001:001 Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom,
and Yahweh his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
001:002 Solomon 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].
001:003 So 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.
001:004 But 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.
001:005 Moreover 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.
001:006 Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh,
which was at the tent of meeting, and offered one thousand
burnt offerings on it.
001:007 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him,
"Ask what I shall give you."
001:008 Solomon said to God, You have shown great loving kindness
to David my father, and have made me king in his place.
001:009 Now, 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.
001:010 Give 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?
001:011 God 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:
001:012 wisdom 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.
001:013 So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon,
from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem;
and he reigned over Israel.
001:014 Solomon 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.
001:015 The 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.
001:016 The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue;
the king's merchants purchased them from Kue.
001:017 They 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.
002:001 Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Yahweh,
and a house for his kingdom.
002:002 Solomon 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.
002:003 Solomon 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].
002:004 Behold, 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 is [an ordinance] forever to Israel.
002:005 The house which I build is great; for great is our God
above all gods.
002:006 But 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?
002:007 Now 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 engrave [all manner of] engravings,
[to be] with the skillful men who are with me in Judah
and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
002:008 Send 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,
002:009 even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I
am about to build shall be great and wonderful.
002:010 Behold, 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.
002:011 Then 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."
002:012 Huram 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.
002:013 Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding,
of Huram my father's,
002:014 the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father
was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver,
in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple,
in blue, 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.
002:015 Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine,
which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants:
002:016 and 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."
002:017 Solomon 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.
002:018 He 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.
003:001 Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem
on Mount Moriah, where [Yahweh] appeared to David his father,
which he made ready in the place that David had appointed,
in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
003:002 He began to build in the second [day] of the second month,
in the fourth year of his reign.
003:003 Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building
of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first
measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
003:004 The porch that was before [the house], the length of it,
according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits,
and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within
with pure gold.
003:005 The greater house he made a ceiling with fir wood,
which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm
trees and chains.
003:006 He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty:
and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
003:007 He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds,
and the walls of it, and the doors of it, with gold;
and engraved cherubim on the walls.
003:008 He made the most holy house: the length of it, according to
the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth
of it twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold,
amounting to six hundred talents.
003:009 The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.
He overlaid the upper chambers with gold.
003:010 In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work;
and they overlaid them with gold.
003:011 The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long:
the 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.
003:012 The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall
of the house; and the other wing was five cubits [also],
joining to the wing of the other cherub.
003:013 The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits:
and they stood on their feet, and their faces were
toward the house.
003:014 He made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen,
and ornamented it with cherubim.
003:015 Also 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.
003:016 He made chains in the oracle, and put [them] on the tops
of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates,
and put them on the chains.
003:017 He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left; and called the name of that on
the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
004:001 Then he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length
of it, and twenty cubits the breadth of it, and ten cubits
the height of it.
004:002 Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim,
round in compass; and the height of it was five cubits;
and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.
004:003 Under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it
round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about.
The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
004:004 It 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.
004:005 It was a handbreadth thick; and the brim of it was worked
like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily:
it received and held three thousand baths.
004:006 He 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.
004:007 He made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance
concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on
the right hand, and five on the left.
004:008 He 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.
004:009 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.
004:010 He set the sea on the right side [of the house] eastward,
toward the south.
004:011 Huram 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:
004:012 the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were
on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two
bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,
004:013 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks;
two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two
bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars.
004:014 He made also the bases, and the basins made he on the bases;
004:015 one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.
004:016 The pots also, and the shovels, and the forks, and all the vessels
of it, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house
of Yahweh of bright brass.
004:017 In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay
ground between Succoth and Zeredah.
004:018 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance:
for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
004:019 Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God,
the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them;
004:020 and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according
to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;
004:021 and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold,
and that perfect gold;
004:022 and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the
fire pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house,
the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors
of the main hall of the temple were of gold.
005:001 Thus 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.
005:002 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all
the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers'
[houses] of 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.
005:003 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king
at the feast, which was [in] the seventh month.
005:004 All the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark;
005:005 and 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.
005:006 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were
assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen,
that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.
005:007 The 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.
005:008 For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place
of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the poles
of it above.
005:009 The 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.
005:010 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put
[there] at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children
of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
005:011 It 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;
005:012 also the Levites who were the singers, all of them,
even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers,
arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and stringed instruments
and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them
one hundred twenty priests sounding with trumpets;)
005:013 it 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,
005:014 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason
of the cloud: for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.
006:001 Then spoke Solomon, Yahweh has said that he would dwell
in the thick darkness.
006:002 But I have built you a house of habitation, and a place for you
to dwell in forever.
006:003 The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel:
and all the assembly of Israel stood.
