2 Chronicles 13:7

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,

For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

“For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”

Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!

For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.

that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’

Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.

Yahweh says: “Behold, I will reverse the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling places. The city will be built on its own hill, and the palace will be inhabited in its own place.

This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,

“You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.

There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”

So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day.

Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!

For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you.

Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”

Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you,

from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,

You will eat bread by the sweat of your face until you return to the ground, for you were taken out of it. For you are dust, and you shall return to dust.”

You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.

and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let’s go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let’s serve them,”

They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.

If he says, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.

David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.

‘Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh; ‘and I will repay you in this plot of ground,’ says Yahweh. Now therefore take and cast him onto the plot of ground, according to Yahweh’s word.”

When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned Yahweh’s law, and all Israel with him.

So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.

Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?

I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

I didn’t sit in the assembly of those who make merry and rejoice. I sat alone because of your hand, for you have filled me with indignation.

and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.

Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we can have sex with him!”

When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Yahweh God.

I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts.

One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

certain wicked fellows have gone out from among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods,” which you have not known,

Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws joined up with Jephthah, and they went out with him.

Now therefore deliver up the men, the wicked fellows who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel.” But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.

But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.

Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house; for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.”

Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.”

The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones.

David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death.

When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So all Israel departed to their tents.

They are children of fools, yes, children of wicked men. They were flogged out of the land.

I have not sat with deceitful men, neither will I go in with hypocrites.

He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

I will give boys to be their princes, and children shall rule over them.

There is one gone out of you, who devises evil against Yahweh, who counsels wickedness.

Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.

But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.