Reading with Ben

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job This is episode #02 chapters 03 and 04. Job Chapter 03, Suddenly, the text moves from prose to poetry. Job cries out that he is in pain, and rues the day he was born—poetically, of course. Job Chapter 04, Breaking the silence, Eliphaz throws his two cents in. He says that Job must have done something wrong to merit thi...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job This is episode #01 chapters 01 and 02. Job Chapter 01, We are introduced to Job right off the bat. He's pretty much the coolest guy alive and life is good. Job has a big family, lots of property, 7,000 sheep ( 5,000 looks like this ), 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, and 500 donkeys. Oh, and he's one of the most righteous men...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Esther This is episode #05 chapters 09 and 10. Esther Chapter 09, Esther chapter 9 introduces what happened when the 13th day of Adar arrived. This day the edict stipulated the Jews to defend themselves accordingly. Esther Chapter 10, The book of Esther tells the story of the Jewish woman who became queen of Persia and sav...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Esther This is episode #04 chapters 07 and 08. Esther Chapter 07, King Xerxes and Haman attended the banquet of Queen Esther. The king then asked the queen what she wanted as a gift. He mentioned to her he would be willing to give up to half his kingdom to her if she wanted it. The request she made was that she and her peo...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Esther This is episode #03 chapters 05 and 06. Esther Chapter 05, Esther the consort of the King of Persia, throws a banquet for the King and his Prime Minister, the devious Haman. She learned through her cousin and foster father, Mordecai, that Haman was plotting to slaughter the Jewish people and Esther is a Jew herself....

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Esther . This is episode #03 chapters 03 and 04. Esther Chapter #04,  Haman was honored by King Xerxes and given a very prestigious position above the other nobles in society. The nobles did honor him out of respect for both Haman and the king. However, Mordecai was obstinate and did not offer any particular feelings...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Esther. This is episode #01 chapters 01 and 02. Esther Chapter 01,  Xerxes ruled over a massive kingdom of 127 provinces. To celebrate his greatness, he would often hold a huge banquet for all his officials and noblemen. Military leaders and princes from throughout the land would attend the banquet. Esther Chapter 2,...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah . This is episode #07 chapter 13. Nehemiah Chapter 13, On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah . This is episode #06 chapters 11 & 12. Nehemiah Chapter 11, Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities. Nehemiah Chapter 12, Now these are the priests and the Lev...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah . This is episode #05 chapters 09 & 10. Nehemiah Chapter 09, Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Nehemiah Chapter 10, Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pash...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah . This is episode #04 chapters 07 & 08. Nehemiah Chapter 07, Then it was, when the wall was built and I had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faith...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah. This is episode #03 chapters 05 & 06. Nehemiah chapter 5, For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of th...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah. This is episode #02 chapters 01 & 02. Nehemiah chapter 3, Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. Next to Eliash...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Nehemiah. This is episode #01 chapters 01 & 02. Nehemiah Chapter 1, introduced himself and recounted the time when one of his brothers and some men came from Judah to give him some bad news. Nehemiah Chapter 2, Nehemiah told the king that it was because of the terrible condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah asked the king fo...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #05 chapters 09 & 10. 2 Samuel Chapter 9, The leaders told Ezra that many of the people of Israel did not keep themselves pure by separating from neighboring peoples and their horrible practices, like the ones from the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Moabites, Jebusites, Ammonites,...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #04 chapters 07 & 08. 2 Samuel Chapter 7, Recounts how Ezra, a priest and a scribe of the Mosaic Law, arrives in Babylon during the reign of the Persian king Artazerxes. Ezra arrives with many high priests, porters, and singers. Ezra then returns to Jerusalem with others of the children of Isr...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #03 chapters 05 & 06. 2 Samuel Chapter 5, Haggai and Zechariah offered a prophecy to their followers. As they met with their followers, it was noted that Zerubbabel would contribute to rebuilding the house of God in the city of Jerusalem. A governor named Tattenai would then go to Zerubbabel a...

The Book of Ezra Chapters 03 & 04 ESV Version. Ezra Chapter 03, In the seventh month after the Israelites had settled into their towns, there was a great assembly in Jerusalem. Construction of the altar was started by Joshua and the priests along with Zerubbabel and associates. Ezra Chapter 04, Starts off with opposition to the rebuilding of the temple. This was when those who were against Jud...

The Book of Ezra Chapters 01 & 02 ESV Version. Ezra Chapter 01, Ezra was a man of God who was given the task of leading the people safely out of Babylon. Ezra Chapter 02, Consists of an enumeration of those who came back as reported by their families. As explained in chapter 1, these people were amongst those that had been held captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and now they were permitted to return t...

The Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 35 & 36 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 35, Josiah celebrated the Passover. He appointed priests to their duties and provided offerings. Then he attacked Neco and was killed. 2 Chronicles Chapter 36, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah ruled. Then Nebuchadnezzar burned the temple and took Judah captive for seventy years.

he Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 33 & 34 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 33, Manasseh became king. He did much evil and was captured by the Assyrians. Then he sought the LORD. Amon became king and did evil. 2 Chronicles Chapter 34, Josiah became king. He repaired the temple and had the law read out. Huldah said, "The LORD says: You will be buried in peace."

The Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 31 & 32 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 31, Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to their duties. The Israelites gave a tithe. Conaniah was in charge of the offerings. 2 Chronicles Chapter 32, Sennacherib besieged Judah. Hezekiah and Isaiah cried out to the LORD and the Assyrians were struck dead. Hezekiah had great riches.

The Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 29 & 30 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 27, Hezekiah became king and did right. He told the Levites to cleanse the temple. He assembled the officials and they made offerings. 2 Chronicles Chapter 26, Hezekiah sent couriers throughout Judah and Israel saying, "Return to the LORD." Many gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

The Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 27 & 28 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 27, Jotham became king and did right in the sight of the LORD. He built fortresses in the hills and conquered the Ammonites. 2 Chronicles Chapter 26, Ahaz became king. He made idols, so the LORD gave him to Aram and Israel. He shut the LORD's temple and sacrificed to other gods.

The Book of 2 Chronicles Chapters 25 & 26 ESV Version. 2 Chronicles Chapter 25, Amaziah ruled in Jerusalem. After he slaughtered the Edomites he bowed down to their gods. He challenged Jehoash and was defeated. 2 Chronicles Chapter 26, The people made Uzziah king. He did right and became powerful. But he went to burn incense on the altar and was struck with leprosy.