006:004 He 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,
006:005 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land
of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel
to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose
I any man to be prince over my people Israel:
006:006 but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there;
and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
006:007 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house
for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
006:008 But 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:
006:009 nevertheless 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.
006:010 Yahweh 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.
006:011 There have I set the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh,
which he made with the children of Israel.
006:012 He stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all
the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands
006:013 (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;)
006:014 and 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;
006:015 who 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.
006:016 Now 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.
006:017 Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be verified,
which you spoke to your servant David.
006:018 But 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!
006:019 Yet 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;
006:020 that 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.
006:021 Listen 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.
006:022 If 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;
006:023 then 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.
006:024 If 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;
006:025 then 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.
006:026 When 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:
006:027 then 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.
006:028 If 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;
006:029 whatever 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:
006:030 then 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;)
006:031 that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they
live in the land which you gave to our fathers.
006:032 Moreover 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:
006:033 then 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.
006:034 If 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;
006:035 then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication,
and maintain their cause.
006:036 If 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;
006:037 yet 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;
006:038 if 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:
006:039 then 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.
006:040 Now, 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.
006:041 Now 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.
006:042 Yahweh God, don't turn away the face of your anointed:
remember [your] loving kindnesses to David your servant.
007:001 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 Yahweh filled the house.
007:002 The priests could not enter into the house of Yahweh,
because the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh's house.
007:003 All 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.
007:004 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Yahweh.
007:005 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen,
and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all
the people dedicated the house of God.
007:006 The 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.
007:007 Moreover 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.
007:008 So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all
Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance
of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.
007:009 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly:
for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days,
and the feast seven days.
007:010 On 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.
007:011 Thus 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.
007:012 Yahweh 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.
007:013 If 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;
007:014 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.
007:015 Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer
that is made in this place.
007:016 For 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.
007:017 As 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;
007:018 then 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.
007:019 But 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;
007:020 then 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.
007:021 This 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?
007:022 They 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.
008:001 It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had
built the house of Yahweh, and his own house,
008:002 that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them,
and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
008:003 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.
008:004 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities,
which he built in Hamath.
008:005 Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower,
fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
008:006 and 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.
008:007 As 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;
008:008 of 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.
008:009 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 rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.
008:010 These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two-hundred fifty,
who ruled over the people.
008:011 Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city
of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said,
My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel,
because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy.
008:012 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar
of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch,
008:013 even as the duty of every day required, offering according to
the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons,
and on the set feasts, three times in the year, [even] in
the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks,
and in the feast of tents.
008:014 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David
his father, the divisions of the priests to their service,
and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister
before the priests, as the duty of every day required;
the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate:
for so had David the man of God commanded.
008:015 They didn't depart from the commandment of the king to the priests
and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.
008:016 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the
foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished.
[So] the house of Yahweh was completed.
008:017 Then went Solomon to Ezion Geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore
in the land of Edom.
008:018 Huram 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.
009:001 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 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.
009:002 Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything
hid from Solomon which he didn't tell her.
009:003 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon,
and the house that he had built,
009:004 and 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.
009:005 She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my
own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.
009:006 However 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.
009:007 Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants,
who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.
009:008 Blessed 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.
009:009 She 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.
009:010 The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought
gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.
009:011 The 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.
009:012 King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king.
So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
009:013 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
009:014 besides that which the traders and merchants brought:
and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country
brought gold and silver to Solomon.
009:015 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold;
six hundred [shekels] of beaten gold went to one buckler.
009:016 [he made] three hundred shields of beaten gold;
three hundred [shekels] of gold went to one shield:
and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
009:017 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid
it with pure gold.
009:018 And 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.
009:019 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on
the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom.
009:020 All king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels
of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold:
silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
009:021 For 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.
009:022 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in
riches and wisdom.
009:023 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon,
to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
009:024 They 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.
009:025 Solomon 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.
009:026 He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land
of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
009:027 The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones,
and he made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are
in the lowland, for abundance.
009:028 They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.
009:029 Now 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?
009:030 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
009:031 Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city
of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
010:001 Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem
to make him king.
010:002 It 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.
010:003 They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came,
and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
010:004 Your 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.
010:005 He said to them, Come again to me after three days.
The people departed.
010:006 King 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?
010:007 They 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.
010:008 But 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.
010:009 He 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?
010:010 The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying,
Thus shall you tell the people who spoke to you, saying,
Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us;
thus shall you say to them, My little finger is thicker
than my father's waist.
010:011 Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke,
I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips,
but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
010:012 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day,
as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
010:013 The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook
the counsel of the old men,
010:014 and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying,
My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto:
my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise
you] with scorpions.
010:015 So 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.
