2 Chronicles 32:31 - But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
This must be a reference to the shadow moving backward 10 steps on the stairway of Ahaz. (cf 2 Kings 20:11) The Babylonians had also heard about Hezekiah's illness, and we know the two events are connected. I wonder if the Babylonians knew they were connected. I wonder what made them think that Hezekiah or someone under his rule would know what caused the sun to move backwards.
10/31/2006
10/29/2006
Providing for priests and Levites
2 Chronicles 31:4 - He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
If the people hadn't been providing for the priests and Levites through their offerings and sacrifices before this time, I wonder how the priests and Levites provided for themselves. They must have had to get "day jobs" like everyone else.
If the people hadn't been providing for the priests and Levites through their offerings and sacrifices before this time, I wonder how the priests and Levites provided for themselves. They must have had to get "day jobs" like everyone else.
That Passover under Hezekiah
2 Chronicles 30:26 - There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
I wonder why no other king -- not even the good ones -- had celebrated the Passover between Solomon and Hezekiah. I wonder why God hadn't punished them even more for neglecting this major festival. (Well, I do and I don't. His mercy obviously prevented him.)
I wonder why no other king -- not even the good ones -- had celebrated the Passover between Solomon and Hezekiah. I wonder why God hadn't punished them even more for neglecting this major festival. (Well, I do and I don't. His mercy obviously prevented him.)
Cleaning house
2 Chronicles 29:16-17 - The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD's temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.
2 Chronicles 29:36 - Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.
I wonder how much junk there was that had to be removed from the temple and the courtyard. Everyone was pleased that the Levites got the job done so quickly, but it still had taken just over 2 full weeks!
2 Chronicles 29:36 - Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.
I wonder how much junk there was that had to be removed from the temple and the courtyard. Everyone was pleased that the Levites got the job done so quickly, but it still had taken just over 2 full weeks!
10/27/2006
Taken alive
2 Chronicles 25:11-12 - Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir. The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.
I wonder why these men were taken alive by Amaziah's army only to be killed in a rather unusual way. Why weren't they just killed on the battlefield? Had they surrendered? Even if they had, why go to all the trouble of (probably) tying them up, herding them to the top of a cliff, and making a mess at the bottom of the cliff? Was it just to save time burying fallen soldiers? Would they have done so if the deed had been done on the battlefield?
I wonder why these men were taken alive by Amaziah's army only to be killed in a rather unusual way. Why weren't they just killed on the battlefield? Had they surrendered? Even if they had, why go to all the trouble of (probably) tying them up, herding them to the top of a cliff, and making a mess at the bottom of the cliff? Was it just to save time burying fallen soldiers? Would they have done so if the deed had been done on the battlefield?
Little Joash
2 Chronicles 22:10-12 - When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
I wonder if Athaliah knew she had missed killing one of the royal family. Joash was only a year old at the time. I wonder if Jehoiada and Jehosheba just did so good of a job hiding him that Athaliah gave up looking and assumed he was dead.
How do you hide a child for 6 years? They did it mainly in the temple which perhaps was a place that Athaliah didn't frequent, but still that's a long time to keep a young boy hidden. I wonder if they tried to pass him off as someone else. Their own son? A relative from out of town? A neighborhood kid?
I wonder if Athaliah knew she had missed killing one of the royal family. Joash was only a year old at the time. I wonder if Jehoiada and Jehosheba just did so good of a job hiding him that Athaliah gave up looking and assumed he was dead.
How do you hide a child for 6 years? They did it mainly in the temple which perhaps was a place that Athaliah didn't frequent, but still that's a long time to keep a young boy hidden. I wonder if they tried to pass him off as someone else. Their own son? A relative from out of town? A neighborhood kid?
10/25/2006
To no one's regret
2 Chronicles 21:18-20 - After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no fire in his honor, as they had for his fathers.
Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
How gruesome and sad! An extremely painful and unusual death. No one cared. A king, but not treated as one even in death.
