May 20, 2022: Day 108 – II Kings 11-15 and Proverbs 7

We begin our ping ponging back and forth between the rulers of Judah (the south and the home of Jerusalem) and Israel (the north and its capital being Samaria).  You should be able to see that for each ruler there is an overlap with the ruler from the other section.  Remember, these two lands at one time were united under Saul, David and Solomon, but now represent two separate and distinct kingdoms.  The north tends to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord and the south tends to do more what is good in the sight of the Lord.  It makes sense because the temple is located in the south.

We see in chapter 14 that the north is taken into captivity by Assyria which should not be confused with the Babylonian conquest which comes later.  

In Proverbs you have a clear description of someone who is called the adulteress and she is clearly blamed for leading those who come under her clutches astray.  It seems a bit, I guess silly is the word, to think that men have no power to say no or have no power to evade temptation and so we must blame the woman who is the temptress.  Not sure that would fly today.  We have to recognize that we cannot blame  the woman alone for adultery, and normally it is the man who is to take the primary blame, normally.