11  And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his

kingdom and the LORD his God was with him and magnified him

exceedingly .

 12  Then Solomon spake unto all Israel to the captains of

thousands and of hundreds and to the judges and to every

governor in all Israel the chief of the fathers .

 13  So Solomon and all the congregation with him went to the

high place that was at Gibeon for there was the tabernacle of

the congregation of God which Moses the servant of the LORD had

made in the wilderness .

 14  But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim

to the place which David had prepared for it for he had pitched

a tent for it at Jerusalem .

 15  Moreover the brazen altar that Bezaleel the son of Uri the

son of Hur had made he put before the tabernacle of the LORD and

Solomon and the congregation sought unto it .

 16  And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the

LORD which was at the tabernacle of the congregation and offered

a thousand burnt offerings upon it .

 17  In that night did God appear unto Solomon and said unto him

Ask what I shall give thee .

 18  And Solomon said unto God Thou hast showed great mercy unto

David my father and hast made me to reign in his stead .

 19  Now O LORD God let thy promise unto David my father be

established for thou hast made me king over a people like the

dust of the earth in multitude .

 110  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 .

 111  And God said to Solomon Because this was in thine heart

and thou hast not asked riches wealth or honour nor the life of

thine enemies neither yet hast asked long life but hast asked

wisdom and knowledge for thyself that thou mayest judge my

people over whom I have made thee king .

 112  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee and I will give

thee riches and wealth and honour such as none of the kings have

had that have been before thee neither shall there any after

thee have the like .

 113  Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that

was at Gibeon to Jerusalem from before the tabernacle of the

congregation and reigned over Israel .

 114  And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen and he had a

thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen

which he placed in the chariot cities and with the king at

Jerusalem .

 115  And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as

plenteous as stones and cedar trees made he as the sycamore

trees that are in the vale for abundance .

 116  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn

the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price .

 117  And they fetched up and brought forth out of Egypt a

chariot for six hundred shekels of silver and an horse for an

hundred and fifty and so brought they out horses for all the

kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria by their means .

* 21  And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of

the LORD and an house for his kingdom .

 22  And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to

bear burdens and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain and

three thousand and six hundred to oversee them .

 23  And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre saying As thou

didst deal with David my father and didst send him cedars to

build him an house to dwell therein even so deal with me .

 24  Behold I build an house to the name of the LORD my God to

dedicate it to him and to burn before him sweet incense 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 This is an ordinance for ever to

Israel .

 25  And the house which I build is great for great is our God

above all gods .

 26  But who is able to build him an house seeing the heaven and

heaven of heavens cannot contain him who am I then that I should

build him an house save only to burn sacrifice before him .

 27  Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold and in

silver and in brass and in iron and in purple and crimson and

blue and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are

with me in Judah and in Jerusalem whom David my father did

provide .

 28  Send me also cedar trees fir trees and algum trees out of

Lebanon for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in

Lebanon and behold my servants shall be with thy servants .

 29  Even to prepare me timber in abundance for the house which

I am about to build shall be wonderful great .

 210  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 .

 211  Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing which he

sent to Solomon Because the LORD hath loved his people he hath

made thee king over them .

 212  Huram said moreover Blessed be the LORD God of Israel that

made heaven and earth who hath given to David the king a wise

son endued with prudence and understanding that might build an

house for the LORD and an house for his kingdom .

 213  And now I have sent a cunning man endued with

understanding of Huram my father's .

 214  The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan and his father

was a man of Tyre skilful to work in gold and in silver in brass

in iron in stone and in timber in purple in blue and in fine

linen and in crimson also to grave any mannerof graving and to

find out every device which shall be put to him with thy cunning

men and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father .

 215  Now therefore the wheat and the barley the oil and the

wine which my lord hath spoken of let him send unto his servants

.

 216  And we will cut wood out of Lebanon as much as thou shalt

need and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa and

thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem .

 217  And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the

land of Israel after the numbering wherewith David his father

had numbered them and they were found an hundred and fifty

thousand and three thousand and six hundred .

 218  And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be

bearers of burdens and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the

mountain and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the

people a work .

* 31  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at

Jerusalem in mount Moriah where the Lord appeared unto David his

father in the place that David had prepared in the

threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite .

 32  And he began to build in the second day of the second month

in the fourth year of his reign .

 33  Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for

the building of the house of God The length by cubits after the

first measure was threescore cubits and the breadth twenty

cubits .

 34  And the porch that was in the front of the house the length

of it was according to the breadth of the house twenty cubits

and the height was an hundred and twenty and he overlaid it

within with pure gold .

 35  And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree which he

overlaid with fine gold and set thereon palm trees and chains .

 36  And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty

and the gold was gold of Parvaim .

 37  He overlaid also the house the beams the posts and the

walls thereof and the doors thereof with gold and graved

cherubims on the walls .

 38  And he made the most holy house the length whereof was

according to the breadth of the house twenty cubits and the

breadth thereof twenty cubits and he overlaid it with fine gold

amounting to six hundred talents .

 39  And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold And

he overlaid the upper chambers with gold .

 310  And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image

work and overlaid them with gold .

 311  And the wings of the cherubims 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 .

 312  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 .

 313  The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth

twenty cubits and they stood on their feet and their faces were

inward .

 314  And he made the veil of blue and purple and crimson and

fine linen and wrought cherubims thereon .

 315  Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and

five cubits high and the chapiter that was on the top of each of

them was five cubits .

 316  And he made chains as in the oracle and put them on the

heads of the pillars and made an hundred pomegranates and put

them on the chains .

 317  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 that

on the right hand Jachin and the name of that on the left Boaz .

* 41  Moreover he made an altar of brass twenty cubits the

length thereof and twenty cubits the breadth thereof and ten

cubits the height thereof .

 42  Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim

round in compass and five cubits the height thereof and a line

of thirty cubits did compass it round about .

 43  And under it was the similitude of oxen which did compass

it round about ten in a cubit compassing the sea round about Two

rows of oxen were cast when it was cast .

 44  It stood upon twelve oxen three looking toward the north

and three looking toward the west and three looking toward the

south and three looking toward the east and the sea was set

above upon them and all their hinder parts were inward .

 45  And the thickness of it was an 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 .

 46  He made also ten lavers and put five on the right hand and

five on the left to wash in them such things as they offered for

the burnt offering they washed in them but the sea was for the

priests to wash in .

 47  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 .

 48  He made also ten tables and placed them in the temple five

on the right side and five on the left And he made an hundred

basins of gold .

 49  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 .

 410  And he set the sea on the right side of the east end over

against the south .

 411  And Huram made the pots and the shovels and the basins And

Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for

the house of God .

 412  To wit the two pillars and the pommels and the chapiters

which were on the top of the two pillars and the two wreaths to

cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of

the pillars .

 413  And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths two rows

of pomegranates on each wreath to cover the two pommels of the

chapiters which were upon the pillars .

 414  He made also bases and lavers made he upon the bases .

 415  One sea and twelve oxen under it .

 416  The pots also and the shovels and the fleshhooks and all

their instruments did Huram his father make to king Solomon for

the house of the LORD of bright brass .

 417  In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them in the clay

ground between Succoth and Zeredathah .

 418  Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance for

the weight of the brass could not be found out .

 419  And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house

of God the golden altar also and the tables whereon the

showbread was set .

 420  Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps that they

should burn after the manner before the oracle of pure gold .

 421  And the flowers and the lamps and the tongs made he of

gold and that perfect gold .

 422  And the snuffers and the basins and the spoons and the

censers of pure gold and the entry of the house the inner doors

thereof for the most holy place and the doors of the house of

the temple were of gold .

* 51  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 instruments put he among the treasures of the house of

God .

 52  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the

heads of the tribes the chief of the fathers of the children of

Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the

LORD out of the city of David which is Zion .

 53  Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto

the king in the feast which was in the seventh month .

 54  And all the elders of Israel came and the Levites took up

the ark .

 55  And they brought up the ark and the tabernacle of the

congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the

tabernacle these did the priests and the Levites bring up .

 56  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 .

 57  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the

LORD unto his place to the oracle of the house into the most

holy place even under the wings of the cherubims .

 58  For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place

of the ark and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves

thereof above .

 59  And they drew out the staves of the ark that the ends of

the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle but they

were not seen without And there it is unto this day .

 510  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which

Moses put therein at Horeb when the LORD made a covenant with

the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt .

 511  And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the

holy place (for all the priests that were present were

sanctified and did not then wait by course .

 512  Also the Levites which were the singers all of them of

Asaph of Heman of Jeduthun with their sons and their brethren

being arrayed in white linen having cymbals and psalteries and

harps stood at the east end of the altar and with them an

hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets .

 513  It came even to pass as the trumpeters and singers were as

one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the

LORD and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and

cymbals and instruments of music and praised the LORD saying For

he is good for his mercy endureth for ever that then the house

was filled with a cloud even the house of the LORD .

 514  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 .

* 61  Then said Solomon The LORD hath said that he would dwell

in the thick darkness .

 62  But I have built an house of habitation for thee and a

place for thy dwelling for ever .

 63  And the king turned his face and blessed the whole

congregation of Israel and all the congregation of Israel stood .

