Prophets I Catholic Bible study Lesson 18

Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume I: A Kingdom Divided

Lesson 18 Amos Foretells Doom for Israel
the Second Book of the Kings 14:1—15:7
the Book of Amos 4:12
the Book of Amos 5:14–15
the Book of Amos 5:18
the Book of Amos 5:21–24
the Book of Amos 7:10–17
the Book of Amos 9:8–14
the Book of Joel 2:1–2
the Book of Joel 2:12–14a
the Book of Joel 2:27–32

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Hosea’s Vision of God’s Covenant

This material coordinates with Lesson 18 on pages 106–112 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34

welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of the Kings 13:1–25
In Lesson 17 The Death of Elisha, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz begins his 17-year reign as king in the north. Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad succeeds his father Hazael as king of Syria and persists in attacking Israel. Jehoahaz receives military aid from the LORD but nevertheless is criticized for continuing in the sins of Jeroboam. Jehoash begins a 16-year reign over Israel after the death of his father Jehoahaz, and the biblical text criticizes Jehoash for continuing the sins of Jeroboam. Elisha dies while Jehoash is in power. Jehoash is succeeded on the throne of Israel by his son Jeroboam II. The southern kingdom remains under the rule of Amaziah. (In the Revised Standard Version and some other translations, Jehoash sometimes is referred to as Joash, making it easy to confuse him with the ruler of the southern kingdom who also is called by both names. In commentary for this study, Jehoash refers to the ruler of the northern kingdom and Joash to the ruler of the southern kingdom.)

map notes—location of Elath & the restoration of Israel’s border
The Second Book of the Kings 14:22 records that the southern king Azariah built Elath and restored it to Judah. Elath is located on the Sinai Peninsula south of Judah and beyond the scope of our map. The Second Book of the Kings 14:25 records that the northern king Jeroboam II restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah. Hamath is the name of the region in Syria directly north of the northern kingdom. The same name—Hamath—is given to the former royal city of the Hittites located in between Damascus and Aleppo. The entrance to Hamath mentioned in the Second Book of the Kings certainly refers to the northeastern edge of Israel on its border with Syria. The Sea of the Arabah is another name for the Dead Sea, which sometimes is called the Salt Sea. The border that Jeroboam II restored would have stretched from the northeast corner of Israel’s territory to the northeast edge of the Sea of Arabah (the Dead Sea). Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 111 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

a turning point in Old Testament prophecy (52:47)
In the video for Lesson 18, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps examines a key change in the way that Scripture treats the prophets. Observant readers may have noticed that Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided has focused as much or more on the kings of Judah and Israel than it has on the prophets. The First and Second Books of the Kings, created from royal archives and records, provide historical framework. Scribes were paid to preserve a written record of the kings’ deeds for posterity. The prophets appear in these accounts only as secondary characters. The Book of Amos introduces a new development. People begin keeping separate writings to preserve what the prophets are saying and doing. The prophets’ words and actions don’t necessarily change. What’s new is that this information is recorded in far richer detail.

The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 18, “Amos Foretells Doom for Israel,” on pages 106–112 in the study book.

don’t get confused by proper names
Checking the online glossary can help avoid confusion about many of the proper names. Jehoash and Joash both are referred to by both of these names in the biblical text. Azariah sometimes is referred to as Uzziah. Jeroboam can mean either the first ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel or the son of Jehoash, often designated Jeroboam II. The ruler Zechariah who succeeds his father Jeroboam II as king in the north isn’t the prophet Zechariah. You can learn more about the prophet Zechariah in Lesson 11 Zechariah’s Hopes for a Davidic King in the second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption.

be on guard for chapter-verse number changes
If you’re using a New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) to supplement your study, be aware that chapter and verse numbers in the Book of Joel differ from the numbers used in the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) reprinted in the study book. The online pages link to the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE), which follows the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV2CE. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided denotes affected passages with an asterisk, and these also are identified in the index of Scripture Citations found at the back of the book and at the back of the sample lesson.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about fatherhood in the Bible?
The opening verses of the fourteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings emphasize family relationships, especially those that concern fathers and sons.

