Jubilee2000 - II Chronicles

Chapter 1

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

1:2  Then Solomon spoke unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every prince in all Israel, the chief of the fathers.

1:3  So Solomon and all the congregation with him went to the high place that [was] at Gibeon, for there was the tabernacle of the testimony of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

1:4  But David had brought the ark of God up from Kirjathjearim to [the place which] David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

1:5  Moreover, the brasen altar that Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made [was] there before the tabernacle of the LORD; and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

1:6  And Solomon went up there to the brasen altar before the LORD, which [was] at the tabernacle of the testimony, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.

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

1:8  And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed great mercy unto David, my father, and hast placed me as king in his stead.

1:9  Now, O LORD God, let thy word unto David, my father, be established, for thou hast placed me as 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 hast not asked riches, wealth or glory, nor the life of thy enemies, neither yet hast asked long life, but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou may judge my people, over whom I have placed thee as king,

1:12  wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will also give thee riches and wealth and glory such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall any after thee have the like.

1:13  Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the high place that [was] at Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of the testimony, and reigned over Israel.

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

1:15  And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as [plenteous] as stones, and he made cedar trees as the sycamore trees that [are] in the vale for abundance.

1:16  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn; the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

1:17  And they went up and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred [shekels] of silver and a horse for one hundred and fifty; and so they brought out [horses] for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria, by their hands.:

Chapter 2

2:1  And Solomon determined to build a house for the name of the LORD and a house for his kingdom.

2:2  And Solomon counted seventy thousand men to bear burdens and eighty thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them.

2:3  And Solomon sent to Hiram, the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David, my father, sending him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, [even so deal with me].

2:4  Behold, I must build a house unto the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate [it] to him [and] to burn aromatic incense before him and for the continual showbread and for the burnt offerings morning and evening on the sabbaths and on the new moons and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God, which is to be perpetual in Israel.

2:5  And the house which I must build [is] great, for great [is] our God above all gods.

2:6  But who is so powerful as to build him a house, seeing the heavens and heavens of the heavens cannot contain him? Who [am] I then that I should build him a house, except to burn incense before him?

2:7  Send me now, therefore, a wise man who knows how to work in gold and in silver and in brass and in iron and in purple and crimson and blue and that knows how to engrave figures with the craftsmen that [are] with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David, my father, provided.

2:8  Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and pine trees, out of Lebanon, for I know that thy servants are skillful at cutting timber in Lebanon, and, behold, my servants [shall] be with thy servants

2:9  to prepare 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 that 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 Hiram, the king of Tyre, answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD has loved his people, he has placed thee as king over them.

2:12  Hiram said, moreover, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel, that made the heavens and the earth, who has given to King David a wise son with knowledge, good sense and understanding, that he might build a house for the LORD and a house for his kingdom.

2:13  And now I have sent a wise man, with knowledge and understanding, of Hiram my father,

2:14  the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father [was] a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, in fine linen, and in crimson; also to engrave any manner of figure and to invent any design which shall be put to him, with thy craftsmen and with the craftsmen of my lord David, thy father.

2:15  Now, therefore, let my lord send unto his servants the wheat and the barley the oil and the wine, which he has spoken of;

2:16  and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need, and we will bring it to thee in rafts by sea to Joppa, and thou shalt cause it to be carried up to Jerusalem.

2:17  And Solomon numbered all the strangers that [were] in the land of Israel, after David, his father, had already numbered them; and one hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred were found.

2:18  And he set seventy thousand of them [to be] bearers of burdens and eighty thousand [to be] hewers in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred overseers to make the people work.:

Chapter 3

3:1  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in the Mount Moriah which had been shown unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor 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 measurements on which] Solomon founded the building of the house of God. The first measurement was the length of sixty cubits and the breadth of twenty cubits.

3:4  And the porch that [was] in the front of the length was of twenty cubits, according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height [was] one hundred and twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold.

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

3:6  And he [also] covered the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold [was] gold of Parvaim.

3:7  Thus did he cover the house, its beams, its posts, its walls, and its doors, with gold and engraved cherubim on the walls.

3:8  And he made the house of the holy of holies, its length was twenty cubits, according to the breadth of the house, and its breadth was twenty cubits, and he covered 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 inside the house of the holy of holies he made two cherubim of figured work and overlaid them with gold.

3:11  And the wings of the cherubim [were] twenty cubits long; one wing [of the one cherub 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 [one] 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] inward.

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 in front of the house two pillars of thirty-five cubits high, and the chapiter that [was] on the top of each of them [was] five cubits.

3:16  And he made chains, [as] in the oracle, and put [them] on the heads of the pillars and made one hundred pomegranates and put [them] on the chains.

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

Chapter 4

4:1  Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high.

4:2  He also made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, entirely round and five cubits high; and a line of thirty cubits girded it round about.

4:3  And under it [were] figures of oxen, which did compass it round about, ten in each cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two orders of oxen [were] 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 Negev and three looking toward the east; and the sea [was set] above upon them, and all their hinder parts [were] inward.

4:5  And the thickness of it [was] a handbreadth and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies, [and] it received and held three thousand baths.

4:6  He also made ten lavers and put five on the right hand and five on the left, to wash in them; they cleansed the work of the burnt offering in them; but the sea [was] for the priests to wash in.

4:7  And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set [them] in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

4:8  He also made ten tables and placed [them] in the temple, five on the right hand and five on the left. And he made one 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 towards the east, over against the Negev.

4:11  And Hiram made the pots and the shovels and the basins. And Hiram finished the work, that he had been making for King Solomon for the house of God,

4:12  Two pillars and the pommels and the chapiters, [which were] on the top of the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which [were] on the top of the pillars;

4:13  four hundred pomegranates on the two networks; two orders of pomegranates on each network, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which [were] upon the pillars.

4:14  He also made the bases upon which he placed the lavers;

4:15  one sea, and twelve oxen under it;

4:16  and the pots and the shovels and the fleshhooks and all their vessels, did Hiram, his father, make to King Solomon for the house of the LORD of the purest brass.

4:17  In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in clay of the ground, between Succoth and Zeredathah.

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 for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables upon which the showbread [was set];

4:20  likewise, the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;

4:21  and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, [he made of] gold, of perfect gold;

4:22  also the snuffers and the basins and the spoons and the censers, [of] pure gold. [Regarding] the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy [place] and the doors of the house of the temple, [were of] gold.:

Chapter 5

5:1  Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished, and Solomon brought in [all] the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver and the gold and all the vessels, he put among the treasures of the house of God.

5:2  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the families of the sons of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion.

5:3  Therefore, all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the solemnity 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 tabernacle of the testimony and all the vessels of the sanctuary that [were] in the tabernacle; these did the priests [and] the Levites bring up.

5:6  Also King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

5:7  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the holy of holies, 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 its staves from above.

5:9  And they drew out the staves so that the ends of the staves of the ark could be seen before the oracle, but they could not be seen from outside. And they were there unto this day.

5:10  [There was] nothing in the ark except the two tables which Moses put [in it] at Horeb, with which the LORD had cut a covenant with the sons of Israel when they came out of Egypt.

5:11  And when the priests came out of the sanctuary (for all the priests [that were] present were sanctified [and] did not [then] wait by course,

5:12  and the Levite singers, all of those of Asaph, those of Heman, and those of Jeduthun, together with their sons and their brethren, [being] clothed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets).

