Tribe of Levi and a Land Inheritance
In the book of Joshua, each of the twelve tribes receive an allotment of land once they enter into the Promised Land, or in the case of the Transjordan tribes, on the other side of the Jordan.…
God sent an evil spirit? 1 Samuel 16:14
1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 1 Samuel 18:10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was…
Was Saul chosen by God, by the people, or by casting a lot? 1 Samuel 8:19; 9:17; 10:20-21, 24
1 Samuel 8:19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No! they said. We want a king over us." 1 Samuel 9:17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, "This is the man I spoke to…
King David's Brothers
King David's first six brothers are listed in 1 Chronicles 2:13-15: Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea, Nethanel, Raddai and Ozem. His other brother is not named anywhere in the Bible. Elsewhere, we learn that…
What is the Correct Number of Years in 1 Samuel 13:1?
1 Samuel 13:1 (NIV) Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years. 1 Samuel 13:1 (NKJV) Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over…
Was David a Homosexual? - 1 Samuel 18:1-4
1 Samuel 18:1-4 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to…
Where did Elijah get all the water in the midst of a three year drought? 1 Kings 18:32-35
1 Kings 17:7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 1 Kings 18:2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 1 Kings…
Which books of the Bible is God's name not mentioned in?
There are two books that don't "directly" mention God's name in them: Esther and Song of Solomon, though in Song 8:6 the NASB and ESV translate the last few letters of the word salhebet yah as LORD.…
God, the Uncontained One - 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 and 1 Kings 8:27
2 Chronicles 7:12-16 The LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there…
Did David only sin once?
1 Kings 15:5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life - except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. David…
Which Version of King Saul's Death is Correct?
Every person looking at the Scripture has a presupposition. It is impossible to look at the Scripture with a tabula rasa (clean slate) approach. One thing to keep in check is that a Christian should…
Fearful to fall into the hands of the living God? - 2 Samuel 24:14
2 Samuel 24:14 David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men." Hebrews 10:31 It is a dreadful…
The She-Bear Gang - 2 Kings 2:23-24
2 Kings 2:23-24 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. Go on up, you baldhead! they said. Go on up, you baldhead!…
Did God tell Samuel to lie - 1 Samuel 16:1-5
1 Samuel 16:1-5 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of…
Why was Saul rejected by God? 1 Samuel 13:12-13
1 Samuel 13:12-13 I thought, "Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lords's favor." So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."You acted foolishly,"…
Elkanah, an Ephraimite or Levite? 1 Samuel 1:1 and 1 Chronicles 6:16-30
1 Samuel 1:1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an…
Did God regret setting up Saul to be king in Israel? 1 Samuel 15:11
1 Samuel 15:11 I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions. Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night. 1…
Overview of the Book of 2 Chronicles
Overview of the Books of 1 & 2 Chronicles Note: The Overviews for 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles are identical. Author: The author is unknown. Purpose: To direct the restoration of the Kingdom after…
Why did Israel honor their contract with the Gibeonites? - Joshua 9:1
Joshua chapter 9 gives the account of why the deceiving Gibeonites (9:3-13, 22) were not destroyed. While they should have been (Deut. 7:1-6), Joshua failed to consult the Lord (9:14) prior to making…
Was Jerusalem in Benjamin or Judah? Joshua 15:8 and 18:28
Joshua 15:8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the…
Solomon's Forced Labor Camps
1 Kings 5:13 King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel - thirty thousand men. 1 Kings 9:21-22 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land - whom the…
Solomon's Stalls - 40,000 or 4000 ?
1 Kings 4:26 (KJV) And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 2 Chronicles 9:25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and…
David paid Araunah - 50 shekels of silver or 600 shekels of gold? 2 Samuel 24:24 and 1 Chronicles 21:25
2 Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor…
If God is Love - 1 Samuel 15:2-3
1 Samuel 15:2-3 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and…