It is easy to read the opinions of others in a Bible study guide. But the real value (blessing) of the Bible comes primarily through reading and pondering the Bible text itself.
Made in Elements
It is easy to read the opinions of others in a Bible study guide. But the real value (blessing) of the Bible comes primarily through reading and pondering the Bible text itself.
Watch a Bible Project video about Esther : Esther 1-10
1: The King’s Banquets … Queen Vashti’s Refusal
2: Esther chosen Queen … Mordecai discovers a plot
3: Haman plots against the Jews
4: Esther agrees to help the Jews
5: Esther prepares a banquet … Haman plans to hang Mordecai
6: The King honors Mordecai … Esther reveals Haman’s plot
7: Haman is hanged
8: Esther saves the Jews
9: The Jews destroy their enemies … Feast of Purim inaugurated
10: The greatness of Mordecai
Ponder:
? What makes the story of Esther so satisfying to our human nature?
? Why do we tend to think it is too harsh for God to avenge His enemies?
? While God is not mentioned in Esther, what does the story teach us about God?~~~~~~~
Watch a Bible Project video about Ezra
Ezra: 1-10
1: The Proclamation of Cyrus
2: The Exiles Return
3: Rebuilding the Altar … Rebuilding the Temple
4: Adversaries Oppose the Rebuilding … The Letter to King Artaxerxes …
The King Orders the Work to Cease
5: Rebuilding Begins Anew … Tattenai’s Letter to King Darius
6: The Decree of Darius … The Temple Finished and Dedicated … Passover Celebrated
7: Ezra sent to teach the people
8: Genealogy of those who returned with Ezra … Ezra sends for Levites … Fasting and Prayer for protection … Priests to guard the offerings
9: Ezra prays about intermarriage
10: People confess their sin … Those guilty of intermarriage
Nehemiah: 1-13
1: Report from Jerusalem … Nehemiah’s prayer
2: Nehemiah sent to Judah … Nehemiah inspects Jerusalem walls
3: Rebuilding the wall
4: Opposition to the work … Work resumes
5: Nehemiah stops oppression of the poor … Nehemiah’s generosity
6: Conspiracy against Nehemiah … The Wall is finished
7: Lists of returned exiles … Totals of people and gifts
8: Ezra reads the Law … This Day is Holy … Feast of Booths celebrated
9: People of Israel confess their sin
10: The people who sealed the covenant … Obligations of the Covenant
11: Leaders in Jerusalem … Villages outside Jerusalem
12: Priests and Levites … Dedication of the Wall … Service at Temple
13: Nehemiah’s final reforms
Ponder:
? How do these stories demonstrate the faithfulness and power of God?
? How do these stories demonstrate the high level of longing, perseverance, repentance and obedience of the Jewish people?
? How costly to the participants were these covenants?
? Why is it good that covenants between God and humans have such high costs?
? What is the significance of how perfectly the Jews kept any of their covenants with God?
Watch a Bible Project video about Chronicles
1Chronicles: 1-29
1: From Adam to Abraham … From Abraham to Jacob
2: A genealogy of David
3: Descendants of David
4: Descendants of Judah … Descendants of Simeon
5: Descendants of Reuben … Descendants of Gad … The half-tribe of Manasseh
6: Descendants of Levi
7: Descendants of Issachar … Descendants of Benjamin … Descendants of Naphtali … Descendants of Manasseh … Descendants of Ephraim … Descendants of Asher
8: A genealogy of Saul
9: A genealogy of the returned exiles … Saul’ genealogy repeated
10: The death of Saul and his sons
11: David anointed king … David takes Jerusalem … David’s mighty men
12: The mighty men join David
13: The Ark brought from Kiriath-Jearim … Uzzah and the Ark
14: David’s wives and children … Philistines defeated
15: The Ark brought to Jerusalem
16: The Ark placed in a tent … David’s Song of Thanks … Worship before the Ark
17: The Lord’s covenant with David … David’s prayer
18: David defeats his enemies … David’s administration
19: The Ammonites disgrace David’s men … Ammonites and Syrians defeated
20: The capture of Rabbah … Philistine gains killed
21: David’s census brings pestilence … David builds an altar
22: David prepares for Temple building … Solomon charged to build the Temple
23: David organizes the Levites
24: David organizes the Priests
25: David organizes the musicians
26: Divisions of the gatekeepers … Treasurers and other officials
27: Military divisions … Leaders of Tribes
28: David’s charge to Israel … David’s charge to Solomon
29: Offerings for the Temple … David prays in the assembly … Solomon anointed king … The death of David
2Chronicles: 1-36
1: Solomon worships at Gibeon … Solomon prays for wisdom … Solomon given wealth
2: Preparing to build the Temple
3: Solomon builds the Temple
4: The Temple’s furnishings