? Consider the reason that the Second Book of the Kings 14:3 apparently considers Amaziah to be the son of both David and Joash.
? Which father does Joash most resemble, and why?
? Amaziah has the servants who murdered his father Joash slain. What does the biblical text suggest as the reason that Amaziah doesn’t also have the murderers’ children put to death?
? How does Amaziah’s decision differ from the way that the families of those who have murdered northern kings have been punished in the past?
? What might account for this difference?
? So far in this study, have any of the kings of Judah or Israel been favorably compared to David?
? What might characterize a king like David, and why might this be pleasing to the LORD? The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King takes an in-depth look at David and his deeds.
? What seem to be obstacles preventing any southern king from being like David?
? According to the First Book of Samuel 13:14, whom does David resemble?
? What does this suggest about the kind of king that can solve ongoing problems with Judah’s royal dynasty?

a lesson for Judah: don’t attack your brothers
Continuing the family theme, it’s significant that Judah’s military success disappears when Amaziah provokes Israel into battle. Jehoahaz first responds to Amaziah’s challenge by asking why Judah wants to fight—a question not unlike those asked by his ancestor Jehu. Understanding what’s happening in the Second Book of the Kings 14:8–16 requires recognizing that the LORD wants all of the descendants of Jacob to be united. God doesn’t intend to fix this family rift with a military conquest. The inhabitants of the northern and southern kingdoms are related. As the original instigator of the current dispute between the two kingdoms, the people of Judah need to learn not to attack their brothers to the north. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis includes lessons that point out the difficulties encountered when family members battle against each other.

what’s in a name?
The Second Book of the Kings 14:16 records that after the death of Jehoash, his son Jeroboam II ascends to the throne in the north. Jeroboam also is the name of the first king to rule in the north after Solomon’s kingdom divided in 931 B.C. Learn more about both in the online glossary for this study.

? How has Jeroboam I been described throughout the First and Second Books of the Kings so far?
? What specific decision made by Jeroboam I is used to determine the success or failure of all the northern kings who ruled after him?
? How might God’s announcement that Jehu’s sons through the fourth generation would sit on the throne of Israel have influenced Jehoash’s decision to name his son Jeroboam?
? Based on God’s word in the Second Book of the Kings 10:30, it’s to be expected that Jehu’s line won’t continue. What might explain why God didn’t indicate to Jehu how he plans to deal with the people of the northern kingdom?
? Cite Scripture that suggests what might be expected to happen to those people.

QUESTIONS TO ASK about any prophetic writing
Prophets are so far ahead of time in terms of their knowledge of God that what people choose to write down about them in the limited context of history of the kings loses clarity. Better records of the prophets’ deeds and sayings allow people to see more clearly what it is that the prophets are pointing toward. The prophets’ writings in raw form give a clearer sense of how God views humanity.

? How does the LORD see Israel and Judah?
? What’s important to God?
? What doesn’t seem to matter to the LORD?
? According to the prophets, what’s God’s plan for the world?
? What understanding lies behind giving Old Testament prophecy a Christian interpretation?

ex libris—a slight change in the prophets’ mission
Amos inaugurates the line of God’s messengers whose words are preserved in the prophetic books of the Bible. In God’s Word to Israel, Joseph Jensen, O.S.B., suggests that any attempt to distinguish between these prophets and their predecessors is bound to break down in many of the details. The most obvious difference is that while all of the prophets serve as spokesmen for the LORD and carry God’s message to kings and people in both kingdoms, from the time of Amos onward, prophets play no part in palace intrigues.The prophets whose writings have been recorded disclose a vision of God that leads them to see the perversity of the descendants of Jacob. These prophets are aware of an impending judgment of doom, and their urgent messages of repentance bring them into conflict with priests and kings alike—preventing the prophets from becoming involved in religious and political machinations of their times. At ex libris—main bookshelf, you can read an excerpt and learn more about God’s Word to Israel and other works related to Bible study. The second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption, provides additional information about the post-exilic prophets.

parallel accounts of the history of Judah
The First and Second Books of the Kings look at both the northern and southern kingdoms, while the First and Second Books of the Chronicles exclusively focus on the southern kingdom of Judah. This provides double and usually similar accounts of the kings of Judah, but it can be a good idea when studying the southern kingdom to make a regular practice of checking both sources. Occasionally the First and Second Books of the Chronicles provide significant additional information. Some of the kings of Judah also go by different names in the Chronicles accounts. The twenty-fifth chapter in the Second Book of the Chronicles describes in detail the slaughter of the Edomites mentioned in passing in the Second Book of the Kings 14:7. A significant addition occurs in the account in the Second Book of the Chronicles 25:14–16, which describes Azariah angering the LORD by making offerings to the gods of Edom and by ignoring the words of a prophet who was sent by God.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Azariah’s leprosy?
The twenty-fifth chapter in the Second Book of the Chronicles describes Azariah (Uzziah) contracting leprosy after burning incense at the altar of the LORD in the Temple at Jerusalem. Offering incense is an action restricted to priests, and the king’s leprosy results from his presumption in assuming a role reserved to the priesthood. As a result of his leprosy, which lasts the rest of Azariah’s life, the king is considered unclean and forbidden to enter the Temple. He also is forced to live away from the palace, and his son Jotham takes over the political duties of the king. At this point in the narrative, the LORD is clear about the separation of church and state, in this case separation of duties reserved to the priesthood from those proper to the kings.