I wonder what doctors today would have diagnosed this disease as. I wonder how hard they worked at finding a cure...after all, no one cared. I wonder if there is a cure for this disease today. Notice that the doctors of the day must have been able to cure some diseases, otherwise it doesn't make sense to point this one out as incurable.
Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
How gruesome and sad! An extremely painful and unusual death. No one cared. A king, but not treated as one even in death.
I wonder what doctors today would have diagnosed this disease as. I wonder how hard they worked at finding a cure...after all, no one cared. I wonder if there is a cure for this disease today. Notice that the doctors of the day must have been able to cure some diseases, otherwise it doesn't make sense to point this one out as incurable.
10/23/2006
Ambushes
2 Chronicles 20:22-24 - As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
I wonder what kind of ambushes the LORD set for the invaders. Were there natural traps in the area that they fell into? Or is this a reference to the in-fighting that eventually destroyed all 3 invading armies? Did they start setting ambushes on each other?
I wonder ihow it happened that they all died, that "no one escaped." Reminds me of the gingham dog and the calico cat:
Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: They ate each other up!
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
I wonder what kind of ambushes the LORD set for the invaders. Were there natural traps in the area that they fell into? Or is this a reference to the in-fighting that eventually destroyed all 3 invading armies? Did they start setting ambushes on each other?
I wonder ihow it happened that they all died, that "no one escaped." Reminds me of the gingham dog and the calico cat:
Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: They ate each other up!
10/22/2006
Asa's feet
2 Chronicles 16:12 - In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.
I wonder what diagnosis doctors today would give for Asa's foot disease. I think it was probably something worse than athlete's foot. Whatever it was, the physicians Asa had at his disposal weren't able to cure him with whatever technology they had. Here's another example pointing out who the Great Physician really is.
I wonder what diagnosis doctors today would give for Asa's foot disease. I think it was probably something worse than athlete's foot. Whatever it was, the physicians Asa had at his disposal weren't able to cure him with whatever technology they had. Here's another example pointing out who the Great Physician really is.
10/20/2006
Apes and baboons
2 Chronicles 9:21 - The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's men. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.
I can understand why Solomon wanted more gold, silver, and ivory, but I wonder if he really wanted more apes and baboons every 3 years. I wonder if they were considered precious, rare animals. What did the Israelites do with them? Were they put on display as in a zoo? I wonder if those who exported them to Israel considered them valuable. Or were they glad to get rid of them? Or did Hiram's men capture the animals themselves?
I wonder if Hiram's men had to give something from Israel in exchange for these precious items. What would they have given? Or did they just take these things from whoever originally owned them? Or did they gather them themselves?
I can understand why Solomon wanted more gold, silver, and ivory, but I wonder if he really wanted more apes and baboons every 3 years. I wonder if they were considered precious, rare animals. What did the Israelites do with them? Were they put on display as in a zoo? I wonder if those who exported them to Israel considered them valuable. Or were they glad to get rid of them? Or did Hiram's men capture the animals themselves?
I wonder if Hiram's men had to give something from Israel in exchange for these precious items. What would they have given? Or did they just take these things from whoever originally owned them? Or did they gather them themselves?
Apes and baboons
2 Chronicles 9:21 - The king had a fleet of trading ships manned by Hiram's men. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.
I can understand why Solomon wanted more gold, silver, and ivory, but I wonder if he really wanted more apes and baboons every 3 years. I wonder if they were considered precious, rare animals. What did the Israelites do with them? Were they put on display as in a zoo? I wonder if those who exported them to Israel considered them valuable. Or were they glad to get rid of them? Or did Hiram's men capture the animals themselves?
I wonder if Hiram's men had to give something from Israel in exchange for these precious items. What would they have given? Or did they just take these things from whoever originally owned them? Or did they gather them themselves?
I can understand why Solomon wanted more gold, silver, and ivory, but I wonder if he really wanted more apes and baboons every 3 years. I wonder if they were considered precious, rare animals. What did the Israelites do with them? Were they put on display as in a zoo? I wonder if those who exported them to Israel considered them valuable. Or were they glad to get rid of them? Or did Hiram's men capture the animals themselves?
I wonder if Hiram's men had to give something from Israel in exchange for these precious items. What would they have given? Or did they just take these things from whoever originally owned them? Or did they gather them themselves?
10/19/2006
Cherubim
2 Chronicles 3:10-13 - In the Most Holy Place he made a pair of sculptured cherubim and overlaid them with gold. The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub. Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub. The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall.
I wonder where David and his designers got their ideas about what cherubim looked like. They had wings and feet. They could face a certain direction. They probably looked much like what we picture them as today -- winged people. Had other artists created artworks of them earlier that these were imitative of? Who saw the first cherubim?
I wonder where David and his designers got their ideas about what cherubim looked like. They had wings and feet. They could face a certain direction. They probably looked much like what we picture them as today -- winged people. Had other artists created artworks of them earlier that these were imitative of? Who saw the first cherubim?
10/18/2006
Standards
2 Chronicles 3:3 - The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard).
I wonder what the difference was between the old standard cubit and the new standard cubit. We commonly say a cubit was the distance from fingertip to elbow, but that in and of itself isn't exact or precise and certainly not standard. I wonder what was used to standardize both the old and the new cubit. And why did someone see the need to change from one standard to the other?
I wonder if cubits were used in other cultures. Did that have anything to do with shifting to a new standard?
I wonder how long it took and how difficult it was to make the change. A king could just decree the change, but it might take a lot of work to put it into practice.
Metric system, anyone?
I wonder what the difference was between the old standard cubit and the new standard cubit. We commonly say a cubit was the distance from fingertip to elbow, but that in and of itself isn't exact or precise and certainly not standard. I wonder what was used to standardize both the old and the new cubit. And why did someone see the need to change from one standard to the other?
I wonder if cubits were used in other cultures. Did that have anything to do with shifting to a new standard?
I wonder how long it took and how difficult it was to make the change. A king could just decree the change, but it might take a lot of work to put it into practice.
Metric system, anyone?
10/17/2006
Cutting stone
2 Chronicles 2:17-18 - Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. He assigned 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.
I think we often forget (or maybe didn't know in the first place) that the temple Solomon had built in Jerusalem was done almost totally with foreign laborers. Men from Tyre cut and shipped the wood. Aliens (non-Israelis) cut and carted the stone. Even the chief interior decorator, Huram-Abi (not Hammurabi), was only half-Israeli.
I wonder what it was like to be one of the 80,000 foreigners who suddenly had to start cutting stone one day. Most likely the vast majority of them had never done it before -- at least not professionally. Many would have been farmers, shepherds, herdsmen, vintners, traders, etc. I wonder who trained them to cut the stone. Surely it wasn't left to chance -- not for something as important as the temple!
Over 150,000 men on this project just for the stone cutting and carrying. That's about like taking the entire male workforce from a city of roughly 600,000 -- pretty close to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, proper -- and suddenly making them federal employees. I wonder what infrastructure was in place to handle that, whether it was considered slave labor or not.
I think we often forget (or maybe didn't know in the first place) that the temple Solomon had built in Jerusalem was done almost totally with foreign laborers. Men from Tyre cut and shipped the wood. Aliens (non-Israelis) cut and carted the stone. Even the chief interior decorator, Huram-Abi (not Hammurabi), was only half-Israeli.
I wonder what it was like to be one of the 80,000 foreigners who suddenly had to start cutting stone one day. Most likely the vast majority of them had never done it before -- at least not professionally. Many would have been farmers, shepherds, herdsmen, vintners, traders, etc. I wonder who trained them to cut the stone. Surely it wasn't left to chance -- not for something as important as the temple!
Over 150,000 men on this project just for the stone cutting and carrying. That's about like taking the entire male workforce from a city of roughly 600,000 -- pretty close to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, proper -- and suddenly making them federal employees. I wonder what infrastructure was in place to handle that, whether it was considered slave labor or not.
10/16/2006
Lost books
1 Chronicles 29:29-30 - As for the events of King David's reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.
We have 2 books of Samuel, but I wonder what happened to the records of Nathan and Gad. Apparently there was nothing in them we need to know.