5:13  And they sounded the trumpets and sang with one voice, all together as one [man] praising and thanking the LORD, when they lifted up [their] voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, when they praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good, for his mercy [endures] for ever; and the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD,

5:14  so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.:

Chapter 6

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

6:2  I, therefore, have built a house of habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

6:3  And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel was standing.

6:4  And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel, who has with his hand fulfilled [that] which he spoke with his mouth to my father David, saying,

6:5  Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither did I choose any man to be a prince 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 unto the name of the LORD God of Israel.

6:8  But the LORD said to David, my father, Forasmuch as it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thy heart;

6:9  notwithstanding, thou shalt not build the house, but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build a house for my name.

6:10  The LORD, therefore, has performed his word that he has spoken, for I am risen up in the place of David, my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD had said, and have built the house unto the name of the LORD God of Israel.

6:11  And in it I have put the ark, in which [is] the covenant of the LORD that he made with the sons of Israel.

6:12  [Then] he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands.

6:13  For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, five cubits long and five cubits wide 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 congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven

6:14  and said, O LORD God of Israel, [there is] no God like thee in the heaven nor in the earth who keeps covenant and [shows] mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts;

6:15  who hast kept unto thy servant David, my father, that which thou hast promised him; thou didst say it with thy mouth and hast fulfilled [it] with thy hand, as [it is] this day.

6:16  Now, therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David, my father, that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel, under the condition that thy sons keep their way, walking in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

6:17  Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word stand firm, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

6:18  Is it true that God is to 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  But thou shalt look upon the prayer of thy servant and upon his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer with which thy servant prays before thee

6:20  that thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there, to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prays in this place.

6:21  Hearken, likewise, unto the supplications of thy servant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray in this place; hear thou from the heavens, from thy dwelling place, even hear and forgive.

6:22  If a man sins against his neighbour and an oath is laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath comes before thy altar in this house,

6:23  thou shalt hear from heaven and do right unto thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head, and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

6:24  And if thy people Israel should fall before their enemies because they have sinned against thee and if they should convert and confess thy name and pray and make supplication before thee in this house,

6:25  thou shalt hear from the heavens and forgive the sin of thy people Israel and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.

6:26  If the heavens should become shut up, that there be no rain because they have sinned against thee; [yet] if they pray in this place and confess thy name and become converted from their sins when thou dost afflict them,

6:27  thou shalt hear [them] from heaven and forgive the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel, and thou shalt teach them the good way, that they may walk therein, and send rain upon thy land which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

6:28  If there should be famine in the land, or if there should be pestilence, if there should be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatever affliction or sickness there may be;

6:29  every prayer and every supplication made of any man, or of all thy people Israel or of anyone who knows his affliction and his grief in his heart, if they shall extend their hands towards this house,

6:30  thou shalt hear from the heavens, from the place of thy habitation, and forgive and render unto each one according to his ways, having known his heart (for thou only knowest the hearts of the sons of men),

6:31  that they may fear thee and walk in thy ways all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

6:32  And also unto the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake and thy mighty hand and thy stretched out arm, if they come and pray in this house,

6:33  thou shalt hear from the heavens, from the habitation of thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls unto thee for, that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name and fear thee, as [do] thy people Israel, and let them know that thy name is invoked upon this house which I have built.

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

6:35  thou shalt hear from the heavens their prayer and their supplication and do them judgment.

6:36  If they sin against thee (for [there is] no man who does not sin,)and thou art angry with them and deliver them over before [their] enemies so that those that take them carry them away captives unto an enemy land far off or near,

6:37  and they come into their right mind in the land where they are carried captive, if they convert and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done iniquity and have dealt wickedly,

6:38  if they convert unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captives and pray toward their land, which thou didst give unto their fathers, and [toward] the city which thou hast chosen and toward the house which I have built unto thy name,

6:39  thou shalt hear from the heavens, from the dwelling place of thy habitation, their prayer and their supplications and do their judgment and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee.

6:40  Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open and [let] thine ears [be] attentive unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.

6:41  Now, therefore, arise, O LORD God, to [inhabit] thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy strength; let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let thy merciful ones rejoice in goodness.

6:42  O LORD God, do not turn away the face of thy anointed one; remember the mercies of David, thy servant.:

Chapter 7

7:1  And when Solomon finished praying, the fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

7:2  And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.

7:3  And when all the sons of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they fell to the ground upon the pavement upon their faces and worshipped and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good, for his mercy endures for ever.

7:4  [Then] the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.

7:5  And King Solomon offered in sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep; and so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

7:6  And the priests were upon their watches, and the Levites with the instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy [endures] for ever, when David praised by their hand. Likewise, the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel was on their feet.

7:7  Solomon also sanctified the middle of the court that [was] before the house of the LORD, for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace [offerings] because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings and the present and the fat.

7:8  Then Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

7:9  And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly, for they had made the dedication of the altar in seven days, and they had celebrated the solemn feast for seven days.

7:10  And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had showed unto David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.

7:11  Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house was prospered.

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

7:13  If I shut up the heavens that there be no rain or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people;

7:14  if my people, upon whom my name is invoked, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from the heavens and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

7:15  Now my eyes shall be open and my ears attentive unto the prayer [that is made] in this place;

7:16  so that now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be in her for ever; and my eyes and my heart [shall be] there perpetually.

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

7:18  I will confirm the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have 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  I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, I will cast out of my presence, and will make it [to be] a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

7:21  And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passes by it, so that they shall say, Why has the LORD done thus unto this land and unto this house?

7:22  And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshipped 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 the LORD and his own house,

8:2  that Solomon rebuilt the cities which Hiram had given him and caused the sons of Israel to dwell there.

8:3  Then Solomon went to Hamathzobah and prevailed against it.

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

8:5  Likewise, he rebuilt Bethhoron the upper and Bethhoron the lower, fenced cities with walls, gates, and bars;

8:6  and Baalath and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the chariot cities and the cities of the horsemen and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and throughout all the land of his dominion.

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

8:8  [but] of their sons, who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel, did not consume, Solomon made them pay tribute until this day.

8:9  But of the sons of Israel Solomon did not make servants for his work, for they [were] men of war, and his princes and his captains, and princes of his chariots and horsemen.

8:10  And King Solomon had two hundred and fifty princes of the governors, who presided over the people.

8:11  And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto 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, unto which the ark of the LORD has come.

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

8:13  that each thing might be offered in its day, according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths and on the new moons and on the feasts three times in the year, [that is] in the feast of unleavened bread and in the feast of weeks and in the feast of the tabernacles.

8:14  And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, each thing in its day; the porters also by their courses at each gate, for so had David, the man of God, commanded.

8:15  And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto 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 the LORD and until it was finished. [So] the house of the LORD was perfected.

8:17  Then Solomon went to Eziongeber and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.

8:18  For Hiram had sent him ships by the hands of his servants and servants that had knowledge of the sea, and they had gone with the servants of Solomon to Ophir and had taken 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 prove Solomon with enigmas at Jerusalem, with a very great host and camels that bore spices and gold in abundance and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart.