010:016 When 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.
010:017 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities
of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
010:018 Then 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.
010:019 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
011:001 When 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.
011:002 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
011:003 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah,
and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
011:004 Thus 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.
011:005 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
011:006 He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
011:007 Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
011:008 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
011:009 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
011:010 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and
in Benjamin, fortified cities.
011:011 He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them,
and stores of food, and oil and wine.
011:012 In every city [he put] shields and spears, and made them
exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
011:013 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted
to him out of all their border.
011:014 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession,
and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons
cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's
office to Yahweh;
011:015 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for
the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.
011:016 After 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.
011:017 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam
the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked
three years in the way of David and Solomon.
011:018 Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth
the son of David, [and of] Abihail the daughter of Eliab
the son of Jesse;
011:019 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
011:020 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore
him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
011:021 Rehoboam 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.)
011:022 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief,
[even] the prince among his brothers; for [he was minded]
to make him king.
011:023 He 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 sought [for
them] many wives.
012:001 It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established,
and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh,
and all Israel with him.
012:002 It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak
king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had
trespassed against Yahweh,
012:003 with 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.
012:004 He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah,
and came to Jerusalem.
012:005 Now 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.
012:006 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves;
and they said, Yahweh is righteous.
012:007 When 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.
012:008 Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know
my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
012:009 So 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.
012:010 King 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.
012:011 It 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.
012:012 When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him,
so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah
there were good things [found].
012:013 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned:
for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh
had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there:
and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
012:014 He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart
to seek Yahweh.
012:015 Now 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.
012:016 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David:
and Abijah his son reigned in his place.
013:001 In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to
reign over Judah.
013:002 Three 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.
013:003 Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war,
even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set
the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand
chosen men, who were mighty men of valor.
013:004 Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country
of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:
013:005 Ought 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?
013:006 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son
of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.
013:007 There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows,
who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon,
when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could
not withstand them.
013:008 Now 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.
013:009 Haven'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 of [other] lands? so that whoever comes
to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams,
the same may be a priest of [those who are] no gods.
013:010 But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him;
and [we have] priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron,
and the Levites in their work:
013:011 and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt
offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set
they] in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold
with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep
the charge of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.
013:012 Behold, 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.
013:013 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them:
so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
013:014 When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and
behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded
with the trumpets.
013:015 Then 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.
013:016 The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered
them into their hand.
013:017 Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter:
so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
013:018 Thus 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.
013:019 Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him,
Bethel with the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it,
and Ephron with the towns of it.
013:020 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah:
and Yahweh struck him, and he died.
013:021 But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives,
and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.
013:022 The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings,
are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.
014:001 So 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.
014:002 Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God:
014:003 for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places,
and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,
014:004 and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers,
and to do the law and the commandment.
014:005 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places
and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
014:006 He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet,
and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had
given him rest.
014:007 For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make
about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land
is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God;
we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.
So they built and prospered.
014:008 Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah
three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore
shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand:
all these were mighty men of valor.
014:009 There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an
army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots;
and he came to Mareshah.
014:010 Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array
in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
014:011 Asa 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.
014:012 So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled.
014:013 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar:
and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not
recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh,
and before his army; and they carried away very much booty.
014:014 They struck all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear
of Yahweh came on them: and they despoiled all the cities;
for there was much spoil in them.
014:015 They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away
sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
015:001 The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded:
015:002 and 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.
015:003 Now for a long season Israel was without the true God,
and without a teaching priest, and without law:
015:004 But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God
of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
015:005 In those times there was no peace to him who went out,
nor to him who came in; but great vexations were on all
the inhabitants of the lands.
015:006 They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city
against city; for God did vex them with all adversity.
015:007 But be you strong, and don't let your hands be slack;
for your work shall be rewarded.
015:008 When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet,
he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all
the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which
he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed
the altar of Yahweh, that was before the porch of Yahweh.
015:009 He 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.
015:010 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month,
in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
015:011 They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, of the spoil which they
had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
015:012 They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of
their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;
015:013 and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel,
should be put to death, whether small or great,
whether man or woman.
015:014 They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting,
and with trumpets, and with cornets.
015:015 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 Yahweh gave them rest round about.
015:016 Also 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.
015:017 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel:
nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
015:018 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.
015:019 There was no more war to the five and thirtieth year of
the reign of Asa.
016:001 In 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.
016:002 Then 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,
016:003 [There is] a league between me and you, as [there was] between
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.
016:004 Ben 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.
016:005 It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off
building Ramah, and let his work cease.
016:006 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones
of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha had built;
and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
016:007 At 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.
016:008 Weren'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.