We have 2 books of Samuel, but I wonder what happened to the records of Nathan and Gad. Apparently there was nothing in them we need to know.
10/14/2006
12 months
1 Chronicles 27:15 - The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, from the family of Othniel. There were 24,000 men in his division.
I have wondered for some time how many months were in the ancient Hebrew calendar. I've read this text several times, but I must not have been thinking about this topic at the same time until now.
Here we see (in context) that there were 12 months in their year. If they counted months according to phases of the moon, then their year (at least at David's time) was shorter than ours today by quite a few days.
If there are 28 days from new moon to new moon (or full moon to full moon), then their year was 28 x 12 = 336 days. That's 29 days, or a full month, short of our current year. Did they not count their months this way?
If they had had 13 months in a year, it would have worked out much better. I wonder if the length of time it takes for either the moon to orbit the earth or for the earth to orbit the sun (or both) has changed enough over the millenia to make up for this difference.
I have wondered for some time how many months were in the ancient Hebrew calendar. I've read this text several times, but I must not have been thinking about this topic at the same time until now.
Here we see (in context) that there were 12 months in their year. If they counted months according to phases of the moon, then their year (at least at David's time) was shorter than ours today by quite a few days.
If there are 28 days from new moon to new moon (or full moon to full moon), then their year was 28 x 12 = 336 days. That's 29 days, or a full month, short of our current year. Did they not count their months this way?
If they had had 13 months in a year, it would have worked out much better. I wonder if the length of time it takes for either the moon to orbit the earth or for the earth to orbit the sun (or both) has changed enough over the millenia to make up for this difference.
Hanun's folly
1 Chronicles 19:1-5 - In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.
When David's men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Haven't his men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.
When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."
I wonder how old Hanun was at this time. He acted like a bratty child. And maybe he was. I wonder if he had any wiser advisers that suggested a different course of action. Then again he did initially reject his visitors at the prompting of his nobles. I wonder how old they were.
I wonder who came up with the idea of shaving them and cutting their clothes to shame them. Hanun? His nobles? A committee? His childhood buddies? I wonder what other ideas they considered first. On second thought, I don't.
When David's men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Haven't his men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.
When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."
I wonder how old Hanun was at this time. He acted like a bratty child. And maybe he was. I wonder if he had any wiser advisers that suggested a different course of action. Then again he did initially reject his visitors at the prompting of his nobles. I wonder how old they were.
I wonder who came up with the idea of shaving them and cutting their clothes to shame them. Hanun? His nobles? A committee? His childhood buddies? I wonder what other ideas they considered first. On second thought, I don't.
10/12/2006
Kerethites and Pelethites
1 Chronicles 18:17 - Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were chief officials at the king's side.
I wonder what the function of the Kerethites and of the Pelethites was. Why were they acknowledged as separate groups like this? What made them worthy of mention? Where did their names come from? Groups of peoples were often named after an ancestor. I'm not sure if that's the case here.
I wonder why a description of their purpose or origin is not given. This would have been obvious to their contemporaries in Israel, but not to us. I wonder if neighboring peoples knew all about them.
I wonder what the function of the Kerethites and of the Pelethites was. Why were they acknowledged as separate groups like this? What made them worthy of mention? Where did their names come from? Groups of peoples were often named after an ancestor. I'm not sure if that's the case here.
I wonder why a description of their purpose or origin is not given. This would have been obvious to their contemporaries in Israel, but not to us. I wonder if neighboring peoples knew all about them.
10/11/2006
David's psalm of thanks
1 Chronicles 16:7-36 - That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD:
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
O descendants of Israel his servant,
O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
"To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit."
When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
He allowed no man to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
"Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm."
Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,
ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
Then the trees of the forest will sing,
they will sing for joy before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
that we may glory in your praise."
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."
I wonder if David wrote this psalm the same day he gave it to Asaph or if he had it prepared beforehand. I wonder how long it took to write it. Did he collaborate with anyone on it?
I wonder if he provided the music to go with it. Or was that Asaph's job -- to compose a tune for it?