9:2  But Solomon told her all her questions, and nothing remained that Solomon did not declare unto 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 seat of his servants and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, his butlers also and their apparel, and his sacrifices which he sacrificed in the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

9:5  And she said to the king, [It was] a true report which I heard in my own land of thy word and of thy wisdom,

9:6  but I did not believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen [it], and, behold, not even the half of the greatness of thy wisdom was told me, [for] thou dost exceed the fame that I heard.

9:7  Blessed [are] thy men and blessed [are] these thy servants, who stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom.

9:8  The LORD thy God be blessed, who delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, [to be] king for the LORD thy God because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore, he made thee king over them, to do judgment and righteousness.

9:9  And she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and of spices great abundance and precious stones; never [had there been] any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

9:10  Also the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who had brought gold from Ophir, brought brazil wood and precious stones.

9:11  And the king made [of] the brazil wood stairs to the house of the LORD and to the king's palace and harps and psalteries for the singers, and such [wood] had never been seen before in the land of Judah.

9:12  And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, more than what she had brought unto the king. Then she turned and went away to her own land with 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 land 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 each buckler.

9:16  And [he made] three hundred shields [of] beaten gold; three hundred [shekels] of gold went to each 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 stays on each side of the seat, and two lions standing by the stays.

9:19  There were also twelve lions standing on one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

9:20  And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon [were of] gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon [were of] pure gold. In the days of Solomon silver was not esteemed.

9:21  For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram, and every three years the ships came from Tarshish bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

9:22  And King Solomon passed 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, that God had put in his heart.

9:24  And of these, each his present, vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment, arms, spices, horses, and mules, every year.

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

9:26  And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt.

9:27  And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as the sycamore trees that [are] in the low plains in abundance.

9:28  And they brought unto Solomon horses 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 books of Nathan, the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah, the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo, the seer against 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 had come together in Shechem to make him king.

10:2  And when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, heard [it], who [was] in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of Solomon, the king, Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

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

10:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous; now, therefore, ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

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

10:6  Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon, his father, while he yet lived, saying, What do you counsel to reply to this people?

10:7  And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt seek the good of this people and please them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

10:8  But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

10:9  And he said unto them, What do you counsel us to reply to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

10:10  Then the young men that were brought up with him spoke unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spoke unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little [finger] is thicker than my father's loins.

10:11  For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.

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

10:13  And the king answered them roughly, [for] King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men

10:14  and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.

10:15  So the king did not hearken unto the people, for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, unto Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.

10:16  And when all Israel [saw] that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David or inheritance in the son of Jesse? Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now, David, see to thine own house! So all Israel went to their tents.

10:17  But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah.

10:18  Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who [was] over the tribute and the sons of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. So King Rehoboam made speed to get into a chariot and fled to Jerusalem.

10:19  Thus Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.:

Chapter 11

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

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

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

11:4  Thus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren; return each man to his house; for this thing is done of me. And they heard the word of the LORD and returned and did not go against Jeroboam.

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

11:6  He built Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa

11:7  and Bethzur and Shoco 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, fenced cities.

11:11  And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them and provisions and wine and oil;

11:12  and in all the cities [he put] shields and spears. He fortified them greatly, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

11:13  And the priests and the Levites that [were] in all Israel gathered unto him out of all their borders.

11:14  For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD.

11:15  And he ordained himself priests for the high places and for the demons and for the calves which he had made.

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

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

11:18  And Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, to wife, [and] Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse;

11:19  who bore him sons: Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.

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

11:21  But Rehoboam loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

11:22  And Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, as head and prince among his brethren, for [he thought] to make him king.

11:23  And he caused him to be instructed and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. And he desired many wives.:

Chapter 12

12:1  And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had confirmed the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

12:2  And it came to pass [that] in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, because they had rebelled against the LORD,

12:3  with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen; and the people [were] without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

12:4  And he took the fenced cities which [pertained] to Judah and came to Jerusalem.

12:5  Then Shemaiah, the prophet, went to Rehoboam and [to] the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus hath the LORD said, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore, I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.

12:6  And the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD [is] righteous.

12:7  And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; [therefore], I will not destroy them, but I will deliver them shortly; 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 what it is to serve me and to serve the kingdoms of the nations.

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

12:10  And in their place King Rehoboam made shields of brass and committed [them] to the hands of the princes of the guard that kept the entrance of the king's house.

12:11  And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and brought them, and [afterward] they returned them again into the guard chamber.

12:12  And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him that he would not destroy [him] altogether; and also in Judah things went well.

12:13  So King Rehoboam was strengthened and reigned in Jerusalem; and Rehoboam [was] forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name [was] Naamah, an Ammonitess.

12:14  And he did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.

12:15  Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, [are] they not written in the book of Shemaiah, the prophet, and of Iddo, the seer concerning genealogies? And [there was] war 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  Now in the year eighteen of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.

13:2  He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name [was] Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

13:3  And Abijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, [being] mighty men of valour.

13:4  And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which [is] in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel;

13:5  do ye not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, unto 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, is risen up and has rebelled against his lord.

13:7  And there are gathered unto him vain men, the sons of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted and could not withstand them.

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

13:9  Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and have made you priests 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 become a priest of those that are not gods.

13:10  But as for us, the LORD [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, [are] the sons of Aaron, and the Levites [wait] upon [their] business;

13:11  and they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and aromatic incense, and they place the showbread upon the clean table, and the candlestick of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but ye have forsaken him.

13:12  And, behold, God himself [is] with us for [our] captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for ye shall not prosper.

13:13  But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them; so they were before Judah, and the ambush [was] behind them.

13:14  So when Judah looked back, behold, the battle [was] before and behind; and they cried unto the LORD, 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 slew 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 humbled at that time, and the sons of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

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

13:20  Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the LORD struck him, and he died.

13:21  But Abijah waxed mighty and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

13:22  And the rest of the acts of Abijah and his ways and his words [are] written in the story 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 had rest ten years.

14:2  And Asa did [that which was] good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God,

14:3  for he took away the altars of the strange [gods] and the high places and broke down the images and cut down the groves

14:4  and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and they fulfilled the law and the commandments.

14:5  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom had rest before him.

14:6  And he built fenced cities in Judah, for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years because the LORD had given him rest.

14:7  Therefore, he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities and make about [them] walls and towers, gates, and bars, now that the land [is] ours; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and were prospered.

14:8  And Asa had an army [of men] that bore shields 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 valour.

14:9  And there came out against them Zerah, the Ethiopian, with a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots and came unto Mareshah.

14:10  Then Asa went out against him, and they ordered the battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

14:11  And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many or with those that have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; do not let man prevail against thee.

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

14:13  And Asa and the people that [were] with him pursued them unto Gerar, and the Ethiopians were overthrown until there were none [left] alive, for they were destroyed before the LORD and before his host, and they carried away very much spoil.

14:14  And they smote all the cities round about Gerar, for the fear of the LORD came upon them; and they spoiled all the cities, for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

14:15  They smote also the booths of livestock and carried away sheep and camels in abundance 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 unto him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD [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  For many days Israel [has been] without the true God, and without a priest and without a teacher and without law,

15:4  but when they in their trouble turned unto the LORD God of Israel and sought him, he was found of them.

15:5  And in those times [there was] no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great destruction upon all the inhabitants of the lands.

15:6  And one Gentile destroyed the other, and one city the other; for God discomforted them with all adversity.

15:7  Be ye strong, therefore, and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.

