for Ahaziah, and they finally captured him, as he was hiding in Samaria, and brought him to Jehu. Then they put him to death and buried him.”

The apparent difficulty is solved when we note that Bible writers did not always put events in strict chronological order. Also, they did not have punctuation as we do today to indicate parenthetical expressions or diversions from the chronological order. The writer of the account of Kings, having touched on Ahaziah and his flight, simply continued with the information he had as to the rest of his life, or his death, not indicating whether all this followed in chronological order with what he had yet to tell or not. That is why the New World Translation not only puts in parentheses these events that happened later but also translates the Hebrew conjunction waw, which opens the parenthetical material, as “later.” In regard to this Hebrew word waw, the Foreword of the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, Volume 1, page 18, 1953 edition, says:

“Although waw (‘and’) is very repetitious in Hebrew, we do not ignore it and leave it untranslated as if unnecessary or cumbersome or old fashioned in style, but we express it by using transitional words or phrases with the sense that the Hebrew leads us to feel. We bring out the force of the waw in its relationship to the verb with which it is combined. So this simple word waw in the Hebrew is used to convey many a shade of meaning besides its mere basic meaning ‘and.’”

So it was later that Jehu resumed his pursuit of King Ahaziah by sending his men after him. It appears that the record in the book of Chronicles relates the incidents as they occurred, although that account does not name the location where Ahaziah was mortally wounded at Jehu’s command nor does it tell of the place where the king finally died, as does the account in Kings.

Combining the two accounts, we have what apparently took place: Jehu, on the way to Jezreel, met Jehoram and Ahaziah. Jehu struck down Jehoram but Ahaziah fled. At this time Jehu did not pursue Ahaziah, but continued to Jezreel to finish his executional work there. Meanwhile, the fleeing Ahaziah tried to make his way back to Jerusalem; however, he only got as far as Samaria, where he tried to hide himself. Jehu’s men, pursuing Ahaziah, discovered him in Samaria and captured him, and he was brought to Jehu, who was near the town of Ibleam, not far from Jezreel. When Jehu saw Ahaziah, he ordered his men to kill him in his chariot. They struck and wounded him on the way up to Gur, near Ibleam; but Ahaziah was allowed to escape, and he fled to Megiddo, where he died of his wounds.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

During the month of October, Jehovah’s witnesses, with courage and faith in their God, will take advantage of every opportunity to acquaint others with Jehovah’s kingdom and the blessings in store for all who love and serve him. As an aid in this work, they will offer a year’s subscription for the Awake! magazine, together with three booklets on Bible themes, on a contribution of $1.

HOW CAN A DEAD CITY AFFECT YOUR LIFE?

Why should a city that had its beginnings over forty centuries ago be of vital interest to you today? Because God’s Word says, “Get out of her, my people”! Yet that ancient city, Babylon, is now only an uninhabited tourist stop on the railway from Baghdad to Basra. How, then, can we heed this warning from the Bible? And why is Babylon such a deadly thing today? The answers to these questions have a direct bearing on your future. Be informed! It means your life! Read “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules! Send only 75c.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

October 27: “Everlasting Good News” for the “Time of the End,” ¶1-28. Page 585.

November 3: “Everlasting Good News” for the “Time of the End,” ¶29-58. Page 591.