1:1Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.1:2Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers'houses.1:3So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the Tent of Meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness.1:4But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.1:5Moreover the bronze altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tent of Yahweh: and Solomon and the assembly were seeking counsel there.1:6Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh, which was at the Tent of Meeting, and offered one thousand burnt offerings on it.1:7In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I shall give you."1:8Solomon said to God, You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place.1:9Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be established; for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.1:10Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this your people, that is so great?1:11God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king:1:12wisdom and knowledge is granted to you; and I will give you riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you; neither shall there any after you have the like.1:13So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel.1:14Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.1:15The king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.1:16The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue; the king's merchants purchased them from Kue.1:17They brought up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred pieces of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.
2:1Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.2:2Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand men who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.2:3Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house in which to dwell,even so deal with me.2:4Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual show bread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Yahweh our God. This isan ordinanceforever to Israel.2:5The house which I build is great; for great is our God above all gods.2:6But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?2:7Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and who knows how to engraveall manner ofengravings,to bewith the skillful men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.2:8Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon: and behold, my servants shall be with your servants,2:9even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.2:10Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.2:11Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, "Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them."2:12Huram continued, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.2:13Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, of Huram my father's,2:14the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.2:15Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants:2:16and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need; and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem."2:17Solomon numbered all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had numbered them; and they were found one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred.2:18He set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people at work.
3:1Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, whereYahwehappeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.3:2He began to build in the seconddayof the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.3:3Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.3:4The porch that was beforethe house, its length, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold.3:5The greater house he made a ceiling with fir wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains.3:6He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.3:7He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and its walls, and its doors, with gold; and engraved cherubim on the walls.3:8He made the most holy house: its length, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and its breadth twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.3:9The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper chambers with gold.3:10In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and they overlaid them with gold.3:11The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the onecherubwas five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing waslikewisefive cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.3:12The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubitsalso, joining to the wing of the other cherub.3:13The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house.3:14He made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and ornamented it with cherubim.3:15Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty-five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.3:16He made chains in the oracle, and putthemon the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.3:17He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
4:1Then he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits its length, and twenty cubits its breadth, and ten cubits its height.4:2Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it.4:3Under it was the likeness of oxen, which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.4:4It stood on 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 on them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.4:5It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held three thousand baths.4:6He made also ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.4:7He made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.4:8He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold.4:9Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.4:10He set the sea on the right sideof the houseeastward, toward the south.4:11Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he did for king Solomon in the house of God:4:12the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,4:13and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars.4:14He made also the bases, and the basins made he on the bases;4:15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.4:16The pots also, and the shovels, and the forks, and all its vessels, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house of Yahweh of bright brass.4:17In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.4:18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.4:19Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them;4:20and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;4:21and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold;4:22and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.
5:1Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of Yahweh was finished. Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.5:2Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers'housesof the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion.5:3And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which wasinthe seventh month.5:4All the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark;5:5and they brought up the ark, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests the Levites bring up.5:6King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.5:7The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.5:8For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.5:9The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there it is to this day.5:10There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses putthereat Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.5:11It happened, when the priests were come out of the holy place, (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their divisions;5:12also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred twenty priests sounding with trumpets;)5:13it happened, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh,saying, For he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yahweh,5:14so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.
6:1Then spoke Solomon, Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.6:2But I have built you a house of habitation, and a place for you to dwell in forever.6:3The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.6:4He said, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled it, saying,6:5Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel:6:6but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.6:7Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.6:8But Yahweh said to David my father, Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart:6:9nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.6:10Yahweh has performed his word that he spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.6:11There have I set the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with the children of Israel.6:12He stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands6:13(for Solomon had made a bronze scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and on it he stood, and kneeled down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;)6:14and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven, or on earth; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;6:15who have kept with your servant David my father that which you did promise him: yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.6:16Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.6:17Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David.6:18But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house which I have built!6:19Yet have you respect to the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you;6:20that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name; to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place.6:21Listen to the petitions of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear, forgive.6:22If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house;6:23then hear from heaven, and do, and judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.6:24If your people Israel be struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again and confess your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this house;6:25then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers.6:26When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them:6:27then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.6:28If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there be;6:29whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house:6:30then hear from heaven, your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men;)6:31that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.6:32Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for your great name's sake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house:6:33then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.6:34If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name;6:35then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.6:36If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn't sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near;6:37yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;6:38if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name:6:39then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.6:40Now, my God, let, I beg you, your eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.6:41Now therefore arise, Yahweh God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength: let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.6:42Yahweh God, don't turn away the face of your anointed: rememberyourloving kindnesses to David your servant.
7:1Now 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 Yahweh filled the house.7:2The priests could not enter into the house of Yahweh, because the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh's house.7:3All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Yahweh was on the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh,saying, For he is good; for his loving kindness endures for ever.7:4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Yahweh.7:5King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.7:6The priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh, (for his loving kindness endures for ever), when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.7:7Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat.7:8So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.7:9On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.7:10On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.7:11Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh, and the king's house: and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of Yahweh, and in his own house.7:12Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.7:13If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;7:14if my people, who 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.7:15Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.7:16For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.7:17As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances;7:18then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel.7:19But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;7:20then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.7:21This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house?7:22They shall answer, Because they abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them: therefore has he brought all this evil on them.
8:1It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh, and his own house,8:2that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.8:3Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.8:4He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath.8:5Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;8:6and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.8:7As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel;8:8of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel didn't consume, of them did Solomon conscripted forced labor to this day.8:9But 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 rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.8:10These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two-hundred fifty, who ruled over the people.8:11Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy.8:12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch,8:13even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times in the year,evenin the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents.8:14He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.8:15They didn't depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.8:16Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished.Sothe house of Yahweh was completed.8:17Then went Solomon to Ezion Geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom.8:18Huram sent him ships and servants who had knowledge of the sea by the hands of his servants; and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from there four hundred fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
9:1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart.9:2Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hid from Solomon which he didn't tell her.9:3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,9:4and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, his cup bearers also, and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her.9:5She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.9:6However I didn't believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard.9:7Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.9:8Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.9:9She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.9:10The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.9:11The king made of the algum trees terraces for the house of Yahweh, and for the king's house, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers: and there were none like these seen before in the land of Judah.9:12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.9:13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,9:14besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.9:15King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundredshekelsof beaten gold went to one buckler.9:16he madethree hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundredshekelsof gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.9:17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.9:18And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays.9:19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom.9:20All king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.9:21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.9:22So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.9:23All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.9:24They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.9:25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.9:26He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.9:27The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.9:28They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.9:29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren't they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?9:30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.9:31Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
10:1Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.10:2It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.10:3They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,10:4Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.10:5He said to them, Come again to me after three days. The people departed.10:6King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?10:7They spoke to him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.10:8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.10:9He said to them, What counsel give you, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?10:10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus you shall say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.10:11Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but Iwill chastise youwith scorpions.10:12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.10:13The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,10:14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but Iwill chastise youwith scorpions.10:15So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.10:16When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents.10:17But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.10:18Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.10:19So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
11:1When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.11:2But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,11:3Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,11:4Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned from going against Jeroboam.11:5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.11:6He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,11:7Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam,11:8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,11:9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,11:10and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.11:11He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.11:12In every cityhe putshields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.11:13The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.11:14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office to Yahweh;11:15and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.11:16After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.11:17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.11:18Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David,and ofAbihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;11:19and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.11:20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.11:21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)11:22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief,eventhe prince among his brothers; forhe was mindedto make him king.11:23He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He soughtfor themmany wives.
12:1It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him.12:2It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh,12:3with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.12:4He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.12:5Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says Yahweh, You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.12:6Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, Yahweh is righteous.12:7When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.12:8Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.12:9So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king's house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.12:10King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.12:11It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.12:12When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good thingsfound.12:13So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.12:14He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart to seek Yahweh.12:15Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren't they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.12:16Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.
13:1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.13:2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.13:3Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.13:4Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:13:5Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?13:6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.13:7There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them.13:8Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.13:9Haven't you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests after the manner of the peoples ofotherlands? so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest ofthose who areno gods.13:10But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him; andwe havepriests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work:13:11and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread alsoset theyin order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.13:12Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don't you fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.13:13But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.13:14When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.13:15Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.13:16The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand.13:17Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.13:18Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers.13:19Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its towns.13:20Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died.13:21But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.13:22The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.
14:1So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.14:2Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God:14:3for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the Asherim,14:4and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.14:5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.14:6He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.14:7For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.14:8Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.14:9There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Mareshah.14:10Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.14:11Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength: help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God; don't let man prevail against you.14:12So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.14:13Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh, and before his army; and they carried away very much booty.14:14They struck all the cities around Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh came on them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them.14:15They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
15:1The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded:15:2and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Yahweh is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.15:3Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:15:4But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.15:5In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands.15:6They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.15:7But be you strong, and don't let your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded.15:8When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of Yahweh, that was before the porch of Yahweh.15:9He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who sojourned 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 Yahweh his God was with him.15:10So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.15:11They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep.15:12They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;15:13and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.15:14They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.15:15All 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 Yahweh gave them rest all around.15:16Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.15:17But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.15:18He brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.15:19There was no more war to the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.
16:1In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.16:2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahweh and of the king's house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,16:3There isa league between me and you, asthere wasbetween my father and your father: behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.16:4Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.16:5It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease.16:6Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand.16:8Weren't the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because you did rely on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand.16:9For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars.16:10Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.16:11Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.16:12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he didn't seek Yahweh, but to the physicians.16:13Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.16:14They buried him in his own tombs, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kindsof spicesprepared by the perfumers' art: and they made a very great burning for him.
17:1Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel.17:2He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.17:3Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn't seek the Baals,17:4but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.17:5Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance.17:6His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.17:7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;17:8and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.17:9They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.17:10The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.17:11Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred male goats.17:12Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store.17:13He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.17:14This was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand;17:15and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred eighty thousand;17:16and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Yahweh; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.17:17Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;17:18and next to him Jehozabad and with him one hundred eighty thousand ready prepared for war.17:19These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
18:1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.18:2After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go upwith himto Ramoth Gilead.18:3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; andwe will bewith you in the war.18:4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh.18:5Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.18:6But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him?18:7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh: but I hate him; for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. Jehoshaphat said, Don't let the king say so.18:8Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.18:9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.18:10Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these you shall push the Syrians, until they be consumed.18:11All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.18:12The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophetsdeclaregood to the king with one mouth: let your word therefore, Please be like one of theirs, and speak you good.18:13Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak.18:14When he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? He said, Go up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.18:15The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?18:16He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Yahweh said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.18:17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?18:18Micaiahsaid, "Therefore hear you the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.18:19Yahweh said, 'Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.18:20There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'18:21He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.'18:22Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you."18:23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you?18:24Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.18:25The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;18:26and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.18:27Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.18:28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.18:29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put you on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.18:30Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.18:31It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved themto departfrom him.18:32It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.18:33A certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am sore wounded.18:34The battle increased that day: however the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.
19:1Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.19:2Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahweh? for this thing wrath is on you from before Yahweh.19:3Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.19:4Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.19:5He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,19:6and said to the judges, Consider what you do: for you don't judge for man, but for Yahweh; andhe iswith you in the judgment.19:7Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.19:8Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and the priests, and of the heads of the fathers'housesof Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem.19:9He commanded them, saying, Thus you shall do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.19:10Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them, that they not be guilty towards Yahweh, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers: this do, and you shall not be guilty.19:11Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and Yahweh be with the good.
20:1It happened after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.20:2Then there came some who told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against you from beyond the sea from Syria; and behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar (the same is En Gedi).20:3Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.20:4Judah gathered themselves together, to seekhelpof Yahweh: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Yahweh.20:5Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh, before the new court;20:6and he said, Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren't you God in heaven? and aren't you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in your hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.20:7Did not you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham your friend forever?20:8They lived therein, and have built you a sanctuary therein for your name, saying,20:9If evil come on us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.20:10Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn't destroy them;20:11behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.20:12Our God, will you not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are on you.20:13All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.20:14Then on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Yahweh in the midst of the assembly;20:15and he said, Listen you, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat: Thus says Yahweh to you, Don't be afraid you, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.20:16Tomorrow go you down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and you shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.20:17You shall not need to fight in thisbattle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don't be afraid, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh is with you.20:18Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh.20:19The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.20:20They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Yahweh your God, so you shall be established; believe his prophets, so you shall prosper.20:21When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh; for his loving kindness endures forever.20:22When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.20:23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.20:24When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.20:25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.20:26On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed Yahweh: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.20:27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies.20:28They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of Yahweh.20:29The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel.20:30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest all around.20:31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.20:32He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn't turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh.20:33However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.20:34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.20:35After this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:20:36and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.20:37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.