15:8  And when Asa heard the words and prophecy of Oded, the prophet, he was comforted and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin and out of the cities which he had taken in Mount Ephraim and repaired the altar of the LORD, that [was] before the porch of the LORD.

15:9  And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon, for many of Israel had gone over to him, when they saw that the LORD 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 offered unto the LORD the same day, of the spoil [which] they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

15:12  And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

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

15:14  And they swore unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting and with trumpets and with shofar.

15:15  And all those of Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them; and the LORD gave them rest round about.

15:16  And also [concerning] Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from [being] queen because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa cut down her idol and stamped [it] and burnt [it] at the Brook Kidron.

15:17  But with all this 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 until the year thirty-five of the reign of Asa.:

Chapter 16

16:1  In the year thirty-six of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let no one go out or come in to Asa, king of Judah.

16:2  Then Asa brought out the silver and the gold out of the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent unto Benhadad, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

16:3  [There is] a covenant between me and thee, as [there was] 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 Benhadad hearkened unto King Asa and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they smote Ijon and Dan and Abelmaim and all the store cities of Naphtali.

16:5  And when Baasha heard [it], he left off building of 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 thereof, with which Baasha was building, 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 unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore, the host of the king of Syria has escaped out of thy hands.

16:8  Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thy hand.

16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of [those] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly, for from now on thou shalt have wars.

16:10  Then Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in the prison house, for [he was] in a rage with him because of this [thing]. And Asa killed [some] of the people at the same time.

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

16:12  And Asa in the year thirty-nine of his reign was diseased from his feet up; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.

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

16:14  And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and aromas prepared by the apothecaries' art; and they made a very great burning for him.:

Chapter 17

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

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

17:3  And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and sought not unto the Baalim

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

17:5  Therefore, the LORD confirmed the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought Jehoshaphat presents, and he had riches and glory in abundance.

17:6  And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD, and he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

17:7  Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

17:8  And with them [he sent] the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites, and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.

17:9  And they taught in Judah and [had] the book of the law of the LORD with them and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

17:10  And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that [were] round about Judah, so that they did not dare to make war against Jehoshaphat.

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

17:12  And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store.

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

17:14  And these [are] the numbers of them according to the houses of their fathers: In Judah, princes of thousands; the prince Adnah and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valour;

17:15  and after him, Prince Jehohanan and with him two hundred and eighty thousand;

17:16  after him, Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour;

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

17:18  after him, Jehozabad and with him one hundred and eighty thousand ready and prepared for the war.

17:19  These were servants of the king, besides [those] whom the king had put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.:

Chapter 18

18:1  Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and married into the family of Ahab.

18:2  And after [a few] years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded him to go up [with him] to Ramothgilead.

18:3  And Ahab, king of Israel, said unto Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I [am] as thou [art] and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war.

18:4  And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today.

18:5  Therefore, the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.

18:6  But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] yet here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire by him?

18:7  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man here, by whom we may enquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good unto me, but always evil; the same [is] Micaiah, the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

18:8  So the king of Israel called for a eunuch and said, Bring quickly Micaiah, the son of Imla.

18:9  And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, were each sitting on their thrones, clothed in [their] robes, and they sat in the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

18:10  And Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, had made himself horns of iron and said, Thus hath the LORD said, With these thou shalt push Syria until they are consumed.

18:11  And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead and be prospered, for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

18:12  And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

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

18:14  And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up, and ye shall be prospered; they shall be delivered into your hands.

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

18:16  Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd; and the LORD said, These have no master; let each one return 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 unto me, but evil?

18:18  So he said, Therefore, hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of the heavens standing on his right hand and [on] his left.

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

18:20  Then a spirit came out and stood before the LORD and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, In what manner?

18:21  And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the LORD] said, Thou shalt entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail; go out and do [even] so.

18:22  Now, therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD has decreed 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 the LORD depart from me to speak unto thee?

18:24  And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.

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

18:26  and say, Thus hath the king said, 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 certainly return in peace, [then] the LORD has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye peoples.

18:28  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramothgilead.

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

18:30  Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that [were] with him, saying, Fight not with small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.

18:31  And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore, they compassed about him to fight; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God separated them from him.

18:32  And when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they withdrew from pursuing him.

18:33  But a [certain] man drew a bow in all his perfection and smote the king of Israel between the joints of [his] coat of mail; therefore, he said to his chariot man, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the camp, for I am wounded.

18:34  And the battle increased that day; howbeit, the king of Israel stayed [himself] up in [his] chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and about the time of the sun going down 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 ungodly and love those that hate the LORD? Therefore, the wrath of the presence of the LORD shall be upon thee.

19:3  Nevertheless, good things have been found in thee, in that thou hast burned down the groves of the land and hast prepared thy heart to seek God.

19:4  And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.

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

19:6  and said to the judges, Take heed what ye do, for ye do not judge for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the word of judgment.

19:7  Therefore, now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it], for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.

19:8  Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat placed [some] of the Levites and [of] the priests and of the heads of the fathers of Israel for the judgment of the LORD and for controversies. And they returned to Jerusalem.

19:9  And he charged them, saying, Ye shall proceed thus in the fear of the LORD, in truth and with a perfect heart.

19:10  In whatever case that shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes or rights, ye shall warn them lest they become guilty against the LORD so that wrath will not come upon you and upon your brethren. Doing thus, ye shall not be guilty.

19:11  Behold, Amariah, the high priest, who shall be over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, prince of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters; and the Levites [who shall be] teachers before you. Take courage and do, for the LORD shall be with the good.:

Chapter 20

20:1  It came to pass after this also [that] the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon and with them [others] besides the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

20:2  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and from Syria; and, behold, they [are] in Hazazontamar, which [is] Engedi.

20:3  Then Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

20:4  And Judah gathered themselves together, to consult the LORD; and out of all the cities of Judah they came to consult the LORD.

20:5  And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

20:6  and said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in the heavens and dost thou [not] rule in all the kingdoms of the Gentiles? Is there not power and might in thy hand so that no one is able to withstand thee?

20:7  [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and didst give it to the seed of Abraham, thy friend, for ever?

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

20:9  If evil comes upon us or the sword of judgment or pestilence or famine, we shall stand before this house and in thy presence (for thy name [is] in this house) and cry unto thee out of our tribulations, and thou wilt hear us and save us.

20:10  And now, behold, the sons of Ammon and of Moab and [those of] Mount Seir, whose [land] thou would not let Israel enter when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them;

20:11  behold they reward us by coming to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

20:12  O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; we do not know what to do; but our eyes are [fixed] upon thee.

20:13  And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

20:14  Then upon Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

20:15  and he said, Hearken, all Judah, and [ye] inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Do not be afraid nor dismayed before this great multitude, for the battle [is] not yours, but God's.

20:16  Tomorrow ye shall go down against them; behold, they shall come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them next to the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

20:17  Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle[; set yourselves, stand [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you. O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, neither be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD [shall be] with you.

20:18  Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with [his] face to the ground, and likewise all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

20:19  And the Levites, of the sons of the Kohath and of the sons of the Korah, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20:20  And when they arose early in the morning and while they were going forth into the wilderness of Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe the LORD your God, and ye shall be secure; believe his prophets, and ye shall be prospered.

20:21  And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed some to sing unto the LORD and to praise in the beauty of holiness, while the army went out and to say, Praise the LORD, for his mercy [endures] for ever.