It must have been read aloud or sung that day because the people all responded to it. Did David himself read/sing it? Had a soloist or choir rehearsed it so it could be presented to the audience that day?
I wonder if any lyres, harps, cymbals, and trumpets were used to accompany this psalm. Did they rehearse too or did they improvise?
I tend to think this was all planned and rehearsed well ahead of time, but I wonder if anyone ever performed what we might call a jazz psalm where the music was improv.
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
O descendants of Israel his servant,
O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
"To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit."
When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
He allowed no man to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
"Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm."
Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,
ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
Then the trees of the forest will sing,
they will sing for joy before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
that we may glory in your praise."
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."
I wonder if David wrote this psalm the same day he gave it to Asaph or if he had it prepared beforehand. I wonder how long it took to write it. Did he collaborate with anyone on it?
I wonder if he provided the music to go with it. Or was that Asaph's job -- to compose a tune for it?
It must have been read aloud or sung that day because the people all responded to it. Did David himself read/sing it? Had a soloist or choir rehearsed it so it could be presented to the audience that day?
I wonder if any lyres, harps, cymbals, and trumpets were used to accompany this psalm. Did they rehearse too or did they improvise?
I tend to think this was all planned and rehearsed well ahead of time, but I wonder if anyone ever performed what we might call a jazz psalm where the music was improv.
10/10/2006
The musicians
1 Chronicles 15:19-22 - The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth , and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith . Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
I wonder what a bronze cymbal sounds like. Is it large like a gong?
I wonder (with everyone else) what alamoth and sheminith mean. Are they styles? rhythms? tempos?
I wonder how Kenaniah had become known as a skillful choir director.
I wonder what a bronze cymbal sounds like. Is it large like a gong?
I wonder (with everyone else) what alamoth and sheminith mean. Are they styles? rhythms? tempos?
I wonder how Kenaniah had become known as a skillful choir director.
10/09/2006
The Three
1 Chronicles 11:15-19 - Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. "God forbid that I should do this!" he said. "Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
I wonder how the Three got all the way to Bethlehem (apparently) without David's knowing they had left. I wonder how long it took them to make the round trip.
I wonder if breaking through Philistine lines involved killing anyone or if it was totally done in secret. Did they wear disguises?
I wonder what their first reaction to David's refusal to drink the water was.
"Wha...?"
"But you said...."
"After all we...."
"No, wait! I'll take...."
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
I wonder how the Three got all the way to Bethlehem (apparently) without David's knowing they had left. I wonder how long it took them to make the round trip.
I wonder if breaking through Philistine lines involved killing anyone or if it was totally done in secret. Did they wear disguises?
I wonder what their first reaction to David's refusal to drink the water was.
"Wha...?"
"But you said...."
"After all we...."
"No, wait! I'll take...."
10/08/2006
Musician update
1 Chronicles 9:33 - Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.
This answers my earlier question about side jobs for the musicians. No, they didn't need them.
I wonder if "day and night" means 24x7. Or does it mean from morning till evening? What could they be doing in the wee hours of the morning that couldn't be done during the day?
This answers my earlier question about side jobs for the musicians. No, they didn't need them.
I wonder if "day and night" means 24x7. Or does it mean from morning till evening? What could they be doing in the wee hours of the morning that couldn't be done during the day?
Tent security
1 Chronicles 9:22-27 - Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the LORD -the house called the Tent. The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.
I wonder why the gatekeepers (essentially police or security guards) were needed. Had there been one or more instances of robbery at the Tent that led David and Samuel to institute these offices? Or was it purely precautionary? I wonder if any robbery attempts were made while the gatekeepers were on duty. What would anyone really want to steal from the Tent? And why? Were they more afraid of vandalism?
I wonder why the gatekeepers (essentially police or security guards) were needed. Had there been one or more instances of robbery at the Tent that led David and Samuel to institute these offices? Or was it purely precautionary? I wonder if any robbery attempts were made while the gatekeepers were on duty. What would anyone really want to steal from the Tent? And why? Were they more afraid of vandalism?
