Bible in 90 Days
11 So, Solomon finished the House of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the House of the LORD. And he prospered in his house.
12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon at night, and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself, to be a House of Sacrifice.
13 “If I shut the heaven, so that there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people—
14 “if my people among whom My Name is called upon will humble themselves and pray and seek My presence and turn from their wicked ways—then will I hear in Heaven and be merciful to their sin and will heal their land.
15 “Then My Eyes shall be open and My Ears attentive to the prayers in this place.
16 “For I have now chosen and sanctified this House, so that My Name may be there forever. And My Eyes and My Heart shall be there perpetually.
17 “And if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, to do according to all that I have Commanded you, and shall observe My Statutes and My Judgments,
18 “then will I establish the throne of your kingdom, just as I made the Covenant with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’
19 “But if you turn away, and forsake My Statutes and My Commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them,
20 “then will I pluck them up out of My land which I have given them. And I will cast this House which I have sanctified for My Name out of My sight and will make it a proverb and common talk among all people.
21 “And this House which is Most High shall be an astonishment to everyone who passes by it, so that he shall say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land, and to this House?’
22 “And they shall answer, ‘Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold of other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them. Therefore, He has brought all this misery upon them.”
8 And after twenty years, once Solomon had built the House of the LORD and his own house,
2 then Solomon built the cities that Huram gave to Solomon and had the children of Israel live there.
3 And Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and overcame it.
4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and repaired all the storage cities which he built in Hamath.
5 And he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, cities defensed with walls, gates and bars,
6 also Baalath and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and every pleasant place that Solomon had a mind to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
7 All the people who were left to the Hittites and the Amorites and Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites—who were not of Israel
8 but of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel had not consumed—those Solomon made tributaries until this day.
9 But Solomon made no children of Israel servants for his work. For they were men of war, and his chief princes, and the captains of his chariots and of his horsemen.
10 So, these were the chief of the officers whom Solomon had, two hundred fifty who bore rule over the people.
11 Then, Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David, into the house that he had built for her. For he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David, king of Israel. For it is holy, because the Ark of the LORD came to it.”
12 Then Solomon offered Burnt Offerings to the LORD on the Altar of the LORD which he had built in front of the porch,
13 to offer according to the commandment of Moses every day, on the Sabbaths, and at the new moons, and at the solemn Feasts, three times in the year: at the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, and at the Feast of the Weeks, and at the Feast of the Tabernacles.
14 And he set the divisions of the priests to their offices, according to the order of David his father and the Levites in their watches, to praise and minister before the priests every day and the gatekeepers by their divisions, at every gate. For so was the commandment of David, the man of God.
15 And they did not decline from the commandment of the king concerning the priests and the Levites, touching all things and touching the treasures.
16 Now, Solomon had made provision for all the work, from the day of the foundation of the House of the LORD until it was finished. The House of the LORD was perfect.
17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Eloth by the Seaside, in the land of Edom.
18 And by the hands of his servants, Huram sent him ships and servants who had knowledge of the sea. And they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir and brought four hundred fifty talents of gold from there, and brought them to King Solomon.
9 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came with a very great train, and camels that bore sweet odors and much gold and precious stones, to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions. And when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart.
2 And Solomon answered all her questions. And there was nothing hidden from Solomon which he did not tell her.
3 Then the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, and the House that he had built,
4 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the order of his waiters, and their apparel, and his butlers, and their apparel, and his Burnt Offerings which he offered in the House of the LORD. And she was greatly astonished.
5 And she said to the king, “It was a true word which I heard in my own land of your sayings, and of your wisdom!
6 “However, I did not believe their report until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, one half of your great wisdom was not told to me! You exceed the fame that I heard!
7 “Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants who stand before you always and hear your wisdom.
8 “Blessed be the LORD your God! Who loved you, setting you on His throne as king in the place of the LORD your God! Because your God loves Israel, to establish it forever, He has therefore made you king over them, to execute judgments and justice.”
9 Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and an abundance of sweet odors, and precious stones. Never were there such sweet odors as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 And also the servants of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought Algummim wood and precious stones.