20:22  And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set the sons of Moab and those of Mount Seir to ambush the sons of Ammon, who were coming against Judah; and they smote [one another].

20:23  And the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy [them]; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, each one helped his companion to kill himself.

20:24  And when Judah came to the watch tower of the wilderness, they looked for the multitude, and, behold, they [were] fallen to the earth dead, for none had escaped.

20:25  And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to spoil them, they found among them an abundance of riches and of dead bodies and clothing and precious vessels which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering in the spoil, it was so much.

20:26  And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD; therefore, they called the name of that place, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

20:27  Then they returned, those of Judah and those of Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat at their head, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

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

20:29  And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the land when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

20:30  So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat had rest, for his God gave him rest round about.

20:31  Thus 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 depart from it, doing [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD.

20:33  With all this the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

20:34  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who [is] mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

20:35  After these things, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was given over to wickedness;

20:36  he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Eziongeber.

20:37  Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD shall destroy thy works. And the ships were broken, and they were not able to go to Tarshish.:

Chapter 21

21:1  Now 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 brethren, sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these [were] the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel.

21:3  And their father had given them great gifts of silver and of gold and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he [was] the firstborn.

21:4  Now Jehoram rose up against the kingdom of his father, and he strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword and likewise [some] of the princes 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, like as did the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he wrought [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD.

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

21:8  In his days Edom rebelled from under the dominion of Judah and made themselves a king.

21:9  Then Jehoram went forth with his princes and all his chariots with him, and he rose up by night and smote Edom who had compassed him in and all the captains of the chariots.

21:10  With all this Edom [remained in] rebellion, out from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Libnah also rebelled at the same time to not be under his hand because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

21:11  Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication and compelled Judah [unto this].

21:12  And a writing came to him from Elijah, the prophet, that said this: Thus hath LORD, the God of David, thy father, said, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah,

21:13  but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fornicate, like unto the fornication of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, [who were] better than thyself,

21:14  behold, the LORD shall smite thy people with a great plague, and thy sons and thy wives and all thy goods;

21:15  and thou [shalt have] great sickness, with disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

21:16  Then the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians, that [were] near the Ethiopians;

21:17  and they came up against Judah and invaded the land and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also and his wives so that none of his sons remained except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

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

21:19  And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness; so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like they had done for his fathers.

21:20  He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years and departed without being desired. And they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres 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 that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the elder [sons]. So Ahazia the son of Jehoram, king of Judah reigned.

22:2  Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. 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 counsellor to do wickedly.

22:4  Therefore, he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counsellors, after the death of his father, to his destruction.

22:5  And He walked after their counsel and went with Jehoram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Hazael, king of Syria at Ramothgilead, where the Syrians smote Joram.

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

22:7  But this was of God so that Ahaziah would be tread under foot by coming to Joram; for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram [to encounter] Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

22:8  And it came to pass that when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab and found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

22:9  And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (for he had hid himself in Samaria) and brought him to Jehu; and when they had slain him, they buried him, Because, they said, He [is] the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no strength to be able to retain the kingdom.

22:10  So 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 from among the king's sons that were being slain, and kept 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 slew him not.

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 the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

23:3  And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son who shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David.

23:4  This [is] the thing that ye must do: A third part of you, those who enter on the sabbath, [shall be] porters at the doors with the priests and the Levites;

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 the LORD.

23:6  But let no one come into the house of the LORD, except the priests and the Levites that minister; they shall go in, for they [are] holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

23:7  And the Levites shall compass the king round about, each one shall have his weapons in his hand; and whoever else comes into the house shall be put to death; and ye shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

23:8  So the Levites and all Judah did according to all the things that Jehoiada, the priest, had commanded, and each one took his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath with those that were to go [out] on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the courses.

23:9  Moreover, Jehoiada, the priest, delivered to the captains of hundreds 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 in order, each one having 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 said, [Long] live the king.

23:12  Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running of those that were praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

23:13  And she looked and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entrance and the princes and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced and sounded with trumpets, and those that knew how to praise sang with instruments of music. Then Athaliah rent her clothes and said, Treason, Treason.

23:14  Then Jehoiada, the priest, brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host and said unto them, Remove her from the order of the house, and whoever follows her, let them be slain with the sword. For the priest had commanded, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

23:15  So they laid hands on her, and she entered into the entrance of the horse gate of the king's house, and they slew her there.

23:16  And Jehoiada made a covenant between him and between all the people and between the king that they should be the LORD'S people.

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

23:18  Also Jehoiada ordered the offices of the house of the LORD under the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as [it is] written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, [as it was ordained] by David.

23:19  He also set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD so that there should be no way for anyone [who was] unclean to enter in.

23:20  Then he took the captains of hundreds and the nobles and those that governed the people and all the people of the land and brought down the king from the house of the LORD; and they came through the high gate into the king's house and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

23:21  And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at rest after 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. His mother's name [was] Zibiah of Beersheba.

24:2  And Joash did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada, the priest.

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

24:4  And it came to pass after this [that] Joash desired to repair the house of the LORD.

24:5  And he gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and be diligent in this matter. However the Levites were not diligent.

24:6  Therefore the king called for Jehoiada, the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem unto the tabernacle of the testimony the collection, [according to the commandment] of Moses, the servant of the LORD and of the congregation of Israel?

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

24:8  And at the king's commandment they made an ark and set it outside at the gate of the house of the LORD.

24:9  And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring in to the LORD the collection [that] Moses the servant of God [laid] upon Israel in the wilderness.

24:10  And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought in and cast into the ark until they had fulfilled [their duty].

24:11  Now it came to pass, that at what time the ark was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites and when they saw that [there was] much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the ark and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day and gathered money in abundance.

24:12  And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those that did the work of the service of the house of the LORD and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD and also those that wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.

24:13  So the workmen wrought, and by their hands the work was done, and they restored the house of God and strengthened it.

24:14  And when they had finished [it], they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, of which they made vessels for the house of the LORD, vessels to minister and to offer [with], and spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

24:15  But Jehoiada waxed old and was full of days when he died; he was one 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, both toward God and toward his house.

24:17  Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and worshiped the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

24:18  And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for their guilt.

24:19  Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the LORD, and they testified against them, but they would not give ear.

24:20  And the Spirit of God clothed himself in Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, who being over the people, said unto them, Thus hath God said, Why do ye transgress the commandments of the LORD? Ye shall not prosper in this; for because ye have forsaken the LORD, he shall also forsake 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 the LORD.

24:22  Thus Joash, the king, did not remember the mercy which Jehoiada, his father, had done to him but slew his son; who said when he died, The LORD look upon [it] and require [it].

24:23  And at the end of the year, the host of Syria came up against him, and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

24:24  For [even though] the army of the Syrians had come with a small company of men, the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgments against Joash.

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

24:26  Those that conspired against him were Zabad, the son of Shimeath, an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad, the son of Shimrith, a Moabitess.

24:27  Now [concerning] his sons, and of the multiplication that he did of the taxes and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they [are] written in the story 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. His mother's name [was] Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

25:2  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

25:3  For when he was confirmed in the kingdom, he slew his servants that had killed the king, his father.

25:4  But he slew not their children, but [did] as [it is] written in the law in the book of Moses where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.

