ACV - II Chronicles

Chapter 1

1:1  And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom. And Jehovah his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

1:2  And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every ruler in all Israel, the heads of the fathers.

1:3  So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon. For the tent of meeting of God was there, which Moses the servant of Jehovah had made in the wilderness.

1:4  But the ark of God David had brought up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it. For he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

1:5  Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Jehovah. And Solomon and the assembly sought to it.

1:6  And Solomon went up there to the brazen altar before Jehovah, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

1:7  In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, Ask what I shall give thee.

1:8  And Solomon said to God, Thou have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his stead.

1:9  Now, O Jehovah God, let thy promise to David my father be established. For thou have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people. For who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate thee, neither yet have asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou may judge my people over whom I have made thee king,

1:12  wisdom and knowledge are granted to thee. And I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before thee, neither shall any after thee have the like.

1:13  So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem, and he reigned over Israel.

1:14  And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. And he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

1:15  And the king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars he made to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.

1:16  And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king's merchants received them in herds, each herd at a price.

1:17  And they went after and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And so they brought them out by their means for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria.

Chapter 2

2:1  Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.

2:2  And Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand men who were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

2:3  And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build for him a house to dwell therein, so with me.

2:4  Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.

2:5  And the house which I build is great. For our God is great above all gods.

2:6  But who is able to build for him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him? Who am I then, that I should build for him a house, except only to burn incense before him?

2:7  Now therefore send me a man skilful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and who knows how to engrave engravings, to be with the skilful men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

2:8  Send to me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon. For I know that thy servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

2:9  even to prepare for me timber in abundance. For the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.

2:10  And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers who cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

2:11  Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because Jehovah loves his people, he has made thee king over them.

2:12  Huram said moreover, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Jehovah, and a house for his kingdom.

2:13  And now I have sent a skilful man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,

2:14  the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan. And his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to devise any device, that there may be a place appointed to him with thy skilful men, and with the skilful men of my lord David thy father.

2:15  Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants.

2:16  And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shall need. And we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa, and thou shall carry it up to Jerusalem.

2:17  And Solomon numbered all the aliens that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had numbered them. And they were found a hundred and fifty-three thousand and six hundred.

2:18  And he set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, and eighty thousand who were hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people to work.

Chapter 3

3:1  Then Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem on mount Moriah, where Jehovah appeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

3:2  And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

3:3  Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

3:4  And the porch that was before the house, the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height a hundred and twenty. And he overlaid it inside with pure gold.

3:5  And the greater house he ceiled with fir-wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and wrought thereon palm trees and chains.

3:6  And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty. And the gold was gold of Parvaim.

3:7  He also overlaid the house, the beams, the thresholds, and the walls of it, and the doors of it, with gold, and engraved cherubim on the walls.

3:8  And he made the most holy house; the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty cubits. And he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.

3:9  And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

3:10  And in the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work, and they overlaid them with gold.

3:11  And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long; the wing of the one was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.

3:12  And the wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.

3:13  The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits. And they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.

3:14  And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon.

3:15  Also he made two pillars before the house of thirty-five cubits in length, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.

3:16  And he made chains in the oracle, and put them on the tops of the pillars. And he made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.

3:17  And he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

Chapter 4

4:1  Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length of it, and twenty cubits the breadth of it, and ten cubits the height of it.

4:2  Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass. And the height of it was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about.

4:3  And under it was the likeness of oxen, which compassed it round about for ten cubits, encompassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.

4:4  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. And the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.

4:5  And it was a handbreadth thick. And the brim of it was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.

4:6  He also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them. They washed in them such things as belonged to the burnt offering, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

4:7  And he made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them. And he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

4:8  He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made a hundred basins of gold.

4:9  Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.

4:10  And he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

4:11  And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of God:

4:12  the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,

4:13  and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the pillars.

4:14  He also made the bases, and he made the lavers upon the bases,

4:15  one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.

4:16  Also the pots, and the shovels, and the flesh-hooks, and all the vessels of it, Huram his father made of bright brass for king Solomon for the house of Jehovah.

4:17  The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

4:18  Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance. For the weight of the brass could not be found out.

4:19  And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, also the golden altar, and the tables on which was the showbread,

4:20  and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold,

4:21  and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold,

4:22  and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold. And as for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the house, namely, of the temple, were of gold.

Chapter 5

5:1  Thus all the work that Solomon wrought for the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.

5:2  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the rulers of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion.

5:3  And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month.

5:4  And all the elders of Israel came. And the Levites took up the ark.

5:5  And they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent. These the priests the Levites brought up.

5:6  And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

5:7  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.

5:8  For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves of it above.

5:9  And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle, but they were not seen outside. And there it is to this day.

5:10  There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb when Jehovah made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

5:11  And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, (for all the priests that were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their divisions.

5:12  Also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets),

5:13  it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Jehovah. And when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Jehovah, saying, For he is good. For his loving kindness is forever, that the house was then filled with a cloud, even the house of Jehovah,

5:14  so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of Jehovah filled the house of God.

Chapter 6

6:1  Then Solomon spoke, Jehovah has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

6:2  But I have built for thee a house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in forever.

6:3  And the king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel. And all the assembly of Israel stood.

6:4  And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled it, saying,

6:5  Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in that my name might be there. Neither did I choose any man to be ruler over my people Israel.