5: The Ark brought to the Temple
6: Solomon blesses the people …Solomon’s prayer of dedication
7: Fire from Heaven … The dedication of the Temple … If my people pray
8: Solomon’s accomplishments
9: The Queen of Sheba … Solomon’s wealth … Solomon’s death
10: The Revolt against Rehoboam
11: Rehoboam secures his kingdom … Priests and Levites come to Jerusalem … Rehoboam’s family
12: Egypt plunders Jerusalem
13: Abijah reigns in Judah
14: Asa reigns in Judah
15: Asa’s religious reforms
16: Asa’s last years
17: Jehoshaphat reigns in Judah
18: Jehoshaphat allies with Ahab
19: The defeat and death of Ahab
20: Jehoshaphat’s prayer … The Lord delivers Judah … The end of Jehoshaphat’s reign
21: Jehoram reigns in Judah
22: Ahazah reign in Judah … Athaliah reigns in Judah
23: Joash made King … Athaliah executed … Jehoiada’s reforms
24: Joash repairs the Temple … Joash’s treachery … Joash assassinated
25: Amaziah reigns in Judah … Amaziah’s victories … Amaziah’s idolatry … Israel defeats Amaziah
26: Uzziah reigns in Judah … Uzziah’s pride and punishment
27: Jotham reigns in Judah
28: Ahaz reigns in Judah … Judah defeated … Ahaz’s idolatry
29: Hezekiah reigns in Judah … Hezekiah cleanses the Temple … Hezekiah restores Temple worship
30: Passover celebrated
31: Hezekiah organizes the Priests
32: Sennacherib invades Judah … Sennacherib blasphemes … The Lord delivers Jerusalem … Hezekiah’s pride and achievements
33: Manasseh reigns in Judah … Manasseh’s repentance … Amon’s reign and death
34: Josiah reigns in Judah … The Book of the Law found … Huldah prophesies disaster
35: Josiah keeps the Passover … Josiah killed in battle
36: Judah’s decline … Jerusalem captured and burned … The proclamation of Cyrus
Ponder:
? What are some ways that 1,2Chronicles demonstrate God’s perspective of Jewish Kingdom history in contrast to the human perspective of 1,2Samuel and 1,2Kings?
? What are some of the character differences between the Godly and UnGodly Kings who ruled the Jews?
? Why did God choose to align Jesus with King David when even David was so clearly tarnished by his sin?
2Kings: 16-25
16: Ahaz reigns in Judah
17: Hosea reigns in Israel … The fall of Israel … Exile because of idolatry … Assyria resettles Samaria
18: Hezekiah reigns in Judah … Sennacherib attacks Judah
19: Isaiah reassures Hezekiah … Sennacherib defies the Lord … Hezekiah’s prayer … Isaiah prophesies Sennacherib’s fall
20: Hezekiah’s illness and recovery … Hezekiah and the Babylonian envoys
21: Manasseh reigns in Judah … Manasseh’s idolatry denounced … Amon reigns in Judah
22: Josiah reigns in Judah … Josiah repairs the Temple … Hilkiah finds the Book of the Law
23: Josiah’s reforms … Josiah restores the Passover … Josiah’s death in battle … Jehoahaz’s reign and captivity … Jehoiakim reigns in Judah
24: Jehoiachin reigns in Judah … Jerusalem captured … Zedekiah reigns in Judah
25: Fall and captivity of Judah … Gedaliah made Governor of Judah … Jehoiachin released from prison
Ponder:
? How many of the Kings, Prophets, Priests, or people faithfully kept their covenant promises to God?
? What does that say to people who believe God’s Blessings, either present or eternal, depend on their keeping their covenants with God?
? How common is it for false prophets to say something like “Follow Me” or “come home”?
2Kings 1-15 - Jul 5, 2026
2Kings 1-15
1: Elijah denounces Ahaziah
2: Elijah taken to Heaven … Elisha succeeds Elijah
3: Moab rebels against Israel
4: Elisha and the widow’s oil … Elisha and the Shunammite woman … Elisha raises the Shunammite’s son … Elisha purifies the deadly stew
5: Naaman healed of leprosy … Ghazi’s greed and punishment
6: The axe head recovered … Horses and chariots of fire … Ben-hadad’s siege of Samaria
7: Elisha promises food … The Syrians flee
8: The Shunammite’s land restored … Hazel murders Ben-jadad … Jehoram reigns in Judah … Ahaziah reigns in Judah
9: Jehu anointed king of Israel … Jehu assassinates Joram and Ahaziah … Jehu executes Jezebel
10: Jehu slaughters Ahag’s descendants … Jehu strikes down the prophets of Baal .. Jehu reigns in Israel
11: Athaliah reigns in Judah … Joash anointed king in Judah … Jehoash reign in Judah
12: Jehoash repairs the temple … The death of Joash
13: Jehoahaz reigns in Israel … Jehoash reigns in Is Israel … The death of Elisha
14: Amaziah reigns in Judah … Jeroboam II reigns in Israel
15: Azariah reigns in Judah … Zechariah reigns in Israel … Shallum reigns in Israel … Menahem reigns in Israel … Pekahiah reigns in Israel … Pekah reigns in Israel … Jotham reigns in Judah
Ponder:
? What things in these stories prompt us to marvel that people continually trust unrighteous leaders more than they trust and follow God?