 64  And he said Blessed be the LORD God of Israel who hath with

his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my

father David saying .

 65  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 an house in that my name might be there neither chose I

any man to be a ruler over my people Israel .

 66  But I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there and

have chosen David to be over my people Israel .

 67  Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an

house for the name of the LORD God of Israel .

 68  But the LORD said to David my father Forasmuch as it was in

thine heart to build an house for my name thou didst well in

that it was in thine heart .

 69  Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house but thy son

which shall come forth out of thy loins he shall build the house

for my name .

 610  The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath

spoken for I am risen up in the room of David my father and am

set on the throne of Israel as the LORD promised and have built

the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel .

 611  And in it have I put the ark wherein is the covenant of

the LORD that he made with the children of Israel .

 612  And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence

of all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands .

 613  For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of five cubits long

and five cubits broad and three cubits high and had set it in

the midst of the court and upon it he stood and kneeled down

upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread

forth his hands toward heaven .

 614  And said O LORD God of Israel there is no God like thee in

the heaven nor in the earth which keepest covenant and showest

mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their

hearts .

 615  Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that

which thou hast promised him and spakest with thy mouth and hast

fulfilled it with thine hand as it is this day .

 616  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 yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk

in my law as thou hast walked before me .

 617  Now then O LORD God of Israel let thy word be verified

which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David .

 618  But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth

behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee how

much less this house which I have built .

 619  Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant and to

his supplication O LORD my God to hearken unto the cry and the

prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee .

 620  That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night

upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy

name there to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth

toward this place .

 621  Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant

and of thy people Israel which they shall make toward this place

hear thou from thy dwelling place even from heaven and when thou

hearest forgive .

 622  If a man sin against his neighbour and an oath be laid

upon him to make him swear and the oath come before thine altar

in this house .

 623  Then hear thou from heaven and do and judge 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 .

 624  And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the

enemy because they have sinned against thee and shall return and

confess thy name and pray and make supplication before thee in

this house .

 625  Then hear thou 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 .

 626  When the heaven is shut up and there is no rain because

they have sinned against thee yet if they pray toward this place

and confess thy name and turn from their sin when thou dost

afflict them .

 627  Then hear thou from heaven and forgive the sin of thy

servants and of thy people Israel when thou hast taught them the

good way wherein they should walk and send rain upon thy land

which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance .

 628  If there be dearth in the land if there be pestilence if

there be blasting or mildew locusts or caterpillars if their

enemies besiege them in the cities of their land whatsoever sore

or whatsoever sickness there be .

 629  Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made

of any man or of all thy people Israel when every one shall know

his own sore and his own grief and shall spread forth his hands

in this house .

 630  Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place and forgive

and render unto every man according unto all his ways whose

heart thou knowest (for thou only knowest the hearts of the

children of men .

 631  That they may fear thee to walk in thy ways so long as

they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers .

 632  Moreover concerning the stranger which 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 .

 633  Then hear thou from the heavens even from thy dwelling

place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee

for that all people of the earth may know thy name and fear thee

as doth thy people Israel and may know that this house which I

have built is called by thy name .

 634  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 and the house which I have

built for thy name .

 635  Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their

supplication and maintain their cause .

 636  If they sin against thee (for there is no man which

sinneth not and thou be angry with them and deliver them over

before their enemies and they carry them away captives unto a

land far off or near .

 637  Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they

are carried captive and turn and pray unto thee in the land of

their captivity saying We have sinned we have done amiss and

have dealt wickedly .

 638  If they return to thee with all their heart and with all

their soul in the land of their captivity whither they have

carried them captives and pray toward their land which thou

gavest unto their fathers and toward the city which thou hast

chosen and toward the house which I have built for thy name .

 639  Then hear thou from the heavens even from thy dwelling

place their prayer and their supplications and maintain their

cause and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee .

 640  Now my God let I beseech thee thine eyes be open and let

thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place .

 641  Now therefore arise O LORD God into thy resting place thou

and the ark of thy strength let thy priests O LORD God be

clothed with salvation and let thy saints rejoice in goodness .

 642  O LORD God turn not away the face of thine anointed

remember the mercies of David thy servant .

* 71  Now when Solomon had made an end of praying the fire came

down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the

sacrifices and the glory of the LORD filled the house .

 72  And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD

because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house .

 73  And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came

down and the glory of the LORD upon the house they bowed

themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement and

worshipped and praised the LORD saying For he is good for his

mercy endureth for ever .

 74  Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before

the LORD .

 75  And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two

thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep so the

king and all the people dedicated the house of God .

 76  And the priests waited on their offices the Levites also

with instruments of music of the LORD which David the king had

made to praise the LORD because his mercy endureth for ever when

David praised by their ministry and the priests sounded trumpets

before them and all Israel stood .

 77  Moreover Solomon hallowed 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 brazen

altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt

offerings and the meat offerings and the fat .

 78  Also at the same time 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 .

 79  And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly for they

kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven

days .

 710  And on the three and twentieth 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 .

 711  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 he prosperously effected .

 712  And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night and said unto

him I have heard thy prayer and have chosen this place to myself

for an house of sacrifice .

 713  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain or if I command

the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my

people .

 714  If my people which are called by my name shall humble

themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked

ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and

will heal their land .

 715  Now mine eyes shall be open and mine ears attent unto the

prayer that is made in this place .

 716  For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my

name may be there for ever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be

there perpetually .

 717  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 shalt observe my statutes and my judgments .

 718  Then will I stablish 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 .

 719  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 .

 720  Then will I 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 will I cast out of my sight and will make it to be a

proverb and a byword among all nations .

 721  And this house which is high shall be an astonishment to

every one that passeth by it so that he shall say Why hath the

LORD done thus unto this land and unto this house .

 722  And it shall be answered Because they forsook the LORD God

of their fathers which brought them forth out of the land of

Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them and served

them therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them .

* 81  And it came to pass at the end of twenty years wherein

Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house .

 82  That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon Solomon

built them and caused the children of Israel to dwell there .

 83  And Solomon went to Hamathzobah and prevailed against it .

 84  And he built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store

cities which he built in Hamath .

 85  Also he built Bethhoron the upper and Bethhoron the nether

fenced cities with walls gates and bars .

 86  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 .

 87  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 .

 88  But of their children who were left after them in the land

whom the children of Israel consumed not them did Solomon make

to pay tribute until this day .

 89  But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants

for his work but they were men of war and chief of his captains

and captains of his chariots and horsemen .

 810  And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers even

two hundred and fifty that bare rule over the people .

 811  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 whereunto the ark of the LORD

hath come .

 812  Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the

altar of the LORD which he had built before the porch .

 813  Even after a certain rate every day offering according to

the commandment of Moses on the sabbaths and on the new moons

and on the solemn feasts three times in the year even in the

feast of unleavened bread and in the feast of weeks and in the

feast of tabernacles .

 814  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 as the duty of every day required the porters also by

their courses at every gate for so had David the man of God

commanded .

 815  And they departed not from the commandment of the king

unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter or concerning

the treasures .

 816  Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of

the foundation of the house of the LORD and until it was

finished So the house of the LORD was perfected .

 817  Then went Solomon to Eziongeber and to Eloth at the sea

side in the land of Edom .

 818  And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships and

servants that had knowledge of the sea and they went with the

servants of Solomon to Ophir and took thence four hundred and

fifty talents of gold and brought them to king Solomon .

* 91  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon

she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem with

a very great company and camels that bare spices and gold in

abundance and precious stones and when she was come to Solomon

she communed with him of all that was in her heart .

 92  And Solomon told her all her questions and there was

nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not .

 93  And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon

and the house that he had built .

 94  And the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants

and the attendance of his ministers and their apparel his

cupbearers also and their apparel and his ascent by which he

went up into the house of the LORD there was no more spirit in

her .

 95  And she said to the king It was a true report which I heard

in mine own land of thine acts and of thy wisdom .

 96  Howbeit I believed not their words until I came and mine

eyes had seen it and behold the one half of the greatness of thy

wisdom was not told me for thou exceedest the fame that I heard .

 97  Happy are thy men and happy are these thy servants which

stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom .

 98  Blessed be the LORD thy God which 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 made he

thee king over them to do judgment and justice .

 99  And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold

and of spices great abundance and precious stones neither was

there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon .

 910  And the servants also of Huram and the servants of Solomon

which brought gold from Ophir brought algum trees and precious

stones .

 911  And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house

of the LORD and to the king's palace and harps and psalteries

for singers and there were none such seen before in the land of

Judah .

 912  And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire

whatsoever she asked beside that which she had brought unto the

king So she turned and went away to her own land she and her

servants .

 913  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year

was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold .

 914  Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought And all

the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold

and silver to Solomon .

 915  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold

six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target .

 916  And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold three

hundred shekels of gold went to one shield And the king put them

in the house of the forest of Lebanon .

 917  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory and

overlaid it with pure gold .

 918  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 sitting place and two lions standing by the stays .

 919  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the

other upon the six steps There was not the like made in any

kingdom .

 920  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 none were of silver it was not any thing accounted

of in the days of Solomon .

 921  For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of

Huram every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing

gold and silver ivory and apes and peacocks .