10/04/2006
The chronicler(s)
1 Chronicles 9:1-2 - All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
I wonder who wrote 1 Chronicles. Was it more than one person?
I wonder how long it took to write the book...er, chronicle. Was it done over a period of days? weeks? months? years? Were the first 8 chapters written before the captivity in babylon? Long before? Assuming what we have in 1 Chronicles is laid out in the order it was written, then everything from chapter 9 onward was written after the people were allowed to resettle in Israel.
The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
I wonder who wrote 1 Chronicles. Was it more than one person?
I wonder how long it took to write the book...er, chronicle. Was it done over a period of days? weeks? months? years? Were the first 8 chapters written before the captivity in babylon? Long before? Assuming what we have in 1 Chronicles is laid out in the order it was written, then everything from chapter 9 onward was written after the people were allowed to resettle in Israel.
10/03/2006
Music ministry
Beginning with this post, there could be some overlap or expansion on some of the previous posts from 1 + 2 Samuel and 1 + 2 Kings because 1 + 2 Chronicles covers the same period -- generally from David through the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 6:31-47 - These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.
Here are the men who served, together with their sons:
From the Kohathites:
Heman, the musician,
the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,
the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
the son of Tahath, the son of Assir,
the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel;
and Heman's associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:
Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,
the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,
the son of Malkijah, the son of Ethni,
the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath,
the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;
and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand:
Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi,
the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah,
the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari,
the son of Levi.
Especially since I'm a musician myself, I wonder what duties were laid down for these musicians. I'm guessing they composed, sang, played, and taught. Perhaps they also invented -- instruments, music styles, notation methods....
I wonder if they made their living solely from music or if they had to have side jobs to make ends meet.
I wonder who determined what their duties would be. David himself was a musician, so he probably had a lot to say about it.
I wonder how many full-time musicians there were on average.
I wonder if (outside of duties directly related to scheduled worship) they kept regular office hours.
1 Chronicles 6:31-47 - These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.
Here are the men who served, together with their sons:
From the Kohathites:
Heman, the musician,
the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,
the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
the son of Tahath, the son of Assir,
the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel;
and Heman's associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:
Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,
the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,
the son of Malkijah, the son of Ethni,
the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath,
the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;
and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand:
Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi,
the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah,
the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari,
the son of Levi.
Especially since I'm a musician myself, I wonder what duties were laid down for these musicians. I'm guessing they composed, sang, played, and taught. Perhaps they also invented -- instruments, music styles, notation methods....
I wonder if they made their living solely from music or if they had to have side jobs to make ends meet.
I wonder who determined what their duties would be. David himself was a musician, so he probably had a lot to say about it.
I wonder how many full-time musicians there were on average.
I wonder if (outside of duties directly related to scheduled worship) they kept regular office hours.
10/01/2006
Who really wants to be king?
2 Kings 24:8-12 - Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done.
At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
I wonder if Jehoiachin really wanted to be king. I wonder if he had any choice. He's 18. He's a teenager with an emperor breathing down his neck. No wonder he surrenders after just 3 months in office.
Jehoiachin lived as a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. That's until he was 55. I wonder if he did anything useful during all that time. Did the Babylonians put him to work?
I wonder why the next king of Babylon, Evil-Merodach, treated Jehoiachin with so much honor. Had he proved worthy of it while a prisoner for 37 years? Was it because the Babylonians knew they had nothing to fear from him? Did he maybe change his ways, become God-fearing, and witness to the Babylonians?
At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
I wonder if Jehoiachin really wanted to be king. I wonder if he had any choice. He's 18. He's a teenager with an emperor breathing down his neck. No wonder he surrenders after just 3 months in office.
Jehoiachin lived as a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. That's until he was 55. I wonder if he did anything useful during all that time. Did the Babylonians put him to work?
I wonder why the next king of Babylon, Evil-Merodach, treated Jehoiachin with so much honor. Had he proved worthy of it while a prisoner for 37 years? Was it because the Babylonians knew they had nothing to fear from him? Did he maybe change his ways, become God-fearing, and witness to the Babylonians?
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