? What can these stories teach us about how to recognize false and true religious leaders?
1Kings 12-22
12: Rehoboam’s folly … The Kingdom divided … Jeroboam’s golden calves
13: A man of God confronts Jeroboam … The prophet’s disobedience
14: Prophecy against Jeroboam … the death of Jeroboam … Rehoboam reign in Judah
15: Abidjan reigns in Judah … Asa reigns in Judah … Nadab reigns in Israel … Baasha reigns in Israel
16: Elah reigns in Israel … Zimri reigns in Israel … Omri reigns in Israel … Ahab reigns in Israel
17: Elijah predicts a drought … The widow of Zarephath … Elijah raises the widow’s son
18: Elijah confronts Ahab … The prophets of Baal defeated … The Lord sends rain
19: Elijah flees Jezebel … The Lord speaks to Elijah … The call of Elisha
20: Ahab’s wars with Syria … Ahab defeats Ben-hadad … Ahab defeats Ben-hadad again … A prophet condemns Ben-hadad’s release
21: Naboth’s’ vineyard … The Lord condemns Ahab … Ahab’s repentance
22: Ahab and the false prophets … Micaiah prophecies agains Ahab … Ahab killed in battle … Jehoshaphat reigns in Judah … Ahaziah reigns in Israel
Ponder:
? What in these events would have prompted the Jews to look for a perfectly righteous Leader/Savior?
? What in our time prompts us to look for a perfectly righteous leader/Savior?
2Samuel: 11-24 — 1Kings 1-11
11: David and Bathsheba
12: Nathan Rebukes David … David’s child dies … Solomon’s birth … Rabbah is captured
13: Ammon and Tamar … Absalom murders Amnon … Absalom flees to Geshur
14: Absalom returns to Jerusalem
15: Absalom’s conspiracy … David flees Jerusalem
16: David and Ziba … Shimei Curses David … Absalom enters Jerusalem
17: Hushai saves David
18: Absalom killed … David hears of Absalom’s death … David’s grief
19: Joab rebukes David … David returns to Jerusalem … David pardons his enemies
20: The rebellion of Sheba
21: David avenges the Gibeonites … war with the Philistines
22: David’s song of deliverance
23: The last words of David … David’s mighty men
24: David’s census … The Lord’s judgment of David’s sin … David builds an altar
1Kings: 1-11
Watch a Bible Project video about Kings
: David in his old age … Adonijah sets himself up as king … Nathan and Bathsheba before David … Solomon Anointed king
2: David’s instructions to Solomon … Death of David … Solomon’s reign established
3: Solomon’s prayer for wisdom … Solomon’s wisdom
4: Solomon’s officials … Solomon’s wealth and wisdom
5: Preparations for building the temple
6: Solomon builds the Temple
7: Solomon builds his palace … The Temple furnishings
8: The Ark brought into the Temple … Solomon blesses the Lord … Solomon’s prayer of dedication … Solomon’s Benediction … Solomon’s sacrifices
9: The Lord appears to Solomon … Solomon’s other acts
10: The Queen of Sheba … Solomon’s great wealth
11: Solomon turns from the Lord … The Lord raises adversaries
Ponder:
? Why does the Bible seem to repeat some of the stories of the Kings of the Jews?
? How are the temptations, failures, and successes of the various Kings similar and different from our own as regular people?
? Why can the lives of Jewish kings teach us about our own lives?
#2 2026-08-02
Esther: 1-10
1: The King’s Banquets … Queen Vashti’s Refusal
2: Esther chosen Queen … Mordecai discovers a plot
3: Haman plots against the Jews
4: Esther agrees to help the Jews
5: Esther prepares a banquet … Haman plans to hang Mordecai
6: The King honors Mordecai … Esther reveals Haman’s plot
7: Haman is hanged
8: Esther saves the Jews
9: The Jews destroy their enemies … Feast of Purim inaugurated
10: The greatness of Mordecai
Ponder:
? What makes the story of Esther so satisfying to our human nature?
? Why do we tend to think it is too harsh for God to avenge His enemies?
? While God is not mentioned in Esther, what does the story teach us about God?
Content by J Neil Evans
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