 922  And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in

riches and wisdom .

 923  And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of

Solomon to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart .

 924  And they brought every man his present vessels of silver

and vessels of gold and raiment harness and spices horses and

mules a rate year by year .

 925  And Solomon 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 .

 926  And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto

the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt .

 927  And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones and cedar

trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains

in abundance .

 928  And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt and out

of all lands .

 929  Now the rest of the acts of Solomon first and last are

they not written in the book 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 .

 930  And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty

years .

 931  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 .

* 101  And Rehoboam went to Shechem for to Shechem were all

Israel come to make him king .

 102  And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat who was

in Egypt whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the

king heard it that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt .

 103  And they sent and called him So Jeroboam and all Israel

came and spake to Rehoboam saying .

 104  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 .

 105  And he said unto them Come again unto me after three days

And the people departed .

 106  And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had

stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived saying What

counsel give ye me to return answer to this people .

 107  And they spake unto him saying If thou be kind to this

people and please them and speak good words to them they will be

thy servants for ever .

 108  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 .

 109  And he said unto them What advice give ye that we may

return answer to this people which have spoken to me saying Ease

somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us .

 1010  And the young men that were brought up with him spake

unto him saying Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake

unto thee saying Thy father made our yoke heavy but make thou it

somewhat lighter for us thus shalt thou say unto themMy little

finger shall be thicker than my father's loins .

 1011  For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you I will

put more to your yoke my father chastised you with whips but I

will chastise you with scorpions .

 1012  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the

third day as the king bade saying Come again to me on the third

day .

 1013  And the king answered them roughly and king Rehoboam

forsook the counsel of the old men .

 1014  And answered them after the advice of the young men

saying My father made your yoke heavy but I will add thereto my

father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with

scorpions .

 1015  So the king hearkened not unto the people for the cause

was of God that the LORD might perform his word which he spake

by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat

.

 1016  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 and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse

every man to your tents O Israel and now David see to thine own

house So all Israel went to their tents .

 1017  But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the

cities of Judah Rehoboam reigned over them .

 1018  Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute

and the children of Israel stoned him with stones that he died

But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot to

flee to Jerusalem .

 1019  And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this

day .

* 111  And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem he gathered of

the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore

thousand chosen men which were warriors to fight against Israel

that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam .

 112  But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God

saying .

 113  Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah and

to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying .

 114  Thus saith the LORD Ye shall not go up nor fight against

your brethren return every man to his house for this thing is

done of me And they obeyed the words of the LORD and returned

from going against Jeroboam .

 115  And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for

defence in Judah .

 116  He built even Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa .

 117  And Bethzur and Shoco and Adullam .

 118  And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph .

 119  And Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah .

 1110  And Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron which are in Judah and

in Benjamin fenced cities .

 1111  And he fortified the strong holds and put captains in

them and store of victual and of oil and wine .

 1112  And in every several city he put shields and spears and

made them exceeding strong having Judah and Benjamin on his side

.

 1113  And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel

resorted to him out of all their coasts .

 1114  For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession

and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his sons had

cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD .

 1115  And he ordained him priests for the high places and for

the devils and for the calves which he had made .

 1116  And 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 .

 1117  So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made

Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years for three years

they walked in the way of David and Solomon .

 1118  And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth

the son of David to wife and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the

son of Jesse .

 1119  Which bare him children Jeush and Shemariah and Zaham .

 1120  And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom

which bare him Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith .

 1121  And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above

all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and

threescore concubines and begat twenty and eight sons and

threescore daughters .

 1122  And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief to

be ruler among his brethren for he thought to make him king .

 1123  And he dealt wisely and dispersed of all his children

throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin unto every

fenced city and he gave them victual in abundance And he desired

many wives .

* 121  And it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the

kingdom and had strengthened himself he forsook the law of the

LORD and all Israel with him .

 122  And it came to pass that in the fifth year of king

Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because

they had transgressed against the LORD .

 123  With twelve hundred chariots and threescore thousand

horsemen and the people were without number that came with him

out of Egypt the Lubims the Sukkiims and the Ethiopians .

 124  And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah and

came to Jerusalem .

 125  Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam and to the

princes of Judah that were gathered together to Jerusalem

because of Shishak and said unto them Thus saith the LORD Ye

have forsaken me and therefore have I also left you in the hand

of Shishak .

 126  Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled

themselves and they said The LORD is righteous .

 127  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 grant

them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon

Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak .

 128  Nevertheless they shall be his servants that they may know

my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries .

 129  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 all he carried away also

the shields of gold which Solomon had made .

 1210  Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass and

committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard that kept

the entrance of the king's house .

 1211  And when the king entered into the house of the LORD the

guard came and fetched them and brought them again into the

guard chamber .

 1212  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 .

 1213  So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and

reigned for Rehoboam was one and forty 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 .

 1214  And he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek

the LORD .

 1215  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 were wars between Rehoboam and

Jeroboam continually .

 1216  And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the

city of David and Abijah his son reigned in his stead .

* 131  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah

to reign over Judah .

 132  He reigned three years in Jerusalem His mother's name also

was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah And there was war

between Abijah and Jeroboam .

 133  And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant

men of war even four hundred thousand chosen men Jeroboam also

set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand

chosen men being mighty men of valour .

 134  And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim which is in mount

Ephraim and said Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel .

 135  Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the

kingdom over Israel to David for ever even to him and to his

sons by a covenant of salt .

 136  Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the

son of David is risen up and hath rebelled against his lord .

 137  And there are gathered unto him vain men the children of

Belial and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son

of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted and could

not withstand them .

 138  And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in

the hand of the sons of David and ye be a great multitude and

there are with you golden calves which Jeroboam made you for

gods .

 139  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 nations of other lands so that whosoever cometh to

consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams the same

may be a priest of them that are no gods .

 1310  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 .

 1311  And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every

evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense the showbread also

set they in order upon the pure table and the candlestick of

gold with the lamps thereof to burn every evening for we keepthe

charge of the LORD our God but ye have forsaken him .

 1312  And behold God himself is with us for our captain and his

priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you O

children of Israel fight ye not against the LORD God of your

fathers for ye shall not prosper .

 1313  But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind

them so they were before Judah and the ambushment was behind

them .

 1314  And when Judah looked back behold the battle was before

and behind and they cried unto the LORD and the priests sounded

with the trumpets .

 1315  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 .

 1316  And the children of Israel fled before Judah and God

delivered them into their hand .

 1317  And Abijah and his people slew them with a great

slaughter so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred

thousand chosen men .

 1318  Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that

time and the children of Judah prevailed because they relied

upon the LORD God of their fathers .

 1319  And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from

him Bethel with the towns thereof and Jeshanah with the towns

thereof and Ephrain with the towns thereof .

 1320  Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days

of Abijah and the LORD struck him and he died .

 1321  But Abijah waxed mighty and married fourteen wives and

begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters .

 1322  And the rest of the acts of Abijah and his ways and his

sayings are written in the story of the prophet Iddo .

* 141  So Abijah slept with his fathers and they buried him in

the city of David and Asa his son reigned in his stead In his

days the land was quiet ten years .

 142  And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of

the LORD his God .

 143  For he took away the altars of the strange gods and the

high places and brake down the images and cut down the groves .

 144  And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers

and to do the law and the commandment .

 145  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high

places and the images and the kingdom was quiet before him .

 146  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 .

 147  Therefore he said unto Judah Let us build these cities and

make about them walls and towers gates and bars while the land

is yet before us because we have sought the LORD our God we have

sought him and he hath given us rest on every side So they built

and prospered .

 148  And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears

out of Judah three hundred thousand and out of Benjamin that

bare shields and drew bows two hundred and fourscore thousand

all these were mighty men of valour .

 149  And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with

an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots and

came unto Mareshah .

 1410  Then Asa went out against him and they set the battle in

array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah .

 1411  And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said LORD it is

nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that

have no power help us O LORD our God for we rest on thee and in

thy name we go against this multitude O LORD thou art our God

let not man prevail against thee .

 1412  So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before

Judah and the Ethiopians fled .

 1413  And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them

unto Gerar and the Ethiopians were overthrown that they could

not recover themselves for they were destroyed before the LORD

and before his host and they carried away very much spoil .

 1414  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 .

 1415  They smote also the tents of cattle and carried away

sheep and camels in abundance and returned to Jerusalem .

* 151  And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded .

 152  And he went out to meet Asa and said unto him Hear ye me

Asa and all Judah and Benjamin The LORD is with you while ye be

with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye

forsake him he will forsake you .

 153  Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true

God and without a teaching priest and without law .

 154  But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God

of Israel and sought him he was found of them .

 155  And in those times there was no peace to him that went out

nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the

inhabitants of the countries .

 156  And nation was destroyed of nation and city of city for

God did vex them with all adversity .

 157  Be ye strong therefore and let not your hands be weak for

your work shall be rewarded .

 158  And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded

the prophet he took courage and put away the abominable idols

out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin and out of the cities

which he had taken from mount Ephraim and renewed the altar of

the LORD that was before the porch of the LORD .

 159  And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers

with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh and out of Simeon for they

fell to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the

LORD his God was with him .

