church has gold, not stored up but to lay out and to spend on those who need. What necessity is there to guard what is of no good? Do we not know how much gold and silver the Assyrians [Babylonians] took out of the temple of the Lord? Is it not much better that the priests should melt it down for the sustenance of the poor, if other supplies fail, than that . . . a sacrilegious enemy should carry it off and defile it? Would not the Lord say, Why did you allow so many needy to die of hunger? Surely you had gold? You should have given them sustenance. Why are so many captives brought to the slave market, and why are so many unredeemed left to be slain by the enemy? It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones."
~Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, 2.28.137
That's a lot to unpack, but the last sentence says it all. "It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones." We know from the aftermath of the invasion of Judah that there were many poor people left in Jerusalem. The irony is that, as "vinedressers and farmers" (2 Kings 25:12), some of these people were probably better off than they had been before the kingdom's fall.
"Since I too exist, why do I ask you to come into me? For I should not be there at all unless, in this way, you were already present within me."
~Augustine, Confessions, 1.2
Jewish and Christian theology has taught for thousands of years that we are made in the image of God.
Gold . . . isn't.
"The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear; indeed, there is no breath in their mouths."
~Psalms 135:15-17
For each of us, there is a balance that must be struck between taking care of ourselves--since we too are made in God's image--and taking care of others. Figuring out where that balance lies is a lifelong struggle.
Throughout history, very few people have been completely successful at striking that balance. The problems that plagued Judah went much deeper than the hoarding of resources. That was only one symptom of a more insidious disease.
Their priorities were out of place by nearly every possible measure. And they paid a heavy price for it.
We are fully capable of the same corruption, but that doesn't mean the corruption is inevitable. As Judah got worse, there were some who tried to stop the slide. Even after the exile, there were those who kept the faith (see the book of Daniel for a few key examples).
In the end, we are not strictly responsible for how others spend their resources, whether we mean gold or any other wealth. We are responsible for what we do with our own.
May we figure out what it looks like in our own individual lives to worry more about preserving the living vessels and less about preserving the gold ones.
3/7/19: Reading 1 and 2 Kings is like reading the travel log of two ships that keep crashing into the same iceberg over and over again, even though they know (or should know) what happens when ships crash into icebergs.
Eventually, they sink. If you're lucky, some of the passengers will survive. Maybe they'll get picked up by other ships and carted back to some foreign port like Babylon.
But they still sink. And even if you try to rebuild the ship, it's never quite the same again . . . savvy?
. . . gold.
Near the end of the book, when the kingdom of Judah finally follows its neighbor Israel into exile after a long and depressing slide into corruption, what do the invaders do?
"So the king of Babylon took [Jehoiachin] captive in the eighth year of his reign. He also carried off from there all the treasures of the Lord's temple and the treasures of the king's palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord's sanctuary, just as the Lord had predicted."
~2 Kings 24:12-13
So? What's so interesting about an invading army taking loot from their captives? That's just par for the course, right?
Maybe. But there's a deeper point here to be made. I'll let Ambrose of Milan--the preacher whose influence would eventually sway Augustine to Christianity--explain it:
"The church has gold, not stored up but to lay out and to spend on those who need. What necessity is there to guard what is of no good? Do we not know how much gold and silver the Assyrians [Babylonians] took out of the temple of the Lord? Is it not much better that the priests should melt it down for the sustenance of the poor, if other supplies fail, than that . . . a sacrilegious enemy should carry it off and defile it? Would not the Lord say, Why did you allow so many needy to die of hunger? Surely you had gold? You should have given them sustenance. Why are so many captives brought to the slave market, and why are so many unredeemed left to be slain by the enemy? It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones."
~Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy, 2.28.137
That's a lot to unpack, but the last sentence says it all. "It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones." We know from the aftermath of the invasion of Judah that there were many poor people left in Jerusalem. The irony is that, as "vinedressers and farmers" (2 Kings 25:12), some of these people were probably better off than they had been before the kingdom's fall.
"Since I too exist, why do I ask you to come into me? For I should not be there at all unless, in this way, you were already present within me."
~Augustine, Confessions, 1.2
Jewish and Christian theology has taught for thousands of years that we are made in the image of God.
Gold . . . isn't.
"The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear; indeed, there is no breath in their mouths."
~Psalms 135:15-17
For each of us, there is a balance that must be struck between taking care of ourselves--since we too are made in God's image--and taking care of others. Figuring out where that balance lies is a lifelong struggle.
Throughout history, very few people have been completely successful at striking that balance. The problems that plagued Judah went much deeper than the hoarding of resources. That was only one symptom of a more insidious disease.
Their priorities were out of place by nearly every possible measure. And they paid a heavy price for it.
We are fully capable of the same corruption, but that doesn't mean the corruption is inevitable. As Judah got worse, there were some who tried to stop the slide. Even after the exile, there were those who kept the faith (see the book of Daniel for a few key examples).
In the end, we are not strictly responsible for how others spend their resources, whether we mean gold or any other wealth. We are responsible for what we do with our own.
May we figure out what it looks like in our own individual lives to worry more about preserving the living vessels and less about preserving the gold ones.
3/7/19: Reading 1 and 2 Kings is like reading the travel log of two ships that keep crashing into the same iceberg over and over again, even though they know (or should know) what happens when ships crash into icebergs.
Eventually, they sink. If you're lucky, some of the passengers will survive. Maybe they'll get picked up by other ships and carted back to some foreign port like Babylon.
But they still sink. And even if you try to rebuild the ship, it's never quite the same again . . . savvy?
September 18, 2021
2 Kings continues the story line of 1 Kings. The downward trajectory also continues in which both Israel and Judah, as led by their respective Kings, persistently violate the covenant. No matter that an occasional King follow God's commandments, the descent towards exile continues. Other nations surrounding Israel and Judah are instruments in God's hands to bring judgment to bear on them as they continually forget that they are God's chosen people.
This Book of the Bible was slower to get through due to the lengthy listing of king after king. But it does remind us that God will judge those who don't follow his laws without the saving grace of his yet delivered, at that time, Son, Jesus Christ.
This Book of the Bible was slower to get through due to the lengthy listing of king after king. But it does remind us that God will judge those who don't follow his laws without the saving grace of his yet delivered, at that time, Son, Jesus Christ.
November 12, 2023
RIP the 42 small boys who called Elisha baldhead and got mauled by bears
February 18, 2024
Gonna tell my kids this was "Game of Thrones"
July 13, 2023
A continuation of the story of disobedient and corrupted Kings as seen in the first book of Kings. We see here the end of Elijah's ministry and the beginning of Elisha's ministry. He performs a lot of miracles, moreso than written about Elijah - demonstrating that he did indeed receive a double portion of the Holy Spirit in succession from Elijah.
We may see parallels in our church and royal family today.
"But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God. They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them..." - 2 Kings 17:14-15
We may see parallels in our church and royal family today.
"But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God. They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them..." - 2 Kings 17:14-15
May 15, 2024
Reading through 2 Kings has taken half a year, but today I finished it. Honestly I’ve loved the history of this book. The main reason it took so long for me to finish is because the reading plan I’m using has had me in multiple books at the same time and some of those have taken me longer to get through. The main takeaway from 2 Kings is that these guys were just as sinful and human as the leaders of our world today, and God still used them to fulfill his plan 👏
October 15, 2025
A history enthusiast myself, I enjoy reading the history section of God's Word. 2 Kings provides detailed information on Solomon and the kings after him, but the sad thing is, most of them did not follow after God's heart.
December 14, 2023
The kings ignore God and are forced to lead the people to roam in search of safety.
July 9, 2025
Covers after Ahaz’s death thru the fall of both kingdoms and exiles (Israel to Assyria, Judah to Babylon). So much drama. Elijah, Elisha, Jehu, Athaliah, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Josiah and his many sons, the downfall of not just Israel but also Judah…
VIPs: Elijah, Elisha
Luckiest character: Elijah, for not having to die
Best king: Jehoshaphat (Judah)
Most unfortunate: Gehazi. I must say, he asked for it.
Funniest prophet story: Elisha telling the king Syrian state secrets
Bad boy: Jehu
New thing I learned: both Elijah and Elisha raised a woman’s son, with multiple similarities
VIPs: Elijah, Elisha
Luckiest character: Elijah, for not having to die
Best king: Jehoshaphat (Judah)
Most unfortunate: Gehazi. I must say, he asked for it.
Funniest prophet story: Elisha telling the king Syrian state secrets
Bad boy: Jehu
New thing I learned: both Elijah and Elisha raised a woman’s son, with multiple similarities
May 1, 2013
2 Kings is the twelfth book of the Bible, it is inspired by God. 2 Kings follows the history of Judea, the southern kingdom and Samara, the northern kingdom from the death of Ahab king of the northern kingdom until the fall of Judea to the neo-Babylonians in 586 BC. The main figures in this history are first Elisha the prophet who was able to continue to spread God’s word to the sinful northern kingdom. The next person to get intensive treatment is Jehu who the Lord commanded to destroy Ahab’s line. He accomplishes this but is unwilling to fully submit to God thus he was only allowed to have a limited dynasty. At the same time in the southern kingdom the Lord raised Joiah to the kingship with the help of the priests so as to continue David’s line. The rest of the book deals with the Lord’s punishment of his people by exiling them. First he exiles the northern Kingdom by using the Assyrians. Then after many years of patience due to the service of Hezekiah and his great grandson Josiah, God rewards the sin of the southern kingdom by turning them over to the neo-Babylonians. This book shows that sin will not go unpunished and that temporary respites are only temporary. Unless we accept Christ as our substitute we will be condemned and our nations will be decimated. Thank God for offering us a path to avoid the just punishment for our sins and granting us a path to being well with him.
December 20, 2015
I don't know how to rate this...do I give it 2 stars because I didn't enjoy it, even though there was nothing wrong with it? Or do I rate it based on how thorough it was (5 stars)?
I was so frustrated by this!
Elijah gets swept up to heaven and leaves Elisha in his place to minister to the divided kingdoms.
We get to see how each ruler ends up- whether or not they follow the Lord's commands. Ultimately, they all do evil in the eyes of the Lord, and the Assyrians take the Northern Kingdom (the more evil one) into captivity.
Then God warns the Southern Kingdom through his prophets to obey his commands, but they turn away, despite what happened to the Northern Kingdom.
It was hard to get through this knowing how things would end up. I didn't have any problems with it, it was just a bit monotonous and boring to get through.
I was so frustrated by this!
Elijah gets swept up to heaven and leaves Elisha in his place to minister to the divided kingdoms.
We get to see how each ruler ends up- whether or not they follow the Lord's commands. Ultimately, they all do evil in the eyes of the Lord, and the Assyrians take the Northern Kingdom (the more evil one) into captivity.
Then God warns the Southern Kingdom through his prophets to obey his commands, but they turn away, despite what happened to the Northern Kingdom.
It was hard to get through this knowing how things would end up. I didn't have any problems with it, it was just a bit monotonous and boring to get through.
September 17, 2020
Sidenote: The reason for such vague and short and "eh" words on each of these books, is because I wasn't challenging the study of the Bible when I read these. I was challenging myself to read the whole Bible in a year because I knew it would be discipline to keep at it daily. I do, however, plan to pick up a book and study what it is saying. Those will be longer reads and more notes.
So here is my review from my "Read the Bible in a Year" challenge. Usually just snippets of thoughts and random things I liked about the book itself. Nothing in-depth.
So here is my review on 02 Kings.
This is the book with Elijah and Elisha. I always thought it was weird that their names were so much alike. I think it is awesome about how Elijah was taken up into heaven without dying to God. That whole scene was just perfect.
So here is my review from my "Read the Bible in a Year" challenge. Usually just snippets of thoughts and random things I liked about the book itself. Nothing in-depth.
So here is my review on 02 Kings.
This is the book with Elijah and Elisha. I always thought it was weird that their names were so much alike. I think it is awesome about how Elijah was taken up into heaven without dying to God. That whole scene was just perfect.
June 27, 2017
The second book of kings spoke of the acts of Elisha and his work for God. It also chronicled the kings of Judah and Israel. There were those walked in the foot-steps of David like Hezekiah who obeyed the laws of God while others disobeyed God and brought God's wrath and anger. The Kings continued to disobey God to the point where He allowed them to be captive of Babylon. One thing remained constant in this book whenever they called upon the Lord and turned from their wicked ways God always delivered them and bless them. Bless the name of Jesus!
Merged review:
The Second book of Kings, chronicled the kings of Judah and Israel. The acts of Elisha the prophet and his great exploits with God was also documented. Bless the name of Jesus!
Merged review:
The Second book of Kings, chronicled the kings of Judah and Israel. The acts of Elisha the prophet and his great exploits with God was also documented. Bless the name of Jesus!
October 28, 2019
I found this work of immense interest and importance.
The compilation of historical accounts, wisdom & proverbial insights, and thought provoking texts, along with descriptive and informative footnotes, are of great value.
Explanations, including varying scholarly views depicting the material related in this book, are available for each of the 66 individual books of the Bible.
This book is but one of the individual 66 books/letters which were written by forty different authors over at least 1500 years in three different languages on three different continents, which comprise the Bible.
Read for life-related reasons and personal research.
Overall, a great resource for the researcher, enthusiast, and devotee.
The compilation of historical accounts, wisdom & proverbial insights, and thought provoking texts, along with descriptive and informative footnotes, are of great value.
Explanations, including varying scholarly views depicting the material related in this book, are available for each of the 66 individual books of the Bible.
This book is but one of the individual 66 books/letters which were written by forty different authors over at least 1500 years in three different languages on three different continents, which comprise the Bible.
Read for life-related reasons and personal research.
Overall, a great resource for the researcher, enthusiast, and devotee.
November 20, 2017
I read the 1984 NIV version. This is a fascinating and enthralling book which took considerable effort to understand. Although the characters in the book such as the king's, priests, and their families change quickly as the story progresses the themes stay the same. I was familiar with many of the names in the book and am looking forward to seeing if they are the same characters found in later parts of the Bible or if they are merely different people with the same name.
March 8, 2018
The reading of God's Word is so remarkable that there is nothing that I can say to make it any better. Please, if you are a lost soul, turn to God! He can heal you and give you the greatest peace that you will ever know!
December 16, 2022
This one bounced around between characters, the plot was all over the place.
Good stuff: Elisha‘s miracles (they were boring but the story made sense)
Bad stuff: Joram/Jehoram (what even happened?), all the other short stories without reference.
Good stuff: Elisha‘s miracles (they were boring but the story made sense)
Bad stuff: Joram/Jehoram (what even happened?), all the other short stories without reference.
Read
December 1, 2023why bring up a story if youre just gonna say “go find this somewhere else”??? just dont bring it up!!!
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