? What previous biblical examples are there of priests becoming involved in politics, and what happened in those instances?
? Consider the pros and cons of the present-day Church being involved in politics.
? What might explain why the LORD allowed a blurring of the line between king and priest when David ruled over all of the descendants of Jacob?
? Consider how Jesus is able to combine all three roles of priest, prophet, and king. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth looks at the Fourth Gospel’s understanding of how these three roles apply to Jesus.
? How do the actions of Azariah (Uzziah) threaten the monarchy?
? How do the same actions threaten the priesthood?
? Why might it be problematic for God if kings and priests refuse to respect each other’s designated hereditary roles?

prepare to meet your God, O Israel
In the Book of Amos 4:12–13, the prophet warns the people of the northern kingdom that they need to prepare to meet God, something the Old Testament views as a perilous endeavor. In the ancient world, it was understood that seeing God’s face would lead to immediate death. While Amos’ message is intended to be frightening, the prophet also is helpful about what people need to do to be ready to encounter the LORD: “Seek good, and not evil, that you may live.” This message is a variation on the classic “repent or die.” If people repent and seek good, they won’t die. Consider how this same prophecy might be interpreted by present-day Christians.

death isn’t inevitable
A quick perusal of the First and Second Books of the Kings can leave readers with the idea that God doesn’t care about the people of the north. Amos’ prophecy puts that thought to rest. Not only is Amos prophesying in Israel, he’s promising that there will be a faithful remnant of Joseph who survive the coming punishment. People don’t have to die—they choose to die. They just as easily can choose not to die by seeking good. It’s of interest that the prophet specifies the remnant will be “of Joseph.” There’s no tribe of Joseph among the descendants of Jacob because Joseph’s inheritance in the Promised Land was split between his two Egyptian-born sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Amos doesn’t say that the remnant will come from Ephraim and/or Manasseh, however. Joseph was the favored son of his father Jacob. The LORD is saying that those people who do good—no matter what tribe they’re from—are going to be favored over those who do evil. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis provides more information about original sin.

a change in understanding about the day of the LORD
In the Book of Amos 5:18, the prophet redefines the day of the LORD. The descendants of Jacob have understood this term to mean the day of battle when the LORD gives them victory over neighboring enemies. Amos announces that while God remains a divine warrior, the descendants of Jacob are their own greatest enemy. The prophet then goes on to examine the religious practices of the people of the north, criticizing their feasts, solemn assemblies, and burnt offerings. According to the prophet, not only are these ineffective when it comes to pleasing God, the LORD actually hates external religious practices unless they’re combined with repentance and a sincere desire to do good. External worship practices are meant to lead the people to reconciliation with God, and performing such practices invites the LORD’s judgment. People who only are going through the motions aren’t going to be happy when the day of the LORD arrives. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness looks at the impact that the day of the LORD is expected to have on the world.

what was Amos doing when he was called?
In the Book of Amos 7:14, Amos admits to having two professions, neither of which is a prophet. Readers won’t have any difficulty understanding the job of a herdsman, but what exactly is a dresser of sycamore trees? It turns out that what is referred to as a sycamore tree in the Bible isn’t the same as an American sycamore tree. The American sycamore is related to the maple tree, while the biblical sycamore sometimes is called a mulberry-fig tree. An interesting detail about the biblical sycamore is that it easily can regenerate from a cut limb stuck in the sand. A dresser of sycamore trees would have been a person who harvested the tree’s fruit, which is only edible for a short period of time.

the LORD isn’t messing around
Amos doesn’t pull any punches—Israel is going to be deported. In the Book of Amos 9:8-12, the prophet announces that all sinners are going to die. God plans to root out evil by submitting the people to suffering and trial. The experiment with kingship in the north is considered a failure because it afforded no way to punish bad and preserve good. Everyone was dragged along with whatever the king was doing, which turned out not to be a good long-term plan. The failed northern dynasty is going to disappear forever, but God nevertheless intends to raise up the booth (house) of David. David ruled over all of the descendants of Jacob, so this new kingship will encompass people from Judah and Israel. A fraction of people from the north will reintegrate with people from the south. Only a small remnant will be preserved, indicating that at this time in history God’s concern is with quality and not quantity.