 1510  So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the

third month in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa .

 1511  And they offered unto the LORD the same time of the spoil

which they had brought seven hundred oxen and seven thousand

sheep .

 1512  And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of

their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul .

 1513  That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel

should be put to death whether small or great whether man or

woman .

 1514  And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice and with

shouting and with trumpets and with cornets .

 1515  And all Judah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn

with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and

he was found of them and the LORD gave them rest round about .

 1516  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 .

 1517  But the high places were not taken away out of Israel

nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days .

 1518  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 .

 1519  And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth

year of the reign of Asa .

* 161  In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha

king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah to the

intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of

Judah .

 162  Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures

of the house of the LORD and of the king's house and sent to

Benhadad king of Syria that dwelt at Damascus saying .

 163  There is a league 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 .

 164  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 .

 165  And it came to pass when Baasha heard it that he left off

building of Ramah and let his work cease .

 166  Then Asa the king took all Judah and they carried away the

stones of Ramah and the timber thereof wherewith Baasha was

building and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah .

 167  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 is the host of the

king of Syria escaped out of thine hand .

 168  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 thine hand .

 169  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the

whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose

heart is perfect toward him Herein thou hast done foolishly

therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars .

 1610  Then Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in a prison

house for he was in a rage with him because of this thing And

Asa oppressed some of the people the same time .

 1611  And behold the acts of Asa first and last lo they are

written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel .

 1612  And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was

diseased in his feet until his disease was exceeding great yet

in his disease he sought not to the LORD but to the physicians .

 1613  And Asa slept with his fathers and died in the one and

fortieth year of his reign .

 1614  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 divers kinds of spices

prepared by the apothecaries' art and they made a very great

burning for him .

* 171  And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead and

strengthened himself against Israel .

 172  And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah and

set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim

which Asa his father had taken .

 173  And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the

first ways of his father David and sought not unto Baalim .

 174  But sought to the LORD God of his father and walked in his

commandments and not after the doings of Israel .

 175  Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand and

all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents and he had riches and

honour in abundance .

 176  And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD

moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah .

 177  Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes

even to Benhail and to Obadiah and to Zechariah and to Nethaneel

and to Michaiah to teach in the cities of Judah .

 178  And with them he sent Levites even Shemaiah and Nethaniah

and Zebadiah and Asahel and Shemiramoth and Jehonathan and

Adonijah and Tobijah and Tobadonijah Levites and with them

Elishama and Jehoram priests .

 179  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 .

 1710  And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of

the lands that were round about Judah so that they made no war

against Jehoshaphat .

 1711  Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents

and tribute silver and the Arabians brought him flocks seven

thousand and seven hundred rams and seven thousand and seven

hundred he goats .

 1712  And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly and he built in

Judah castles and cities of store .

 1713  And he had much business in the cities of Judah and the

men of war mighty men of valour were in Jerusalem .

 1714  And these are the numbers of them according to the house

of their fathers Of Judah the captains of thousands Adnah the

chief and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand .

 1715  And next to him was Jehohanan the captain and with him

two hundred and fourscore thousand .

 1716  And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri who willingly

offered himself unto the LORD and with him two hundred thousand

mighty men of valour .

 1717  And of Benjamin Eliada a mighty man of valour and with

him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand .

 1718  And next him was Jehozabad and with him an hundred and

fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war .

 1719  These waited on the king beside those whom the king put

in the fenced cities throughout all Judah .

* 181  Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance and

joined affinity with Ahab .

 182  And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria

And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance and for the

people that he had with him and persuaded him to go up with him

to Ramothgilead .

 183  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 .

 184  And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel Inquire I

pray thee at the word of the LORD to day .

 185  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 .

 186  But Jehoshaphat said Is there not here a prophet of the

LORD besides that we might inquire of him .

 187  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat There is yet

one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD but I hate him for he

never prophesied good unto me but always evil the same is

Micaiah the son of Imla And Jehoshaphat said Let not the king

say so .

 188  And the king of Israel called for one of his officers and

said Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla .

 189  And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat

either of them on his throne clothed in their robes and they sat

in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria and

all the prophets prophesied before them .

 1810  And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of

iron and said Thus saith the LORD With these thou shalt push

Syria until they be consumed .

 1811  And all the prophets prophesied so saying Go up to

Ramothgilead and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into the

hand of the king .

 1812  And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake 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 .

 1813  And Micaiah said As the LORD liveth even what my God

saith that will I speak .

 1814  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 ye up and prosper and they shall be delivered

into your hand .

 1815  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 .

 1816  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 them return therefore every man to his house

in peace .

 1817  And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat Did I not tell

thee that he would not prophesy good unto me but evil .

 1818  Again he said Therefore hear the word of the LORD I saw

the LORD sitting upon his throne and all the host of heaven

standing on his right hand and on his left .

 1819  And the LORD said Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel

that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead And one spake saying

after this manner and another saying after that manner .

 1820  Then there came out a spirit and stood before the LORD

and said I will entice him And the LORD said unto him Wherewith .

 1821  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 .

 1822  Now therefore behold the LORD hath put a lying spirit in

the mouth of these thy prophets and the LORD hath spoken evil

against thee .

 1823  Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and smote

Micaiah upon the cheek and said Which way went the Spirit of the

LORD from me to speak unto thee .

 1824  And Micaiah said Behold thou shalt see on that day when

thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself .

 1825  Then the king of Israel said Take ye Micaiah and carry

him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the

king's son .

 1826  And say Thus saith the king Put this fellow in the prison

and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of

affliction until I return in peace .

 1827  And Micaiah said If thou certainly return in peace then

hath not the LORD spoken by me And he said Hearken all ye people

.

 1828  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah

went up to Ramothgilead .

 1829  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat I will

disguise myself and will go to the battle but put thou on thy

robes So the king of Israel disguised himself and they went to

the battle .

 1830  Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the

chariots that were with him saying Fight ye not with small or

great save only with the king of Israel .

 1831  And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw

Jehoshaphat that 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 moved them to depart from him .

 1832  For it came to pass that when the captains of the

chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel they

turned back again from pursuing him .

 1833  And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the

king of Israel between the joints of the harness therefore he

said to his chariot man Turn thine hand that thou mayest carry

me out of the host for I am wounded .

 1834  And the battle increased that day howbeit the king of

Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians

until the even and about the time of the sun going down he died .

* 191  And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house

in peace to Jerusalem .

 192  And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him

and said to king Jehoshaphat Shouldest thou help the ungodly and

love them that hate the LORD therefore is wrath upon thee from

before the LORD .

 193  Nevertheless there are good things found in thee in that

thou hast taken away the groves out of the land and hast

prepared thine heart to seek God .

 194  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 .

 195  And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced

cities of Judah city by city .

 196  And said to the judges Take heed what ye do for ye judge

not for man but for the LORD who is with you in the judgment .

 197  Wherefore 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 gifts .

 198  Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites

and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel for

the judgment of the LORD and for controversies when they

returned to Jerusalem .

 199  And he charged them saying Thus shall ye do in the fear of

the LORD faithfully and with a perfect heart .

 1910  And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren

that dwell in their cities between blood and blood between law

and commandment statutes and judgments ye shall even warn them

that they trespass not against the LORD and so wrath come upon

you and upon your brethren this do and ye shall not trespass .

 1911  And behold Amariah the chief priest is over you in all

matters of the LORD and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael the ruler of

the house of Judah for all the king's matters also the Levites

shall be officers before you Deal courageously and the LORD

shall be with the good .

* 201  It came to pass after this also that the children of Moab

and the children of Ammon and with them other beside the

Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle .

 202  Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat saying There

cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on

this side Syria and behold they be in Hazazontamar which is

Engedi .

 203  And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the LORD

and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah .

 204  And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the

LORD even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the

LORD .

 205  And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and

Jerusalem in the house of the LORD before the new court .

 206  And said O LORD God of our fathers art not thou God in

heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen

and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is

able to withstand thee .

 207  Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants

of this land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the seed

of Abraham thy friend for ever .

 208  And they dwelt therein and have built thee a sanctuary

therein for thy name saying .

 209  If when evil cometh upon us as the sword judgment or

pestilence or famine we stand before this house and in thy

presence (for thy name is in this house and cry unto thee in our

affliction then thou wilt hear and help .

 2010  And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab and mount

Seir whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade when they came out

of the land of Egypt but they turned from them and destroyed

them not .

 2011  Behold I say how they reward us to come to cast us out of

thy possession which thou hast given us to inherit .

 2012  O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might

against this great company that cometh against us neither know

we what to do but our eyes are upon thee .

 2013  And all Judah stood before the LORD with their little

ones their wives and their children .

 2014  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 .

 2015  And he said Hearken ye all Judah and ye inhabitants of

Jerusalem and thou king Jehoshaphat Thus saith the LORD unto you

Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for

the battle is not yours but God's .

 2016  To morrow go ye down against them behold they come up by

the cliff of Ziz and ye shall find them at the end of the brook

before the wilderness of Jeruel .

 2017  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle set yourselves

stand ye still and see the salvation of the LORD with you O

Judah and Jerusalem fear not nor be dismayed to morrow go out

against them for the LORD will be with you  .

2018  And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground

and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the

LORD worshipping the LORD .

 2019  And the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of

the children of the Korhites stood up to praise the LORD God of

Israel with a loud voice on high .

 2020  And they rose early in the morning and went forth into

the wilderness of Tekoa and as they went forth Jehoshaphat stood

and said Hear me O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem Believe

in the LORD your God so shall ye be established believe his

prophets so shall ye prosper .

 2021  And when he had consulted with the people he appointed

singers unto the LORD and that should praise the beauty of

holiness as they went out before the army and to say Praise the

LORD for his mercy endureth for ever .

 2022  And when they began to sing and to praise the LORD set

ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir

which were come against Judah and they were smitten .

 2023  For the children of Ammon and Moab stood 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 every one

helped to destroy another .

 2024  And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the

wilderness they looked unto the multitude and behold they were

dead bodies fallen to the earth and none escaped .

 2025  And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the

spoil of them they found among them in abundance both riches

with the dead bodies and precious jewels which they stripped off

for themselves more than they could carry away and they were

three days in gathering of the spoil it was so much .

 2026  And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the

valley of Berachah for there they blessed the LORD therefore the

name of the same place was called The valley of Berachah unto

this day .

 2027  Then they returned every man of Judah and Jerusalem and

Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them to go again to Jerusalem

with joy for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their

enemies .

 2028  And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and

trumpets unto the house of the LORD .

 2029  And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those

countries when they had heard that the LORD fought against the

enemies of Israel .

 2030  So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave

him rest round about .

 2031  And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah he was thirty and five

years old when he began to reign and he reigned twenty and five

years in Jerusalem And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter

of Shilhi .

 2032  And he walked in the way of Asa his father and departed

not from it doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD .

 2033  Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet

the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their

fathers .

 2034  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 .

 2035  And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself

with Ahaziah king of Israel who did very wickedly .

 2036  And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to

Tarshish and they made the ships in Eziongaber .

 2037  Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied

against Jehoshaphat saying Because thou hast joined thyself with

Ahaziah the LORD hath broken thy works And the ships were broken

that they were not able to go to Tarshish .

* 211  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 .

 212  And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat Azariah and

Jehiel and Zechariah and Azariah and Michael and Shephatiah all

these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel .

 213  And their father gave them great gifts of silver and of

gold and of precious things with fenced cities in Judah but the

kingdom gave he to Jehoram because he was the firstborn .

 214  Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father

he strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword

and divers also of the princes of Israel .

 215  Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to

reign and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem .

 216  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 .

 217  Howbeit 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 .

 218  In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion

of Judah and made themselves a king .

 219  Then Jehoram went forth with his princes and all his

chariots with him and he rose up by night and smote the Edomites

which compassed him in and the captains of the chariots .

 2110  So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah

unto this day The same time also did Libnah revolt from under

his hand because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers .

 2111  Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah

and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication

and compelled Judah thereto .

 2112  And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet

saying Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father Because thou

hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father nor in the

ways of Asa king of Judah .

 2113  But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel and

hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring

like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also hast slain

thy brethren of thy father's house which were better than

thyself .

 2114  Behold with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people

and thy children and thy wives and all thy goods .

 2115  And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy

bowels until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day

by day .

 2116  Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit

of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were near the

Ethiopians .

 2117  And they came up into Judah and brake into it and carried

away all the substance that was found in the king's house and

his sons also and his wives so that there was never a son left

him save Jehoahaz the youngest of his sons .

 2118  And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with

an incurable disease .

 2119  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 the burning of his fathers .

 2120  Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign

and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years and departed without

being desired Howbeit they buried him in the city of David but

not in the sepulchres of the kings .

* 221  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 eldest So

Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned .

 222  Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign

and he reigned one year in Jerusalem His mother's name also was

Athaliah the daughter of Omri .

 223  He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his

mother was his counsellor to do wickedly .

 224  Wherefore 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 .

 225  He walked also after their counsel and went with Jehoram

the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of

Syria at Ramothgilead and the Syrians smote Joram .

 226  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

sick .

 227  And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to

Joram for when he was come he went out with Jehoram against Jehu

the son of Nimshi whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the

house of Ahab .

 228  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 .

 229  And he sought Ahaziah and they caught him (for he was hid

in Samaria and brought him to Jehu and when they had slain him

they buried him Because said they he is the son of Jehoshaphat

who sought the LORD with all his heart So the house of Ahaziah

had no power to keep still the kingdom .

 2210  But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son

was dead she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house

of Judah .

 2211  But Jehoshabeath the daughter of the king took Joash the

son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons that

were slain and put him and his nurse in a 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 .

 2212  And he was with them hid in the house of God six years

and Athaliah reigned over the land .

* 231  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 .

 232  And they went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out

of all the cities of Judah and the chief of the fathers of

Israel and they came to Jerusalem .

 233  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

shall reign as the LORD hath said of the sons of David .

 234  This is the thing that ye shall do A third part of you

entering on the sabbath of the priests and of the Levites shall

be porters of the doors .

 235  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 .

 236  But let none come into the house of the LORD save the

priests and they that minister of the Levites they shall go in

for they are holy but all the people shall keep the watch of the

LORD .

 237  And the Levites shall compass the king round about every

man with his weapons in his hand and whosoever else cometh into

the house he shall be put to death but be ye with the king when

he cometh in and when he goeth out .

 238  So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things

that Jehoiada the priest had commanded and took every man his

men that were to come in on the sabbath with them that were to

go out on the sabbath for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the

courses .

 239  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 .

 2310  And he set all the people every man having his weapon in

his hand from the right side of the temple to the left side of

the temple along by the altar and the temple by the king round

about .

 2311  Then they brought out the king's son and put upon him the

crown and gave him the testimony and made him king And Jehoiada

and his sons anointed him and said God save the king .

 2312  Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running

and praising the king she came to the people into the house of

the LORD .

 2313  And she looked and behold the king stood at his pillar at

the entering in and the princes and the trumpets by the king and

all the people of the land rejoiced and sounded with trumpets

also the singers with instruments of music and such as taught to

sing praise Then Athaliah rent her clothes and said Treason

Treason .

 2314  Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of

hundreds that were set over the host and said unto them Have her

forth of the ranges and whoso followeth her let him be slain

with the sword For the priest said Slay her not in the house of

the LORD .

 2315  So they laid hands on her and when she was come to the

entering of the horse gate by the king's house they slew her

there .

 2316  And Jehoiada made a covenant between him and between all

the people and between the king that they should be the LORD'S

people .

 2317  Then all the people went to the house of Baal and brake

it down and brake his altars and his images in pieces and slew

Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars .

 2318  Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the

LORD by 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 .

 2319  And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the

LORD that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in .

 2320  And he took the captains of hundreds and the nobles and

the governors of 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 .

 2321  And all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was

quiet after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword .

* 241  Joash was seven years old when he began to reign and he

reigned forty years in Jerusalem His mother's name also was

Zibiah of Beersheba .

 242  And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the

LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest .

 243  And Jehoiada took for him two wives and he begat sons and

daughters .

 244  And it came to pass after this that Joash was minded to

repair the house of the LORD .

 245  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 see that ye hasten the matter Howbeit the Levites hastened

it not .

 246  And 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 the collection according to the

commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD and of the

congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness .

 247  For the sons of Athaliah that wicked woman had broken up

the house of God and also all the dedicated things of the house

of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim .

 248  And at the king's commandment they made a chest and set it

without at the gate of the house of the LORD .

 249  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 .

 2410  And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and

brought in and cast into the chest until they had made an end .

 2411  Now it came to pass that at what time the chest 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 chest and took it

and carried it to his place again Thus they did day by day and

gathered money in abundance .

 2412  And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as 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 such as

wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD .

 2413  So the workmen wrought and the work was perfected by them

and they set the house of God in his state and strengthened it .

 2414  And when they had finished it they brought the rest of

the money before the king and Jehoiada whereof were made vessels

for the house of the LORD even vessels to minister and to offer

withal 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 .

 2415  But Jehoiada waxed old and was full of days when he died

an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died .

 2416  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 .

 2417  Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah

and made obeisance to the king Then the king hearkened unto them

.

 2418  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 this their trespass .

 2419  Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the

LORD and they testified against them but they would not give ear

.

 2420  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of

Jehoiada the priest which stood above the people and said unto

them Thus saith God Why transgress ye the commandments of the

LORD that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the LORD he

hath also forsaken you .

 2421  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 .

 2422  Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which

Jehoiada his father had done to him but slew his son And when he

died he said The LORD look upon it and require it .

 2423  And it came to pass at the end of the year that 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 .

 2424  For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of

men and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand

because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers So they

executed judgment against Joash .

 2425  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

buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings .

 2426  And these are they that conspired against him Zabad the

son of Shimeath an Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith

a Moabitess .

 2427  Now concerning his sons and the greatness of the burdens

laid upon him 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 .

* 251  Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to

reign and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem And his

mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem .

 252  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD

but not with a perfect heart .

 253  Now it came to pass when the kingdom was established to

him that he slew his servants that had killed the king his

father .

 254  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 every man shall die for his own

sin .

 255  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 .

 256  He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out

of Israel for an hundred talents of silver .

 257  But there came a man of God to him saying O king let not

the army of Israel go with thee for the LORD is not with Israel

to wit with all the children of Ephraim .

 258  But if thou wilt go do it be strong for the battle God

shall make thee fall before the enemy for God hath power to help

and to cast down .

 259  And Amaziah said to the man of God But what shall we do

for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel

And the man of God answered The LORD is able to give thee much

more than this .

 2510  Then Amaziah separated them to wit the army that was come

to him out of Ephraim to go home again wherefore their anger was

greatly kindled against Judah and they returned home in great

anger .

 2511  And Amaziah strengthened himself and led forth his people

and went to the valley of salt and smote of the children of Seir

ten thousand .

 2512  And other ten thousand left alive did the children of

Judah carry away captive and brought them unto the top of the

rock and cast them down from the top of the rock that they all

were broken in pieces .

 2513  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 .

 2514  Now it came to pass after that Amaziah was come from the

slaughter of the Edomites that he brought the gods of the

children of Seir and set them up to be his gods and bowed down

himself before them and burned incense unto them .

 2515  Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against

Amaziah and he sent unto him a prophet which said unto him Why

hast thou sought after the gods of the people which could not

deliver their own people out of thine hand .

 2516  And it came to pass as he talked with him that the king

said unto him Art thou made of the king's counsel forbear why

shouldest thou be smitten Then the prophet forbare and said I

know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast

done this and hast not hearkened unto my counsel .

 2517  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 in the face .

 2518  And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah

saying The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that

was in Lebanon saying Give thy daughter to my son to wife and

there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trode down

the thistle .

 2519  Thou sayest Lo thou hast smitten the Edomites and thine

heart lifteth thee up to boast abide now at home why shouldest

thou meddle to thine hurt that thou shouldest fall even thou and

Judah with thee .

 2520  But Amaziah would not hear for it came of God that he

might deliver them into the hand of their enemies because they

sought after the gods of Edom .

 2521  So Joash the king of Israel went up and they saw one

another in the face both he and Amaziah king of Judah at

Bethshemesh which belongeth to Judah .

 2522  And Judah was put to the worse before Israel and they

fled every man to his tent .

 2523  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 brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the

gate of Ephraim to the corner gate four hundred cubits .

 2524  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 .

 2525  And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after

the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years .

 2526  Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah first and last behold

are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and

Israel .

 2527  Now after the time that Amaziah did turn 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 .

 2528  And they brought him upon horses and buried him with his

fathers in the city of Judah .

* 261  Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah who was sixteen

years old and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah .

 262  He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after that the

king slept with his fathers .

 263  Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign and he

reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem His mother's name also

was Jecoliah of Jerusalem .

 264  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD

according to all that his father Amaziah did .

 265  And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had

understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the

LORD God made him to prosper .

 266  And he went forth and warred against the Philistines and

brake down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall

of Ashdod and built cities about Ashdod and among the

Philistines .

 267  And God helped him against the Philistines and against the

Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal and the Mehunims .

 268  And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah and his name spread

abroad even to the entering in of Egypt for he strengthened

himself exceedingly .

 269  Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner

gate and at the valley gate and at the turning of the wall and

fortified them .

 2610  Also he built towers in the desert and digged many wells

for he had much cattle both in the low country and in the plains

husbandmen also and vine dressers in the mountains and in Carmel

for he loved husbandry .

 2611  Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men that went out

to war by bands according to the number of their account by the

hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler under the hand

of Hananiah one of the king's captains .

 2612  The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the

mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred .

 2613  And under their hand was an army three hundred thousand

and seven thousand and five hundred that made war with mighty

power to help the king against the enemy .

 2614  And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host

shields and spears and helmets and habergeons and bows and

slings to cast stones .

 2615  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 withal And his name spread far abroad for he was

marvellously helped till he was strong .

 2616  But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his

destruction for he transgressed against the LORD his God and

went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar

of incense .

 2617  And Azariah the priest went in after him and with him

fourscore priests of the LORD that were valiant men .

 2618  And they withstood Uzziah the king and said unto him It

appertaineth not 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 trespassed

neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God .

 2619  Then Uzziah was wroth and had a censer in his hand to

burn incense and while he was wroth with the priests the leprosy

even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of

the LORD from beside the incense altar .

 2620  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 thence yea himself hasted also to go out

because the LORD had smitten him .

 2621  And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death

and dwelt in a several 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 .

 2622  Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah first and last did

Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz write .

 2623  So Uzziah slept with his fathers and they buried him with

his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the

kings for they said He is a leper and Jotham his son reigned in

his stead .

* 271  Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to

reign and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem His mother's

name also was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok .

 272  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD

according to all that his father Uzziah did howbeit he entered

not into the temple of the LORD And the people did yet corruptly

.

 273  He built the high gate of the house of the LORD and on the

wall of Ophel he built much .

 274  Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah and in

the forests he built castles and towers .

 275  He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and

prevailed against them And the children of Ammon gave him the

same year an hundred talents of silver and ten thousand measures

of wheat and ten thousand of barley So much did the children of

Ammon pay unto him both the second year and the third .

 276  So Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways

before the LORD his God .

 277  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all his wars and

his ways lo they are written in the book of the kings of Israel

and Judah .

 278  He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign

and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem .

 279  And Jotham slept with his fathers and they buried him in

the city of David and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead .

* 281  Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign and he

reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem but he did not that which was

right in the sight of the LORD like David his father .

 282  For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made

also molten images for Baalim .

 283  Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of

Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire after the abominations

of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of

Israel .

 284  He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places

and on the hills and under every green tree .

 285  Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand 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 hand of the king of Israel who smote

him with a great slaughter .

 286  For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and

twenty thousand in one day which were all valiant men because

they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers .

 287  And Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim slew Maaseiah the

king's son and Azrikam the governor of the house and Elkanah

that was next to the king .

 288  And the children of Israel carried away captive of their

brethren two hundred thousand women sons and daughters and took

also away much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria .

 289  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 wroth

with Judah he hath delivered them into your hand and ye have

slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven .

 2810  And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah

and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you but are there

not with you even with you sins against the LORD your God .

 2811  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 .

 2812  Then certain of the heads of the children 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 them that came from the war .

 2813  And said unto them Ye shall not bring in the captives

hither for whereas we have offended against the LORD already ye

intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass for our

trespass is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel .

 2814  So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before

the princes and all the congregation .

 2815  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 .

 2816  At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria

to help him .

 2817  For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah and

carried away captives .

 2818  The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low

country and of the south of Judah and had taken Bethshemesh and

Ajalon and Gederoth and Shocho with the villages thereof and

Timnah with the villages thereof Gimzo also and the villages

thereof and they dwelt there .

 2819  For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of

Israel for he made Judah naked and transgressed sore against the

LORD .

 2820  And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him and

distressed him but strengthened him not .

 2821  For 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 but he helped him not .

 2822  And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more

against the LORD this is that king Ahaz .

 2823  For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus which smote

him and he said Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them

therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But

they were the ruin of him and of all Israel .

 2824  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 him altars in

every corner of Jerusalem .

 2825  And in every several city of Judah he made high places to

burn incense unto other gods and provoked to anger the LORD God

of his fathers .

 2826  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 .

 2827  And Ahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in

the city even in Jerusalem but they brought him not into the

sepulchres of the kings of Israel and Hezekiah his son reigned

in his stead .

* 291  Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years

old and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem And his

mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah .

 292  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD

according to all that David his father had done .

 293  He in the first year of his reign in the first month

opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them .

 294  And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered

them together into the east street .

 295  And said unto them Hear me ye Levites sanctify now

yourselves and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your

fathers and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place .

 296  For our fathers have trespassed and done that which was

evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and have forsaken him and

have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and

turned their backs .

 297  Also they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out

the lamps and have not burned incense nor offered burnt

offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel .

 298  Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and

Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment

and to hissing as ye see with your eyes .

 299  For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons

and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this .

 2910  Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD

God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us .

 2911  My sons be not now negligent for the LORD hath chosen you

to stand before him to serve him and that ye should minister

unto him and burn incense .

 2912  Then the Levites arose Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel

the son of Azariah of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons

of Merari Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehalelel

and of the Gershonites Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son

of Joah .

 2913  And of the sons of Elizaphan Shimri and Jeiel and of the

sons of Asaph Zechariah and Mattaniah .

 2914  And of the sons of Heman Jehiel and Shimei and of the

sons of Jeduthun Shemaiah and Uzziel .

 2915  And they gathered their brethren and sanctified

themselves and came according to the commandment of the king by

the words of the LORD to cleanse the house of the LORD .

 2916  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 .

 2917  Now they began on the first day of the first month to

sanctify and on the eighth day of the month came they to the

porch of the LORD so they sanctified the house of the LORD in

eight days and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made

an end .

 2918  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 the vessels thereof and the showbread table

with all the vessels thereof .

 2919  Moreover all the vessels which king Ahaz in his reign did

cast away in his transgression have we prepared and sanctified

and behold they are before the altar of the LORD .

 2920  Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the rulers

of the city and went up to the house of the LORD .

 2921  And they brought seven bullocks and seven rams and seven

lambs and seven he goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and

for the sanctuary and for Judah And he commanded the priests the

sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD .

 2922  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

killed also the lambs and they sprinkled the blood upon the

altar .

 2923  And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering

before the king and the congregation and they laid their hands

upon them .

 2924  And the priests killed them and they made reconciliation

with their blood upon the altar to make an atonement for all

Israel for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the

sin offering should be made for all Israel .

 2925  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 Nathan the

prophet for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets .

 2926  And the Levites stood with the instruments of David and

the priests with the trumpets .

 2927  And 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 ordained

by David king of Israel .

 2928  And all the congregation worshipped and the singers sang

and the trumpeters sounded and all this continued until the

burnt offering was finished .

 2929  And when they had made an end of offering the king and

all that were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped .

 2930  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 their heads and worshipped .

 2931  Then Hezekiah answered and said Now ye have consecrated

yourselves unto the LORD come near and bring sacrifices and

thank offerings into the house of the LORD And the congregation

brought in sacrifices and thank offerings and as many as were of

a free heart burnt offerings .

 2932  And the number of the burnt offerings which the

congregation brought was threescore and ten bullocks an hundred

rams and two hundred lambs all these were for a burnt offering

to the LORD .

 2933  And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and

three thousand sheep .

 2934  But the priests were too few so that they could not flay

all the burnt offerings wherefore their brethren the Levites did

help them till 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 .

 2935  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 .

 2936  And Hezekiah rejoiced and all the people that God had

prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly .

* 301  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 .

 302  For the king had taken counsel and his princes and all the

congregation in Jerusalem to keep the passover in the second

month .

 303  For they could not keep it at that time because the

priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently neither had

the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem .

 304  And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation .

 305  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 for they had not done it of a long time in such sort

as it was written .

 306  So the posts went with the letters from the king and his

princes throughout all Israel and Judah and according to the

commandment of the king saying Ye children of Israel turn again

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 .

 307  And be not ye like your fathers and like your brethren

which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers who

therefore gave them up to desolation as ye see .

 308  Now be ye not stiffnecked as your fathers were but yield

yourselves unto the LORD and enter into his sanctuary which he

hath sanctified for ever and serve the LORD your God that the

fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you .

 309  For if ye turn again unto the LORD your brethren and your

children shall find compassion before them 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 .

 3010  So the posts passed from city to city through the country

of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun but they laughed them

to scorn and mocked them .

 3011  Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun

humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem .

 3012  Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart

to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word

of the LORD .

 3013  And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the

feast of unleavened bread in the second month a very great

congregation .

 3014  And they arose and took away the altars that were in

Jerusalem and all the altars for incense took they away and cast

them into the brook Kidron .

 3015  Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of

the second month and the priests and the Levites were ashamed

and sanctified themselves and brought in the burnt offerings

into the house of the LORD .

 3016  And they stood in their place after their manner

according to the law of Moses the man of God the priests

sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the

Levites .

 3017  For there were many in the congregation that were not

sanctified therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing

of the passovers for every one that was not clean to sanctify

them unto the LORD .

 3018  For a multitude of the people even many of Ephraim and

Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves yet

did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written But

Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good LORD pardon every one .

 3019  That prepareth his heart to seek God the LORD God of his

fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification

of the sanctuary .

 3020  And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people .

 3021  And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem

kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great

gladness and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by

day singing with loud instruments unto the LORD .

 3022  And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that

taught the good knowledge of the LORD and they did eat

throughout the feast seven days offering peace offerings and

making confession to the LORD God of their fathers .

 3023  And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven

days and they kept other seven days with gladness .

 3024  For Hezekiah king of Judah did give 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  .

3025  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 .

 3026  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 .

 3027  Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people

and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to his holy

dwelling place even unto heaven .

* 311  Now when all this was finished all Israel that were

present went out to the cities of Judah and brake 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 alsoand

Manasseh until they had utterly destroyed them all Then all the

children of Israel returned every man to his possession into

their own cities .

 312  And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the

Levites after their courses every 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 .

 313  He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for

the burnt offerings to wit for the morning and evening burnt

offerings and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the

new moons and for the set feasts as it is written in the law of

the LORD .

 314  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 .

 315  And as soon as the commandment came abroad the children of

Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn wine and oil

and honey and of all the increase of the field and the tithe of

all things brought they in abundantly .

 316  And concerning the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt

in the cities of Judah they also brought in the tithe of oxen

and sheep and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated

unto the LORD their God and laid them by heaps .

 317  In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the

heaps and finished them in the seventh month .

 318  And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps

they blessed the LORD and his people Israel .

 319  Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites

concerning the heaps .

 3110  And Azariah the chief 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 had enough to eat

and have left plenty for the LORD hath blessed his people and

that which is left is this great store .

 3111  Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house

of the LORD and they prepared them .

 3112  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 the next .

 3113  And Jehiel and Azaziah and Nahath and Asahel and Jerimoth

and Jozabad and Eliel and Ismachiah and Mahath and Benaiah were

overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother at

the commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of

the house of God .

 3114  And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite the porter toward

the east was over the freewill offerings of God to distribute

the oblations of the LORD and the most holy things .

 3115  And next him were Eden and Miniamin and Jeshua and

Shemaiah Amariah and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests in

their set office to give to their brethren by courses as well to

the great as to the small .

 3116  Beside their genealogy of males from three years old and

upward even unto every one that entereth into the house of the

LORD his daily portion for their service in their charges

according to their courses .

 3117  Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of

their fathers and the Levites from twenty years old and upward

in their charges by their courses .

 3118  And to the genealogy of all their little ones their wives

and their sons and their daughters through all the congregation

for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness .

 3119  Also of the sons of Aaron the priests which were in the

fields of the suburbs of their cities in every several city the

men that were expressed by name to give portions to all the

males among the priests and to all that were reckoned by

genealogies among the Levites .

 3120  And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah and wrought

that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God .

 3121  And in every work that he began in the service of the

house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his

God he did it with all his heart and prospered .

* 321  After these things and the establishment thereof

Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah and

encamped against the fenced cities and thought to win them for

himself .

 322  And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that

he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem .

 323  He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to

stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city and

they did help him .

 324  So there was gathered much people together who stopped 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 .

 325  Also he strengthened himself and built up all the wall

that was broken and raised it up to the towers and another wall

without and repaired Millo in the city of David and made darts

and shields in abundance .

 326  And he set captains of war over the people and gathered

them together to him in the street of the gate of the city and

spake comfortably to them saying .

 327  Be strong and courageous be not afraid nor dismayed for

the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him

for there be more with us than with him .

 328  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 rested

themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah .

 329  After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send 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 .

 3210  Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria Whereon do ye

trust that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem .

 3211  Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to

die by famine and by thirst saying The LORD our God shall

deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria .

 3212  Hath 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 .

 3213  Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the

people of other lands were the gods of the nations of those

lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand .

 3214  Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my

fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of

mine hand that your God should be able to deliver you out of

mine hand .

 3215  Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade

you on this manner neither yet believe him for no god of any

nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine

hand and out of the hand of my fathers how much less shall your

God deliver you out of mine hand .

 3216  And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God and

against his servant Hezekiah .

 3217  He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel

and to speak against him saying As the gods of the nations of

other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand so

shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine

hand .

 3218  Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech

unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall to affright

them and to trouble them that they might take the city .

 3219  And they spake against the God of Jerusalem as against

the gods of the people of the earth which were the work of the

hands of man .

 3220  And for this cause Hezekiah the king and the prophet

Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed and cried to heaven .

 3221  And the LORD sent an angel which cut off all the mighty

men of valour and the leaders and captains in the camp of the

king of Assyria So he returned with shame of face to his own

land And when he was come into the house of his god they that

came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword .

 3222  Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of

Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and

from the hand of all other and guided them on every side .

 3223  And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem and

presents to Hezekiah king of Judah so that he was magnified in

the sight of all nations from thenceforth .

 3224  In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death and prayed

unto the LORD and he spake unto him and he gave him a sign .

 3225  But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit

done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was

wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem .

 3226  Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of

his heart both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the

wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah .

 3227  And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour and he

made himself treasuries for silver and for gold and for precious

stones and for spices and for shields and for all manner of

pleasant jewels .

 3228  Storehouses also for the increase of corn and wine and

oil and stalls for all manner of beasts and cotes for flocks .

 3229  Moreover he provided him cities and possessions of flocks

and herds in abundance for God had given him substance very much

.

 3230  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 prospered in all his works .

 3231  Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes

of Babylon who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was

done in the land God left him to try him that he might know all

that was in his heart .

 3232  Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his goodness

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 .

 3233  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 .

* 331  Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign and

he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem .

 332  But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD like

unto the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out

before the children of Israel .

 333  For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his

father had broken down and he reared up altars for Baalim and

made groves and worshipped all the host of heaven and served

them .

 334  Also he built altars in the house of the LORD whereof the

LORD had said In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever .

 335  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two

courts of the house of the LORD .

 336  And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the

valley of the son of Hinnom also he observed times and used

enchantments and used witchcraft and dealt with a familiar

spirit and with wizards he wrought much evil in the sight of the

LORD to provoke him to anger .

 337  And he set a carved 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

before all the tribes of Israel will I put my name for ever .

 338  Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out

of the land which I have appointed for your fathers so that they

will take heed to do all that I have commanded them according to

the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of

Moses .

 339  So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to

err and to do worse than the heathen whom the LORD had destroyed

before the children of Israel .

 3310  And the LORD spake to Manasseh and to his people but they

would not hearken .

 3311  Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the

host of the king of Assyria which took Manasseh among the thorns

and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon .

 3312  And when he was in affliction he besought the LORD his

God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers .

 3313  And prayed unto him and he was entreated of him and heard

his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his

kingdom Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God .

 3314  Now after this he built a wall without the city of David

on the west side of Gihon in the valley even to the entering in

at the fish gate and compassed about Ophel and raised it up a

very great height and put captains of war in all the fenced

cities of Judah .

 3315  And 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 .

 3316  And he repaired the altar of the LORD and sacrificed

thereon peace offerings and thank offerings and commanded Judah

to serve the LORD God of Israel .

 3317  Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high

places yet unto the LORD their God only .

 3318  Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and his prayer unto

his God and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name

of the LORD God of Israel behold they are written in the book of

the kings of Israel .

 3319  His prayer also and how God was entreated of him and all

his sins and his trespass and the places wherein he built high

places and set up groves and graven images before he was humbled

behold they are written among the sayings of the seers .

 3320  So Manasseh slept with his fathers and they buried him in

his own house and Amon his son reigned in his stead .

 3321  Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign

and reigned two years in Jerusalem .

 3322  But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD

as did Manasseh his father for Amon sacrificed unto all the

carved images which Manasseh his father had made and served them

.

 3323  And humbled not himself before the LORD as Manasseh his

father had humbled himself but Amon trespassed more and more .

 3324  And his servants conspired against him and slew him in

his own house .

 3325  But the people of the land slew all them that had

conspired against king Amon and the people of the land made

Josiah his son king in his stead .

* 341  Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign and he

reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years .

 342  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 .

 343  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 carved images and the molten

images .

 344  And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence

and the images that were on high above them he cut down and the

groves and the carved images and the molten images he brake in

pieces and made dust of them and strowed it upon the graves of

them that had sacrificed unto them .

 345  And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars

and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem .

 346  And so did he in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and

Simeon even unto Naphtali with their mattocks round about .

 347  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 throughout all the land of Israel he returned to Jerusalem

.

 348  Now in the eighteenth year of his reign when he had purged

the land and the house he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah and

Maaseiah the governor of the city and Joah the son of Joahaz the

recorder to repair the house of the LORD his God .

 349  And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest they

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 and they returned to Jerusalem .

 3410  And they put it in the hand of the workmen 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

amend the house .

 3411  Even to the artificers and builders gave they it to buy

hewn stone and timber for couplings and to floor the houses

which the kings of Judah had destroyed .

 3412  And the men did the work faithfully and the overseers of

them were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites of the sons of Merari

and Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites to set

it forward and other of the Levites all that could skill of

instruments of music .

 3413  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 .

 3414  And when they brought out the money that was brought into

the house of the LORD Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law

of the LORD given by Moses .

 3415  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 .

 3416  And Shaphan carried the book to the king and brought the

king word back again saying All that was committed to thy

servants they do it .

 3417  And they have gathered together the money that was found

in the house of the LORD and have delivered it into the hand of

the overseers and to the hand of the workmen .

 3418  Then Shaphan the scribe told the king saying Hilkiah the

priest hath given me a book And Shaphan read it before the king .

 3419  And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of

the law that he rent his clothes .

 3420  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 .

 3421  Go inquire of the LORD for me and for them that are left

in Israel and in 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

after all that is written in this book .

 3422  And Hilkiah and they that the king had appointed 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 college and they spake to her to that effect .

 3423  And she answered them Thus saith the LORD God of Israel

Tell ye the man that sent you to me .

 3424  Thus saith the LORD Behold I will bring evil upon this

place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the curses that

are written in the book which they have read before the king of

Judah .

 3425  Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense

unto other gods that they might provoke 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 .

 3426  And as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of

the LORD so shall ye say unto him Thus saith the LORD God of

Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard .

 3427  Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble

thyself before God when thou heardest his words against this

place and against the inhabitants thereof and humbledst thyself

before me and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me I have

even heard thee also saith the LORD .

 3428  Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt

be gathered to thy grave in peace neither shall thine eyes see

all the evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the

inhabitants of the same So they brought the king word again .

 3429  Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders

of Judah and Jerusalem .

 3430  And the king went up into the house of the LORD and 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 .

 3431  And the king stood in his place and made a covenant

before the LORD to walk after the LORD and to keep his

commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his

heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the covenant

which are written in this book .

 3432  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 .

 3433  And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the

countries that pertained to the children of Israel and made all

that were present in Israel to serve even to serve the LORD

their God And all his days they departed not from following the

LORD the God of their fathers .

* 351  Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in

Jerusalem and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of

the first month .

 352  And he set the priests in their charges and encouraged

them to the service of the house of the LORD .

 353  And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel which

were holy unto the LORD Put the holy ark in the house which

Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build it shall not

be a burden upon your shoulders serve now the LORD your God and

his people Israel .

 354  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 .

 355  And stand in the holy place 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 .

 356  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 .

 357  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 .

 358  And his princes gave willingly unto the people to the

priests and to the Levites Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel

rulers of the house of God gave unto the priests for the

passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle and

three hundred oxen .

 359  Conaniah also and Shemaiah and Nethaneel his brethren and

Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad chief of the Levites gave unto

the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle

and five hundred oxen .

 3510  So the service was prepared and the priests stood in

their place and the Levites in their courses according to the

king's commandment .

 3511  And they killed the passover and the priests sprinkled

the blood from their hands and the Levites flayed them .

 3512  And they removed the burnt offerings that they might give

according to the divisions of the families of the people to

offer unto the LORD as it is written in the book of Moses And so

did they with the oxen .

 3513  And they roasted the passover with fire according to the

ordinance but the other holy offerings sod they in pots and in

caldrons and in pans and divided them speedily among all the

people .

 3514  And afterward they made ready for themselves and for the

priests because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in

offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night therefore

the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons

of Aaron .

 3515  And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place

according to the commandment of David and Asaph and Heman and

Jeduthun the king's seer and the porters waited at every gate

they might not depart from their service for their brethren the

Levites prepared for them .

 3516  So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day

to keep the passover and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar

of the LORD according to the commandment of king Josiah .

 3517  And the children of Israel that were present kept the

passover at that time and the feast of unleavened bread seven

days .

 3518  And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel

from the days of Samuel the prophet neither did all the kings of

Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept and the priests and

the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present and the

inhabitants of Jerusalem .

 3519  In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this

passover kept .

 3520  After all this when Josiah had prepared the temple Necho

king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates

and Josiah went out against him .

 3521  But he sent ambassadors to him saying What have I to do

with thee thou king of Judah I come not against thee this day

but against the house wherewith I have war for God commanded me

to make haste forbear thee from meddling with God who is with me

that he destroy thee not .

 3522  Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him but

disguised himself that he might fight with him and hearkened not

unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God and came to fight

in the valley of Megiddo .

 3523  And the archers shot at king Josiah and the king said to

his servants Have me away for I am sore wounded .

 3524  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 one of the sepulchres

of his fathers And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah .

 3525  And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the singing men

and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to

this day and made them an ordinance in Israel and behold they

are written in the lamentations .

 3526  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodness

according to that which was written in the law of the LORD .

 3527  And his deeds first and last behold they are written in

the book of the kings of Israel and Judah .

* 361  Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of

Josiah and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem .

 362  Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to

reign and he reigned three months in Jerusalem .

 363  And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem and

condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent

of gold .

 364  And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over

Judah and Jerusalem and turned his name to Jehoiakim And Necho

took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him to Egypt .

 365  Jehoiakim was twenty and 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 .

 366  Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and

bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon .

 367  Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of

the LORD to Babylon and put them in his temple at Babylon .

 368  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 .

 369  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 .

 3610  And when the year was expired king Nebuchadnezzar sent

and brought him to Babylon with the goodly vessels of the house

of the LORD and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and

Jerusalem .

 3611  Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to

reign and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem .

 3612  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD

his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet

speaking from the mouth of the LORD .

 3613  And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar who had

made him swear by God but he stiffened his neck and hardened his

heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel .

 3614  Moreover all the chief of the priests and the people

transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen

and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in

Jerusalem .

 3615  And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his

messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had

compassion on his people and on his dwelling place .

 3616  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 till there was no remedy .

 3617  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 hand .

 3618  And 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 .

 3619  And they burnt the house of God and brake down the wall

of Jerusalem and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire and

destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof .

 3620  And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away

to Babylon where they were servants to him and his sons until

the reign of the kingdom of Persia .

 3621  To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah

until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths for as long as she lay

desolate she kept sabbath to fulfil threescore and ten years .

 3622  Now 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 .

 3623  Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia All the kingdoms of the

earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me and he hath charged

me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judah Who is

there among you of all his people The LORD his God be with him

and let him go up .

~~~~~~