11 And the king made from the Algummim wood stairs in the House of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and harps and viols for singers. And there was no such thing seen before in the land of Judah.
12 And King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba every pleasant thing that she asked, more than that which she had brought to the king. So she returned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
13 Also, the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,
14 besides that which traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia, and the princes of the country, brought gold and silver to Solomon.
15 And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold. Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one large shield.
16 And for three hundred shields of beaten gold, three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the wood of Lebanon.
17 And the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
18 And the throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold fastened to the throne and supports on either side on the place of the seats, and two lions standing by the supports.
19 And twelve lions stood there on the six steps on either side. There was not any like it made in any kingdom.
20 And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold. And all the vessels of the house of the wood of Lebanon were of pure gold; for silver was considered nothing special in the days of Solomon.
21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram. Every three years the ships of Tarshish came and brought gold and silver, ivory, and apes and peacocks.
22 So, King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the Earth in riches and wisdom.
23 And all the kings of the Earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart.
24 And every man brought his present: vessels of silver and vessels of gold and clothing, armor, sweet odors, horses and mules, year after year.
25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls of horses, and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.
26 And he reigned over all the kings, from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt.
27 And the king gave silver in Jerusalem as stones and gave cedar trees as the wild fig trees (which are abundant in the plain).
28 And they brought horses out of Egypt to Solomon, and out of all lands.
29 Concerning the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the Book of Nathan the Prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the Seer against Jeroboam, the son of Nebat?
30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, for forty years.
31 And Solomon slept with his fathers. And they buried him in the city of David, his father. And Rehoboam, his son, reigned in his place.
10 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel came to Shechem to make him king.
2 And when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, heard it (who was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king) he returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. So, Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke with Rehoboam, saying,
4 “Your father made our yoke grievous. Now, therefore, make the grievous servitude of your father, and his severe yoke that he put upon us, lighter. And we will serve you.”
5 And he said to them, “Come back to me in three days.” And the people departed.
6 And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon, his father, while he still lived, saying, “What counsel do you give, so that I may answer these people?”
7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak loving words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8 But he rejected the counsel of the ancient men that they had given him and took counsel of the young men who were brought up with him and waited on him.
9 And he said to them, “What counsel do you give, so that we may answer these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke which your father put upon us, lighter’?”
10 And the young men who had been brought up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus shall you answer the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter for us.’ Thus shall you say to them, ‘My least part shall be bigger than my father’s loins.
11 ‘Now, whereas my father burdened you with a grievous yoke, I will increase your yoke more. My father chastised you with rods, but I will do so with scourges.’”
12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.”
13 And the king answered them sharply. And King Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the ancient men,
14 and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke grievous, but I will increase it! My father chastised you with rods, but I will do so with scourges!”
15 So the king did not listen to the people. For it was the Ordinance of God that the LORD might perform His saying which He had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.
16 So, when all Israel saw that the king would not hear them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? For we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. O Israel, every man to your tents now! See to your own House, David!” So, all Israel departed to their tents.
17 However, Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
18 Then, King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the tribute. And the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. Then, King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel has rebelled against the House of David to this day.
11 And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered one hundred eighty thousand chosen men of war from the House of Judah and Benjamin, to fight against Israel and to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.
2 But the Word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,
3 “Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel who are in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall neither go up nor fight against your brethren. Every man should return to his house. For I have done this thing.”’” Therefore, they obeyed the Word of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah.
6 He also built Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa
7 and Beth Zur and Sochoh and Adullam
8 and Gath, Mareshah and Ziph
9 and Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah
10 and Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron, which were strong cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 And he repaired the strongholds and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil and wine.
12 And he put shields and spears in all cities and made them exceedingly strong. So, Judah and Benjamin were his.
13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel, out of all their territories, stood with him.
14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering to the LORD in the priests’ office.
15 And he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the demons, and for the calves which he had made.
16 And after the Levites, there came to Jerusalem such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel, to offer to the LORD God of their fathers, from all the tribes of Israel.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, mighty for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, for himself as a wife. And he also took Abihail, the daughter of Eliah, the son of Jesse,
19 who bore him sons: Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.
20 And after her, he took Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith.
21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and his concubines. For he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 And Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, the chief ruler among his brethren, and intended to make him king.
23 And he taught him and dispersed all his sons throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, to every strong city. And he gave them abundance of food and desired many wives.
12 And when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and made it strong, he forsook the Law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
2 Therefore, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem (because they had transgressed against the LORD)
3 with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. And the people who came with him from Egypt—the Lubim, Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians—were without number.
4 And he took the strong cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then Shemaiah the Prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the LORD: ‘You have forsaken Me. Therefore, I have also left you in the hands of Shishak.’”
6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and said, “The LORD is just.”
7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the Word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them. But I will shortly send them deliverance. And My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
8 “Nevertheless, they shall be his servants, so they shall know My service from the service of the kingdoms of the Earth.”
9 Then Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem and took the treasures of the House of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all. And he carried away the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
10 In their place, King Rehoboam made shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard who waited at the door of the king’s house.
11 And when the king entered into the House of the LORD, the guard came and bore them and brought them back to the guard chamber.
12 And because he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so that He would not completely destroy. And things also prospered in Judah.
13 So, King Rehoboam was strong in Jerusalem and reigned. For Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city in which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put His Name. And his mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess.
14 And he did evil. For he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.
15 Also the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the Book of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer, in recounting the genealogy? And there was perpetual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. And Abijah, his son, reigned in his place.
13 In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah.
2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3 And Abijah set the battle in formation with the army of valiant men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam also set the battle in formation against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men who were strong and valiant.
4 And Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim, which is on Mount Ephraim, and said, “O Jeroboam and all Israel! Hear me!
5 “Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel has given the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?
6 “And Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon, the son of David, has risen up and has rebelled against his lord!
7 “And vain men and wicked have gathered to him and made themselves strong against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon! For Rehoboam was a child and tender-hearted and could not resist them!
8 “Now, therefore, do you think that you are able to resist against the kingdom of the LORD, in the hands of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude? And the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you?
9 “Have you not driven away the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made yourselves priests like the people of other countries? Whoever comes to consecrate with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are not gods!
10 “But we belong to the LORD our God and have not forsaken Him! And the priests, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, minister to the LORD in office!
11 “And they burn Burnt Offerings and sweet incense to the LORD every morning and every evening. And the Bread is set in order upon the pure Table, and the Candlestick of gold with its Lamps, to burn every evening! For we keep the watch of the LORD our God! But you have forsaken Him!
12 “And behold! This God is with us as a Captain! And His Priests are with the sounding trumpets, to cry an alarm against you! O, you children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers! For you shall not prosper!”
13 But while they were before Judah, Jeroboam sent an ambush around, to come up behind them. And the ambush was now behind them.
14 Then Judah looked, and behold, the battle was in front and behind them. And they cried to the LORD. And the priests blew with the trumpets.
15 And the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam (and also Israel) before Abijah and Judah.
16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah. And God delivered them into their hand.
17 And Abijah and his people killed them in a great slaughter, so that five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell down wounded.
18 So, the children of Israel were subjugated at that time. And the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.
19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam and took cities from him: Bethel and its villages, and Jeshanah with her villages, and Ephron with her villages.
20 And Jeroboam regained no strength in the days of Abijah. But the LORD plagued him, and he died.
21 So, Abijah grew mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his manners and his sayings, are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.
14 So, Abijah slept with his fathers. And they buried him in the City of David. And Asa, his son, reigned in his place (in whose days the land was quiet for ten years).
2 And Asa did what was good and right in the Eyes of the LORD his God.
3 For he took away the altars of the strange, and the high places, and broke down the images, and cut down the groves,
4 and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do according to the Law and the Commandment.
5 And he took away the high places out of all the cities of Judah, and the images. Therefore, the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 Also, because the land was at rest, he had built strong cities in Judah. And he had no war in those years. For the LORD had given him rest.
7 Therefore, he said to Judah, “Because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought Him and He has given us rest on every side, let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers and gates and bars, while the land is before us.” So, they built and prospered.
8 And of Judah, Asa had an army of three hundred thousand who bore shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand of Benjamin who bore shields and drew bows. All these were valiant men.
9 And Zerah of Ethiopia came out against him with an army of one million, and three hundred chariots, and came to Mareshah.
10 Then Asa went out before him. And they set the battle in formation in the Valley of Zephathah, beside Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing with You to help with many or with the powerless! Help us, O LORD our God! For we rest on You! And in Your Name we have come against this multitude! O LORD, You are our God! Do not let man prevail against You!”
12 So, the LORD struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.
13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. And the Ethiopians’ army was overthrown. There was no life in them; for they were destroyed before the LORD and before His host. And they carried away a mighty, great spoil.
14 And they struck all the cities all around Gerar. For the fear of the LORD came upon them. And they plundered all the cities; for there was much plunder in them.
15 Yea, and they struck the tents of cattle and carried away plenty of sheep and camels and returned to Jerusalem.
15 Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “O, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin, hear me! The LORD is with you while you are with him. And if you seek Him, He will be found by you. But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3 “Now for a long season, Israel has been without the true God, and without priest to teach, and without Law.
4 “But whoever returned in his affliction to the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, he was found by Him.
5 “And in that time there was no peace to him who went out and went in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the Earth.
6 “For nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city. For God troubled them with all adversity.
7 “Be strong, therefore! And do not let your hands be weak. For your work shall have a reward.”
8 And when Asa heard these Words, and the Prophecy of Obed the Prophet, he was encouraged and took away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken on Mount Ephraim. And he renewed the Altar of the LORD that was in front of the Porch of the LORD.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon. For many fell to him out of Israel, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10 So, they assembled to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And at that time, they offered to the LORD from the spoil they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they made a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.
13 And whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel shall be killed, whether small or great, man or woman.
14 And they swore to the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn to the LORD with all their heart and sought Him with a whole desire. And He was found by them. And the LORD gave them rest all around.
16 And King Asa deposed Maachah, his mother, from her regency, because she had made an idol in a grove. And Asa broke down her idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel. Still, the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 Also, he brought the things that his father had dedicated, and that he had dedicated, into the House of God: silver and gold and vessels.
19 And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.
16 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah and built Ramah, to keep anyone from passing through to or out from Asa, king of Judah.
2 Then, Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasures of the House of the LORD, and from the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, who dwelt at Damascus, saying,
3 “There is a covenant between me and you, and between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Come. Break your treaty with Baasha, king of Israel, so that he may depart from me.”
4 And Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the captains of the army which he had against the cities of Israel. And they struck Ijon and Dan and Abel Maim and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
5 And when Baasha heard it, he stopped the building of Ramah, and let his work cease.
6 Then, Asa the king took all Judah and carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber (with which Baasha built) and he built Geba and Mizpah with it.
7 And at that same time, Hanani the Seer came to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have rested upon the king of Aram and not rested in the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.
8 “The Ethiopians and the Lubim, were they not a great army with a large number of chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you rested upon the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.
9 “For the Eyes of the LORD behold all the Earth, to show Himself strong with those who are of a perfect heart toward Him. You, then, have done foolishly in this. Therefore, henceforth you shall have wars.”
10 Then Asa was angry with the Seer and put him into a prison, for he was displeased with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed the people at that time.
11 And behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
12 And Asa, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, became diseased in his feet. His disease was extreme, yet he did not seek the LORD in his disease, but the physicians.
13 So, Asa slept with his fathers and died in the forty-first year of his reign.
14 And they buried him in one of his sepulchers which he had made for himself in the City of David and laid him in the bed which they had filled with sweet odors and diverse kinds of spices made by the art of the apothecary. And they burnt odors for him with an exceedingly great fire.
17 And Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his place and prevailed against Israel.
2 And he put garrisons in all the strong cities of Judah and set bands in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and did not seek Baalim,
4 but sought the LORD God of his father and walked in His Commandment, and not after the deeds of Israel.
5 Therefore, the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought presents to Jehoshaphat, so that he had riches and honor in abundance.
6 And he lifted up his heart to the ways of the LORD. And moreover, he took away the high places and the groves from Judah.