6:6  But I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there. And have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

6:7  Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

6:8  But Jehovah said to David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou did well that it was in thy heart.

6:9  Nevertheless thou shall not build the house, but thy son who shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

6:10  And Jehovah has performed his word that he spoke. For I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

6:11  And there I have set the ark in which is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with the sons of Israel.

6:12  And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands.

6:13  For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court. And upon it he stood, and knelt down upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.

6:14  And he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven, or on earth, who keep covenant and loving kindness with thy servants, who walk before thee with all their heart,

6:15  who have kept with thy servant David my father that which thou promised him. Yea, thou spoke with thy mouth, and have fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.

6:16  Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou have promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy sons take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou have walked before me.

6:17  Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spoke to thy servant David.

6:18  But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. How much less this house which I have built!

6:19  Yet have thou respect to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken to the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prays before thee,

6:20  that thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place of which thou have said that thou would put thy name there, to hearken to the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.

6:21  And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yea, hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven, and when thou hear forgive.

6:22  If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before thine altar in this house,

6:23  then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

6:24  And if thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house,

6:25  then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again to the land which thou gave to them and to their fathers.

6:26  When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou do afflict them,

6:27  then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and send rain upon thy land, which thou have given to thy people for an inheritance.

6:28  If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there be,

6:29  whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house,

6:30  then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling-place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou know, (for thou, even thou only, know the hearts of the sons of men),

6:31  that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways so long as they live in the land which thou gave to our fathers.

6:32  Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thine outstretched arm, when they shall come and pray toward this house,

6:33  then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to thee for, that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

6:34  If thy people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way thou shall send them, and they pray to thee toward this city which thou have chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name,

6:35  then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

6:36  If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sins not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near,

6:37  yet if they shall rethink themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly,

6:38  if they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which thou gave to their fathers, and the city which thou have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name,

6:39  then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their case, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee.

6:40  Now, O my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attendant to the prayer that is made in this place.

6:41  Now therefore arise, O Jehovah God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy sanctified rejoice in goodness.

6:42  O Jehovah God, do not turn away the face of thine anointed. Remember thy loving kindnesses to David thy servant.

Chapter 7

7:1  Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. And the glory of Jehovah filled the house.

7:2  And the priests could not enter into the house of Jehovah, because the glory of Jehovah filled Jehovah's house.

7:3  And all the sons of Israel looked on when the fire came down, and the glory of Jehovah was upon the house. And they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshiped, and gave thanks to Jehovah, saying, For he is good. For his loving kindness is forever.

7:4  Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Jehovah.

7:5  And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

7:6  And the priests stood according to their offices, also the Levites with instruments of music of Jehovah, which David the king had made to give thanks to Jehovah (for his loving kindness is forever) when David praised by their ministry, and the priests sounded trumpets before them. And all Israel stood.

7:7  Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah. For there he offered the burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat.

7:8  So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

7:9  And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly. For they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

7:10  And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Jehovah had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

7:11  Thus Solomon finished the house of Jehovah, and the king's house. And all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Jehovah, and in his own house, he caused to prosper.

7:12  And Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.

7:13  If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people,

7:14  if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

7:15  Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attend to the prayer that is made in this place.

7:16  For now I have chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there forever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.

7:17  And as for thee, if thou will walk before me as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and will keep my statutes and mine ordinances,

7:18  then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

7:19  But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them,

7:20  then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them. And this house, which I have hallowed for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

7:21  And this house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why has Jehovah done thus to this land, and to this house?

7:22  And they shall answer, Because they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them; therefore he has brought all this evil upon them.

Chapter 8

8:1  And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Jehovah, and his own house,

8:2  that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the sons of Israel to dwell there.

8:3  And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

8:4  And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath.

8:5  Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars,

8:6  and Baalath, and all the store-cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

8:7  As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, that were not of Israel,

8:8  of their sons who were left after them in the land whom the sons of Israel did not consumed, of them Solomon raised a levy of bondservants to this day.

8:9  But Solomon made no servants of the sons of Israel for his work, but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.

8:10  And these were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two hundred and fifty that bore rule over the people.

8:11  And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her. For he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy in which the ark of Jehovah has come.

8:12  Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Jehovah on the altar of Jehovah, which he had built before the porch,

8:13  even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

8:14  And he appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required, also the porters by their divisions at every gate. For so David the man of God had commanded.

8:15  And they did not depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.

8:16  Now all the work of Solomon was prepared from the day of the foundation of the house of Jehovah, and until it was finished. So the house of Jehovah was completed.

8:17  Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom.

8:18  And Huram sent ships to him by the hands of his servants, and servants who had knowledge of the sea. And they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Chapter 9

9:1  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she conversed with him of all that was in her heart.

9:2  And Solomon answered to her all her questions. And there was not anything hid from Solomon that he did not answer her.

9:3  And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

9:4  and the food of his table, and the seating of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, also his cupbearers, and their apparel, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, there was no more spirit in her.

9:5  And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.

9:6  However I did not believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it. And, behold, the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me. Thou exceed the fame that I heard.

9:7  Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

9:8  Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne to be king for Jehovah thy God. Because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made thee king over them, to do justice and righteousness.

9:9  And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones. Neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

9:10  And also the servants of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

9:11  And the king made of the algum trees terraces for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, and harps and psalteries for the singers. And there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

9:12  And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.

9:13  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,

9:14  besides that which the traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

9:15  And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler.

9:16  And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

9:17  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

9:18  And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and supports on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the supports.

9:19  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

9:20  And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was accounted of nothing in the days of Solomon.

9:21  For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

9:22  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

9:23  And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

9:24  And they brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

9:25  And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

9:26  And he ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

9:27  And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.

9:28  And they brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

9:29  Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

9:30  And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

9:31  And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 10

10:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel came to Shechem to make him king.

10:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, from where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

10:3  And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

10:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

10:5  And he said to them, Come again to me after three days. And the people departed.

10:6  And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel do ye give me to return an answer to this people?

10:7  And they spoke to him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever.

10:8  But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that grew up with him, who stood before him.

10:9  And he said to them, What counsel do ye give, that we may return an answer to this people who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father put upon us lighter?

10:10  And the young men that grew up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall thou say to the people who spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter to us. Thus shall thou say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

10:11  And now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I with scorpions.

10:12  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.

10:13  And the king answered them roughly. And king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

10:14  and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto. My father chastised you with whips, but I with scorpions.

10:15  So the king did not hearken to the people. For it was brought about by God, that Jehovah might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

10:16  And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel. Now see to thine own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents.

10:17  But as for the sons of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

10:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to task work. And the sons of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

10:19  So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

Chapter 11

11:1  And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

11:2  But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

11:3  Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

11:4  Thus says Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house. For this thing is of me. So they hearkened to the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

11:5  And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

11:6  He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

11:7  And Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

11:8  and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

11:9  and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

11:10  and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

11:11  And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and oil and wine.

11:12  And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

11:13  And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.

11:14  For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office to Jehovah.

11:15  And he appointed priests for him for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made.

11:16  And after them, such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel to sacrifice to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

11:17  So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

11:18  And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

11:19  And she bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

11:20  And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom. And she bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

11:21  And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines. For he took eighteen wives, and thirty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and thirty daughters.

11:22  And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the ruler among his brothers. For he intended to make him king.

11:23  And he dealt wisely, and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. And he gave them provisions in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.

Chapter 12

12:1  And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him.

12:2  And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Jehovah,

12:3  with twelve hundred chariots, and thirty thousand horsemen. And the people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.

12:4  And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

12:5  Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the rulers of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says Jehovah, Ye have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.

12:6  Then the rulers of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and they said, Jehovah is righteous.

12:7  And when Jehovah saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

12:8  Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

12:9  So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

12:10  And king Rehoboam made in their stead shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard that kept the door of the king's house.

12:11  And it was so, that, as often as the king entered into the house of Jehovah, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard-chamber.

12:12  And when he humbled himself, the wrath of Jehovah turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether. And moreover in Judah there were good things.

12:13  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 Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

12:14  And he did that which was evil, because he did not set his heart to seek Jehovah.

12:15  Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

12:16  And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 13

13:1  In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

13:2  He reigned three years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

13:3  And Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men. And Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men who were mighty men of valor.

13:4  And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel.

13:5  Should ye not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

13:6  Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.

13:7  And there were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.

13:8  And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David, and ye are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

13:9  Have ye not driven out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for you after the manner of the peoples of other lands? So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

13:10  But as for us, Jehovah is our God, and we have not forsaken him. And we have priests ministering to Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work.

13:11  And they burn to Jehovah every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. Also they set the showbread in order upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with the lamps of it to burn every evening. For we keep the charge of Jehovah our God, but ye have forsaken him.

13:12  And, behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. O sons of Israel, fight ye not against Jehovah, the God of your fathers. For ye shall not prosper.

13:13  But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come around behind them, so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.

13:14  And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them. And they cried to Jehovah, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

13:15  Then the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

13:16  And the sons of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

13:17  And Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter. So there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

13:18  Thus the sons of Israel were brought under at that time, and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

13:19  And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephron with the towns of it.

13:20  Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah. And Jehovah smote him, and he died.

13:21  But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and begot twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.

13:22  And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

Chapter 14

14:1  So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

14:2  And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God.

14:3  For he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,

14:4  and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

14:5  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images. And the kingdom was quiet before him.

14:6  And he built fortified cities in Judah. For the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.

14:7  For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

14:8  And Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand. All these were mighty men of valor.

14:9  And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million, and three hundred chariots. And he came to Mareshah.

14:10  Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

14:11  And Asa cried to Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, O Jehovah our God. For we rely on thee, and in thy name we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou are our God. Let not man prevail against thee.

14:12  So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.

14:13  And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. And there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves. For they were destroyed before Jehovah, and before his army. And they carried away very much booty.

14:14  And they smote all the cities round about Gerar. For the fear of Jehovah came upon them. And they despoiled all the cities. For there was much spoil in them.

14:15  They also smote the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.

Chapter 15

15:1  And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.

15:2  And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. Jehovah is with you while ye are with him. And if ye seek him, he will be found of you, but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

15:3  Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

15:4  But when in their distress they turned to Jehovah, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.

15:5  And in those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the lands.

15:6  And they were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city. For God vexed them with all adversity.

15:7  But be ye strong, and let not your hands be slack. For your work shall be rewarded.

15:8  And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill-country of Ephraim. And he renewed the altar of Jehovah, that was before the porch of Jehovah.

15:9  And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who sojourned with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon, for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that Jehovah his God was with him.

15:10  So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

15:11  And they sacrificed to Jehovah in that day of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

15:12  And they entered into the covenant to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul.

15:13  And that whoever would not seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

15:14  And they swore to Jehovah with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

15:15  And all Judah rejoiced at the oath. For they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them. And Jehovah gave them rest round about.

15:16  And also he removed Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. And Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

15:17  But the high places were not taken away out of Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

15:18  And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

15:19  And there was no more war to the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

Chapter 16

16:1  In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

16:2  Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who dwelt at Damascus, saying,

16:3  There is a league between me and thee, as between my father and thy father. Behold, I have sent thee silver and gold. Go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel that he may depart from me.

16:4  And Ben-hadad hearkened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. And they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali.

16:5  And it came to pass, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.

16:6  Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha had built. And he built Geba and Mizpah with it.

16:7  And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because thou have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Jehovah thy God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of thy hand.

16:8  Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceedingly many? Yet, because thou relied on Jehovah, he delivered them into thy hand.

16:9  For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him. In this thou have done foolishly, for from henceforth thou shall have wars.

16:10  Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison-house. For he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

16:11  And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

16:12  And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great, yet in his disease he did not seek for Jehovah, but to the physicians.

16:13  And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign.

16:14  And they buried him in his own sepulchers, which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers' art. And they made a very great burning for him.

Chapter 17

17:1  And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

17:2  And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

17:3  And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David, and did not seek for the Baalim,

17:4  but sought for the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

17:5  Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.

17:6  And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah. And furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

17:7  Also in the third year of his reign he sent his rulers, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;

17:8  and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.

17:9  And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Jehovah with them. And they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.

17:10  And the fear of Jehovah fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

17:11  And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats.

17:12  And Jehoshaphat grew exceedingly great. And he built in Judah castles and cities of storage.

17:13  And he had many works in the cities of Judah, and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

17:14  And this was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses. Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor;

17:15  and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand;

17:16  and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Jehovah, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

17:17  And of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

17:18  and next to him Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready prepared for war.

17:19  These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Chapter 18

18:1  Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance. And he joined affinity with Ahab.

18:2  And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

18:3  And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou are, and my people as thy people, and will be with thee in the war.

18:4  And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah.

18:5  Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up. For God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

18:6  But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him?

18:7  And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, but I hate him. For he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil; the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

18:8  Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

18:9  Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

18:10  And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Jehovah, With these thou shall push the Syrians until they be consumed.

18:11  And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper. For Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.

18:12  And the messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets are good to the king with one mouth. Let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

18:13  And Micaiah said, As Jehovah lives, what my God says, that will I speak.

18:14  And when he came to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

18:15  And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah?

18:16  And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace.

18:17  And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

18:18  And Micaiah said, Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah. I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing at his right hand and at his left.

18:19  And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

18:20  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said to him, With what?

18:21  And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shall entice him, and shall also prevail. Go forth, and do so.

18:22  Now therefore, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets. And Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee.

18:23  Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way did the Spirit of Jehovah go from me to speak to thee?

18:24  And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shall see on that day when thou shall go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

18:25  And the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son,

18:26  and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

18:27  And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah has not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.

18:28  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

18:29  And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle, but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.

18:30  Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.

18:31  And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out. And Jehovah helped him, and God moved them from him.

18:32  And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

18:33  And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the army. For I am severely wounded.

18:34  And the battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening. And about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

Chapter 19

19:1  And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

19:2  And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should thou help the wicked, and love those who hate Jehovah? For this thing wrath is upon thee from before Jehovah.

19:3  Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set thy heart to seek God.

19:4  And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill-country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

19:5  And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

19:6  and said to the judges, Consider what ye do. For ye judge not for man, but for Jehovah, and he is with you in the judgment.

19:7  Now therefore let the fear of Jehovah be upon you. Take heed and do it. For there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.

19:8  Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat set from the Levites and the priests, and from the heads of the fathers of Israel for the judgment of Jehovah, and for controversies. And they returned to Jerusalem.

19:9  And he charged them, saying, Thus ye shall do in the fear of Jehovah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

19:10  And whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, ye shall warn them, that they not be guilty towards Jehovah, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brothers. Do this, and ye shall not be guilty.

19:11  And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Jehovah, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters. The Levites shall also be officers before you. Deal courageously, and Jehovah be with the good.

Chapter 20

20:1  And it came to pass after this, that the sons of Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and with them some of the Minaeans, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

20:2  Then there came some who told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria. And, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi).

20:3  And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set himself to seek for Jehovah. And he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

20:4  And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help from Jehovah, even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Jehovah.

20:5  And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of Jehovah before the new court.

20:6  And he said, O Jehovah, the God of our fathers, are thou not God in heaven? And are thou not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? And in thy hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee.

20:7  Did thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?

20:8  And they dwelt therein, and have built for thee a sanctuary in it for thy name, saying,

20:9  If evil comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before thee, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry out to thee in our affliction, and thou will hear and save.

20:10  And now, behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir (whom thou would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and did not destroy them),

20:11  behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou have given us to inherit.

20:12  O our God, will thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. Neither do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon thee.

20:13  And all Judah stood before Jehovah, with their little ones, their wives, and their sons.

20:14  Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Jehovah in the midst of the assembly.

20:15  And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat. Thus says Jehovah to you, Fear ye not, neither be dismayed because of this great multitude. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

20:16  Tomorrow go ye down against them. Behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz. And ye shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

20:17  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for Jehovah is with you.

20:18  And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshiping Jehovah.

20:19  And the Levites, of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice.

20:20  And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established. Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

20:21  And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Jehovah. For his loving kindness is forever.

20:22  And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set an ambushment against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir who came against Judah, and they were smitten.

20:23  For the sons of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to slay and destroy them utterly. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another of themselves.

20:24  And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude. And, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.

20:25  And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. And they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.

20:26  And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah, for there they blessed Jehovah. Therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.

20:27  Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy. For Jehovah had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

20:28  And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of Jehovah.

20:29  And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Jehovah fought against the enemies of Israel.

20:30  So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet. For his God gave him rest round about.

20:31  And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign. And he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

20:32  And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and did not turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah.

20:33  However the high places were not taken away. Neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.

20:34  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.

20:35  And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly.

20:36  And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. And they made the ships in Ezion-geber.

20:37  Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou have joined thyself with Ahaziah, Jehovah has destroyed thy works. And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Chapter 21

21:1  And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

21:2  And he had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

21:3  And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah. But the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

21:4  Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also various of the rulers of Israel.

21:5  Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

21:6  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

21:7  However Jehovah would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons always.

21:8  In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

21:9  Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him. And he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites that encompassed him around, and the captains of the chariots.

21:10  So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers.

21:11  Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, and led Judah astray.

21:12  And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says Jehovah, the God of David thy father, Because thou have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

21:13  but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain thy brothers of thy father's house who were better than thyself,

21:14  behold, Jehovah will smite thy people with a great plague, and thy sons, and thy wives, and all thy substance.

21:15  And thou shall have great sickness by disease of thy bowels until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.

21:16  And Jehovah stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians.

21:17  And they came up against Judah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives, so that there has not been left a son to him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

21:18  And after all this Jehovah smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

21:19  And it came to pass, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out because of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases. And his people made no burning for him like the burning of his fathers.

21:20  He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. And he departed without being wanted. And they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings.

Chapter 22

22:1  And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead, for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

22:2  Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

22:3  He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab. For his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.

22:4  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did the house of Ahab. For they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

22:5  He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians wounded Joram.

22:6  And he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.

22:7  Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram, for when he came he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

22:8  And it came to pass, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, that he found the rulers of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and killed them.

22:9  And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria). And they brought him to Jehu, and killed him. And they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Jehovah with all his heart. And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.

22:10  Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah.

22:11  But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not kill him.

22:12  And he was with them hid in the house of God six years, and Athaliah reigned over the land.

Chapter 23

23:1  And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

23:2  And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

23:3  And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has spoken concerning the sons of David.

23:4  This is the thing that ye shall do: A third part of you who come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds,

23:5  and a third part shall be at the king's house, and a third part at the gate of the foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Jehovah.

23:6  But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of Jehovah.

23:7  And the Levites shall encompass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. And be ye with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out.

23:8  So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath. For Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.

23:9  And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.

23:10  And he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about.

23:11  Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him. And they said, Live, O king.

23:12  And when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.

23:13  And she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. The singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, Treason! treason!

23:14  And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, Have her forth between the ranks. And whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword, for the priest said, Do not slay her in the house of Jehovah.

23:15  So they made way for her. And she went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house, and they killed her there.

23:16  And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Jehovah's people.

23:17  And all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

23:18  And Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Jehovah under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Jehovah, to offer the burnt offerings of Jehovah, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

23:19  And he set the porters at the gates of the house of Jehovah that no man who was unclean in anything should enter in.

23:20  And he took the captains of hundreds, and the mighty men, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Jehovah. And they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

23:21  So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. And they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Chapter 24

24:1  Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

24:2  And Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

24:3  And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he begot sons and daughters.

24:4  And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the house of Jehovah.

24:5  And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money from all Israel to repair the house of your God from year to year. And see that ye hasten the matter. However the Levites did not hasten it.

24:6  And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, Why have thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Jehovah, and of the assembly of Israel, for the tent of the testimony?

24:7  For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God, and also all the dedicated things of the house of Jehovah they bestowed upon the Baalim.

24:8  So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of Jehovah.

24:9  And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for Jehovah the tax that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

24:10  And all the rulers and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

24:11  And it was so, that, at what ever time the chest was brought to the king's officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the chief priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

24:12  And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Jehovah. And they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Jehovah, and also such as wrought iron and brass to repair the house of Jehovah.

24:13  So the workmen labored, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands, and they set up the house of God in its state, and strengthened it.

24:14  And when they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for the house of Jehovah, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of Jehovah continually all the days of Jehoiada.

24:15  But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died. He was a hundred and thirty years old when he died.

24:16  And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

24:17  Now after the death of Jehoiada the rulers of Judah came, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened to them.

24:18  And they forsook the house of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

24:19  Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again to Jehovah. And they testified against them, but they would not give ear.

24:20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest. And he stood above the people, and said to them, Thus says God, Why do ye transgress the commandments of Jehovah, so that ye cannot prosper? Because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he has also forsaken you.

24:21  And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

24:22  Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. And when he died, he said, Jehovah look upon it, and require it.

24:23  And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him. And they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the rulers of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus.

24:24  For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men. And Jehovah delivered a very great host into their hand because they had forsaken Jehovah, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment upon Joash.

24:25  And when they were departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the sepulchers of the kings.

24:26  And these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

24:27  Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 25

25:1  Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.

25:2  And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, but not with a perfect heart.

25:3  Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father.

25:4  But he did not put their sons to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Jehovah commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the sons, neither shall the sons die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

25:5  Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and appointed them according to their fathers' houses, for heads of thousands and heads of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield.

25:6  He also hired a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

25:7  But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee. For Jehovah is not with Israel, namely, with all the sons of Ephraim.

25:8  But if thou are going, do it. Be strong for the battle, because God will cast thee down before the enemy, for God has power to help, and to cast down.

25:9  And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, Jehovah is able to give thee much more than this.

25:10  Then Amaziah separated them, namely, the army that came to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

25:11  And Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote ten thousand of the sons of Seir.

25:12  And the sons of Judah carried away ten thousand alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.

25:13  But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

25:14  Now it came to pass, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them.

25:15  Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Amaziah. And he sent a prophet to him, who said to him, Why have thou sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of thy hand?

25:16  And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Have we made thee of the king's counsel? Cease. Why should thou be smitten? Then the prophet ceased, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy thee, because thou have done this, and have not hearkened to my counsel.

25:17  Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look each other in the face.

25:18  And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trampled down the thistle.

25:19  Thou say, Lo, I have smitten Edom. And thy heart lifts thee up to boast. Remain now at home. Why should thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou should fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

25:20  But Amaziah would not hear, for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom.

25:21  So Joash king of Israel went up. And he and Amaziah king of Judah looked each other in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

25:22  And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.

25:23  And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

25:24  And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, also the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

25:25  And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.

25:26  Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

25:27  Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Jehovah they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.

25:28  And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Chapter 26

26:1  And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

26:2  He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

26:3  Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.

26:4  And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

26:5  And he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God. And as long as he sought Jehovah, God made him to prosper.

26:6  And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod. And he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

26:7  And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Meunim.

26:8  And the Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. And his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt, for he grew exceedingly strong.

26:9  Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

26:10  And he built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much cattle, also in the lowland and in the plain. And he had husbandmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields, for he loved husbandry.

26:11  Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

26:12  The whole number of the heads of fathers, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred.

26:13  And under their hand was an army, three hundred seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

26:14  And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.

26:15  And he made engines in Jerusalem, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and upon the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad. For he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

26:16  But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Jehovah his God. For he went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

26:17  And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Jehovah, who were valiant men.

26:18  And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, It does not pertain to thee, Uzziah, to burn incense to Jehovah, but to the priests the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary. For thou have trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honor from Jehovah God.

26:19  Then Uzziah was angry. And he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, beside the altar of incense.

26:20  And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead. And they thrust him out quickly from there. Yea, he himself also hastened to go out, because Jehovah had smitten him.

26:21  And Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper. For he was cut off from the house of Jehovah, and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

26:22  Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote.

26:23  So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings. For they said, He is a leper. And Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 27

27:1  Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

27:2  And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However he did not enter into the temple of Jehovah. And the people still did corruptly.

27:3  He built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

27:4  Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

27:5  Also he fought with the king of the sons of Ammon, and prevailed against them. And the sons of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the sons of Ammon render to him, in the second year also, and in the third.

27:6  So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Jehovah his God.

27:7  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

27:8  He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

27:9  And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 28

28:1  Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah like David his father,

28:2  but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and also made molten images for the Baalim.

28:3  Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the sons of Israel.

28:4  And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

28:5  Therefore Jehovah his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. And they smote him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.

28:6  For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

28:7  And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king.

28:8  And the sons of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

28:9  But a prophet of Jehovah was there, whose name was Oded. And he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because Jehovah, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand. And ye have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven.

28:10  And now ye propose to keep under the sons of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen to you. Are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God?

28:11  Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives that ye have taken captive of your brothers. For the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.

28:12  Then certain of the heads of the sons of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,

28:13  and said to them, Ye shall not bring in the captives here. For ye propose that which will bring upon us a trespass against Jehovah, to add to our sins and to our trespass. For our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

28:14  So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the rulers and all the assembly.

28:15  And the men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, and dressed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

28:16  At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.

28:17  For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

28:18  The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, also Gimzo and the towns of it. And they dwelt there.

28:19  For Jehovah brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Jehovah.

28:20  And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

28:21  For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Jehovah, and out of the house of the king and of the rulers, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.

28:22  And in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against Jehovah, this same king Ahaz.

28:23  For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which smote him. And he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, therefore I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

28:24  And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Jehovah. And he made altars for him in every corner of Jerusalem.

28:25  And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Jehovah, the God of his fathers.

28:26  Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

28:27  And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem. For they did not bring him into the sepulchers of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 29

29:1  Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

29:2  And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done.

29:3  In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah, and repaired them.

29:4  And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east,

29:5  and said to them, Hear me, ye Levites. Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

29:6  For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Jehovah, and turned their backs.

29:7  Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.

29:8  Therefore the wrath of Jehovah was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

29:9  For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

29:10  Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Jehovah, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.

29:11  My sons, be not now negligent. For Jehovah has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that ye should be his ministers, and burn incense.

29:12  Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel, and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;

29:13  and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel, and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah,

29:14  and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei, and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

29:15  And they gathered their brothers, and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah.

29:16  And the priests went in to the inner part of the house of Jehovah to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of Jehovah into the court of the house of Jehovah. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.

29:17  Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the porch of Jehovah. And they sanctified the house of Jehovah in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

29:18  Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said, We have cleansed all the house of Jehovah, and the altar of burnt offering with all the vessels of it, and the table of showbread with all the vessels of it.

29:19  Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign cast away when he trespassed, we have prepared and sanctified. And, behold, they are before the altar of Jehovah.

29:20  Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of Jehovah.

29:21  And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of Jehovah.

29:22  So they killed the bullocks. And the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar. And they killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar. They also killed the lambs, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

29:23  And they brought near the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly. And they laid their hands upon them,

29:24  and the priests killed them. And they made a sin offering with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

29:25  And he set the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the commandment was of Jehovah by his prophets.

29:26  And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

29:27  And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of Jehovah began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel.

29:28  And all the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this until the burnt offering was finished.

29:29  And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.

29:30  Moreover Hezekiah the king and the rulers commanded the Levites to sing praises to Jehovah with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

29:31  Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves to Jehovah. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Jehovah. And the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

29:32  And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to Jehovah.

29:33  And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

29:34  But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them till the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves. For the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

29:35  And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Jehovah was set in order.

29:36  And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people; for the thing was done suddenly.

Chapter 30

30:1  And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

30:2  For the king had taken counsel, and his rulers, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.

30:3  For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

30:4  And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.

30:5  So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem. For they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

30:6  So the posts went with the letters from the king and his rulers throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye sons of Israel, turn again to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant of you who escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

30:7  And be ye not like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

30:8  Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

30:9  For if ye turn again to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land. For Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return to him.

30:10  So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

30:11  Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

30:12  Also the hand of God came upon Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the rulers by the word of Jehovah.

30:13  And many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

30:14  And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense they took away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

30:15  Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of Jehovah.

30:16  And they stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites.

30:17  For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves. Therefore the Levites had charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Jehovah.

30:18  For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon everyone

30:19  who sets his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not according to the purification of the sanctuary.

30:20  And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

30:21  And the sons of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. And the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, with loud instruments to Jehovah.

30:22  And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Jehovah. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

30:23  And the whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days. And they kept those seven days with gladness.

30:24  For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep. And the rulers gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

30:25  And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and who dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

30:26  So there was great joy in Jerusalem. For since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

30:27  Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people. And their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

Chapter 31

31:1  Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, also in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

31:2  And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Jehovah.

31:3  Also he appointed the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Jehovah.

31:4  Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Jehovah.

31:5  And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the sons of Israel gave in abundance the first-fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field. And they brought in the tithe of all things abundantly.

31:6  And the sons of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Jehovah their God, and laid them by heaps.

31:7  In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

31:8  And when Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed Jehovah, and his people Israel.

31:9  Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

31:10  And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since they began to bring the oblations into the house of Jehovah, we have eaten and had enough, and have plenty left. For Jehovah has blessed his people, and that which is left is this great store.

31:11  Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Jehovah, and they prepared them.

31:12  And they brought in the oblations and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully. And Conaniah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second.

31:13  And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

31:14  And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of Jehovah, and the most holy things.

31:15  And under him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well to the great as to the small,

31:16  besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone that entered into the house of Jehovah, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions,

31:17  and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers' houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions,

31:18  and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation. For in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness.

31:19  Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites.

31:20  And thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah. And he wrought that which was good and right and faithful before Jehovah his God.

31:21  And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

Chapter 32

32:1  After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself.

32:2  And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib came, and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,

32:3  he took counsel with his rulers and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were outside the city. And they helped him.

32:4  So there was gathered together many people. And they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

32:5  And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

32:6  And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,

32:7  Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid nor dismayed of the king of Assyria, nor of all the multitude that is with him. For there is a greater with us than with him.

32:8  With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is Jehovah our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

32:9  After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him) to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

32:10  Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, On what do ye trust that ye remain in the siege in Jerusalem?

32:11  Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

32:12  Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it ye shall burn incense?

32:13  Know ye not what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?

32:14  Who was there among all the gods of those nations, which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

32:15  Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe ye him. For no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?

32:16  And his servants spoke yet more against Jehovah God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

32:17  He also wrote letters, to rail on Jehovah, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.

32:18  And they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them, that they might take the city.

32:19  And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

32:20  And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried out to heaven.

32:21  And Jehovah sent an agent who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword.

32:22  Thus Jehovah saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.

32:23  And many brought gifts to Jehovah to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah. So that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

32:24  In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death, and he prayed to Jehovah. And he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.

32:25  But Hezekiah did not render again according to the benefit done to him. For his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

32:26  Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Jehovah did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

32:27  And Hezekiah had exceedingly much riches and honor. And he provided for him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels,

32:28  also store-houses for the increase of grain and new wine and oil, and stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.

32:29  Moreover he provided for him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance. For God had given him very much substance.

32:30  This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

32:31  However in the business of the ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

32:32  Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

32:33  And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the sepulchers of the sons of David. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 33

33:1  Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.