25:5  Moreover, Amaziah gathered Judah together and made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of [their] fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above and found them three hundred thousand choice [men], [able] to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

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

25:7  But a man of God came unto him, saying, O king, do not let not the army of Israel go with thee, for the LORD [is] not with Israel [nor] with all the sons of Ephraim.

25:8  But if thou wilt go, if thou wilt do [it], and strengthen thyself for the battle, God shall make thee fall before the enemy; for in God is the strength, to help or to cast down.

25:9  Then 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, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

25:10  Then Amaziah separated the army of those that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again; therefore, their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

25:11  And Amaziah strengthened himself and led forth his people and went to the valley of salt and smote of the sons of Seir, ten thousand.

25:12  And the sons of Judah took [another] ten thousand alive, whom they took unto the top of the rock and cast them down from the top of the rock, and they were all broken in pieces.

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

25:14  Now after Amaziah came back from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up [to be] his gods and bowed down before them and burned incense unto them.

25:15  Therefore, the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent him a prophet who said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of a people who could not deliver their own people out of thy hand?

25:16  And as [the prophet] was speaking these things unto him, he said unto him, Art thou appointed as the king's counsel? Forbear; why should thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare and said, I know that God has determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkened unto 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 see one another face to 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 behold, the wild beasts that [were] in Lebanon, passed by, and trode down the thistle.

25:19  Thou sayest, Behold, I have smitten Edom; and [with this thy] heart lifts thee up to boast; abide 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 [came] 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 the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another face to face, [both] he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which is of Judah.

25:22  But Judah fell before Israel, and they fled each man to his tent.

25:23  And Joash, the king of Israel, took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, 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 the silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

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

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

25:27  From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish, but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew 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  Then 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 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. His mother's name [was] Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

26:4  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

26:5  And he persisted in seeking God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and in those days that he sought the LORD, God prospered him.

26:6  For 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 built cities about Ashdod and among the Philistines.

26:7  And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal and against the Mehunims.

26:8  And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah; and his name spread abroad [even] to the entrance of Egypt, for he strengthened [himself] exceedingly.

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

26:10  He also built towers in the desert and dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the low country and in the plains, husbandmen [also] and vine dressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.

26:11  Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men that went out to war in companies, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel, the scribe, and Maaseiah, the governor, under the hand of Hananiah, [one] of the king's princes.

26:12  The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour [were] two thousand six hundred.

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

26:14  And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields and spears and helmets and coats of mail and bows and slings [to cast] stones.

26:15  And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks to shoot arrows and great stones with. And his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

26:16  But when he was strengthened, his heart lifted itself up unto corruption, for he rebelled against the LORD his God, entering into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

26:17  And Azariah, the priest, went in after him, and with him eighty priests of the LORD, [that were] valiant men.

26:18  And they withstood Uzziah, the king, and said unto him, [It does] not [pertain] unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense; go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast rebelled; neither [shall it be] for thy glory before the LORD God.

26:19  Then Uzziah was angry and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense; and in this his anger with the priests, the leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, next to 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 from there, and he also hastened to go out because the LORD had smitten him.

26:21  And Uzziah, the king, was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, [being] a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD; 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 were written by Isaiah, the prophet, the son of Amoz.

26:23  So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the royal burial field, 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. His mother's name [was] Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.

27:2  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did; however, he did not enter into the temple of the LORD. But the people corrupted themselves yet.

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

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

27:5  He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the sons of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver and ten thousand measures of wheat and ten thousand of barley. So much did the sons of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year and the third.

27:6  So Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the LORD 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; but he did not do [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, like David, his father.

28:2  To the contrary he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made molten images unto Baalim.

28:3  Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of the sons of Hinnom and burnt his sons in the fire, after the abominations of the Gentiles whom the LORD had cast out before the sons of Israel.

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

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

28:6  For Pekah, the son of Remaliah, slew in Judah one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [who were] all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

28:7  And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah, the king's son, and Azrikam, the governor of the house, and Elkanah, second after the king.

28:8  And the sons of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, in addition to taking much spoil from them, which they brought to Samaria.

28:9  But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name [was] Oded; and he went out before the host that came to Samaria and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage. [This] reaches up unto heaven.

28:10  And now ye purpose to keep subject the sons of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you, [but] are ye not guilty against the LORD your God?

28:11  Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of the LORD [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 that came from the war

28:13  and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives here, for the sin against the LORD shall be upon us. Ye intend to add [more] to our sins and to our guilt, for our guilt is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Israel.

28:14  So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.

28:15  And the men which were expressed by name rose up and took the captives, and, with the spoil, clothed all that were naked among them and arrayed them and shod them and gave them to eat and to drink and anointed them and carried all the feeble of them upon asses and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren; then they returned to Samaria.

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

28:17  For in addition to this, the Edomites had come and smitten Judah and carried away captives.

28:18  The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country and towards the Negev of Judah and had taken Bethshemesh and Ajalon and Gederoth and Shocho with the its villages and Timnah with its villages, Gimzo also and its villages, and they dwelt in them.

28:19  For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made Judah naked and had completely rebelled against the LORD.

28:20  And Tilgathpilneser, king of Assyria, came unto him, and distressed him but did not strengthen him.

28:21  For even though Ahaz took away a portion [out] of the house of the LORD and [out] of the house of the king and of the princes and gave [it] unto the king of Assyria, he did not help him.

28:22  Furthermore, king Ahaz in the time of his distress trespassed even more against the LORD,

28:23  for he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, who had smitten him, and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them; [therefore], I will [also] 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 the LORD, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

28:25  And in all the cities of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

28:26  Now the rest of his acts and of 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 of Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the sepulchres 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. His mother's name [was] Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

29:2  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, 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 the LORD and repaired them.

29:4  And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the east plaza

29:5  and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and ye shall sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers and carry forth the filthiness out of the sanctuary.

29:6  For our fathers have rebelled and done [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, for [they] have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned [their] backs.

29:7  They even shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the sanctuary unto the God of Israel.

29:8  Therefore, the wrath of the LORD has come upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

29:9  For, behold, 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 the LORD God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

29:11  My sons, do not deceive yourselves, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should be his ministers and burn incense unto him.

29:12  Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel, the son of Azariah, of the sons of Kohath; and of the sons of Merari, Kish, the son of Abdi, and Azariah, the son of Jehalelel; and of the sons of Gershon; Joah, the son of Zimmah, and Eden, the son of Joah;

29:13  and of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri and Jeiel; and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah and Mattaniah;

29:14  and of the sons of Heman; Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah and Uzziel.

29:15  And they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselves and entered in, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

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

29:17  Now they began to sanctify on the first [day] of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the porch of the LORD; and they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

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

29:19  Likewise we have prepared and sanctified all the vessels, which King Ahaz in his reign cast away in his transgression, and, behold, they [are] before the altar of the LORD.

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

29:21  And they offered seven bullocks and seven rams and seven lambs and seven he goats, for the sin of the kingdom and of the sanctuary and of Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer [them] on the altar of the LORD.

29:22  So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled [it] on the altar; likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar; they also killed the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

29:23  And they brought forth the he goats of the sin before the king and the congregation, and they laid their hands upon them;

29:24  and the priests killed them, and they removed the sin with their blood upon the altar, to reconcile all Israel, for the king commanded [that] the burnt offering and [the atonement] for sin [should be offered] for all Israel.

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

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

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

29:28  And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpets sounded; [and] all [this continued] until the burnt offering was finished.

29:29  And when they had finished offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped.

29:30  Moreover, Hezekiah, the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph, the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshipped.

29:31  Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and praises in the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and praises, and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

29:32  And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was seventy bullocks, one hundred rams, [and] two hundred lambs; all these [were] for the burnt offering of the LORD.

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 flay all the burnt offerings; therefore, their brethren, the Levites, helped them until the work was ended and until the [other] 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 the drink offerings for [every] burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

29:36  And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared 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 the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

30:2  For the king had taken counsel with his princes and with all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

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

30:4  And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

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 unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem because for a long [time] they had not done it as it is written.

30:6  So the posts went with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye sons of Israel, return unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

30:7  Do not be like your fathers, and like your brethren, who rebelled against the LORD God of their fathers and he gave them over to desolation, as ye see.

30:8  Therefore, do not be stiffnecked as your fathers [were], [but] yield yourselves unto the LORD and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

30:9  For if ye return unto the LORD, your brethren and your children [shall find] mercy before those that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land, for the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful and will not turn away [his] face from you if ye return unto him.

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

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

30:12  Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, according to the word of the LORD.

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

30:14  And they arose and took away the altars that [were] in Jerusalem, and they [also] took away all the altars for incense 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 sanctified themselves with shame and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

30:16  And they put themselves in order according to the ordinance, according to the law of Moses, the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood, [which they received] of the hands of the Levites.

30:17  For [there were] yet many in the congregation that were not sanctified; therefore, the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for each one [that was] not clean, to sanctify [them] unto the LORD.

30:18  For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, and they ate the passover not as it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon each one

30:19  [that] has prepared his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, even though [he is] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

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

30:21  Thus, the sons of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the solemnity of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD, day by day, with instruments of strength unto the LORD.

30:22  And Hezekiah spoke unto the heart of all the Levites that had good understanding to [serve] the LORD, and they ate [the sacrifices] of the feast for seven days, offering sacrifices of peace and giving thanks unto the LORD God of their fathers.

30:23  And the whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept [another] seven days with gladness.

30:24  For Hezekiah, king of Judah, had given to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

30:25  And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that 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 the dwelling place of his sanctuary, unto heaven.:

Chapter 31

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

31:2  And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace [offerings], to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

31:3  The king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings was the morning and evening burnt offerings and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the solemn feasts, as [it is] written in the law of the LORD.

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

31:5  And as soon as the commandment burst [forth and multiplied], an abundance of firstfruits of grain, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field was multiplied unto the sons of Israel; and likewise, they brought in the tithe, of all things in abundance.

31:6  Also the sons of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, gave in the same manner the tithe of the cows and the sheep, and the tithe of that which was sanctified of the things which had been promised unto the LORD their God, and laid [them] in heaps.

31:7  In the third month they began to found those heaps, and they finished [them] in the seventh month.

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

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

31:10  And Azariah, the high priest of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since [the people] began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have eaten and been satisfied and have had an abundance left over; for the LORD has blessed his people, and that which is left [is] this great store.

31:11  Then Hezekiah commanded that they prepare chambers in the house of the LORD, and they prepared [them]

31:12  and brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated [things] faithfully, over which Cononiah, the Levite, [was] ruler and Shimei, his brother, [was] second.

31:13  And Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah [were] overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment 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 toward the east, [was] over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD and the most holy things.

31:15  And at his hand [were] Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to faithfully give their brethren [their parts] according to their courses, to the great the same as to the small.

31:16  Besides that which is counted for the males from three years old and upward, unto all that entered into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their ministry in their charges according to their courses;

31:17  both to those numbered among the priests by the house of their fathers and among the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

31:18  [and] likewise unto those of their generation with all their little ones, their wives, and their sons and daughters, through all the congregation, for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.

31:19  Likewise, to the sons of Aaron, the priests, [who were] in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in all the cities, the men that were expressed by name, gave portions to all the males among the priests and to all the lineage of the Levites.

31:20  And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah and wrought [that which was] good and right and true before the LORD 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, he sought God and he did [it] with all his heart and was prospered.:

Chapter 32

32:1  After these things and [after] this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities and thought to break them up.

32:2  And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

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

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

32:5  Also he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken and caused the towers to be raised up, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo [in] the city of David, and made swords and shields in abundance.

32:6  And he set captains of war over the people and gathered them together to him in the plaza of the gate of the city and spoke unto their heart, saying,

32:7  Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that [is] with him, for [there are] more with us than with him.

32:8  With him [is] an arm of flesh, but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people were upheld by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

32:9  After this Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he [himself laid siege] against Lachish, and all his power with him) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that [were] at Jerusalem, saying,

32:10  Thus hath said Sennacherib, king of Assyria, In whom do ye trust that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?

32:11  Does not Hezekiah deceive you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall 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 burn incense upon it?

32:13  Have ye not known what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of [other] lands? Could peradventure the gods of the Gentiles of those lands deliver their lands out of my hand?

32:14  Who [was there] among all the gods of those Gentiles that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of my hands? Why should your God be able to deliver you out of my hand?

32:15  Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you in this matter neither believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hands and out of the hands of my fathers; how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?

32:16  And his servants spoke yet [more] against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.

32:17  In addition to this, he wrote letters that blasphemed the LORD God of Israel and spoke against him, saying, As the gods of the Gentiles of [other] lands could not deliver their people out of my hand, neither shall the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand.

32:18  Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that [were] on the wall, to make them afraid and to trouble them, that they might take the city.

32:19  And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, [which were] the work of the hands of man.

32:20  And for this [cause] Hezekiah, the king, and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

32:21  And the LORD sent an angel who cut off all the mighty men of valour and the captains and the princes in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And as he entered into the house of his god, those that had come forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

32:22  Thus, the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hands of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from the hands of all [others] and guided them concerning everything.

32:23  And many brought a present unto the LORD to Jerusalem and precious gifts unto Hezekiah, king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all the Gentiles from then on.

32:24  In those days Hezekiah was sick unto the death and prayed to the LORD, who responded to him and gave him a sign.

32:25  But Hezekiah did not render again according to the benefit [done] unto him, for his heart lifted itself up; therefore there was wrath against him and against 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 the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

32:27  And Hezekiah had exceedingly great riches and honour, and he made himself treasures of silver and of gold and of precious stones and of spices and of shields and of all manner of pleasant vessels,

32:28  storehouses also for the increase of grain and wine and oil and stalls for all manner of beasts and places for cattle.

32:29  Moreover, he made himself cities and possessions of sheep and cows in abundance, for God had given him great substance.

32:30  This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was prospered in all that he did.

32:31  However, because of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that had happened 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 mercy, behold, they [are] written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, [and] in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

32:33  And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour 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 the LORD, according to the abominations of the Gentiles, whom the LORD had cast out before the sons of Israel.

33:3  For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah, his father, had broken down, and he raised up altars for the Baalim and made groves and worshipped all the host of the heavens and served them.

33:4  He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

33:5  He likewise built altars for all the host of the heavens in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

33:6  And he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the valley of the sons of Hinnom; he also observed times, used enchantments, and was given over to witchcraft, consulting with spiritists and with diviners; he multiplied in doing much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

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

33:8  neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers under the condition that they take, keep, and do all that I have commanded them, the whole law, the statutes and the rights by the hand of Moses.

33:9  So Manasseh deceived Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to do more evil than the Gentiles, whom the LORD had destroyed before the sons of Israel.

33:10  And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken.

33:11  Therefore, the LORD brought upon them the princes of the host of the king of Assyria who took Manasseh and bound him with fetters of brass and carried him to Babylon.

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

33:13  and when he prayed unto him, he was heard; for he heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD [was] God.

33:14  Now after, this he built the wall outside the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, and at the entrance of the fish gate, and fenced Ophel and raised it up to a very great height and put captains of the army in all the fenced cities of Judah.

33:15  Likewise, he took away the strange gods and the idol out of the house of the LORD and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem and cast [them] out of the city.

33:16  And he repaired the altar of the LORD and sacrificed upon it sacrifices of peace and of praise and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.

33:17  Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed in the high places, [yet] unto the LORD their God only.

33:18  Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they [are written] in the acts of the kings of Israel.

33:19  His prayer also and how he was heard, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places upon which he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he humbled himself; behold, these things are written among the words of the seers.

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 reigned two years in Jerusalem.

33:22  But he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done, for Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh, his father, had made, and served them.

33:23  But he never humbled himself before the LORD as Manasseh, his father, humbled himself; to the contrary Amon multiplied the guilt.

33:24  And his servants conspired against him and slew him in his own house.

33:25  But the people of the land slew all those that 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 in Jerusalem thirty-one years.

34:2  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of David, his father, and declined [neither] to the right hand, nor 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 groves and the graven images and the molten images.

34:4  And they broke down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the images [of the sun], that [were] on high above them, he cut down; and the groves and the graven images and the molten images, he broke in pieces and made dust [of them] and scattered [it] upon the graves of those that had sacrificed unto them.

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

34:6  [He did the same] in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their swords round about.

34:7  And when he had broken down the altars and the groves and had beaten the graven images into powder and cut down all the idols [of the sun] throughout all the land of Israel, he 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 writer of chronicles, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

34:9  And they went to Hilkiah, the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim and of all the remnant of Israel and of all Judah and Benjamin, having [then] returned to Jerusalem.

34:10  And they put [it] in the hand of those that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and restore the house.

34:11  They [also] gave to the craftsmen and builders, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and for the woodwork of 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 Kohath, to set [it] forward; and [others of] the Levites, all those with understanding in instruments of music.

34:13  Also [they were] over the bearers of burdens and [were] overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service; and of the Levites [there were] scribes, and officers, and porters.

34:14  And when they brought out the money that had been brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah, the priest, found the book of the law of the LORD [given] by the hand of Moses.

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

34:16  And Shaphan carried the book to the king and brought the king word back again, saying, Thy servants have fulfilled all that was committed unto them to do.

34:17  And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have delivered it into the hand of those who were commissioned and to the hand of the workmen.

34:18  Then Shaphan, the scribe, told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest, has given me a book. And Shaphan read in it before the king.

34:19  And when the king heard the words of the law, he rent 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, a servant of the king's, saying,

34:21  Go, enquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant of Israel and of Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found, for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all the things that are written in this book.

34:22  Then Hilkiah and those of the king went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the house of doctrine); and they spoke to her to that [effect].

34:23  And she answered them, The LORD God of Israel hath said thus, Tell the man that sent you to me,

34:24  that thus hath the LORD said, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants 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 sacrificed unto other gods, provoking me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore, my wrath shall be poured out upon this place and shall not be quenched.

34:26  But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus hath the LORD God of Israel said, [Because] thou hast heard the words [of the book],

34:27  and thy heart became tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, hearing his words against this place and against its inhabitants [and] didst humble thyself before me and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

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

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

34:30  And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and with him all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites and all the people, 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 the LORD.

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

34:32  And he caused all that were present 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 lands that [pertained] to the sons of Israel and made all that were present in Israel serve the LORD their God [only]. [And] all his days they did not depart from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.:

Chapter 35

35:1  Moreover, Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem and they killed the passover on the fourteenth [day] of the first month.

35:2  And he set the priests in their charges and confirmed them in the ministry of the house of the LORD

35:3  and said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, built, that ye not carry it any longer upon your shoulders; serve now the LORD your God and his people Israel

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

35:5  And stand in the sanctuary according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren, the people, and [after] the division of the families of the Levites.

35:6  So kill the passover and sanctify yourselves and prepare your brethren, that [they] may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

35:7  And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks; these [were] of the king's substance.

35:8  And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand six hundred [sheep] and three hundred oxen.

35:9  Conaniah, likewise, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, princes of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the sacrifices of the passover five thousand [sheep], and five hundred oxen.

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

35:11  And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled [the blood taken] from the hands of the Levites [who] flayed [them].

35:12  And they took away [part of the animals that they had] for the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, for them to offer unto the LORD, as [it is] written in the book of Moses. And [they did], likewise, with the oxen.

35:13  And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance, but that which had been sanctified, they cooked in pots and in caldrons and in pans and divided [them] speedily among all the people.

35:14  And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were occupied in the sacrifice of the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore, the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

35:15  Likewise, 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 [waited] at every gate; it was not necessary for them to depart from their ministry, for their brethren, the Levites, prepared for them.

35:16  So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover and to sacrifice the burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of King Josiah.

35:17  And the sons of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time and the solemn feast of unleavened bread for seven days.

35:18  And there was no passover like unto 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, together with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

35:19  In the year eighteen of the reign of Josiah, this passover was kept.

35:20  After all this, when Josiah had prepared the house, Necho, king of Egypt, came up to fight against Carchemish by 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 do] not [come] against thee this day, but against the house that makes war with me, for God commanded me to make haste. Forbear 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 did not hearken unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight him in the valley of Megiddo.

35:23  And the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, Take me away, for I am sore wounded.

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

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

35:26  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his mercy, according to [that which was] written in the law of the LORD,

35:27  and his deeds, 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  Jehoahaz [was] twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

36:3  And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem and condemned the land in one 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 Necho took Jehoahaz, 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 the LORD his God.

36:6  And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against him and bound him with [fetters of] brass; he carried him to Babylon.

36:7  Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD 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 the LORD.

36:10  And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and caused him to be brought to Babylon with the precious vessels of the house of the LORD and made Zedekiah, his brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

36:11  Zedekiah [was] twenty-one years old when he began to reign and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

36:12  And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD his God [and] did not humble himself before Jeremiah, the prophet, [who spoke unto him] from the mouth of the LORD.

36:13  He rebelled, likewise, against King Nebuchadnezzar, unto whom he had sworn by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

36:14  Moreover, all the princes of the priests and the people increased the rebellion, rebelling according to all the abominations of the Gentiles and polluting the house of the LORD which he had sanctified in Jerusalem.

36:15  And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by the hand of 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 misused his prophets until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, and there [was] no remedy.

36:17  Therefore, he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave [them] all into his hands.

36:18  Likewise, all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king and of his princes; 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 its palaces with fire and destroyed all its desirable vessels.

36:20  And those that escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia,

36:21  to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had fulfilled her sabbaths; for all the time of her desolation she rested until the seventy years were fulfilled.

36:22  But in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the LORD [spoken] by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and [put it] also in writing, saying,

36:23  Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The LORD God of the heavens has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who [is there] among you of all his people? [Let] the LORD his God [be] with him, and let him go up.: