Page 8
In the book of 2 Kings chapter 24 ( NIV = 2 Samuel 24 )
In verse 1, it reads “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."
BUT
In 1 Chronicles 21:1, it reads “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.”
In the book of 2 Kings chapter 24 ( NIV = 2 Samuel 24 )
In verse 9, it reads “Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men …”
BUT
In 1 Chronicles 21:5, it reads “Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword …”
In the book of 2 Kings chapter 24 ( NIV = 2 Samuel 24 )
David wanted to atone to God for his sins, and Gad the prophet told David that God gave David three choices, namely seven years of famine, pursuit by David’s enemies, or three days of pestilence. Not surprisingly, David chose three days of pestilence. According to verse 14, “And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, from the morning until the time appointed, and there died of the people from Dan to Bersabee seventy thousand men.”
THEN
In verse 16, “the Lord had pity … and said … ‘It is enough’ “ [God accepted the death of 70,000 humans as atonement for David’s sins.]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 2 ( NIV = 1 Kings 2 )
Adonais, the son of David and Haggith, thought that he would become king after David’s death, but David selected Solomon. After Solomon took office, Adonais asked Bathsheba to ask Solomon for the hand of Abisag in marriage (Abisag was the last of David’s many wives, and supposedly still a virgin). Solomon was outraged at the request, and ordered the assasination of Adonais, which was done. He did so saying “Then King Solomon swore by the LORD : "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! And now, as surely as the LORD lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!" NIV verses 23, 24. Solomon then ordered the assasination ofSemei saying “… the Lord hath returned thy wickedness upon thy own head.” (verse 44)
BUT
In Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, it reads “Thou shall not kill.” [God took no action against Solomon.]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 3 ( NIV = 1 Kings 3 )
God promised to Solomon in verses 11-14 wisdom, riches, glory, and a long life with the condition: “… if thou wilt walk in my ways and keep my precepts…” This promise and condition was repeated in 6:11-13, and 9:1-9.
BUT
[Solomon did not walk in God’s ways (see chapter 11), however, God took no action against Solomon. None of the threats of Leviticus 26 occurred.]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 11 ( NIV = 1 Kings 11 )
God prohibited intermarriage, but allowed Solomon to intermarry even though God himself appeared to Solomon twice and told him not to intermarry.
In verses 1-3, it reads “Solomon loved foreign women. Beside the daughter of the king of Egypt he married Hittite women and women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon. He married them even though the Lord had commanded the Israelites not intermarry, because they would cause the Israelites to give their loyalty to other gods. Solomon married seven hundred princesses and also had three hundred concubines. They made him turn away from God.” (GNB)
In verse 9, it reads “Even though the Lord, the God of Israel, had appeared to Solomon twice and had commanded him not to worship foreign gods, Solomon did not obey the Lord, but turned away from him.” (GNB)
BUT
Deuteronomy 17:16-17 forbids the accumulation of horses and wives. God did not punish Solomon, and decided instead to “take the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your officials. However, for the sake of your father David, I will not do this in your lifetime.” (verses 11-12 GNB)
Then, in verse 43, it reads, “He died and was buried in David’s city, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king. (GNB)” [So, Solomon went unpunished, and God’s threat to give the kingdom to ‘one of your officials’ did not occur. Also, this chapter has yet another reference to Moab, even though Moab was “destroyed” several times. Inspite of Solomon’s offenses, and God’s anger, Solomon was “… beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel …” 2 Ezra 13:26]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 12 ( NIV = 1 Kings 12 )
In verse 24, it reads “Thus saith the Lord : You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel : Let every man return to his house for this thing is from the Lord.”
BUT
In chapter 14 verse 30, it reads, “And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always.” In chapter 15 verse 6, it reads “But there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all the time of his life.” [Contradicting God’s commands, the Israelite fought amongst themselves, but God took no action, and none of his threats occurred (see Leviticus 26).]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 16 ( NIV = 1 Kings 16 )
In verse 3, it reads that God told Jehu the son of Hanani that he was going to “… cut down the posterity of Baasa and the posterity of his house …” After the death of Baasa, Ela the son of Baasa became the king (verse 6). Then, in verses 9-13, Zambri assassinated Ela (verse 10), and then “… he slew the house of Baasa, and left not one, … and all his kinfolks and friends. And Zambri destroyed all the house of Baasa according to the word of the Lord …” [All those killings were the result of God’s will.]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 18 ( NIV = 1 Kings 18 )
Elias challenged the priests of Baal to a contest wherein two bullocks would be placed on altars, and incantations would be made to the god Baal and to God. Elias then said (verse 21) “… if the Lord be God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him.” God won the contest, and in verse 40, it reads “And Elias said: take the prophets of Baal and let not one of them escape. And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.” God was then placated, and rain began to fall. [God is placated by the execution of 450 men. All 450 prophets of Baal were killed, because they worshipped a ‘false god’.]
BUT
In Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, it reads “Thou shall not kill.”
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 19 ( NIV = 1 Kings 19 )
Elias said (verse 10) that “… the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have thrown down thy altars: they have slain thy prophets with the sword …”
BUT
[Contradicting God’s commands, the Israelites broke the covenant, but God took no action, and none of his threats occurred (see Leviticus 26).]
In the book of 3 Kings chapter 22 ( NIV = 1 Kings 22 )
In verses 21-23, God orders an angel to deceive Achab king of Israel so that God can destroy him.
BUT
In Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, it reads “Thou shall not kill.” In Exodus 20:16 and Deuteronomy 5:20, it reads “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” [Deliberate deception is inconsistent with God’s own commandments. It is illogical that an omnipotent God needed an angel to deceive Achab so that God could destroy him. Others were destroyed by God directly when God was angered.]
In the book of 4 Kings chapter 2 ( NIV = 2 Kings 2 )
Eliseus is heckled by other boys, and they call him “bald-head”, a pejorative term. In response to this insult, Eliseus (verse 24) cursed them “… in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys.” [Why did God take that action? Did all of the 42 boys insult Eliseus? When the bears attacked, did the boys stand and wait? None of them ran away?]
[In the book of 4 Kings chapter 4 verses 39-44, we read a story very similar to the New Testament story of the loaves and fishes, except in this story it is loaves and soup.]
In the book of 4 Kings chapter 13 ( NIV = 2 Kings 13 )
Joachaz son of Jehu did evil in the eyes of God, and, as punishment, God delivered the Israelites to Hazael king of Syria, who oppressed the Israelites. Joachaz then besought the Lord, and the Lord heard him, and gave Israel an nameless savior, who freed the Israelites from Syria.
BUT
This story is identical in character to four stories recorded in the book of Judges (see chapters 4,6, and 10). God, apparently, is easily convinced that the Israelites will obey Him, inspite of the history of the people. In fact, in the same chapter 4 Kings 13:11, Joas the son of Joachaz “… did that which is evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat who made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.” [None of the threats listed in Leviticus 26 occurred.]
AND
God failed to keep the promise He made in Deuteronomy 7:17-24.
In the book of 4 Kings chapter 14 ( NIV = 2 Kings 14 )
Joas the son of Joachaz became the king of Israel, and (verse 5) “when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king his father.” Then, in verse 7, “He slew of Edom in the valley of the Saltpits ten thousand men … “
BUT
In Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, it reads “Thou shall not kill.” [God, however, did not punish Joas for those murders.]
Return to the index page