016:009 For 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.
016:010 Then 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.
016:011 Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
016:012 In 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.
016:013 Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth
year of his reign.
016:014 They buried him in his own tombs, which he had hewn out
for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed
which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds [of spices]
prepared by the perfumers' art: and they made a very great
burning for him.
017:001 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened
himself against Israel.
017:002 He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set
garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim,
which Asa his father had taken.
017:003 Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first
ways of his father David, and didn't seek the Baals,
017:004 but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments,
and not after the doings of Israel.
017:005 Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand;
and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches
and honor in abundance.
017:006 His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh: and furthermore
he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
017:007 Also 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;
017:008 and 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.
017:009 They 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.
017:010 The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were
round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
017:011 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents,
and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks,
seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand
and seven hundred male goats.
017:012 Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah
castles and cities of store.
017:013 He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war,
mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.
017:014 This 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;
017:015 and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two
hundred eighty thousand;
017:016 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered
himself to Yahweh; and with him two hundred thousand mighty
men of valor.
017:017 Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two
hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
017:018 and next to him Jehozabad and with him one hundred eighty
thousand ready prepared for war.
017:019 These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom
the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
018:001 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined
affinity with Ahab.
018:002 After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria.
Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for
the people who were with him, and moved him to go up [with
him] to Ramoth Gilead.
018:003 Ahab 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; and [we will be] with you
in the war.
018:004 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first
for the word of Yahweh.
018:005 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together,
four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead
to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for God
will deliver it into the hand of the king.
018:006 But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh besides,
that we may inquire of him?
018:007 The 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.
018:008 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly
Micaiah the son of Imla.
018:009 Now 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.
018:010 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said,
Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians,
until they be consumed.
018:011 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead,
and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand
of the king.
018:012 The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold,
the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one mouth:
let your word therefore, Please be like one of theirs,
and speak you good.
018:013 Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak.
018:014 When 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.
018:015 The 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?
018:016 He 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.
018:017 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn't I tell you
that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?
018:018 [Micaiah] said, "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.
018:019 Yahweh 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.
018:020 There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said,
'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'
018:021 He 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.'
018:022 Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit
in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken
evil concerning you."
018:023 Then 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?
018:024 Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you
shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.
018:025 The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back
to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
018:026 and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison,
and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction,
until I return in peace.
018:027 Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not
spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.
018:028 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
up to Ramoth Gilead.
018:029 The 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.
018:030 Now 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.
018:031 It 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 them [to depart] from him.
018:032 It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was
not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
018:033 A 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.
018:034 The 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.
019:001 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in
peace to Jerusalem.
019:002 Jehu 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.
019:003 Nevertheless 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.
019:004 Jehoshaphat 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.
019:005 He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities
of Judah, city by city,
019:006 and said to the judges, Consider what you do: for you
don't judge for man, but for Yahweh; and [he is] with you
in the judgment.
019:007 Now 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.
019:008 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and
the priests, and of the heads of the fathers' [houses] of Israel,
for the judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies.
They returned to Jerusalem.
019:009 He charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear
of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
019:010 Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers
who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood,
between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances,
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.
019:011 Behold, 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.
020:001 It 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.
020:002 Then 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).
020:003 Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh;
and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
020:004 Judah gathered themselves together, to seek [help] of Yahweh:
even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Yahweh.
020:005 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem,
in the house of Yahweh, before the new court;
020:006 and 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.
020:007 Did 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?
020:008 They lived therein, and have built you a sanctuary therein
for your name, saying,
020:009 If 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.
020:010 Now, 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;
020:011 behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession,
which you have given us to inherit.
020:012 Our 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.
020:013 All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones,
their wives, and their children.
020:014 Then 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;
020:015 and 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.
020:016 Tomorrow 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.
020:017 You shall not need to fight in this [battle]: 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.
020:018 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground;
and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down
before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh.
020:019 The 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.
020:020 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, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem:
believe in Yahweh your God, so shall you be established;
believe his prophets, so shall you prosper.
020:021 When 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.
020:022 When 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.
020:023 For 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.
020:024 When 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.
020:025 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them,
they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies,
and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves,
more than they could carry away: and they were three days
in taking the spoil, it was so much.
020:026 On 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.
020:027 Then 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.
020:028 They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps
and trumpets to the house of Yahweh.
020:029 The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries,
when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel.
020:030 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him
rest round about.
020:031 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when
he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem:
and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
020:032 He 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.
020:033 However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet
had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
020:034 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold,
they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani,
which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
020:035 After this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with
Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:
020:036 and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish;
and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
020:037 Then 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.
021:001 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned
in his place.
021:002 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel,
and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah;