{N}SOLOMON'S GIFT OF WISDOM{/}

{1}1{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Solomon, son of David, took firm control of the Kingdom of 
Israel. Yahweh, his God, was with him and exalted him greatly. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}Solomon then spoke to all Israel, to commanders of thousands 
and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the princes of Israel, 
the heads of families. {R}_{I}3_{/}Then Solomon, and with him the whole 
assembly, went to the High place at Gibeon, where God's Tent of 
Meeting was, which Moses, the servant of God, had made in the 
wilderness; {R}_{I}4_{/}David, however, had brought the ark of God from 
Kiriath-jearim to the place he had prepared for it, having set up 
a tent for it in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}5_{/}The bronze altar that Bezalel, 
son of Uri, son of Hur, had made stood there in front of the Holy 
Tent of Yahweh; Solomon, with the assembly, came to this altar, 
looking for Yahweh's presence. {R}_{I}6_{/}Solomon went up to the bronze 
altar that was by the Tent of Meeting, and offered a thousand 
burnt offerings on it.
{R}_{I}7_{/}That night, God appeared to Solomon and said, "Ask what you 
would like me to give you." {R}_{I}8_{/}Solomon replied to God, "You 
showed great kindness to David my father; and you have made me 
king in his place. {R}_{I}9_{/}Yahweh God, the promise you made to David 
my father has now been fulfilled, since you have made me king over 
a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. 
{I}10_{/}Therefore now give me wisdom and knowledge to act as leader 
of this people, for who could govern a people so great as yours?"
{R}_{I}11_{/}God said to Solomon, "Since that is what you want, you have 
asked, not for riches, treasure, honor, the lives of your enemies, 
or even for a long life, but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my 
people of whom I have made you king; {R}_{I}12_{/}therefore wisdom and 
knowledge are granted you. I give you riches too, and treasures, 
and honor such as none of the kings had that were before you, nor 
shall any have that come after you."
{R}_{I}13_{/}Solomon left the High place and the Tent of Meeting at 
Gibeon and returned to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}14_{/}Solomon built up a force 
of chariots and horses; he had one thousand four hundred chariots 
and twelve thousand horses; these he stationed in the chariot 
towns and with the king in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}15_{/}During his reign, 
silver and gold became as common in Jerusalem as stone, while 
cedar wood was as plentiful as the ordinary sycamore trees in the 
foothills of Judah. {R}_{I}16_{/}Solomon's horses were imported from 
Cilicia; the king's agents took delivery of them from Cilicia at a 
fixed rate. {R}_{I}17_{/}They imported chariots from Egypt for 600 pieces 
of silver each, and horses for 150 each. These men acted in the 
same way for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram. 
{R}_{I}18_{/}Solomon decided to build a house for Yahweh's Name and a 
palace for himself.

{N}SOLOMON AND HURAM{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}He put 70,000 men to work transporting materials, 80,000 to 
quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 supervisors in charge of 
them. {R}_{I}2_{/}Solomon then sent this message to Huram king of Tyre, 
"Deal with me as you dealt with my father David when you sent him 
cedars to build a house to live in. {R}_{I}3_{/}I am now building a house 
to honor Yahweh, my God, to acknowledge his holiness by burning 
incense of scented spices in his presence, by the loaves that are 
perpetually set out, by offerings morning and evening, on the 
sabbath, New Moon, and the solemn festivals of Yahweh our God - 
and this forever in Israel. {R}_{I}4_{/}The house I am building will be 
large, for our God is greater than all gods. {R}_{I}5_{/}Yet no one can 
really build a temple for God because the heavens and the heaven 
cannot contain him. And I cannot build him a house for anything 
more than to burn incense in his presence. {R}_{I}6_{/}So send me a man 
skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, scarlet, 
crimson, violet, and the art of engraving too; he is to work with 
the skilled men whom my father David provided here in Judah and 
Jerusalem. {I}7_{/}From Lebanon send me cedar wood, juniper and 
algummim, since I know your servants are experts in felling the 
trees of Lebanon. My servants will work with yours. {I}8_{/}They will 
prepare wood in bulk for me, since the house I wish to build is to 
be of astounding size. {I}9_{/}For the woodmen who are to fell the 
trees I assign twenty thousand kors of grain, twenty thousand kors 
of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand 
baths of oil - this is for the maintenance of your servants."
{R}_{I}10_{/}In a letter sent to King Solomon, Huram king of Tyre 
replied, "Because Yahweh loves his people he has made you king. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has made the 
heavens and the earth, and given King David a wise son, full of 
understanding and skill, who is going to build a house for Yahweh 
and a palace for himself and his court. {I}12_{/}And I am also sending 
you a skilled craftsman, Huram-abi, {R}_{I}13_{/}the son of a Danite 
woman by a Tyrian father. He is skilled in the use of gold, 
silver, bronze, iron, stone, wood, scarlet, violet, fine linen, 
crimson, in engraving of all kinds, and in the execution of any 
design suggested to him. Let him be put to work with your 
craftsmen and those of my lord David, your father. {I}14_{/}So now let 
my lord send his servants the wheat, barley, oil and wine, as 
already suggested.
{R}_{I}15_{/}For our part, we will cut down all the cedar trees you need 
from Lebanon, and bring them to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, and 
you will transport them to Jerusalem."
{R}_{I}16_{/}Solomon took a count of all the foreigners living in the 
land of Israel, following the census that David his father had 
taken; it was found there were a hundred and fifty-three thousand 
six hundred. {I}17_{/}He impressed seventy thousand of these for 
carrying loads, eighty thousand for quarrying in the hill country, 
and three thousand six hundred as overseers to make sure the 
people worked.

{N}THE BUILDING OF YAHWEH'S HOUSE{/}

{1}3{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Solomon then began to build Yahweh's House in Jerusalem on 
Mount Moriah where David his father had a vision. It was the place 
prepared by David, the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}Solomon began building in the second month of the fourth year 
of his reign, on the second day. {R}_{I}3_{/}The house which Solomon 
built was 90 feet long and 30 feet high. {R}_{I}4_{/}The Hall in front of 
the Great Room of the Temple was 30 cubits long across the width 
of the house, and its height was 180 feet. He plated it on the 
inside with pure gold. {I}5_{/}The Great Room he faced with juniper 
which he plated with pure gold, and on it set palms and festoons. 
{I}6_{/}He adorned the building with precious stones of great beauty; 
the gold was gold from Parvaim, {I}7_{/}and with this he faced the 
house, the beams, thresholds, walls and doors; on the walls he 
carved cherubs.
{I}8_{/}He then built the Holy of Holies; its length, across the width 
of the Great Room, was 30 feet, and its width 30 feet. He plated 
it with 25 tons of fine gold; {I}9_{/}the gold nails weighed 20 
ounces. He also plated the upper rooms with gold. {I}10_{/}In the Holy 
of Holies he made two cherubs of wrought metal work and plated 
them with gold. {I}11_{/}The total span of the cherubs' wings was 30 
feet, each being 7 1/2 feet long, with one wing touching the wall 
of the room, while the other touched that of the other cherub. 
{I}12_{/}One wing of a cherub, 7 1/2 feet long, touched the wall of 
the apartment; the second, 7 1/2 feet long, touched the wing of 
the other cherub. {I}13_{/}The spread of these cherubs' wings was 30 
feet. They stood on their feet, facing the Hall.
{I}14_{/}He made the Veil of violet, scarlet, crimson and fine linen; 
he worked cherubs on it.
{I}15_{/}In front of the Great room he made two pillars 52 feet high, 
and on the top of each a capital measuring 7 feet. {I}16_{/}He set 
festoons like in the Holy of holies, at the tops of the pillars, 
and a hundred pomegranates which he placed on the festoons. 
{I}17_{/}He set up the pillars in front of the house, one on the 
right, the other on the left; the one on the right he called 
Jachin, the one on the left Boaz.

{1}4{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}He made an altar of bronze, 30 feet long, 30 feet wide and 
ten high. {R}_{I}2_{/}He made the Sea of cast metal, 15 feet from rim to 
rim, circular in shape and 7 feet high; a cord 44 feet long gave 
the measurement of its girth. {R}_{I}3_{/}Under it and completely 
encircling it were pomegranates; they went around the Sea over a 
length of 44 feet; the pomegranates were in two rows, of one and 
the same casting with the rest. {R}_{I}4_{/}It rested on twelve oxen, 
three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, three 
facing east; on these, their hindquarters all turned inward, stood 
the Sea. {R}_{I}5_{/}It was a hand's breadth in thickness, and its rim 
was shaped like the rim of a cup, like a flower. It could hold 
15,000 gallons of water.
{R}_{I}6_{/}He made ten basins, arranging five on the right side, five on 
the left, for washing the victim for the burnt offering which was 
purified there; but the Sea was for the priests to wash in. {I}7_{/}He 
made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed and placed 
them in the Great room, five on the right and five on the left. 
{I}8_{/}He made a hundred golden sprinkling bowls.
{R}_{I}9_{/}He made the court of the priests and the great court with its 
gates and plated the gates with bronze. {R}_{I}10_{/}He placed the Sea 
some distance from the right-hand side, to the southeast.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Huram also made the pots, the shovels and the bowls. 
Thus he completed the work he had to do for King Solomon in the 
house of God: {I}12_{/}the two pillars; the two moldings of the 
capitals surmounting the pillars; the two sets of filigree to 
cover the two moldings of the capitals surmounting the pillars; 
{I}13_{/}the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of filigree, 
with the pomegranates of each filigree in two rows; {I}14_{/}the ten 
stands and the ten basins on the stands; {R}_{I}15_{/}the Sea and the 
twelve oxen beneath it; {R}_{I}16_{/}the pots, the shovels, the forks, 
and all their accessories made by Huram-abi of burnished bronze 
for King Solomon, for Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}17_{/}The king made them by 
the process of sand casting, near the Jordan between Succoth and 
Zeredah. {R}_{I}18_{/}Solomon made all these articles in such quantities, 
that the weight of bronze could not be reckoned.
{R}_{I}19_{/}Solomon placed all the furnishings he had made in the house 
of God: the golden altar and the tables for the loaves of 
offering; {I}20_{/}the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps to 
burn, as prescribed, before the sanctuary, of pure gold; {I}21_{/}the 
floral work, the lamps, the extinguishers, of gold (and it was 
pure gold); {R}_{I}22_{/}the knives, the sprinkling bowls, incense boats, 
of fine gold; the door of the Temple, the inner doors (for the 
Holy of Holies) and the Temple doors (for the Hekal), of gold.

{N}THE ARK IS BROUGHT TO THE TEMPLE{/}

{1}5{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}So all the work that Solomon did for Yahweh's House was 
completed, and Solomon brought the dedicated offerings of his 
father David, the silver and the gold and the vessels, and put 
them in the Temple storerooms.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Then Solomon called the leaders of the tribes and clans of 
Israel together in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the covenant of 
Yahweh up from the City of David, which is Zion. {R}_{I}3_{/}All the men 
of Israel assembled around the king in the seventh month, at the 
time of the feast. {R}_{I}4_{/}All the leaders of Israel came, and the 
Levites took up the ark {R}_{I}5_{/}and the Tent of Meeting with all the 
sacred vessels that were in it; the levitical priests carried 
them.
{R}_{I}6_{/}King Solomon, and all the community of Israel gathered with 
him in front of the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, countless, 
innumerable. {R}_{I}7_{/}The priests brought the ark of the covenant of 
Yahweh to its place, in the place, in the sanctuary of the house, 
that is, in the Holy of Holies, under the cherubs' wings. {R}_{I}8_{/}For 
there where the ark was placed the cherubs spread out their wings 
and sheltered the ark and its poles. {R}_{I}9_{/}The poles of the ark 
were long enough for their ends to be seen from the Holy Place in 
front of the sanctuary, but not from outside; {R}_{I}10_{/}they are still 
there today. There was nothing in the ark except the two stone 
slabs that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where Yahweh had made 
a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Finally, the priests came out of the sanctuary. All the 
priests were present, for they had purified themselves whatever 
group they belonged to. {R}_{I}12_{/}All the Levite musicians, Asaph, 
Heman and Jeduthun with their sons and brothers, were stationed to 
the east of the altar, robed in fine linen and playing cymbals, 
harps, and lyres. A hundred and twenty priests accompanied them on 
the trumpet. {R}_{I}13_{/}All those who played the trumpet, or who sang, 
united in giving praise and glory to Yahweh. Lifting their voices 
to the sound of the trumpet and cymbal and instruments of music, 
they gave praise to Yahweh. "For he is good, for his love is 
everlasting." Just then a cloud filled the sanctuary, the building 
of Yahweh.
{R}_{I}14_{/}Because of the cloud the priests could no longer perform 
their duties: for the Glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.

{1}6{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Then Solomon said: "Yahweh has chosen to live in the thick 
cloud. Yes, I have built you a majestic temple, {I}2_{/}a place for 
you to live in forever."
{R}_{I}3_{/}Then the king turned and asked God's blessing on the whole 
assembly of Israel, who were standing there. {R}_{I}4_{/}He said, 
"Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has spoken through the 
mouth of David, my father and has now carried out by his hand what 
he said: {R}_{I}5_{/}From the day I brought my people out of Egypt until 
now I did not choose any city in the land of Israel as the place 
to build a house where my Name would be, and I did not choose 
anyone to be prince of my people Israel. {R}_{I}6_{/}But now I have 
chosen Jerusalem as the place where my Name will be, and you, 
David, to rule my people.' {R}_{I}7_{/}My father David had set his heart 
on building a house for the Name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, 
{I}8_{/}but Yahweh said to him, 'You have set your heart on building a 
temple for my name, and in this you have done well; {R}_{I}9_{/}and yet, 
you are not the man to build the house; your son, born of your own 
body, shall build me a house.' {R}_{I}10_{/}Yahweh has kept the promise 
he made: I have succeeded David my father and am seated on the 
throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised; and now I have built a house 
for the Name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, {R}_{I}11_{/}and have placed 
in it the ark containing the covenant that Yahweh made with the 
people of Israel."

{N}SOLOMON'S PRAYER{/}

{R}_{I}12_{/}Then in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel Solomon 
stood before the altar of Yahweh and stretched out his hands. 
{R}_{I}13_{/}Solomon had made a bronze pedestal and had placed it in the 
middle of the court; it was 7 feet long, 7 feet wide and 7 feet 
high. Solomon mounted it, and knelt down on it in the presence of 
the whole assembly of Israel; he stretched out his hands to 
heaven. {R}_{I}14_{/}and said, "Yahweh, God of Israel, not in heaven nor 
on earth is there such a God as you; you are true to your covenant 
and show graciousness toward your servants when they live in 
wholehearted obedience to you. {R}_{I}15_{/}You have kept the promise you 
made to your servant David my father; what you promised with your 
mouth, today you have carried out by your hand. {R}_{I}16_{/}And now, 
Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise you made your servant 
David when you said, 'You shall always have someone from your line 
to rule as king of Israel, if only your sons are careful how they 
behave, following my Law as you yourself have done.'
{R}_{I}17_{/}So now, God of Israel, let the words come true which you 
spoke to your servant David my father. {R}_{I}18_{/}Yet will God really 
live with men and women on the earth? Why, the heavens and their 
own heavens cannot contain you! How much less this house that I 
have built! {R}_{I}19_{/}Listen to the prayer and grant the requests of 
your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and to the prayer 
your servant makes to you. {I}20_{/}Day and night let your eyes watch 
over this house, where you have promised that your Name would be.
{R}_{I}21_{/}Hear the prayers of your servant and of Israel your people 
as they pray in this place. From heaven where your dwelling is, 
hear; and, as you hear, forgive.
{R}_{I}22_{/}If anyone sins against his neighbour, and the neighbour 
calls down a curse on him and makes him swear an oath before your 
altar in this house, {I}23_{/}hear from heaven, and act; decide 
between your servants: punish the wicked one, bringing his conduct 
down on his own head; and vindicate the innocent, rewarding him as 
his innocence deserves.
{R}_{I}24_{/}If Israel your people are defeated by the enemy because they 
have sinned against you, but they return to you and praise your 
name and humbly pray to you for forgiveness, in this house, 
{R}_{I}25_{/}hear from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel, and 
bring them back to the land you gave to them and to their 
ancestors.
{I}26_{/}When the heavens are shut and there is no rain because they 
have sinned against you, if they pray in this place and praise 
your name, having been humbled by you, and repent of their sin, 
{R}_{I}27_{/}hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servant and of 
your people Israel. Teach them to do what is right; and send rain 
on your land which you have given your people as an inheritance.
{I}28_{/}Should there be famine in the land or epidemic or the crops 
are destroyed by scorching winds or swarms of locusts, should this 
people's enemies lay siege to one of their cities, if there is any 
plague or sickness, {R}_{I}29_{/}if any person, or all Israel your 
people, should, out of heartfelt sorrow, pray, stretching out his 
hands toward this house, {I}30_{/}hear from heaven where your home is. 
Forgive, and deal with each as his conduct deserves, for you know 
each heart - you alone know the hearts of all humankind - 
{I}31_{/}that they may come to you and follow your ways as long as 
they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.
{R}_{I}32_{/}And the foreigner too, not belonging to your people Israel, 
if he comes from a distant country for the sake of your Name and 
of your mighty hand and outstretched arm, if he comes and prays in 
this house, {R}_{I}33_{/}hear from heaven where your home is, and grant 
all the foreigner asks, so that all the peoples of the earth may 
come to know your name and, like your people Israel, revere you, 
and know that your Name dwells in this house I have built.
{I}34_{/}If your people go out to war against their enemies whatever 
way you send them, and if they turn toward the city you have 
chosen and toward the house I have built for your Name and pray to 
you, {I}35_{/}hear from heaven their prayer and give them victory.
{I}36_{/}If they sin against you - for there is no one who does not 
sin - and you are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, 
and they are led away captive to a land far or near, {I}37_{/}if in 
the land of their exile they come to themselves and repent, and in 
the country of their captivity they pray to you saying, 'We have 
sinned, we confess how sinful and wicked we have been,' {R}_{I}38_{/}and 
if they turn again to you with all their heart and soul in the 
country of their captivity to which they have been deported, and 
pray, turning toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the 
city you have chosen, and toward the house I have built for your 
name, {I}39_{/}hear from heaven where your home is. Hear their prayer, 
be merciful to them, and forgive your people the sins they have 
committed against you.
{R}_{I}40_{/}Now, O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive 
to the prayer offered in this place. {R}_{I}41_{/}And now rise Yahweh 
God, come to your resting place, you and the ark of your power. 
Let your priests, Yahweh God, be blessed in all they do, and your 
faithful people rejoice in prosperity.
{R}_{I}42_{/}Yahweh God, do not reject the face of your anointed king and 
remember David your servant."

{N}DEDICATION OF YAHWEH'S HOUSE{/}

{1}7{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When Solomon had finished his prayer, fire came down from 
heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered; and the 
Glory of Yahweh filled the Temple. {R}_{I}2_{/}The priests could not 
enter the temple of Yahweh's House because the glory of Yahweh 
filled his house. {R}_{I}3_{/}All the people of Israel, seeing the fire 
come down and the Glory of God resting on the house, bowed down on 
the pavement with their faces to the earth; they worshiped and 
gave praise to Yahweh, "for he is good, for his love is 
everlasting." {R}_{I}4_{/}Then the king and all the people offered 
sacrifice before Yahweh. {R}_{I}5_{/}King Solomon offered twenty-two 
thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep in 
sacrifice; and so the king and all the people dedicated Yahweh's 
House. {R}_{I}6_{/}The priests stood in their places, and also the 
Levites who gave praise to Yahweh on the instruments that David 
had made to accompany the canticles of Yahweh, "for his love is 
everlasting." They played and sang the hymns of praise that David 
had composed. By their side were the priests sounding the trumpet, 
while all Israel stood.
{R}_{I}7_{/}Solomon consecrated the inside part of the court that is in 
front of Yahweh's House; he offered the burnt offering there and 
the fatty parts of the peace offerings since the bronze altar 
Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering, the grain 
offering and the fatty part. {R}_{I}8_{/}Solomon then celebrated the 
feast for seven days. Enormous crowds of Israelites gathered 
together with him from the Pass of Hamath to the border of Egypt. 
{R}_{I}9_{/}On the eighth day they held a closing celebration, for they 
had been seven days celebrating the dedication of the altar. 
{R}_{I}10_{/}On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon 
dismissed the people who returned to their homes, rejoicing and 
with happy hearts for the goodness Yahweh had shown to David, to 
Solomon and to his people Israel.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Solomon finished Yahweh's House and the royal palace and 
successfully concluded all he had set himself to do in both of 
them. {R}_{I}12_{/}Then Yahweh appeared to Solomon in the night and said, 
"I have heard your prayer. I choose this house to be the place 
where sacrifices are to be offered to me. {I}13_{/}When I close the 
skies and there is no rain, when I command the locust to devour 
the land, when I send an epidemic among my people, {I}14_{/}and my 
people who bear my name humble themselves, and pray and look for 
me, and turn from their wicked ways then I myself will hear from 
heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land. {I}15_{/}From 
now on, my eyes are open and my ears attentive to the prayer that 
is offered in this place. {I}16_{/}From now on, I have chosen and 
consecrated this house as the place where my name will be forever; 
my eyes and my heart will be there forever.
{R}_{I}17_{/}For your part, if you serve me faithfully as David your 
father did, if you do all that I order you and keep my statutes 
and my ordinances, {R}_{I}18_{/}I will make your royal throne secure, 
according to the promise I made to David your father when I said: 
Israel will always be ruled by one of your descendants. {I}19_{/}But 
if you turn away from me and forsake the commandments and statutes 
I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship 
them, {I}20_{/}then I will cast the Israelites out from the land I 
have given them, and I will reject this house that I have 
consecrated as the place where my Name would be, so that it may be 
an example for all the nations. {R}_{I}21_{/}All those who pass by this 
place which is now so exalted, will be astounded; they will 
whistle and say, 'Why has Yahweh treated this country and this 
Temple like this?' {R}_{I}22_{/}And the answer will be, 'Because they 
abandoned Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out 
of the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods, which they 
worshiped and served; that is why he has brought all these 
disasters on them.'"

{N}SOLOMON'S WORKS{/}

{1}8{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Solomon spent twenty years in building Yahweh's House and his 
own palace. {I}2_{/}Then he rebuilt the towns that Huram had given him 
and settled Israelites in them. {I}3_{/}He went against Hamath of 
Zobah and conquered it: {I}4_{/}he built Tadmor in the wilderness and 
all the storing towns which he built in Hamath. {I}5_{/}He rebuilt 
Upper beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified towns with walls 
and gates and bars, {R}_{I}6_{/}also Baalath and all the storing towns 
owned by Solomon, all the towns for his chariots and horses, and 
all it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and in 
all the countries subject to him. {R}_{I}7_{/}Solomon employed for forced 
labor all those who remained of the Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, 
Hivite and Jebusite peoples, that is the non-Israelites {I}8_{/}whose 
descendants were left in the country and had not been killed by 
the Israelites. Their descendants continue to be slaves down to 
the present time. {R}_{I}9_{/}Upon the Israelites, however, Solomon did 
not impose slave labor; these served as fighting men; they were 
officers of his chariots and commanders of horsemen. 
{R}_{I}10_{/}Solomon appointed two hundred and fifty overseers to make 
all these people work.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter from the City of David up 
to the house he had built for her. For he said, "I can't let a 
woman live in the palace of David king of Israel; these are holy 
places where the ark of Yahweh has been."
{R}_{I}12_{/}Solomon then offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on Yahweh's 
altar which he had built in front of the porch. {I}13_{/}Observing the 
daily rule for burnt offerings according to the requirements of 
Moses for sabbaths, New Moon and the three annual feasts: the 
feast of Unleavened Bread, the feast of Weeks and the feast of 
Tabernacles. {R}_{I}14_{/}He established the priestly orders in their 
duties according to the regulations of his father David. He also 
enforced the rules affecting the Levites who offered praise and 
served with the priests according to the daily ritual, and the 
different orders of gatekeepers at each gate, for such had been 
the commandments of David, the man of God. {R}_{I}15_{/}They did not 
change anything of the royal ordinances applying to the priests 
and the Levites, not even in the matter of treasurership. {R}_{I}16_{/}In 
this way all of Solomon's work was completed from the day when the 
foundations of Yahweh's House were laid, until the end - and so... 
Yahweh's House was finished.
{R}_{I}17_{/}Then Solomon went as far as Eziongeber and Elath on the 
shores of the sea, in the land of Edom. {R}_{I}18_{/}Huram sent him ships 
manned by his own men, who were experienced sailors. These men 
went with Solomon's men to Ophir and from there they brought back 
almost sixteen tons of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

{N}THE QUEEN OF SHEBA{/}

{1}9{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}The fame of Solomon having reached the queen of Sheba, she 
came to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She came 
with immense riches, camels loaded with spices, great quantities 
of gold and precious stones. On coming to Solomon, she asked him 
all the questions that she had in mind, {R}_{I}2_{/}and Solomon had an 
answer for all her questions, not one was too difficult for him to 
explain. {R}_{I}3_{/}When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, 
the palace he had built, {R}_{I}4_{/}the food at his table, the 
accommodations for his officials, the organization of his staff 
and the way they were dressed, his cupbearers and the burnt 
offerings he offered in the Temple of Yahweh, it left her 
breathless; {R}_{I}5_{/}and she said to the king, "What I heard in my own 
country about you and your wisdom was true, then! {I}6_{/}I could not 
believe what they told me was not even half of your wisdom for the 
reality surpasses what I heard. {I}7_{/}How happy your wives are! How 
happy these servants of yours who wait on you always and hear your 
wisdom! {R}_{I}8_{/}Blessed be Yahweh your God who loves you and made you 
king to rule in his name. Because your God loves Israel and wants 
to preserve them forever, he has made you their king to administer 
law and justice."
{R}_{I}9_{/}And the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon almost five tons of 
gold and great quantities of spices and precious stones. There 
never were spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King 
Solomon. {R}_{I}10_{/}Similarly the servants of Huram and the servants of 
Solomon, who carried gold from Ophir, brought algummim wood and 
precious stones. {R}_{I}11_{/}Of the algummim wood the king made 
floorboards for Yahweh's House and for the royal palace, and lyres 
and harps for the musicians; nothing like them had ever been seen 
before in the land of Judah. {R}_{I}12_{/}And King Solomon, in his turn, 
gave the queen of Sheba everything she expressed any wish for, 
besides returning what she had brought to the king. Then she went 
home, she and her servants, to her own country.
{R}_{I}13_{/}The weight of gold coming to Solomon in one year was over 
twenty-five tons, {R}_{I}14_{/}not counting the taxes paid by the traders 
and merchants; all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the 
country also brought gold and silver to Solomon. {R}_{I}15_{/}King 
Solomon made two hundred great shields of beaten gold, and plated 
each shield with about fifteen pounds of gold, {I}16_{/}and also three 
hundred small shields of beaten gold, and plated each of these 
with about eight pounds of gold; and he put them in the Hall of 
the Forest of Lebanon. {R}_{I}17_{/}The king also made a great ivory 
throne and plated it with purest gold. {I}18_{/}The throne had six 
steps, with a platform behind and arms at either side of the seat; 
two lions stood beside the arms, {R}_{I}19_{/}and twelve lions stood on 
either side of the six steps. No throne like this was ever made in 
any other kingdom. 
{R}_{I}20_{/}All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all 
the furnishings in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure 
gold; silver was not considered valuable in the time of Solomon. 
{R}_{I}21_{/}And the king also had ships that went to Tarshish with 
Huram's men, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish 
would come back bringing gold and silver, ivory, apes and baboons. 
{R}_{I}22_{/}King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the 
world. {R}_{I}23_{/}All the kings of the earth consulted Solomon to hear 
the wisdom God had given him, {I}24_{/}and each would bring his own 
present: gold vessels, silver vessels, robes, armor, spices, 
horses and mules; and this went on year after year.
{R}_{I}25_{/}Solomon had four thousand stalls for his horses and 
chariots, and twelve thousand horses; these were stationed in the 
chariot towns and near the king in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}26_{/}Solomon 
extended his power over all the kingdoms from the river to the 
land of the Philistines and the Egyptian border. {R}_{I}27_{/}In 
Jerusalem the king made silver as common as stone, and cedars as 
plentiful as the sycamores of the Lowlands. {R}_{I}28_{/}Horses were 
imported for Solomon from Cilicia and all the other countries too.
{R}_{I}29_{/}The rest of the history of Solomon, from first to last, is 
recorded in the History of Nathan the prophet, in the Prophecy of 
Ahijah of Shiloh, and in the Vision of Iddo, the seer concerning 
Jeroboam son of Nebat. {R}_{I}30_{/}Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all 
Israel for forty years. {R}_{I}31_{/}Then Solomon rested with his fathers 
and was buried in the City of David his father; his son Rehoboam 
succeeded him.

{N}THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM{/}

{1}10{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Rehoboam went to Shechem where all the people of northern 
Israel had gone to proclaim him king. {R}_{I}2_{/}As soon as Jeroboam son 
of Nebat heard the news - he was still in Egypt where he had gone 
to escape from king Solomon - he returned from Egypt. {R}_{I}3_{/}The 
people of the northern tribes sent for him, and he came with the 
whole assembly.
And they said this to Rehoboam, {I}4_{/}"Your father placed heavy 
burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter for us, we will 
serve you." {I}5_{/}He said, "Come back to me in three days." And the 
people went away.
{R}_{I}6_{/}King Rehoboam consulted the older men who had served as 
advisers to his father Solomon and asked them, "What reply do you 
advise me to give to this people?" {I}7_{/}They said, "If you are kind 
to these people and listen to them and treat them fairly, then 
they will serve you forever." {I}8_{/}But he rejected the advice given 
him by the elders and consulted the bloody young men who had grown 
up with him. {I}9_{/}He asked, "How do you advise us to answer these 
people who have said to me, 'Lighten the burden your father put on 
us'?" {I}10_{/}The bloody young men who had grown up with him replied, 
"Give this answer to these people who have said, 'Your father gave 
us a heavy burden to bear, you must lighten it for us.' Say this 
to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist! 
{I}11_{/}My father made you bear a heavy burden, but I will make it 
heavier still! My father beat you with whips; I am going to beat 
you with bullwhips!"
{R}_{I}12_{/}Jeroboam with all the people came to Rehoboam on the third 
day according to what the king had said, "Come back to me on the 
third day." {R}_{I}13_{/}King Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of the 
elders, gave them a harsh answer {I}14_{/}and spoke to them as the 
bloody young men had recommended, "My father made you bear a heavy 
burden, but I will make it heavier still. My father beat you with 
whips; I am going to beat you with bullwhips!" {R}_{I}15_{/}The king in 
fact paid no attention to the people's wishes, and this was 
brought about by God to carry out what Yahweh had spoken through 
Ahijah of Shiloh to Jeroboam son of Nebat. {R}_{I}16_{/}When all Israel 
saw that the king paid no attention to their wishes, they gave him 
this answer: "Down with David and his descendants! What have they 
ever done for us? To your tents, men of Israel; let's go home. 
From now on let Rehoboam look out for himself!" 
{R}_{I}17_{/}So the people of Israel rebelled and Rehoboam was left with 
those people of Israel who lived in the towns of Judah. {R}_{I}18_{/}King 
Rehoboam sent Adoram who was in charge of forced labor, but the 
Israelites stoned him to death; {R}_{I}19_{/}whereupon King Rehoboam was 
obliged to mount his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. And the 
people of Israel have been in rebellion against the family of 
David until the present day.

{1}11{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Rehoboam went to Jerusalem and called together the tribes of 
Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand selected 
warriors, to fight the northern tribes of Israel and win back the 
kingdom of Rehoboam. {R}_{I}2_{/}But the word of Yahweh came to the 
prophet Shemaiah, {R}_{I}3_{/}"Say this to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king 
of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, 'Yahweh 
says this: {I}4_{/}Do not attack your fellow Israelites; let everyone 
go home, for what has happened is my doing." {R}_{I}5_{/}They obeyed 
Yahweh's command and went back, instead of fighting against 
Jeroboam. 

{N}REHOBOAM{/}

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built fortified towns in Judah. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}He rebuilt Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, {I}7_{/}Bethzur, Soco, 
Adullam, {R}_{I}8_{/}Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, {R}_{I}9_{/}Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 
{R}_{I}10_{/}Zorah, Aijalon, Hebron; these were fortified towns in Judah 
and Benjamin. {I}11_{/}He fortified them with walls and put commanders 
in them with stores of food, oil and wine. {R}_{I}12_{/}In each of these 
towns were shields and spears. He made them very strong to keep 
Judah and Benjamin under control.
{R}_{I}13_{/}From all the territory of Israel, priests and Levites came 
south to Judah. {R}_{I}14_{/}The Levites, indeed, abandoned their pasture 
lands and their holdings, and came to Judah and Jerusalem, since 
Jeroboam and his sons did not recognize them as the only priests 
of Yahweh {R}_{I}15_{/}and had appointed priests of his own to serve at 
the High places to worship the goats and the bullcalves he had 
made. {R}_{I}16_{/}Members of all the tribes of Israel, people who 
sincerely wanted to worship Yahweh the God of Israel, followed 
them and came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of 
their ancestors. {R}_{I}17_{/}These Israelites added strength to the 
kingdom of Judah, and gave their support to Rehoboam son of 
Solomon for three years, because during three years he followed 
the example of David and Solomon.
{R}_{I}18_{/}Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth, son 
of David and of Abihail, daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse. {I}19_{/}She 
bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. {I}20_{/}After her, he 
married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, 
Ziza and Shelomith. {R}_{I}21_{/}Rehoboam loved Maacah, daughter of 
Absalom, more than all his other wives and concubines. He had in 
fact a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight 
sons and sixty daughters. {R}_{I}22_{/}Rehoboam favored Abijah, Maacah's 
son over all his other children, choosing him as the one to 
succeed him as king. {R}_{I}23_{/}Rehoboam ruled prudently by scattering 
his sons throughout Judah and Benjamin in the fortified towns, 
where he provided them with generous provisions and many wives. 

{1}12{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}As soon as Rehoboam had established his authority as king and 
had become powerful, he and all his people abandoned the Law of 
Yahweh. {R}_{I}2_{/}In the fifth year of Rehoboam, Shishak the king of 
Egypt attacked Jerusalem, since it had been unfaithful to Yahweh. 
{R}_{I}3_{/}With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horses and 
countless army of Libyans, Sukkiim and Ethiopians who came from 
Egypt with him, {R}_{I}4_{/}he captured the fortified towns of Judah and 
reached Jerusalem. Rehoboam and the Judaean captains, at the 
advance of Shishak, had gathered near Jerusalem; {R}_{I}5_{/}to them came 
Shemaiah the prophet and he said, "Yahweh says this: as you have 
abandoned me, now I have abandoned you into the hands of Shishak. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}Then the Israelite captains and the king humbled themselves 
and said, "Yahweh is just!" {R}_{I}7_{/}When Yahweh saw that they had 
humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah. "They 
have humbled themselves; because of this I will not destroy them. 
In a little while I will grant them deliverance; my anger shall 
not fall on Jerusalem through the power of Shishak. 
{R}_{I}8_{/}Nevertheless they shall become his slaves, so that they may 
come to understand the difference between serving me and serving 
the kings of foreign countries."
{R}_{I}9_{/}Shishak the king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took all the 
treasures from the Temple of Yahweh and from the royal palace. He 
took everything, including the golden shields that Solomon had 
made; {R}_{I}10_{/}in place of them King Rehoboam had bronze shields 
made, entrusting them to the care of the officers of the guard who 
guarded the king's palace gate. {R}_{I}11_{/}Whenever the king went to 
the Temple of Yahweh, the guards would come out carrying them, and 
return them to the guardroom afterward. {R}_{I}12_{/}Since he had 
submitted to Yahweh, the anger of Yahweh did not completely 
destroy him. There was still something good in Judah.
{R}_{I}13_{/}King Rehoboam was able to strengthen his position in 
Jerusalem and to govern. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when 
he became king and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, 
the city chosen by Yahweh out of all the tribes of Israel, as the 
place where his Name would be. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, the 
Ammonitess. {I}14_{/}He did evil, because he had not set his heart on 
seeking Yahweh.
{R}_{I}15_{/}The history of Rehoboam, from first to last, is all recorded 
in the Annals of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer. There 
was constant warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. {R}_{I}16_{/}Then 
Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of 
David; his son Abijah succeeded him.

{N}ABIJAH{/}

{1}13{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king 
of Judah {R}_{I}2_{/}and reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother 
was Micaiah, daughter of Uriel, from Giveah. Abijah and Jeroboam 
were at war. {R}_{I}3_{/}Abijah went into battle with an army of brave 
fighters, four hundred thousand picked men, while Jeroboam drew up 
his battle line against him with eight hundred thousand picked 
men, brave soldiers.
{R}_{I}4_{/}Abijah went up Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of 
Ephraim, and cried, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 
{R}_{I}5_{/}Do you know that Yahweh the God of Israel has given the 
kingship of Israel to David forever? It is an unbreakable covenant 
for him and for his sons. {R}_{I}6_{/}Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a 
servant of Solomon son of David, has rebelled against his king; 
{R}_{I}7_{/}worthless men, scoundrels, have rallied to him and opposed 
Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Rehoboam, then a young man and 
timid, was unable to resist them. {R}_{I}8_{/}Now you propose to subdue 
the Kingdom of Yahweh that he gave to David's descendants. You 
stand here with a huge army, but you are bringing the golden 
calves that Jeroboam made you for gods! {R}_{I}9_{/}Have you not driven 
out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, to 
make priests of your own like the peoples of foreign countries? 
Anyone who comes with a bull and seven rams can ask to be 
consecrated and become priest of what is no god at all! {R}_{I}10_{/}As 
for us, our God is Yahweh, and we have not abandoned him: the sons 
of Aaron minister to Yahweh, and the Levites as well. {R}_{I}11_{/}Every 
morning, every evening, we burn burnt offerings to Yahweh our God, 
we have the incense of sweet spices, the loaves set out in rows on 
the pure table, the golden lampstand with its lamps that burn each 
evening; for we observe the ritual of Yahweh our God, that you 
have abandoned. {R}_{I}12_{/}See how God is with us, at our head; see his 
priests with the trumpets, which they will sound against you. 
People of Israel, do not fight against Yahweh, the God of our 
ancestors, for you will not succeed."
{R}_{I}13_{/}Jeroboam outflanked the Judaeans by setting an ambush behind 
them; the Judaeans were facing the Israelites with the ambush at 
their rear. {R}_{I}14_{/}The Judaeans, turning about, found themselves 
attacked from the front and the rear. They called on Yahweh and 
while the priests sounded the trumpets, {R}_{I}15_{/}the men of Judah 
raised the war cry. And as they raised the war cry, God scattered 
Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and the people of Judah. 
{R}_{I}16_{/}The Israelites fled before Judah and God delivered them into 
the power of the Judaeans. {R}_{I}17_{/}Abijah and his army inflicted a 
crushing defeat on them: five hundred thousand of Israel's chosen 
men were killed. {R}_{I}18_{/}And so the people of Israel were humbled 
and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on 
Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.
{R}_{I}19_{/}Abijah pursued Jeroboam's army and captured towns from him: 
Bethel with its outlying villages, Jeshanah with its outlying 
villages and Ephron with its outlying villages. {R}_{I}20_{/}So in the 
lifetime of Abijah, Jeroboam could no longer maintain his power. 
Yahweh struck him down, and he died. {I}21_{/}But Abijah grew in 
strength; he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and 
sixteen daughters. {R}_{I}22_{/}The rest of the history of Abijah, his 
conduct and his deeds, is not all this recorded in the commentary 
of the prophet Iddo? Then Abijah rested with his fathers and they 
buried him in the City of David; his son Asa succeeded him.
In his time the country was at peace for ten years.

{N}ASA{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}Asa did what is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh. {I}2_{/}He 
removed the altars of foreign worship and the High places. He 
broke down the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah's trunks. 
{R}_{I}3_{/}He commanded the people of Judah to do the will of Yahweh, 
the God of their ancestors, and to observe the Law and its 
commands. {R}_{I}4_{/}He removed the High places and the altars of 
incense in every town of Judah. The kingdom was at peace under his 
rule. {R}_{I}5_{/}He rebuilt the fortified towns of Judah, since the 
country was at peace, and there was no war during those years, for 
Yahweh granted him peace.
{R}_{I}6_{/}He told the people of Judah, "Let us rebuild these towns and 
surround them with walls and towers, with gates and bars while we 
have control of this land, since we have done the will of Yahweh 
our God; and he has protected us and given us peace on every 
side."
{I}7_{/}They built and prospered. Asa had an army of three hundred 
thousand Judaeans armed with buckler and spear, and two hundred 
eighty thousand Benjaminites bearing shield and wielding the bow, 
all of them brave, well-trained men.
{R}_{I}8_{/}Zerah the Cushite, with an army one million strong and three 
hundred chariots, made an incursion which reached to Mareshah. 
{R}_{I}9_{/}Asa marched against him and drew up his battle line in the 
Valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah. {R}_{I}10_{/}He called on Yahweh, his 
God, "Yahweh, no one but you can stand up for the powerless 
against the powerful. Come to our help, Yahweh our God! We rely on 
you, and fight against this huge army in your name. Yahweh, you 
are our God. Let no one defeat you."
{I}11_{/}Yahweh defeated the Cushites when Asa and the Judaean army 
attacked them. The Cushites fled, {I}12_{/}and Asa pursued them with 
his army as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell even to the last for 
they had been overpowered by Yahweh and his camp. They collected 
great amounts of loot. {I}13_{/}They conquered all the towns in the 
area of Gerar, for the terror of Yahweh had fallen on these towns 
and they plundered them all since they were full of loot. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}They also attacked the camps of some shepherds and carried 
off great numbers of sheep and camels; then they returned to 
Jerusalem.

{1}15{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}The spirit of God came on Azariah, son of Obed; {R}_{I}2_{/}he went 
out to meet Asa and said, "Listen to me, Asa, and all you of Judah 
and of Benjamin. Yahweh is with you so long as you are with him. 
When you look for him, he lets you find him; when you turn away, 
he will abandon you. {R}_{I}3_{/}For a long time Israel will be without 
the true God, and without priest to teach the Law, {R}_{I}4_{/}but when 
trouble comes, they will turn to Yahweh, the God of Israel. They 
will look for him and find him. {I}5_{/}When that time comes, there 
will be no peace for anyone, for many troubles will come upon all 
the inhabitants of the earth. {R}_{I}6_{/}One nation will oppress another 
nation, and one city another city, because God will bring trouble 
and distress on them. {I}7_{/}But for your part, take courage, and be 
strong, for your deeds will be rewarded." 
{R}_{I}8_{/}When Asa heard these words and this prophecy, he was 
encouraged to do away with all the idols throughout the land of 
Judah and Benjamin, and in the towns he had captured in the 
highlands of Ephraim; he then repaired the altar of Yahweh that 
stood in front of the Hall of Yahweh. {R}_{I}9_{/}He gathered all Judah 
and Benjamin together, and also the Ephraimites, Manassites and 
Simeonites who had settled with them, since great numbers of 
Israelites had gone over to Asa's side when they saw that Yahweh 
was with him. {R}_{I}10_{/}In the third month of the fifteenth year of 
Asa they assembled in Jerusalem; {I}11_{/}and they sacrificed to 
Yahweh that day seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep out of 
the spoil they had brought back. {R}_{I}12_{/}They made a covenant in 
which they agreed to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, with 
all their heart and soul; {R}_{I}13_{/}anyone who would not seek Yahweh 
the God of Israel was to be put to death, young or old, man or 
woman. {I}14_{/}They pledged their oath to Yahweh aloud with shouts to 
the sound of trumpet and horn; {R}_{I}15_{/}all Judah rejoiced at the 
oath they had wholeheartedly taken. They sought Yahweh so 
earnestly that he let them find him, and granted them peace on 
every side.
{R}_{I}16_{/}King Asa took from his grandmother Maacah her title of queen 
mother, because she had made a hideous idol Asherah. Asa cut down 
the idol, and burned it in the wadi Kidron. Though the High places 
were not abolished in Israel, the heart of Asa was blameless all 
his life. He deposited the offerings dedicated by his father and 
his own offerings too, in the house of God, silver and gold and 
furnishings.

{1}16{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Up to the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign there was no war. 
In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel 
invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to blockade Asa king of Judah. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}Asa then took the silver and gold from the treasuries of 
Yahweh's House and the royal palace, and sent it with the 
following message to Ben-hadad king of Aram who lived in Damascus, 
{R}_{I}3_{/}"Let there be a covenant between myself and you, as between 
my father and your father! With this I send you silver and gold. 
Come, break off your alliance with Baasah king of Israel, so that 
he goes away from me. {R}_{I}4_{/}Ben-hadad agreed, and sent his generals 
against the towns of Israel; he conquered Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim and 
all the garrison towns of Naphtali. {I}5_{/}When Baasha heard this he 
stopped fortifying Ramah, abandoning this work. {R}_{I}6_{/}King Asa then 
brought all the people of Judah, who took away the stones and 
timber with which Baasah had been fortifying Ramah, and the king 
used them to fortify Geba and Mizpah.
{R}_{I}7_{/}It was then that Hanani, the prophet, came to Asa king of 
Judah and said, "Since you have relied on the king of Aram and not 
on Yahweh your God, the army of the king of Aram will escape from 
you. {I}8_{/}Did not the Cushites and Libyans form a vast army with 
great numbers of chariots and horses? And were they not delivered 
into your power because you relied on Yahweh? {I}9_{/}Yahweh keeps 
close watch over the whole world to give strength to those who are 
devoted to him wholeheartedly. You have acted foolishly in this 
matter, for from now on you will have wars."
{R}_{I}10_{/}Asa was very angry with the prophet and had him put in 
chains in prison, for he was angry because of these words. At the 
same time Asa treated some others harshly too.
{R}_{I}11_{/}The history of Asa, from first to last, is recorded in the 
Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. {I}12_{/}A disease attacked Asa 
from head to foot in the thirty-ninth year of his reign; and, what 
is more, he turned in his sickness, not to Yahweh, but to doctors. 
{R}_{I}13_{/}Then Asa rested with his fathers in the forty-first year of 
his reign. They buried him in the tomb he had ordered to be dug 
for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a couch 
entirely covered with spices and varied ointments, products of the 
perfumer's skill, and lit a huge fire for him.

{N}JEHOSHAPHAT{/}

{1}17{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him and strengthened his 
position against Israel. {R}_{I}2_{/}He put troops in all the fortified 
towns in Judah, and appointed governors in the land of Judah and 
in all the towns of Ephraim captured by his father Asa.
{R}_{I}3_{/}Yahweh blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of 
David his father and did not worship Baal; {R}_{I}4_{/}he served the God 
of his father, following his commandments and not following the 
example of Israel. {R}_{I}5_{/}So Yahweh made the kingship secure in his 
hands; all the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, and 
ample riches and honor were his. {R}_{I}6_{/}He took pride in serving 
Yahweh and destroyed all the High places and Asherah's trunks in 
Judah. 
{R}_{I}7_{/}In the third year of his reign he sent his officers: Benhail, 
Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to give instruction in 
the towns of Judah. {R}_{I}8_{/}With them went the Levites: Shemaiah, 
Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asaherel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah 
and Tobijah, the Levites, together with the priests, Elishama and 
Jehoram. {R}_{I}9_{/}They gave instruction in Judah, having with them the 
book of the Law of Yahweh, and went around all the towns of Judah 
instructing the people.
{R}_{I}10_{/}The fear of Yahweh came upon all the kingdoms surrounding 
Judah, so that they did not war against Jehoshaphat. {R}_{I}11_{/}Some of 
the Philistines brought him gifts and silver in tribute; the Arabs 
themselves brought him, in small stock, seven thousand seven 
hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. Throughout Judah 
he built fortresses and towns with storage places.
{R}_{I}13_{/}He had many workers in the towns of Judah and a garrison of 
outstanding officers in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}14_{/}This was their 
disposition by families: for Judah, commanders of thousands; 
Adnah, the commanding officer, with three hundred thousand 
outstanding officers under his command, {I}15_{/}Jehohanan with two 
hundred and eighty thousand; {I}16_{/}Amasiah son of Zichri, who had 
volunteered for Yahweh's service, with two hundred thousand 
valiant warriors.
{I}17_{/}From Benjamin: the valiant warrior Eliada with two hundred 
thousand, armed with bow and shield: {I}18_{/}under his command, 
Jehozabad with a hundred and eighty thousand equipped for war.
{R}_{I}19_{/}These were the men who served the king, not counting those 
the king had put in the fortified towns throughout Judah.

{N}JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB{/}

{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}Jehoshaphat, then, enjoyed great wealth and honor and allied 
himself by marriage to Ahab. {R}_{I}2_{/}After some years he went to 
visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered for him and for his 
retinue great numbers of sheep and oxen; then urged him to attack 
Ramoth-gilead. {R}_{I}3_{/}And he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you come with 
me to Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I 
am with you, my men are yours, and we will fight together."
{R}_{I}4_{/}Jehoshaphat, however, said to the king of Israel, "First, 
please consult the word of Yahweh." {R}_{I}5_{/}So the king of Israel 
called the prophets who were four hundred men, and asked them, 
"Should we march to attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" 
They replied, "Go, because Yahweh will deliver it into your 
power." {R}_{I}6_{/}But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no other prophet of 
Yahweh here for us to consult?" {R}_{I}7_{/}The king of Israel answered, 
"There is one more man through whom we can consult Yahweh, but I 
hate him because he never tells me good things but only 
discouraging words. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat said, 
"The king should not say such things." {R}_{I}8_{/}Accordingly the king 
of Israel summoned one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah 
son of Imlah immediately."
{R}_{I}9_{/}The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were both 
sitting on their thrones in royal garments; they sat at the 
threshing-floor outside the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets 
raving in front of them. {I}10_{/}Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made 
himself iron horns and said, "Yahweh says this: You will gore the 
Arameans till you make an end of them." {R}_{I}11_{/}And all the prophets 
prophesied the same saying, "March to Ramoth-gilead, for you will 
succeed. Yahweh will deliver it into the power of the king."
{R}_{I}12_{/}In the meantime the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah 
said to him, "All the prophets as one man are foretelling victory 
to the king. Try to speak like one of them and foretell success." 
{R}_{I}13_{/}But Micaiah answered, "As Yahweh lives, what my God says, 
that will I utter!" {R}_{I}14_{/}When he came to the king, the king asked 
him, "Micaiah, should we go to attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I 
refrain?" He answered, "Go and you will succeed. They will be 
delivered into your power." {R}_{I}15_{/}But the king said, "How often 
must I beg you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of 
Yahweh?" {R}_{I}16_{/}Then Micaiah said, "I have seen all Israel 
scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. And 
Yahweh said, 'These have no master, let each one go home in 
peace.' "
{R}_{I}17_{/}At this the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not 
tell you that he never foretells me good things, but only what is 
discouraging?" {I}18_{/}Micaiah went on. "Listen to the word of 
Yahweh. I have seen Yahweh seated on his throne; all the array of 
heaven stood to his right and to his left. {R}_{I}19_{/}Yahweh said, 'Who 
will trick Ahab king of Israel so that he goes and falls at 
Ramoth-gilead?' At which some answered one way, and some another. 
{R}_{I}20_{/}Then a spirit stepped forward, approached Yahweh and said, 
'I will trick him.' Yahweh asked, 'How?' {R}_{I}21_{/}He replied, 'I will 
go and become a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' 
Yahweh said, 'You shall trick him and succeed. Go and do it.' 
{R}_{I}22_{/}So Yahweh has put a lying spirit into the mouths of your 
prophets here because he himself wants you to meet with disaster!"
{R}_{I}23_{/}Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah came up and slapped 
Michaiah's face, and he asked, "When did the spirit of Yahweh 
leave me, to talk to you?" {I}24_{/}Micaiah replied, "This is what you 
will find out the day you flee from house to house to hide." 
{R}_{I}25_{/}The king of Israel said, "Seize Micaiah and hand him over to 
Amon, governor of the city, and to Prince Joash, {R}_{I}26_{/}and say: 
This is the king's order: Put this man in prison and feed him on 
nothing but bread and water until I come back safe and sound." 
{I}27_{/}Micaiah said, "If you come back safe and sound, Yahweh has 
not spoken through me."
{R}_{I}28_{/}The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went to 
attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. {R}_{I}29_{/}The king of Israel said 
to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself as we go into battle, but 
I want you to wear your royal clothes." The king of Aram had given 
his chariot commanders the following order: "Do not attack anyone 
of whatever rank, except the king of Israel." When the chariot 
commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he was the king of 
Israel. And they wheeled to the attack. But Jehoshaphat gave a 
shout and Yahweh came to his help, God rescued him and turned the 
attack away from him. The chariot commanders realized that he was 
not the king of Israel and called off their pursuit.
By chance, however, one of the soldiers shot an arrow which struck 
the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. The king said 
to his charioteer, "Turn around and get me out of the battle; I 
have been hurt." But the battle grew fiercer so that they held the 
king upright in his chariot facing the Aramaeans until evening, 
and at sunset he died. 

{1}19{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Jehoshaphat came back safe and sound to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}2_{/}Jehu, 
son of Hanani the prophet, went to meet him and said to king 
Jehoshaphat, "Should a man give help to the wicked? Should you 
love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this you have brought his 
anger on you! {R}_{I}3_{/}There is some good in you, however, since you 
have removed from your land Asherah's trunks and have set your 
heart on seeking God."
{R}_{I}4_{/}Jehoshaphat stayed for a time in Jerusalem. After that he 
would again visit his people regularly, from Beersheba to the 
highlands of Ephraim to bring them back to Yahweh, the God of 
their ancestors. {R}_{I}5_{/}He appointed judges in the country in every 
one of all the fortified towns of Judah. {R}_{I}6_{/}He said to these 
judges, "Give due thought to your duties, since you are not 
judging in the name of men but in the name of Yahweh, who is with 
you whenever you pronounce sentence. {R}_{I}7_{/}May the fear of Yahweh 
now be on you. Keep the Law, apply it, for Yahweh our God does not 
tolerate fraud or partiality or the taking of bribes."
{R}_{I}8_{/}In addition, Jehoshaphat appointed priests, Levites and heads 
of Israelite families in Jerusalem as judges in cases involving a 
violation of the Law or legal disputes between people living in 
the city. They lived in Jerusalem {I}9_{/}and Jehoshaphat gave them 
the following instructions, "You are to perform these duties in 
the fear of Yahweh, as upright and honest men. {R}_{I}10_{/}Whatever 
dispute comes before you from your brothers living in their towns: 
either about crimes or questions of the Law, you are to teach them 
the commandments, statutes or ordinances, so that they do not 
become guilty of sinning against Yahweh, lest his anger come on 
you and your brothers. Do this and you will not be guilty.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Amariah, the chief priest, will have final authority over 
you in all religious matters, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, 
governor of Judah, in all matters affecting the king. The Levites 
will serve as your scribes. Be courageous, carry out these 
instructions, and Yahweh will be there to bring success."

{1}20{/}

{I}1_{/}After this the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the 
Meunites started to make war on Jehoshaphat. {R}_{I}2_{/}Jehoshaphat 
received the following message, "A large army is advancing against 
you from Edom, from the other side of the sea; they are already at 
Hazaaon-tamar, that is, Engedi." {I}3_{/}Jehoshaphat was frightened 
and prayed to Yahweh for guidance. Then he ordered that a fast be 
observed throughout the country. {R}_{I}4_{/}Judah assembled to seek help 
from Yahweh; they came seeking Yahweh's guidance from every single 
town in Judah.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Then Jehoshaphat stood before this assembly of the people of 
Judah and Jerusalem in Yahweh's House, before the new court 
{R}_{I}6_{/}and said, "Yahweh, God of our ancestors, are you not the God 
who dwells in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the 
world? Such power and might are in your hands that no one can 
oppose you. {R}_{I}7_{/}Are you not our God, you who drove out the people 
who were living here before your people Israel and gave the land 
to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever? {I}8_{/}They have 
settled in it and built a sanctuary in it for your name, 
{I}9_{/}saying, 'Should disaster strike us, or war, punishment, 
epidemic, or famine, then we shall stand before this house and 
before you, for your Name rests on this house. From the depths of 
our distress we shall cry to you, and you will hear and save us.'
{R}_{I}10_{/}Here now are the Ammonites and Moab and the folk of Seir. 
When Israel came out of the land of Egypt you would not let Israel 
invade them; instead, Israel turned away from them and did not 
destroy them, {I}11_{/}and this is how they reward us, by coming to 
drive us out of the possessions you have given us as our 
inheritance. {R}_{I}12_{/}Will you, our God, not punish them, since we 
are helpless in the face of this large army that attacks us? We 
ourselves do not know what to do; but we look to you."
{R}_{I}13_{/}All the men of Judah, even down to their youngest children 
and their wives, stood there at the House. {R}_{I}14_{/}In the middle of 
the assembly the spirit of Yahweh came on Jahaziel son of 
Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah the 
Levite, one of the sons of Asaph. {R}_{I}15_{/}And he cried, "Listen all 
you men of Judah and you who live in Jerusalem, and you, King 
Jehoshaphat! Yahweh says this to you: You must not be discouraged 
or afraid to face this large army; this battle is not yours but 
God's. {I}16_{/}March out against them tomorrow; they are coming up by 
the Slope of Ziz and you will come on them in the Valley of Soph, 
near the wilderness of Jeruel. {R}_{I}17_{/}You will not need to fight 
there, but only take up your position, stand firm, and see what 
salvation Yahweh has in store for you. Judah and Jerusalem, be 
fearless, be dauntless; go out to battle tomorrow and Yahweh will 
be with you."
{R}_{I}18_{/}Jehoshaphat bent his head, his face to the ground, and all 
Judah with those who lived in Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, 
worshiping him. {R}_{I}19_{/}Then the Levites - Kohathites and Korahites 
- began praising Yahweh the God of Israel at the top of their 
voices.
{R}_{I}20_{/}They rose early in the morning and left for the wilderness 
of Tekoa. As they were setting out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 
"Listen to me Judah and all who live in Jeru-salem! Put your trust 
in Yahweh your God and you will stand your ground; have faith in 
his prophets and you will be successful." {I}21_{/}Then, having held a 
conference with the people, he ordered some musicians to put on 
the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march at the head 
of the army, to sing praises to him: "Give praise to Yahweh, for 
his love is everlasting." {I}22_{/}As they began to sing their joy and 
their praise, Yahweh threw the invading armies into a panic and 
completely destroyed them. The Moabites and the Ammonites struck 
the people of Seir and there was a disaster. {I}23_{/}For the 
Ammonites and Moabites turned on the mountain folk of Seir in 
savage fighting and after they had destroyed them, they began to 
kill one another. 
{R}_{I}24_{/}When the men of Judah reached the spot that looks out on the 
wilderness and turned to face the enemy, they found only dead 
bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. {I}25_{/}Jehoshaphat 
came with his troops to plunder them, and found quantities of 
cattle, goods, clothing and valuables; they collected more than 
they could take away; the loot was so plentiful that they were 
three days gathering it. {I}26_{/}On the fourth day they assembled in 
the Valley of Beracah; and there they did indeed praise Yahweh for 
all he had done. Because of this, this Valley was named the Valley 
of Beracah which it is still called. {R}_{I}27_{/}Then all the men of 
Judah and Benjamin, with Jehoshaphat at their head, went back 
joyfully to Jerusalem, for Yahweh had filled them with joy at the 
expense of their enemies. {R}_{I}28_{/}To the music of harp and lyre and 
trumpet they came to Jerusalem and to Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}29_{/}When 
the kingdoms of foreign countries heard how Yahweh had defeated 
Israel's enemies, they were all terrified. {R}_{I}30_{/}In the meantime, 
the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was calm, and God granted him peace on 
every side.
{R}_{I}31_{/}Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old 
when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in 
Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi. {I}32_{/}He 
followed the example of his father Asa without wavering, doing 
what is right in the eyes of Yahweh. {R}_{I}33_{/}The High places 
however, were not destroyed; the people had still not turned their 
hearts to the God of their ancestors. {R}_{I}34_{/}The rest of the 
history of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, is recorded in the 
Annals of Jehu son of Hanani which have been transcribed into the 
Book of the Kings of Israel.
{R}_{I}35_{/}After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with 
Ahaziah king of Israel, who led him into evil ways. {I}36_{/}He 
combined with him to build big ships that would sail to Tarshish. 
These were built at Eziongeber. {R}_{I}37_{/}Eliezer, son of Dodavahu of 
Mareshah, then made a prophecy against Jehoshaphat, "Because you 
have allied yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your 
plans." In fact the ships broke up and were never fit to sail to 
Tarshish.

{N}JEHORAM{/}

{1}21{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried in the 
City of David. His son Jehoram succeeded him.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Jehoram had six brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, 
Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shepatiah; these were all 
the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. {R}_{I}3_{/}Their father had made 
them many gifts of silver, gold and jewels, and of fortified towns 
in Judah, but he made Jehoram his successor since he was the 
firstborn. {R}_{I}4_{/}When Jehoram was in firm control of the kingdom, 
he had all his brothers killed, as well as some Israelite 
officials.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he 
reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}6_{/}He followed the wicked 
example of the kings of Israel and did as the family of Ahab had 
done, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters; and he did what 
was evil in the eyes of Yahweh. {R}_{I}7_{/}Yahweh however did not intend 
to destroy the descendants of David, because of the covenant he 
had made with David, when he promised to leave a lamp for him and 
his sons forever.
{R}_{I}8_{/}In his time Edom revolted against Judah and set up a king for 
itself. {R}_{I}9_{/}Jehoram invaded Edom with his commanders and all his 
chariots. He rose during the night and broke through and escaped 
from the Edomites encircling him and his chariot commanders. 
{R}_{I}10_{/}Thus Edom became independent of Judah, and has remained free 
to the present day. Libnah also revolted against Jehoram at the 
same time for he had deserted Yahweh, the God of his ancestors. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}He also set up High places in the highlands of Judah and 
caused the people living in Jerusalem and Judah to sin against 
Yahweh.
{R}_{I}12_{/}Then something written by the prophet Elijah came into his 
hand. It ran, "This is the word of Yahweh, the God of David your 
ancestor. You have not followed the example of your father 
Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah, {R}_{I}13_{/}but the wicked example 
of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the people 
living in Jerusalem to sin against Yahweh, just as Ahab and his 
successors did. You have also murdered your brothers, your own 
family, better men than yourself. {I}14_{/}Because of this Yahweh will 
strike you with a great calamity, which will come upon your 
people, your descendants, your wives and all your property. 
{I}15_{/}You yourself will suffer a painful intestinal disease that 
will grow worse day by day. 
{R}_{I}16_{/}Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines and the 
Arabs bordering on the Cushites. {R}_{I}17_{/}They attacked Judah and 
invaded it, carrying off all they found in the king's palace, 
including his sons and his wives; the only son left him was 
Ahaziah, the youngest of them. {I}18_{/}And after all this, Yahweh 
brought on him a painful disease of the intestines. {I}19_{/}It lasted 
for more than one year, and when the two years were over and his 
last hour had come, he died in great pain. The people did not 
light a bonfire in mourning for him as they had for his father.
{R}_{I}20_{/}He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he 
reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. He passed away with no one 
to regret him, and they buried him in the City of David, though 
not in the tombs of the kings.

{N}AHAZIAH AND HIS POLICY{/}

{1}22{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}The people of Jerusalem proclaimed his youngest son, Ahaziah, 
king in place of him, since the armed band that had broken into 
the camp with the Arabs had killed all the elder sons. So Ahaziah 
son of Jehoram became king of Judah.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Ahaziah was twenty years old when he became king and he 
reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, 
daughter of Omri. {I}3_{/}He too followed the example of Ahab's 
family, since his mother gave him wicked advice. {R}_{I}4_{/}He sinned 
against Yahweh as Ahab's family had done, for they were his 
advisers after his father's death, and they led him to his 
downfall. {R}_{I}5_{/}He also put their policies into practice and went 
with Jeroham son of Ahab, king of Israel, to fight against Hazael 
king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Aramaeans wounded Jeroham, 
{R}_{I}6_{/}who returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that he 
had received at Ramoth, fighting against Hazael king of Aram.
Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to 
visit Jehoram son of Ahab because he was ill. {I}7_{/}Yahweh used this 
visit to Jeroham to bring about Ahaziah's downfall. On his arrival 
he went out with Jeroham against Jehu son of Nimshi whom Yahweh 
had chosen to destroy the family of Ahab. {R}_{I}8_{/}While Jehu was busy 
carrying out God's sentence against Ahab's family, he came across 
the officials of Judah and the kinsmen of Ahaziah who were in the 
king's service and killed them. {R}_{I}9_{/}He then went in search of 
Ahaziah who was captured while he tried to hide in Samaria. He was 
taken to Jehu who put him to death. But they gave him burial, for 
they said, "This was a son of Jehoshaphat who sought Yahweh with 
all his heart."

{N}ATHALIAH{/}

{R}_{I}10_{/}There was no one left in the royal family of Ahaziah strong 
enough to reign. As soon as Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, 
learned that her son was dead, she promptly gave orders for all 
the members of the royal family of Judah to be killed. {R}_{I}11_{/}But 
Jehosheba, daughter of king Joram, secretly rescued Joash, her 
brother's son, from among the sons of the king who were being 
murdered, and put him with his nurse in the sleeping quarters; in 
this way Jehosheba the daughter of King Joram and wife of Jehoiada 
the priest (a sister, too, of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah, and 
prevented her from killing him. {R}_{I}12_{/}He stayed with them for six 
years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah governed the 
country.

{1}23{/}

{I}1_{/}After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided to take 
action. He sent for the commanders of hundreds: Azariah son of 
Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah 
son of Adaiah and Elishaphat son of Zichri, and made a pact with 
them. {R}_{I}2_{/}They went through Judah, gathering the Levites from all 
the towns of Judah, and the heads of the Israelite families. They 
came to Jerusalem, {R}_{I}3_{/}and this whole assembly made a pact with 
the king in the house of God. Jehoiada told them, "Here is the son 
of the king, let him rule as king as Yahweh has promised regarding 
the descendants of David! {R}_{I}4_{/}This is what you must do: one third 
of you, priests, Levites and keepers of the gate, must come in for 
the sabbath, {I}5_{/}one third must be at the royal palace, one third 
at the Gate of Foundation, and all the people will be in the court 
of Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}6_{/}No one is to enter Yahweh's House except 
the priests and the Levites on duty, since they are consecrated 
and may enter. The people must all obey Yahweh's instructions and 
stay outside. {R}_{I}7_{/}The Levites must surround the king, each with 
his weapons in his hand; anyone who tries to enter the Temple is 
to be put to death. Stay with the king wherever he goes."
{R}_{I}8_{/}The Levites and all Judah carried out all the orders of 
Jehoiada the priest. Every commander summoned both those who went 
off duty on the Sabbath, and those coming on duty, because 
Jehoiada did not except anyone. {R}_{I}9_{/}Then Jehoiada the priest 
provided the commanders of hundreds with King David's spears and 
large and small shields, which were in the house of God. {R}_{I}10_{/}He 
stationed the men from the west wing to the east wing, between the 
House and the altar, each with spear in hand, to protect the king. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}Then they brought out the king's son, crowned him and put on 
him the ornaments, and they proclaimed him king. Jehoiada and his 
sons then anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"
{R}_{I}12_{/}Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people who were 
rushing to the king and acclaiming him, went to Yahweh's House 
where the people were. {R}_{I}13_{/}When she saw the king standing there 
at the entrance beside the pillar, with the captains and 
trumpeters at his side, and all the people from the countryside 
rejoicing and sounding trumpets, and the cantors with their 
musical instruments leading the hymns, Athaliah tore her clothes 
in distress and shouted, "Treason, treason!" {R}_{I}14_{/}Then Jehoiada 
the priest called out the military officers and ordered them, 
"Take her outside the Temple, and kill anyone who follows her." 
And he also said, "You must not put her to death in Yahweh's 
House." {R}_{I}15_{/}They seized her, and when she had reached the palace 
at the entry to the Gate of the Horses, they put her to death 
there.
{R}_{I}16_{/}Jehoiada made a covenant between the king and all the 
people, by which they would be the people of Yahweh. {I}17_{/}All the 
people then went to the house of Baal and tore it down; they 
smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of 
Baal, in front of the altars.
{R}_{I}18_{/}Jehoiada posted sentries to guard Yahweh's House under the 
authority of the levitical priests. David had appointed them in 
Yahweh's House to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh according to 
the Law of Moses, and to sing joyfully the songs of David. 
{R}_{I}19_{/}He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Temple of 
Yahweh so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter. 
{I}20_{/}Then taking the commanders of hundreds, the notables, the 
ranking officials, and all the people from the countryside, he 
brought the king in procession from the House to the palace. They 
entered the royal palace through the main gate and seated the king 
on the royal throne. {R}_{I}21_{/}All the people from the countryside 
were delighted, and the city was quiet. Athaliah was put to death. 

{N}JOASH{/}

{1}24{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Joash was seven years old when he became king and he reigned 
for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah of Beersheba. 
{I}2_{/}Joash did what is pleasing to Yahweh throughout the lifetime 
of Jehoiada the priest. {I}3_{/}Jehoiada found him two wives and he 
had sons and daughters. {I}4_{/}After that Joash decided to repair 
Yahweh's House.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Calling the priests and the Levites together, he said, "Go 
out to the towns of Judah, and collect enough money from all the 
Israelites to make possible annual repairs on the house of God. Do 
this quickly." But the Levites were in no hurry, {R}_{I}6_{/}so the king 
called Jehoiada for he was their head, and said, "Why have you not 
insisted on the Levites collecting from Judah and Jerusalem the 
tax which Moses, the servant of Yahweh, required the people to pay 
for the maintenance of the Tent of the Meeting? {R}_{I}7_{/}Athaliah and 
her sons, whom she perverted, damaged the house of God and even 
used many of the sacred objects in the worship of Baal." {R}_{I}8_{/}So 
the king ordered them to make a chest and to place it outside the 
gate of Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}9_{/}And they announced throughout Judah 
and Jerusalem that they had to bring to Yahweh the tax Moses, that 
servant of God, had required in the wilderness. {I}10_{/}All the 
officials and all the people came joyfully with their 
contribution, dropping it into the chest until all was paid. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}The chest was taken to the royal office of control by the 
Levites whenever they saw that there was a great amount of money 
in it. The king's secretary then came with representatives of the 
chief priest to take the chest, empty it of money and later return 
it to its place. They did this every day, and collected a large 
sum of money. {R}_{I}12_{/}The king and Jehoiada gave the money to those 
who were in charge of repairing the House, and they hired men, 
masons and carpenters, who set about restoring Yahweh's House; 
craftsmen in iron and bronze also worked on the repairing of it. 
{R}_{I}13_{/}The supervisors having once made a start, the repairs went 
ahead; they rebuilt the house of God as it was before, as solid as 
ever. {R}_{I}14_{/}When they had finished, they brought the balance of 
the money to the king and Jehoiada, and from this, furnishings 
were made for Yahweh's House, vessels for the liturgy and for the 
burnt offerings, incense boats and objects of gold and silver.
So, for as long as Jehoiada lived they offered sacrifices 
regularly in Yahweh's House. {I}15_{/}Then Jehoiada, growing old, had 
his fill of days and died. He died at the age of a hundred and 
thirty years, {R}_{I}16_{/}and they buried him with the kings in the City 
of David because he had served Israel well and also God and his 
house.
{R}_{I}17_{/}After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came to 
pay court to the king, and the king now turned to them for advice. 
{R}_{I}18_{/}The Judaeans abandoned the house of Yahweh, the God of their 
ancestors, for the worship of sacred trunks and idols and God's 
anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem because of their guilt. {R}_{I}19_{/}He 
sent them prophets to bring them back to Yahweh, but when the 
prophets spoke, they would not listen. {R}_{I}20_{/}The spirit of God 
took control of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up 
before the people and said, "God says this: Why are you disobeying 
the commandments of Yahweh? You cannot prosper. You have abandoned 
Yahweh and he will abandon you." {R}_{I}21_{/}They then plotted against 
him and by order of the king stoned him in the court of Yahweh's 
House. {R}_{I}22_{/}King Joash forgot the kindness of Jehoiada, the 
father of Zechariah, and killed Jehoiada's son who cried out as he 
died, "Let Yahweh see and do justice!"
{R}_{I}23_{/}When a year had gone by, the Aramaean army made war on 
Joash. They reached Judah and Jerusalem, and killed all the 
officials among the people, sending back to the king of Damascus 
all that they had plundered from them. {R}_{I}24_{/}Though the Aramaean 
army was small, Yahweh delivered into its power an army of great 
size for they had abandoned him, the God of their ancestors.
{R}_{I}25_{/}The Aramaeans wounded Joash and when they withdrew they left 
him a very sick man; and his officers, plotting against him to 
avenge the death of the son of Jehoiada the priest, murdered him 
in his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the City of David, 
though not in the tombs of the king. {I}26_{/}These were the 
conspirators: Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonite woman, and 
Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess. {R}_{I}27_{/}As regard his sons, 
the heavy tribute he demanded, and the restoration of the house of 
God, this is all recorded in the commentary on the Book of the 
Kings. His son Amaziah succeeded him.

{N}AMAZIAH{/}

{1}25{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he 
reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was 
Hehoassan of Jerusalem. {R}_{I}2_{/}He did what is pleasing to Yahweh, 
though not steadily. {R}_{I}3_{/}As soon as he was firmly in power, he 
killed those of his officers who had murdered the king his father. 
{R}_{I}4_{/}But he did not put their sons to death, in obedience to what 
is written in the Law, in the book of Moses, where Yahweh has 
ordered, "Fathers must not be put to death for sons, nor sons for 
fathers; but everyone will pay for his own crime."
{R}_{I}5_{/}Amaziah called the men of Judah together and organized them 
in families with commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all 
Judah and Benjamin. He counted those who were twenty years old or 
older, and found there were three hundred thousand of selected 
warriors fit for military service, and for handling spear and 
shield. {R}_{I}6_{/}Next, he enrolled one hundred thousand from Israel as 
mercenaries, for about four tons of silver. {R}_{I}7_{/}A man of God then 
came to him and said, "O king, don't take these Israelite soldiers 
with you, for Yahweh is not with Israel or with any of the 
Ephraimites. {R}_{I}8_{/}If they come, whatever be the number of your 
men, God will still bring you down before your enemies, for God's 
is the power to uphold or to throw down." {R}_{I}9_{/}Amaziah answered 
the man of God, "And what about the four tons of silver I have 
given the Israelite soldiers?" The man of God replied, "Yahweh can 
give you far more than that." {R}_{I}10_{/}At this, Amaziah dismissed 
from his army the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and 
sent them home; these men were furious with Judah and went home in 
great anger.
{I}11_{/}Amaziah led his army to Salt Valley and defeated ten thousand 
Edomite soldiers. {R}_{I}12_{/}The men of Judah took ten thousand 
captives alive and, taking them to the top of the cliff, threw 
them off the top; they were all dashed to pieces. {R}_{I}13_{/}Then the 
Israelite troops which Amaziah had dismissed and not allowed to 
fight with him raided the towns of Judah, from Samaria as far as 
Bethhoron, but they were defeated by a troop of three thousand men 
who recovered great quantities of plunder.
{I}14_{/}On returning from his defeat of the Edomites, Amaziah brought 
the gods of the Edomites with him and set these up as gods for 
himself, bowing down before them and burning incense to them. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}Then Yahweh became angry with Amaziah and he sent him a 
prophet, who said, "Why have you looked to this people's gods, who 
could not save their own people from your power?" {R}_{I}16_{/}He was 
still speaking when Amaziah interrupted him, "Have we appointed 
you a royal counselor? If you do not want to be hurt, be quiet!" 
The prophet paused; then he said, "Now I know that God has decided 
to destroy you, since after having acted like this, you refuse to 
listen to me."
{R}_{I}17_{/}After consulting his advisers, Amaziah king of Judah sent a 
message to Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, 
challenging him to fight. {R}_{I}18_{/}Joash king of Israel sent back 
word to Amaziah king of Judah, "The thornbush of Lebanon sent a 
message to the cedar of Lebanon, saying, 'Give my son your 
daughter in marriage'; but the wild animals of Lebanon trampled 
the thornbush down as they passed. You are very proud because you 
have defeated the Edomites - Boast on but stay at home. {I}19_{/}Why 
stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and your 
people?"
{R}_{I}20_{/}But Amaziah would not listen. It was God's will for him to 
be defeated, because he had worshiped the Edomite idols. {R}_{I}21_{/}And 
at Bethshemesh Judah, they made their trial of strength, Joash and 
Amaziah king of Judah. {R}_{I}22_{/}Judah was defeated by Israel, and 
everyone fled to his tent. {I}23{/}The king of Judah, Amaziah son of 
Joash, son of Ahaziah, was taken prisoner at Bethshemesh by Joash, 
king of Israel who led him off to Jerusalem, where Joash tore down 
the city wall from the Gate of Ephraim to the Gate of the Corner, 
a distance of two hundred yards. {R}_{I}24_{/}He took all the gold and 
silver, all the furnishings to be found with Obed-edom in the 
House of God, the treasures of the royal palace, and hostages 
besides, and then returned to Samaria.
{R}_{I}25_{/}Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, lived for fifteen years 
after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.
{R}_{I}26_{/}The rest of the history of Amaziah, from first to last, is 
all recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 
{R}_{I}27_{/}After the time when Amaziah rebelled against Yahweh, there 
had been a plot against him in Jerusalem; he fled to Lachish; but 
he was followed to Lachish and put to death there. {R}_{I}28_{/}He was 
brought back by horse, and buried with his ancestors in the City 
of David.

{N}UZZIAH{/}

{1}26{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Uzziah, who is sixteen years old, and, made him king in place 
of his father Amaziah. {R}_{I}2_{/}He rebuilt Elath and recovered it for 
Judah, after the death of Amaziah. {R}_{I}3_{/}Uzziah was sixteen years 
old when he became king and he reigned for fifty-two years in 
Jerusalem. His mother was Jecoliah, of Jerusalem. {I}4_{/}He did what 
is pleasing to Yahweh, just as his father Amaziah had done; 
{R}_{I}5_{/}he sought God in the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him 
the fear of God. And for as long as he sought Yahweh, God gave him 
prosperity. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}He went out to fight the Philistines, tore down the walls of 
Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod, then rebuilt the towns in the area of 
Ashdod and in Philistine territory. {R}_{I}7_{/}God helped him defeat the 
Philistines, the Arabs, the inhabitants of Gurbaal and the 
Meunites. {R}_{I}8_{/}The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah. His fame 
spread as far as the border of Egypt, since he had become very 
powerful indeed.
{R}_{I}9_{/}Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem, at the Gate of the Corner, 
at the Gate of the Valley and at the Angle; and he fortified 
these. {I}10_{/}He built towers in the wilderness too, and dug a great 
many cisterns, for he had large herds in the lowlands and on the 
tableland; and he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and on 
the fertile lands; he was fond of agriculture.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Uzziah had an army ready for battle. They set out for war by 
turns, according to the census carried out by the scribe Jeiel and 
the registrar Maaseiah. Their commander was Hananiah, one of the 
king's officers. {I}12_{/}The total number of heads of families among 
these valiant warriors was two thousand six hundred. {R}_{I}13_{/}Under 
their command was a trained army of three hundred and seven 
thousand five hundred fighting men, a powerful force to support 
the king against the enemy. {I}14_{/}Uzziah provided them with 
shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and sling stones, 
for each battle. {R}_{I}15_{/}In Jerusalem he constructed engines, 
invented by experts, which were mounted on the towers and at the 
corners to fire arrows and great stones. His fame spread far and 
wide; for he was extraordinary in getting help until he was 
strong.
{R}_{I}16_{/}But, as his power increased, he became so proud that he lost 
what he had gained. He defied Yahweh his God by going into the 
House to burn incense on the altar of incense. {R}_{I}17_{/}Azariah the 
priest followed King Uzziah in, with eighty brave priests of 
Yahweh, {R}_{I}18_{/}to resist him. They said to him, "Uzziah, it is not 
for you to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests, the sons 
of Aaron, consecrated for the purpose. Leave the sanctuary; you 
have offended Yahweh God and you no longer have his blessing." 
{R}_{I}19_{/}Uzziah, censer in hand for the burning incense, became angry 
with the priests and immediately, leprosy broke out on his 
forehead in the presence of the priests, in Yahweh's House, there 
by the altar of incense. {R}_{I}20_{/}Azariah the chief priest and all 
the other priests turned toward him and saw the leprosy on his 
forehead. They quickly hurried him out, and he himself was anxious 
to go, since Yahweh had punished him.
{R}_{I}21_{/}King Uzziah was a leper till his dying day. He lived in an 
isolated house, a leper, excluded from Yahweh's House. Jotham, his 
son, was master of the palace, and ruled the people of the 
country.
{R}_{I}22_{/}The rest of the history of Uzziah, from first to last, has 
been written by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. {R}_{I}23_{/}Then Uzziah 
rested with his ancestors and they buried him in the ground where 
the tomb of the kings is, for they said, "He is a leper." His son 
Jotham succeeded him.

{N}JOTHAM{/}

{1}27{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king and he 
reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerushah, 
daughter of Zadok. {I}2_{/}He did what is pleasing to Yahweh, just as 
his father Uzziah had done. But he did not enter the sanctuary of 
Yahweh. As for the people, they went on sinning.
{R}_{I}3_{/}He built the Upper Gate of Yahweh's House and carried out 
considerable work on the wall of the Ophel. {R}_{I}4_{/}He built towns in 
the highlands of Judah, and fortified places and towers in the 
fertile lands.
{R}_{I}5_{/}He fought against the king of the Ammonites. He defeated 
them, and that year the Ammonites gave him four tons of silver, 
fifty thousand bushels of wheat and ten thousand of barley. And 
they had to pay him the same for the second and third years. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}Jotham became powerful because he faithfully obeyed Yahweh 
his God.
{R}_{I}7_{/}The rest of the deeds of Jotham, all his wars and his policy, 
are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. {R}_{I}8_{/}He 
was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for 
sixteen years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}9_{/}Then Jotham rested with his 
ancestors and they buried him in the City of David; his son Ahaz 
succeeded him. 

{N}AHAZ{/}

{1}28{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned 
for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what is pleasing to 
Yahweh, as his ancestor David had done. {R}_{I}2_{/}He followed the 
example of the kings of Israel, and even had Baal's idols made of 
metal. {I}3_{/}He offered incense in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and even 
sacrificed his own sons as burnt offerings to disgusting idols, 
copying the shameful practice of the people whom Yahweh had driven 
out of the land he would give to the Israelites. {I}4_{/}He offered 
sacrifices and incense at the High places, on the hills and under 
every spreading tree.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Yahweh his God let the King of the Aramaeans defeat him and 
take great numbers of his people captive, carrying them off to 
Damascus. He was also delivered into the power of the king of 
Israel, who defeated him. {R}_{I}6_{/}In a single day, Pekah son of 
Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand in Judah, all brave 
fighting men; this was because they had abandoned Yahweh, the God 
of their ancestors. {R}_{I}7_{/}Zichri, an Ephraimite champion, killed 
Maaseiah, son of the king, Azrikam the controller of the palace, 
and Elkanah the king's second-in-command. {R}_{I}8_{/}The Israelites took 
two hundred thousand of their Judaean brothers captive, with 
wives, sons, and daughters; they also took quantities of loot, 
carrying everything off to Samaria.
{R}_{I}9_{/}A prophet of Yahweh, named Oded, was there and he went out to 
meet the troops returning to Samaria and said, "Yahweh, the God of 
your ancestors, was angry with Judah and so he delivered them into 
your power, but you have slaughtered with such fury as reaches to 
heaven. {R}_{I}10_{/}And you intended to make the men and women of 
Jerusalem and Judah your slaves. But you yourselves are also 
guilty before Yahweh your God. {I}11_{/}Now listen to me: release the 
prisoners you have taken of your brothers, or Yahweh will punish 
you in his anger."
{I}12_{/}Some of the Ephraimite chieftains then stood up in opposition 
to those who returned from the war: Azariah son of Jehohanan, 
Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum and Amasa 
son of Hadlai. {R}_{I}13_{/}They said, "You must not bring the captives 
in here for we are guilty enough before Yahweh. Will you add to 
our sins and to our guilt? But our guilt is already heavy and the 
fierce anger of Yahweh is hanging over Israel." {I}14_{/}So in the 
presence of the officials and of the whole assembly, the army gave 
up the captives and the loot. {R}_{I}15_{/}Four men were appointed to 
provide the prisoners with clothing. From the loot they clothed 
all those who were naked; they gave them clothing and sandals, 
provided them with food and drink, and washed them. Those who were 
too weak to walk they put on donkeys and took them back to their 
kinsmen at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to 
Samaria.
{R}_{I}16_{/}It was then that King Ahaz sent asking the kings of Assyria 
to come to his assistance, {R}_{I}17_{/}for the Edomites once again 
invaded and defeated Judah, and carried off prisoners. {R}_{I}18_{/}The 
Philistines were raiding the towns in the lowlands and in the 
Negeb of Judah. They took Bethshemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco 
with its outlying villages, Timnah with its outlying villages, 
Gimzo with its outlying villages, and they settled in them.
{R}_{I}19_{/}Yahweh humbled Judah on account of Ahaz, king of Israel, who 
let Judah go its own way and was not faithful to Yahweh.
{R}_{I}20_{/}Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria attacked and besieged him 
but could not defeat him. {R}_{I}21_{/}Ahaz however had to take part of 
the goods in Yahweh's House and in the palaces of the king and 
princes, to hand over to the king of Assyria, yet he received no 
help from him. {R}_{I}22_{/}During the time Jerusalem was under siege, 
King Ahaz sinned against Yahweh more than ever, {R}_{I}23_{/}by offering 
sacrifices to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him. He said, 
"Since the gods of the kings of Aram have been of help to them, I 
will sacrifice to them so that they may be of help to me." But 
they proved to be his downfall and that of Israel.
{R}_{I}24_{/}Ahaz then took implements of the House and broke them in 
pieces; he closed the doors of Yahweh's House and put up altars at 
every street corner in Jerusalem; {R}_{I}25_{/}he set up High places in 
every town of Judah to offer incense to other gods, and so brought 
on himself the anger of Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.
{R}_{I}26_{/}The rest of his history, his whole policy, from first to 
last, is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 
{R}_{I}27_{/}Then Ahaz rested with his ancestors and they buried him in 
the city, in Jerusalem, though he was not taken into the tombs of 
the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him.

{N}HEZEKIAH{/}

{1}29{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old and 
reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, 
daugther Zechariah. {R}_{I}2_{/}He did what is pleasing to Yahweh, just 
as his ancestor David had done.
{I}3_{/}In the first month of the first year of his reign, he reopened 
the gates of Yahweh's House and repaired them. {R}_{I}4_{/}Then he 
brought the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the eastern 
square, {R}_{I}5_{/}and said to them:
"Listen to me, Levites! Sanctify yourselves now and consecrate the 
house of Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, and remove from the 
House everything that defiles it. {R}_{I}6_{/}Your ancestors have been 
unfaithful and have done what is displeasing to Yahweh our God. 
They have abandoned him; they have turned their faces away from 
the place Yahweh has made his home, they have turned their backs 
on him. {R}_{I}7_{/}They have even closed the doors of the Vestibule, 
they have put out the lamps and offered neither incense nor burnt 
offerings to the God of Israel in the Sanctuary. {R}_{I}8_{/}So the anger 
of Yahweh has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; and what he has done 
to them has shocked and frightened everyone, as you can see for 
yourselves. {I}9_{/}This is why our ancestors have fallen by the 
sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives have been taken 
captive.
{R}_{I}10_{/}But now I have decided to make a covenant with Yahweh, the 
God of Israel, so that his fierce anger may be turned away from 
us. {I}11_{/}My sons, be negligent no longer, for Yahweh has chosen 
you to stand in his presence and serve him, to worship him, and 
offer him incense."
{I}12_{/}The Levites set to work: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of 
Azariah, of the Kohathites; Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of 
Jehallelel of the Merarites; Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of 
Joah of the Gershonites; {R}_{I}13_{/}Shimri and Jeuel of the sons of 
Elizaphan; Zechariah and Mattaniah of the sons of Asaph; 
{R}_{I}14_{/}Jehiel and Shimei of the sons of Heman; and Shemaiah and 
Uzziel of the sons of Jeduthun. {R}_{I}15_{/}They gathered their fellow 
Levites together, purified them, and in obedience to the king's 
order and in accordance with the words of Yahweh, they began 
consecrating in the Temple of Yahweh.
{R}_{I}16_{/}The priests went inside the house of Yahweh to make it 
clean. They brought everything unclean they found in the sanctuary 
of Yahweh, out into the court of Yahweh's House, and the Levites 
collected it and carried it outside, into the Kidron Valley. 
{I}17_{/}They began this consecration on the first day of the first 
month, and were able to enter the Hall of Yahweh on the eight of 
the month; they then took eight days to consecrate Yahweh's House, 
and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.
{R}_{I}18_{/}They then went into the palace of King Hezekiah and said, 
"We have purified the whole Temple of Yahweh, the altar for burnt 
offerings with all its furnishings, and the table on which the 
rows of bread are set with all its furnishings. {R}_{I}19_{/}All the 
furnishings King Ahaz took away during those years he was 
unfaithful to Yahweh we have put back and consecrated; they are 
now in front of the altar of Yahweh."
{R}_{I}20_{/}King Hezekiah lost no time but called the officials of the 
city together and went up to Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}21_{/}They brought 
seven bulls, seven rams and seven lambs, with seven he-goats as a 
sacrifice for sin on behalf of the royal house, of the sanctuary, 
and of Judah. The king then told the priests, the sons of Aaron, 
to offer the burnt offering on the altar of Yahweh. {R}_{I}22_{/}They 
slaughtered the bulls and the priests took up the blood and poured 
it on the altar. They then slaughtered the rams and poured their 
blood on the altar. {R}_{I}23_{/}Then they brought the he-goats, the 
sacrifice for sin, before the king and the assembly who laid their 
hands on them. {R}_{I}24_{/}The priests slaughtered them, and with their 
blood on the altar offered a sacrifice to take away the sin of all 
the people - since the king had ordered the burnt offering and the 
sacrifice for sin on behalf of all Israel. 
{R}_{I}25_{/}He then ordered the Levites to stand in Yahweh's House with 
cymbals, harps and lyres, in accordance with the ordinances of 
David, of Gad the king's prophet and of Nathan the prophet; the 
order had in fact come from Yahweh through his prophets. 
{R}_{I}26_{/}When the Levites had taken their places with David's musical 
instruments, and the priests with their trumpets, {R}_{I}27_{/}Hezekiah 
ordered the burnt offering to begin, the hymns of Yahweh began 
too, and the trumpets sounded, to the accompaniment of the 
instruments of David king of Israel. {I}28_{/}The whole assembly 
worshiped, cantors singing, trumpets sounding, until the holocaust 
was over.
{R}_{I}29_{/}When the offering was at an end, the king and all there with 
him fell to their knees and worshiped. {R}_{I}30_{/}Then King Hezekiah 
and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to Yahweh in the 
words of David and of Asaph the prophet; they sang praises till 
their joy was full and then they fell down and worshiped. 
{R}_{I}31_{/}Hezekiah spoke again, "Now you are dedicated to the service 
of Yahweh. Come forward, bring sacrifices and thanksgiving 
offerings into Yahweh's House." The assembly brought sacrifices 
and thanksgiving offerings: all the generous people brought burnt 
offerings. {I}32_{/}The number of victims for these burnt offerings 
was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred lambs, all as 
burnt offerings for Yahweh; {I}33_{/}six hundred bulls and three 
hundred sheep were sacrificed. {R}_{I}34_{/}The priests were too few, 
however, and could not slaughter all these animals, so the Levites 
helped them until the work was done and the other priests were 
sanctified; for the Levites were more educated than the priests 
regarding the requirements of purification. {R}_{I}35_{/}There were 
indeed many burnt offerings besides the fat of the peace offerings 
which was to be burnt together with the drink offerings. So was 
completed the consecration of Yahweh's House. Hezekiah and all the 
people rejoiced that God had helped the people to act so promptly.

{N}THE GREAT PASSOVER{/}

{1}30{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Hezekiah sent messengers to all Judah and Israel (for he also 
wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh), inviting them to come to 
Yahweh's House in Jerusalem to celebrate a Passover in honor of 
Yahweh, the God of Israel. {R}_{I}2_{/}The king and his officials and all 
the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to celebrate it in the second 
month, {R}_{I}3_{/}being unable to celebrate it at the proper time, since 
the priests had not purified themselves in sufficient numbers, and 
the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}4_{/}The king and all 
the assembly were pleased with their plan. {R}_{I}5_{/}They issued a 
decree to be proclaimed throughout Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, 
calling all the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate a 
Passover in honor of Yahweh, the God of Israel, for they had not 
celebrated it for a long time. {R}_{I}6_{/}Messengers went out with 
letters from the hands of the king and his officials for every 
part of Israel and Judah. They had orders from the king to say, 
"People of Israel, come back to Yahweh the God of Abraham, of 
Isaac, of Israel, and he will come back to those of you who are 
left and have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria. {R}_{I}7_{/}Do 
not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to 
Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and whom he punished severely 
as you can see. {R}_{I}8_{/}Do not harden your hearts as your ancestors 
did, but reconcile with Yahweh and come to his house which he has 
consecrated forever. Serve Yahweh your God and he will turn his 
fierce anger from you. {R}_{I}9_{/}If you come back sincerely to Yahweh, 
your brothers and your sons will win the mercy of their conquerors 
and return to this land, for Yahweh your God is gracious and 
merciful. If you come back to him, he will not turn his face from 
you."
{R}_{I}10_{/}The messengers went from town to town through the land of 
Ephraim and Manasseh, but the people laughed at them and made fun 
of them, {R}_{I}11_{/}though a few men from Asher and Manasseh and 
Zebulun were humble enough to come to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}12_{/}But in 
Judah, the hand of God was upon the people and made them of one 
mind to obey the order of the king and the officials according to 
the word of Yahweh. {R}_{I}13_{/}A great number of people gathered in 
Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread in the second 
month. A very great assembly {R}_{I}14_{/}set to work removing the altars 
that had been used in Jerusalem and all the altars for burning 
incense, and throwing them into the wadi Kidron.
{R}_{I}15_{/}They killed the lambs for the passover sacrifice on the 
fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites 
felt ashamed; so they sanctified themselves and were able to bring 
burnt offerings into Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}16_{/}Then they took up their 
places in the House according to the instructions in the Law of 
Moses, the man of God. The priests poured out the blood handed to 
them by the Levites, {R}_{I}17_{/}since there were many people in the 
assembly who had not sanctified themselves; so the Levites were to 
slaughter the Passover lambs on behalf of those who lacked the 
requisite purity in order to consecrate them to Yahweh. {R}_{I}18_{/}For 
many people, especially from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and 
Zebulun, had not purified themselves and so had eaten the Passover 
without observing the regulations.
But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, {R}_{I}19_{/}"Yahweh, God of 
our ancestors, in your goodness forgive those who seek you with 
all their heart, even though they are not clean." {R}_{I}20_{/}Yahweh 
heard Hezekiah and left the people unharmed.
{R}_{I}21_{/}For seven days the Israelites rejoiced and celebrated in 
Jerusalem the feast of Unleavened Bread, while each day the 
Levites and the priests praised Yahweh with all their might. 
{R}_{I}22_{/}At the end Hezekiah encouraged the Levites who had shown 
themselves skilled in the worship of Yahweh. {I}23_{/}Then all the 
assembly agreed to continue the celebrations for a further seven 
days which they made seven days of rejoicing. {R}_{I}24_{/}Hezekiah king 
of Judah had provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep 
for the assembly, and the officials another thousand bulls and ten 
thousand sheep, and now the priests were ready in great numbers. 
{R}_{I}25_{/}So the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, the priests too, 
and the Levites, and all who had come from Israel, the refugees of 
Israel living in Judah and the people of Judah. {R}_{I}26_{/}There was 
great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of 
David, king of Israel, nothing like this had happened in 
Jerusalem. {R}_{I}27_{/}The levitical priests began to bless the people. 
Their voices were heard and their prayer received in heaven, His 
holy dwelling place.

{1}31{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When all this was over, all the Israelites who were there set 
off for the towns of Judah to smash the pillar, cut down the 
sacred trunks and wreck the High places and the altars. So they 
did throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh and did away 
with them. Then all the Israelites returned to their towns, each 
man to his home.
{R}_{I}2_{/}Hezekiah reestablished the priestly and levitical orders, 
each man in his proper order according to his duties, whether 
priest or Levite, whether for burnt offering, peace offering, 
liturgical service, thanksgiving or praise, within the gates of 
the camp of Yahweh. {R}_{I}3_{/}The king set aside a portion of his own 
possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the 
burnt offerings of sabbath, New Moon, and solemn feast, as laid 
down in the Law of Yahweh. {R}_{I}4_{/}He then told the people of 
Jerusalem to give the priests and the Levites their share so that 
they might devote themselves to the Law of Yahweh.
{I}5_{/}As soon as the order had been published, the Israelites 
gathered in the first fruits of corn, wine, oil, honey, and all 
agricultural produce, and brought in a generous gift of 
everything. {R}_{I}6_{/}The Israelites and Judaeans living in the towns 
of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the 
tithe of the holy things dedicated to Yahweh their God, piling 
them up, heap after heap. {I}7_{/}They began making these heaps in the 
third month and finished them in the seventh.
{R}_{I}8_{/}When Hezekiah and his officials saw how much had been given, 
they praised Yahweh and praised his people Israel. {R}_{I}9_{/}Hezekiah 
questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps, {I}10_{/}and 
Azariah, the chief priest, of the family of Zadok, answered him, 
"Since the contributions were first brought to Yahweh's House, we 
have had enough to eat and still have plenty left over, for Yahweh 
has blessed his people; this huge pile is what is left." 
{R}_{I}11_{/}Hezekiah then ordered them to have storerooms prepared in 
Yahweh's House. They did this, {I}12_{/}and then brought in the 
contributions, tithes and consecrated things, to keep them in a 
safe place. Conaniah the Levite was officer-in-charge of them, 
with Shimei his brother as his assistant.
{R}_{I}13_{/}Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, 
Ismachiah, Mahat, and Benaiah were appointed supervisors under the 
command of Conaiah and his brother Shimei, by order of King 
Hezekiah and of Azariah the High Priest. {R}_{I}14_{/}Kore, son of Imnah 
the Levite, keeper of the eastern gate, was made responsible for 
the voluntary offerings to God; he provided the portion set aside 
for Yahweh and the most holy offerings. {R}_{I}15_{/}Under his command he 
had Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, who 
resided permanently in the towns of the priests to distribute 
these gifts to their kinsmen great or small according to their 
orders.
{I}16_{/}In addition to this, there was the organization by related 
groups of all those men thirty years old or older who went to 
Yahweh's House, by daily rotation, to perform the ritual duties 
appropriate to their orders. {R}_{I}17_{/}There was also the organization 
of priests by families; as also that of Levites twenty years old 
or older, by duties and orders. {I}18_{/}There was also the 
organization of all their families for the whole assembly, since 
they were busy with the holy ministry. {R}_{I}19_{/}As regards the 
priests, the sons of Aaron, who lived in the pasture lands 
belonging to their towns, or in the towns themselves, appointed 
men, distributed the food to every male among the priests and also 
to the inscribed Levites who were enrolled.
{R}_{I}20_{/}Hezekiah enforced these arrangements throughout Judah. He 
did what is good and right and loyal before Yahweh his God. 
{R}_{I}21_{/}He was successful, because everything he did for the Temple 
or in observance of the Law, he did as one seeking God with all 
his heart.

{N}INVASION OF SENNACHERIB{/}

{1}32{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}After Hezekiah had faithfully done all this, Sennacherib king 
of Assyria invaded Judah. He pitched camp before the fortified 
towns and gave orders for his army to break their way through the 
walls. {R}_{I}2_{/}Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib intended to attack 
Jerusalem also, {R}_{I}3_{/}so he summoned his officers and champions and 
they decided to cut off the water supply from the springs situated 
outside the city. {R}_{I}4_{/}So a large number of people banded together 
to block all the springs and cut off the watercourse flowing 
through the fields. They said, "Why should the king of Assyria 
find plenty of water when he arrives?" {R}_{I}5_{/}Hezekiah strengthened 
his defenses: he had the broken parts of the wall repaired, built 
towers on it, constructed a second wall on the outer side, 
strengthened the Millo of the City of David and made quantities of 
spears and shields. {I}6_{/}He then appointed generals to command the 
people, had them assemble in the square by the city gate and spoke 
as follows to encourage them, {R}_{I}7_{/}"Be strong and stand firm; be 
fearless, be confident when you face the king of Assyria and the 
whole army he brings with him, since he that is with us is 
stronger than he that is with him. {R}_{I}8_{/}He has only an arm of 
flesh, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and fight our 
battles." The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah king 
of Judah.
{R}_{I}9_{/}Next, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was then outside 
Lachish with all his army, sent his servants to Jerusalem, to 
Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all the Judaeans who were in 
Jerusalem. They said, {R}_{I}10_{/}"Hear the message from Sennacherib 
king of Assyria, 'What gives you the confidence to stay in 
Jerusalem under siege? {R}_{I}11_{/}Is not Hezekiah deceiving you? Is he 
not condemning you to die of hunger and thirst when he says: 
Yahweh our God will save us from the king of Assyria? {R}_{I}12_{/}Is not 
Hezekiah the very man who has destroyed the High places and the 
altars of Yahweh, and given the order to Judah and to Jerusalem: 
Before one altar only are you to worship, and on that alone offer 
incense? {R}_{I}13_{/}Do you not know what I have done, I and my 
ancestors, to all the peoples of other countries? Have the gods of 
any nation in those countries ever been able to save them from me? 
{R}_{I}14_{/}Who among all the gods of those nations was able to save his 
people from me? {R}_{I}15_{/}Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Do not let 
him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any 
nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or from 
my ancestors. No more will your god be able to save you from me."
{R}_{I}16_{/}His officials were still speaking against Yahweh God, and 
his servant Hezekiah, {R}_{I}17_{/}when Sennacherib wrote a letter 
insulting Yahweh the God of Israel. This is what he said about 
him, "Just as the gods of the nations in other countries have 
failed to save their peoples from me, so will the god of Hezekiah 
fail to save his people." {R}_{I}18_{/}They shouted this out in the 
language of Judah, to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city 
wall, to confuse and frighten them, and so that they might capture 
the city: {R}_{I}19_{/}they spoke of the God of Jerusalem in the same way 
they talked of the gods of the peoples of the world, the work of 
human hands.
{R}_{I}20_{/}Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed 
and cried out to heaven. {R}_{I}21_{/}And Yahweh sent an angel who made 
all the mighty warriors, commanders and officers die in the camp 
of the king of Assyria. So the emperor went back to Assyria very 
ashamed. And as he came into the temple of his god, some of his 
own sons struck him with their swords. {R}_{I}22_{/}So Yahweh saved 
Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib 
king of Assyria and from everyone else, and he gave them peace on 
every side. {R}_{I}23_{/}Many people brought grain offerings to Yahweh in 
Jerusalem and gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah; since then all the 
nations held Hezekiah in honor.
{R}_{I}24_{/}In those days, Hezekiah fell ill and was at the point of 
death. He prayed to Yahweh, who heard him and granted him a sign. 
{R}_{I}25_{/}But Hezekiah did not show gratitude for what Yahweh had done 
for him; his heart grew proud and Judah and Jerusalem suffered for 
it. {R}_{I}26_{/}Finally, however, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem 
humbled themselves, and so Yahweh did not punish the people until 
after Hezekiah's death. {R}_{I}27_{/}Hezekiah enjoyed immense riches and 
honor. He built himself storerooms for gold, silver, precious 
stones, spices, gems and every sort of valuable. {I}28_{/}He had 
storehouses for his returns of corn, wine and oil, buildings for 
his different sorts of cattle, and sheep runs for his sheep, 
{R}_{I}29_{/}and, further, acquired donkeys and enormous herds and 
flocks. God had indeed given him very great riches.
{R}_{I}30_{/}It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of Gihon Spring 
and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of 
David. Hezekiah succeeded in all he undertook. {R}_{I}31_{/}However, when 
the authorities in Babylon sent to him to inquire about the 
extraordinary thing that had taken place in the country, God 
abandoned him only to test him, and to discover the secrets of his 
heart.
{R}_{I}32_{/}The rest of the history of Hezekiah, and his deed of piety, 
are recorded in the Vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz and 
in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. {R}_{I}33_{/}Then Hezekiah 
rested with his fathers and they buried him on the slope going up 
to the tombs of the sons of David. At his death, all of Judah and 
the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor. His son Manasseh 
succeeded him.

{N}MANASSEH{/}

{1}33{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Manasseh was twelve years old when he came to the throne and 
he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}2_{/}He did what was 
evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and followed the disgusting practices 
of the nations that Yahweh had removed from the land before giving 
it to Israel, {R}_{I}3_{/}He rebuilt the High places his father Hezekiah 
had wrecked; he set up altars to the Baals and made sacred trunks. 
He worshiped the whole array of heaven and served it. {R}_{I}4_{/}He 
built altars in Yahweh's House of which Yahweh had said, "In 
Jerusalem shall my Name be forever." 
{I}5_{/}He built altars to the whole array of heaven in the two courts 
of Yahweh's House. {I}6_{/}He caused his sons to pass through the fire 
in the Valley of Benhinnom. He practiced soothsaying, magic and 
witchcraft, and introduced necromancers and wizards. He did many 
things displeasing to Yahweh, thus provoking his anger. {R}_{I}7_{/}He 
placed the idol he had made in the house of which God had said to 
David and to his son Solomon, "In this house and in Jerusalem, the 
city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel, I will give my Name 
a home forever. {R}_{I}8_{/}I will no longer turn Israel's footsteps away 
from the land I assigned to their fathers, provided they observe 
all I have ordered them in accordance with the whole Law, the 
statutes and the ordinances, given through Moses." {R}_{I}9_{/}Manasseh 
led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, so that they 
did more evil than those nations Yahweh had destroyed before the 
sons of Israel. {R}_{I}10_{/}Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and his people, but 
they paid no attention.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Then Yahweh sent the generals of the king of Assyria against 
them, who captured Manasseh with hooks, put him in chains and led 
him away to Babylon. {R}_{I}12_{/}In his distress he sought to appease 
Yahweh his God. Humbling himself deeply before the God of his 
ancestors, he prayed to him, {R}_{I}13_{/}and God changed his mind. 
Hearing his plea he allowed him to come back to Jerusalem and 
reign again. Manasseh realised then that Yahweh is God. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}After that he rebuilt the outer wall of the Citadel of 
David, west of Gihon in the wadi, as far as the Fish Gate; it 
encircled the Ophel, and he increased its height very 
considerably. He stationed military governors in all the fortified 
towns of Judah.
{R}_{I}15_{/}He removed the alien gods and the idol from Yahweh's House 
and all the altars he had built on the mountain of Yahweh's House 
and in Jerusalem, and threw them out of the city. {R}_{I}16_{/}He rebuilt 
the altar of Yahweh and offered peace offerings and praise 
offerings on it, and ordered Judah to serve Yahweh the God of 
Israel; {R}_{I}17_{/}however, the people continued to sacrifice on the 
High places, although only to Yahweh their God.

{R}_{I}18_{/}The rest of the history of Manasseh, his prayer to God, and 
the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh the 
God of Israel, can be found in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 
{R}_{I}19_{/}His prayer and how God heard his prayer, all his sins, his 
unfaithfulness, the sites where he built High places and set up 
sacred trunks and idols before he humbled himself are recorded in 
the Annals of Hozai. {R}_{I}20_{/}Then Manasseh rested with his ancestors 
and was buried in his palace. His son Amon succeeded him. 
{R}_{I}21_{/}Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king and he 
reigned for two years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}22_{/}He did what is 
displeasing to Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done. Amon 
offered sacrifice and worship to all the idols Manasseh his father 
had made, {R}_{I}23_{/}but he did not humble himself before Yahweh like 
Manasseh his father had done; instead he made the guilt of Judah 
worse. {R}_{I}24_{/}His officers plotted against him and killed him in 
his palace. But the people of the nation struck down all those who 
had plotted against King Amon and proclaimed his son Josiah as his 
successor.

{N}JOSIAH{/}

{1}34{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Josiah was eight years old when he became king and he reigned 
for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}2_{/}He did what is pleasing to 
Yahweh, and walked in the ways of his father David, without 
turning aside.
{R}_{I}3_{/}In the eighth year of his reign, when he was still a youth, 
he began to seek the God of his father David. In the twelfth year 
he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the High places, the 
sacred trunks and the molten idols. {I}4_{/}He looked on while they 
smashed the altars of Baal, and he himself tore down the incense 
altars near them. He reduced to dust the symbols of Asherah and 
the other idols and then threw the dust over the graves of those 
who had sacrificed to them. {R}_{I}5_{/}He burned the bones of their 
priests on their altars, and so purified Judah and Jerusalem. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}He did the same in the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, 
and as far as Naphtali, and in the devastated areas around them. 
{R}_{I}7_{/}There too he destroyed the altars and symbols of the goddess, 
smashed the sacred trunks and the idols and ground them to powder, 
and tore down all the altars of incense throughout the land of 
Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
{R}_{I}8_{/}In the eighteenth year of his reign, with the object of 
purifying land and Temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, 
Maaseiah governor of the city and the herald Joah son of Joahaz, 
to repair the house of Yahweh his God. {R}_{I}9_{/}These men went to the 
high priest Hilkiah and handed over to him the money that had been 
brought to the house of God. The Levite gatekeepers had collected 
this money from Manasseh, Ephraim and all the rest of Israel, and 
from all the Judaeans and Benjaminites and from the people living 
in Jerusalem. {I}10_{/}They handed it over to the masters of works of 
Yahweh's House and these men used it for the repair and 
restoration of the House. {R}_{I}11_{/}They gave it to the carpenters and 
builders for buying the stones and timber for the beams and 
framework of the buildings which the kings of Judah had let go to 
ruin.
{R}_{I}12_{/}The men worked conscientiously. Over them were set Jahath 
and Obadiah, Levites of the sons of Merari; together with 
Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of Kohath, as supervisors. 
These Levites were all skilled liturgical musicians; {I}13_{/}but they 
also directed the carriers and the masters of works of the various 
jobs. Other Levites were scribes, clerks and gatekeepers.

{N}THE BOOK OF THE LAW DISCOVERED{/}

{R}_{I}14_{/}When they were taking out the money that had been brought to 
Yahweh's House, Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the Law 
given through Moses. {R}_{I}15_{/}At once Hilkiah told Shaphan the 
secretary, "I have found the book of the Law in Yahweh's House." 
And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. {R}_{I}16_{/}Shaphan took the book 
to the king, and reported to him, "Your servants are carrying out 
the commands you gave them: {I}17_{/}they have melted down the silver 
which was in Yahweh's House and have handed it over to the 
supervisors and masters of works." {R}_{I}18_{/}After which Shaphan the 
secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a 
book"; and Shaphan read from it in the king's presence.
{R}_{I}19_{/}When the king heard the book being read, he tore his 
garments, {R}_{I}20_{/}and gave the following order to Hilkiah, Ahikam 
son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and 
Asaiah the king's minister, {R}_{I}21_{/}"Go and consult Yahweh, for me 
and for the people who still remain in Israel and Judah, about the 
words of the book that has been found. Great indeed must be the 
anger of Yahweh to be poured down on us because our ancestors did 
not observe the word of Yahweh nor do according to what is written 
in this book."
{R}_{I}22_{/}Hilkiah and the king's men went to Huldah the prophetess, 
wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, the keeper of the 
Temple robes; she lived in Jerusalem in the new town. They spoke 
to her about this, {R}_{I}23_{/}and she answered, "This is the word of 
Yahweh for the man who sent you to me: {R}_{I}24_{/}I am going to punish 
Jerusalem and all its people, carrying out all the curses written 
in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of 
Judah, {R}_{I}25_{/}because they have abandoned me and have burned 
incense to other gods, stirring up my anger by everything they 
have done. Because of this my anger is aroused against Jerusalem, 
and it will not die down.
{R}_{I}26_{/}And you will tell the king of Judah who sent you to consult 
Yahweh, that thus answers Yahweh, the God of Israel, regarding the 
words you have heard: {R}_{I}27_{/}Since your heart has been touched and 
you have humbled yourself before God on hearing what he has 
threatened against Jerusalem and those who live in it, since you 
have humbled yourself before me and torn your garments and wept 
before me, I for my part have heard - this is Yahweh's word. 
{R}_{I}28_{/}The punishment which I am going to bring on Jerusalem will 
not come until after your death. I will let you die in peace." 
They took this answer to the king.
{R}_{I}29_{/}The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem 
summoned, {R}_{I}30_{/}and the king went up to Yahweh's House, with all 
the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, priests, 
Levites and all the people, great and small alike. In their 
hearing he read out everything that was said in the book of the 
covenant found in Yahweh's House. {R}_{I}31_{/}The king stood beside the 
pillar, and in the presence of Yahweh he made a covenant to follow 
Yahweh and to keep his laws and commands with all his heart and 
soul, as written in that book. {R}_{I}32_{/}He committed everyone there 
in Jerusalem or in Benjamin to obey the requirements of the 
covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. {R}_{I}33_{/}Josiah removed 
all the disgusting idols throughout the territories belonging to 
the people of Israel. For the rest of his life he made sure that 
every member of Israel served their God. They did not fail to 
follow Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. 

{N}THE PASSOVER OF JOSIAH{/}

{1}35{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Josiah then celebrated a Passover in honor of Yahweh in 
Jerusalem and they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day 
of the first month. {R}_{I}2_{/}He appointed certain functions to the 
priests and let them discharge the duties of Yahweh's House. 
{R}_{I}3_{/}Then he said to the Levites, who were to instruct all Israel 
and who were consecrated to Yahweh, "The holy ark has been put in 
the house built by Solomon son of David, king of Israel, and it is 
no longer a burden for your shoulders. So you shall serve Yahweh 
your God and Israel your people in this way. {R}_{I}4_{/}Stand in the 
holy place by families and orders, according to the written decree 
of David king of Israel and his son Solomon, {R}_{I}5_{/}and let some be 
available to help each family of the people of Israel; for the 
Levites are to have a portion in each family. {I}6_{/}Kill the animals 
for the festival, sanctify yourselves, and be at the disposal of 
your brothers in acting in accordance with the word of Yahweh 
which was spoken through Moses."
{R}_{I}7_{/}Josiah then provided for the use of the people, lambs and 
kids from the flocks to the number of thirty thousand, all as 
Passover offerings for all who were present, and three thousand 
bulls as well; all these animals came from the king's possessions. 
{R}_{I}8_{/}His officials, for their part, made provision for what the 
people, the priests and the Levites would use. The senior 
officials of the house of God, Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, also 
gave the priests two thousand six hundred lambs and kids and three 
hundred bulls as Passover victims. {R}_{I}9_{/}The heads of the Levites, 
Conaniah, Shemaiah and his brothers Nathanel, Hashabiah, Jeiel and 
Jozabad, provided five thousand lambs and kids and five hundred 
bulls as Passover victims for the Levites.
{R}_{I}10_{/}When everything for the Passover had been prepared, the 
priests took their posts, and the Levites also in their orders as 
commanded by the king. {R}_{I}11_{/}They killed the lambs and goats, and 
while the priests sprinkled the blood they received, the Levites 
cut up the victims. {I}12_{/}They put aside the animals for the burnt 
offering and distributed to family groupings of the lay people, 
giving to each his offering to Yahweh, as is written in the Book 
of Moses; they did the same with the bulls. {I}13_{/}They roasted the 
passover, as ordained, and boiled the sacred foods in pots, 
dishes, and pans, carrying them speedily to the people. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}Afterward they prepared the passover for themselves and for 
the priests. Because the priests, the sons of Aaron, had been busy 
till nightfall offering the burnt offering and the fatty parts, 
the Levites prepared the passover for themselves and for the 
priests, the sons of Aaron. {R}_{I}15_{/}The musicians, the sons of 
Asaph, were at their places, in accordance with the ordinances of 
David; neither Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun the king's prophet, nor the 
keepers of each gate had to leave their duties, since their 
brothers the Levites made all the preparations for them.
{R}_{I}16_{/}So the whole service of Yahweh was prepared that day to 
celebrate the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar 
of Yahweh, in accordance with the ordinances of King Josiah.
{R}_{I}17_{/}The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover and, 
for seven days, the feast of Unleavened Bread. {R}_{I}18_{/}No Passover 
like this one had ever been celebrated in Israel since the days of 
the prophet Samuel; no king of Israel had ever celebrated a 
Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah with the priests, the 
Levites, all of Judah and of Israel who were present, and the 
people of Jerusalem.

{N}THE TRAGIC END OF THE REIGN{/}

{R}_{I}19_{/}This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of the 
reign of Josiah. {R}_{I}20_{/}After all this, when Josiah had already 
repaired the House, Neco king of Egypt came up to fight at 
Carchemish on the Euphrates and Josiah marched out to stop him. 
{R}_{I}21_{/}Neco sent him messengers to say, "There is no quarrel 
between me and you, king of Judah. I have not come today to attack 
you, but to fight my enemies, and God has told me to hurry. Do not 
oppose God who is with me, lest he destroy you."
{R}_{I}22_{/}But Josiah continued to challenge him for he was determined 
to fight him, and would not listen to what God was saying through 
Neco. So he went out to fight in the plain of Megiddo. 
{R}_{I}23_{/}Egyptian arrows struck King Josiah, and the king said to his 
followers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." {R}_{I}24_{/}His servants 
lifted him out of his own chariot, transferred him to another one 
and took him back to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in 
the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for 
Josiah. {R}_{I}25_{/}Jeremiah composed a lament for Josiah which all the 
women singers use when speaking of Josiah in their laments to this 
day; this has become a custom in Israel; the song is found in the 
collection of laments.
{R}_{I}26_{/}The rest of the history of Josiah and all his good deeds 
according to the Law, and his acts from the first to last, are 
recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 

{N}THE LAST KINGS{/}

{1}36{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}The people of the nation took Jehoahaz, son of Josiah and 
made him king in Jerusalem in succession to his father. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king and 
he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}3_{/}The king of Egypt 
took him prisoner and made the people of Judah pay 7,500 pounds of 
silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute. {R}_{I}4_{/}The king of Egypt 
then made Eliakim, brother of Jehoahaz, king of Judah and 
Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took his 
brother Jehoahaz to Egypt.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king and 
he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in 
the eyes of Yahweh his God. {R}_{I}6_{/}Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon 
attacked him, put him in chains and carried him off to Babylon. 
[*]_{I}7_{/}Nebuchadnezzar also carried off to Babylon some of the 
treasures of the House and put them in his palace at Babylon. 
{R}_{I}8_{/}The rest of the history of Jehoiakim, the disgusting things 
he did and those discovered to his discredit, these are recorded 
in the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiakim 
succeeded him.
{R}_{I}9_{/}Jehoiakim was eight years old when he became King and he 
reigned for three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what 
was evil in the eyes of Yahweh. {R}_{I}10_{/}When spring came, King 
Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and had him taken to Babylon as a 
prisoner, with the treasures of the temple and made Zedekiah, his 
brother, king of Judah and Jerusalem in his place.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king and he 
reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. {R}_{I}12_{/}He did what was evil 
in the eyes of Yahweh his God. He did not listen humbly to the 
prophet Jeremiah, accredited by Yahweh himself. {R}_{I}13_{/}He also 
rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had forced him to swear 
in God's name that he would be loyal. He became stubborn, and 
obstinately refused to return to Yahweh the God of Israel.

{N}CONCLUSION{/}

{I}14_{/}Furthermore, all the heads of the priesthood, and the people, 
too, were exceedingly unfaithful, following the disgusting example 
of the nations around them, and so they defiled the house which 
Yahweh himself had made holy. {R}_{I}15_{/}Yahweh, the God of their 
ancestors, continued to send prophets to warn his people, since he 
had compassion on them and on his dwelling place. {R}_{I}16_{/}But they 
mocked the messengers of God, ignored his words, and laughed at 
his prophets, until at last the anger of Yahweh rose so high 
against his people that there was no further remedy.
{R}_{I}17_{/}Then he brought against them the king of the Chaldeans who 
killed with the sword the young men of Judah even in the House; he 
spared neither youth nor virgin, neither old man nor aged cripple: 
God handed them all over to him. {R}_{I}18_{/}All the furnishings of the 
house of God, large and small, the treasures of Yahweh's House, 
the treasures of the king and his officials, he carried off to 
Babylon.
{R}_{I}19_{/}They burned down the house of God, broke down the walls of 
Jerusalem, set fire to all its palaces, and destroyed everything 
of value in it. {R}_{I}20_{/}The survivors were deported by 
Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon; they were to serve him and his 
descendants as slaves until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 
{R}_{I}21_{/}This is how the work of Yahweh was fulfilled that he spoke 
through Jeremiah, "The land will lie desolate for seventy years, 
to make up for its Sabbath rests that have not been observed."
{R}_{I}22_{/}And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill 
what he had said through the prophet Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred up 
the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue the following command 
and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his 
kingdom: {R}_{I}23_{/}"Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh, the God 
of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has 
ordered me to build him a house in Jerusalem, in Judah. Now, all 
of you who belong to his people, go there and may Yahweh your God 
be with you."