33:2  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah after the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the sons of Israel.

33:3  For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down. And he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them.

33:4  And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, of which Jehovah said, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.

33:5  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of Jehovah.

33:6  He also made his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. And he practiced augury, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with psychics, and with wizards. He wrought much evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger.

33:7  And he set the graven image of the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever,

33:8  neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses.

33:9  And Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than the nations did whom Jehovah destroyed before the sons of Israel.

33:10  And Jehovah spoke to Manasseh, and to his people, but they gave no heed.

33:11  Therefore Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

33:12  And when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

33:13  And he prayed to him. And he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah he was God.

33:14  Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. And he encompassed Ophel around with it, and raised it up to a very great height. And he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.

33:15  And he took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Jehovah, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of Jehovah, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

33:16  And he built up the altar of Jehovah, and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Jehovah, the God of Israel.

33:17  Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, but only to Jehovah their God.

33:18  Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.

33:19  Also his prayer, and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the graven images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

33:20  So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son reigned in his stead.

33:21  Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.

33:22  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father. And Amon sacrificed to all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.

33:23  And he did not humble himself before Jehovah, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

33:24  And his servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house.

33:25  But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

Chapter 34

34:1  Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.

34:2  And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

34:3  For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images.

34:4  And they broke down the altars of the Baalim in his presence, and the sun-images that were on high above them he hewed down, and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

34:5  And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.

34:6  And so also in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even to Naphtali, in their ruins round about.

34:7  And he broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and hewed down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.

34:8  Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Jehovah his God.

34:9  And they came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered by the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and by all the remnant of Israel, and by all Judah and Benjamin, and by the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

34:10  And they delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of Jehovah. And the workmen who labored in the house of Jehovah gave it to mend and repair the house.

34:11  Even to the carpenters and to the builders they gave it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.

34:12  And the men did the work faithfully. And the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward, and others of the Levites, all who were skilful with instruments of music.

34:13  Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all who did the work in every manner of service. And of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

34:14  And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Jehovah given by Moses.

34:15  And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

34:16  And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they are doing.

34:17  And they have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Jehovah, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen.

34:18  And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me. And Shaphan read therein before the king.

34:19  And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he tore his clothes.

34:20  And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

34:21  Go ye, inquire of Jehovah for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of Jehovah that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Jehovah, to do according to all that is written in this book.

34:22  So Hilkiah, and those whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect.

34:23  And she said to them, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man who sent you to me,

34:24  Thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.

34:25  Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore my wrath is poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched.

34:26  But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus ye shall say to him, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: As concerning the words which thou have heard,

34:27  because thy heart was tender, and thou humbled thyself before God when thou heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, and have humbled thyself before me, and have torn thy clothes, and wept before me, I also have heard thee, says Jehovah.

34:28  Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shall be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it. And they brought back word to the king.

34:29  Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

34:30  And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small. And he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah.

34:31  And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

34:32  And he caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

34:33  And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the sons of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Jehovah their God. All his days they did not depart from following Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

Chapter 35

35:1  And Josiah kept a Passover to Jehovah in Jerusalem. And they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

35:2  And he set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Jehovah.

35:3  And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Jehovah, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. There shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders. Now serve Jehovah your God, and his people Israel.

35:4  And prepare yourselves after your fathers' houses by your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

35:5  And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brothers the sons of the people, and the portion of a fathers' house of the Levites.

35:6  And kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to the word of Jehovah by Moses.

35:7  And Josiah gave to the sons of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and also three thousand bullocks; these were of the king's substance.

35:8  And his rulers gave for a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.

35:9  Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.

35:10  So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their divisions, according to the king's commandment.

35:11  And they killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood by their hand, and the Levites skinned them.

35:12  And they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the sons of the people, to offer to Jehovah as it is written in the book of Moses. And so they did with the oxen.

35:13  And they roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance. And the holy offerings they boiled in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the sons of the people.

35:14  And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busy in offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

35:15  And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer. And the porters were at every gate. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them.

35:16  So all the service of Jehovah was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of Jehovah, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

35:17  And the sons of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

35:18  And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet. Neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

35:19  In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

35:20  After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.

35:21  But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house with which I have war, and God has commanded me to make haste. Cease thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he not destroy thee.

35:22  Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself that he might fight with him. And he did not hearken to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

35:23  And the archers shot at king Josiah. And the king said to his servants, Remove me, for I am severely wounded.

35:24  So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died, and was buried in the sepulchers of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

35:25  And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah. And all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel, and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

35:26  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Jehovah,

35:27  and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Chapter 36

36:1  Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

36:2  Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

36:3  And the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

36:4  And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

36:5  Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God.

36:6  Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.

36:7  Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Jehovah to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

36:8  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

36:9  Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

36:10  And at the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the good vessels of the house of Jehovah, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

36:11  Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

36:12  And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Jehovah.

36:13  And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

36:14  Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of Jehovah which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

36:15  And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place.

36:16  But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

36:17  Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or hoary-headed. He gave them all into his hand.

36:18  And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king, and of his rulers, all these he brought to Babylon.

36:19  And they burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces of it with fire, and destroyed all the good vessels of it.

36:20  And those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia,

36:21  to fulfill the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths; as long as it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

36:22  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

36:23  Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me. And he has charged me to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.