1 Kings 2: David's Final Instructions to Solomon.- "As the time of the King David's death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon: 'I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God and follow all His Ways. Keep each of the Laws, Commands, Regulations, and Stipulations written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise He made to me: If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.' 'An there is something else: You know that Joab son of Zeru'Iah murdered my 2 army commanders, Ab'Ner son of Ner and Am'Asa son of Jet'Her. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with the blood of war. Do with him what you think best, but do not let him die in peace.' "
"Be kind to the sons of Bar'Zill'Ai of Gilead. Make them permanent guests of the king, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Ab'Salom. And remember Shim'Ei son of Gera, the man from Bah'Urim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mah'Anaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the Lord that I would not kill him. But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him." Then David die and was buried in the City of David. He had reigned over Israel for 40 years, seven of them in Hebr'On and thirty-three in Jerusalem. Solomon succeeded him as king, replacing his father, David, and he was firmly established on the throne. (1-12)
2 Kings 21: Manasseh Rules in Judah.- "Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem 55 years. His mother was Heph'Zi'Bah. He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, imitating the detestable practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven from the Land ahead of the Israelites. He rebuilt the shrines his father, Hezek'Iah, had destroyed. He constructed altars for Ba'Al and set up an Ash'Erah pole, just as King Ah'Ab of Israel had done. He also bowed before all the forces of heaven and worshiped them. He even built altars in the Temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said His Name should be honored. He built these altars for all the forces of heaven in both courtyards of the Lord's Temple. Manasseh even sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord's sight, arousing His Anger. Manasseh even took an Ash'Erah pole he had made and set it up in the Temple, the very place where the Lord had told David and his son Solomon: 'My Name will be honored here forever in this Temple and in Jerusalem -the city I have chosen from among all the other tribes of Israel. If the Israelites will obet My Commands -the whole Law that was given through my servant Moses -I will not send them into exile from this Land that I gave their ancestors.' But the people refused to listen, and Manasseh led them to do even more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed when the Israelites entered the Land." (1-9)
2 Chronicles 33: Manasseh Rules in Judah.- ... "Manasseh also bowed before all the stars of heaven and worshiped them ... He built altars and put these altars in both courtyards of the Lord's temple. Manasseh even sacrificed his own sons in the fire in the Valley of the son of Hin'Nom (Ben-Hin'Nom) and practiced divination, omen reading, and sorcery. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up evil spirits and appointed magicians to supervise it. (3-6)
1 Chronicles 10: The Death of King Saul. "Now the Philistines attacked Israel, forcing them to flee. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed 3 of his sons -Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistines archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. Saul groaned to his armor bearer, 'Take your sword and run me through before these Philistines come and humiliate me.' But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died. So Saul and his 3 sons died there together, bringing his dynasty to an end. When the Israelites in the Jez'Reel Valley saw that their army had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns. The next day when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa. So they stripped off Saul's armor and cut off his head. Then they proclaimed the news of Saul's death before their idols and to the people throughout the Land of Philistia. They placed his armor in the temple of their gods, and they fastened his head to the wall in the temple of Dagon. But when the people of Jabesh-Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, their warriors went out and brought the bodies of Saul and his 3 sons back to Jabesh. Then they buried their remains beneath the Oak tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for 7 days. So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord's Command, and he even consulted a medium instead of asking the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and turned his kingdom over to David son of Jesse. (1-14)
Psalm 10: 15-17.- "Nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. They have been caught in their own trap. The Lord is known for His Justice. The wicked have trapped themselves in their own snares.
The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all nations who ignore God."
Psalm 31: 9-17.- "Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. My sight is blurred because of my tears
My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Misery has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.. I have been ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot... My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life. But I am trusting You, O Lord, saying, 'You are My God!' My future is in Your Hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. let Your favor shine on Your servant. In Your unfailing Love, save me. Don't let me be disgraced , O Lord, for I call out to You for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave.
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