more about the dark day of the LORD
The day of the LORD prophesied in the second chapter in the Book of Joel contrasts the same event prophesied in the Book of Amos. While Amos was sent to the northern kingdom, Joel is sent to the southern kingdom. Their messages are similar. Both prophets describe the day of the LORD in terms of darkness. God’s people have a choice—they can repent. At the end of Amos’ message there’s the opportunity for life. Joel’s message goes beyond that and takes a strong messianic turn. If people repent, maybe the LORD will turn away from punishing them. Joel foretells something more than life—sometime in the future, God will pour out his spirit on all flesh. This amounts to far more than seeing God and not dying. The LORD is going to come, and everyone will share in what that means.

what’s new & different
The historical narrative focuses on a cycle of sin and repentance, and it seems impossible for humanity to break out of this cycle. God intends to provide the solution by accepting punishment owed to men and women and passing on something new. This is very different from the message we find in passages about Elijah and Elisha. We can access later prophets more directly through their actual words. It isn’t that the previous prophets had less vision. Moses, a self-described prophet, instituted the Passover. Long before the time of the kings. All of the prophets understood enough about what God planned to know that they were doing a thing pointing toward future salvation. Focusing on just the political history leads to a misunderstanding of the LORD’s message. Mere history gets bogged down in policy changes and war and dynasties. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth focuses on ways in which Jesus restores proper priorities.

repentance—you could look it up in our archives
The Old Testament prophets Amos and Joel deliver messages from the LORD urging the people to repentance, encouraging them to turn away from sin and toward a deeper relationship with the LORD. John the Baptist preaches about repentance in all four of the New Testament Gospels. Learn more about what might be standing in your way of “repentance” by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

a somewhat surprising mention of Jonah
Most biblical scholars consider the Book of Jonah to be a work of fiction that includes a prophetic message, and it’s believed to have been written in the 6th century B.C. The Second Book of the Kings 14:25, however, mentions Jonah’s name in connection with Jeroboam II’s restoration of the border of Israel. In the Book of Jonah, the prophet is sent by God to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh with the classic prophetic message—”repent or die.” That Jonah shows up at this point in the historical narrative points to the importance of repentance as an underlying message from the LORD to the people of the northern kingdom. It’s significant that Jonah is known for prophesying in Assyria, an area populated by people who aren’t descendants of Jacob. Upon hearing his prophecy, the Ninevites repent and God foregoes the punishment he intended for them. In the Gospel According to Luke 11:29, Jesus addresses the tendency of God’s people to disregard signs and prophets: “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation.” The second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption, covers the Book of Jonah in more detail.

what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 18 to expand it. It also appears on page 111 in the study book. Scholars speculate that the prophet Joel may have lived as early as the 9th century B.C. or as late as the 4th century B.C. The Book of Joel is the focus of Lesson 15 Joel & the Day of the LORD in the second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the following passages from this lesson: the Second Book of the Kings 14:1—15:7, the Book of Amos 4:12, the Book of Amos 5:14–15, the Book of Amos 5:18, the Book of Amos 7:10–17, the Book of Amos 9:8–14, the Book of Joel 2:1–2, and the Book of Joel 2:27–32.

the Book of Amos 5:21–25**—paragraph 2100
the Book of Joel 2:12–13—paragraph 1430

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open one of the links and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of the Kings 14:1—15:7 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 4:12 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 5:14–15 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 5:18 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 5:21–24 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 7:10–17 (NIV)
the Book of Amos 9:8–14 (NIV)
the Book of Joel 2:1–2 (NIV)
the Book of Joel 2:12–14a (NIV)
the Book of Joel 2:27–32 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical texts.

O God, you sent the prophets Amos and Joel
to urge your wayward people to repent
and to instruct them to seek good in order to live.
Give us the grace to respond to your love with our whole hearts
and to treat our external religious practices
with respect and true devotion.
We ask this in the name of Christ the King,
who took on human flesh in order to manifest
your love for humanity. Amen.

Lesson 19 Hosea’s Vision of God’s Covenant—the Second Book of the Kings 15:8–31, the Book of Hosea 1:1–10, the Book of Hosea 2:1–7, the Book of Hosea 2:10, the Book of Hosea 2:13–14, the Book of Hosea 2:16—3:5, the Book of Hosea 8:1–5, the Book of Hosea 11:9–12, and the Book of Hosea 13:4
Lesson 17 The Death of Elisha—the Second Book of the Kings 13:1–25

you also may like Volume II of our prophets study
Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption examines the biblical prophets after the Babylonian Exile in 586 B.C. It views the history of God’s people leading to the time of Jesus, and concludes with a look at John the Baptist and John of Patmos in the New Testament. Volume II of this Catholic Bible study builds on Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided . Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.

**The Book of Amos 5:21–25 erroneously is listed as the Book of Amos 5:21–5 in the Catechism Index, but correctly is referenced in paragraph 2100 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.