7 And in the third year of his reign, he sent his princes, Ben-Hail and Obadiah and Zechariah and Nethanel and Michaiah, so that they would teach in the cities of Judah,
8 And he sent Levites with them: Shemaiah and Nethaniah and Zebadiah and Asahel and Shemiramoth and Jehonathan and Adonijah and Tobijah and Tobadonijah. And he sent Priests with them: Elishama and Jehoram.
9 And they taught in Judah and had the Book of the Law of the LORD with them. And they went around throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were all around Judah. And they did not fight against Jehoshaphat.
11 Also, some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and tribute silver. And the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.
12 So, Jehoshaphat prospered and grew greater. And he built palaces and storage cities in Judah.
13 And he had great works in the cities of Judah, and men of war and valiant men in Jerusalem.
14 And these are the numbers of them, after the House of their fathers. In Judah were captains of thousands: Adnah, the captain, and three hundred thousand valiant men with him.
15 And at his hand was Jehohanan, a captain, and two hundred eighty thousand with him.
16 And at his hand was Amasiah, the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD. And with him were two hundred thousand valiant men.
17 And of Benjamin was Eliada, a valiant man. And with him were two hundred thousand armed men with bow and shield.
18 And at his hand was Jehozabad. And with him were one hundred eighty thousand, armed for war.
19 These waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the strong cities throughout all Judah.
18 And Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance. And he became the son-in-law of Ahab.
2 And after some years, he went down to Ahab, to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and bulls for him in great number, and for the people that he had with him, and enticed him to go up to Ramoth Gilead.
3 And Ahab, king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” And he answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. And we will join with you in the war.”
4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please ask counsel from the Word of the LORD this day.”
5 Therefore, the king of Israel gathered four hundred men of Prophets, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I cease?” And they said, “Go up! For God shall deliver it into the king’s hand.”
6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not one more Prophet of the LORD here, that we might inquire of him?”
7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may ask counsel of the LORD. But I hate him. For he does not Prophesy good to me, but always misery. It is Michaiah, the son of Imla.” Then Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”
8 And the king of Israel called a eunuch, and said, “Call Michaiah, the son of Imla, quickly.”
9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, each sat on his throne clothed in their apparel. They sat in the threshing floor at the entering in of the gate of Samaria. And all the Prophets prophesied before them.
10 And Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made himself horns of iron, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘With these you shall push the Aramites until you have consumed them.”
11 And all the Prophets prophesied the same, saying, “Go up in Ramoth Gilead, and prosper. For the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.”
12 And the messenger who went to call Michaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the Words of the Prophets declare good to the king in agreement. Therefore, let your word be like one of theirs, please, and speak good.
13 And Michaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that will I speak.”
14 So, he came to the king. And the king said to him, “Michaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And he said, “Go up, and prosper. And they shall be delivered into your hand.”
15 And the king said to him, “How often shall I charge you to tell me nothing but the truth in the Name of the LORD?”
16 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let every man return to his house in peace.’”
17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not Prophesy good to me, but misery?”
18 Again he said, “Therefore, hear the Word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sit upon His throne, and all the host of Heaven standing at His right Hand, and at His left.
19 “And the LORD said: ‘Who shall persuade Ahab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ And one spoke and said this, and another said that.
20 “Then there came forth a spirit and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘How?’
21 “And he said, ‘I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets.’ And He said, ‘You shall persuade, and shall also prevail. Go forth and do so.’
22 “Now, therefore, behold. The LORD has put a false spirit in the mouth of these your Prophets. And the LORD has determined misery against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, came near and struck Michaiah upon the cheek, and said, “By what way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak with you?”
24 And Michaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go from chamber to chamber to hide yourself.”
25 And the king of Israel said, “Take Michaiah and carry him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,
26 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in the prison house and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.”’”
27 And Michaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you people!”
28 So, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth Gilead.
29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter into the battle. But you put on your garments.” So, the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.
30 And the king of Aram had commanded the captains of the chariots who were with him, saying, “Do not fight with small nor great, but against the king of Israel only.”
31 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” And they surrounded him to fight. But Jehoshaphat cried. And the LORD helped him and moved them to depart from him.
32 For when the captains of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from him.
33 Then, a certain man drew a bow mightily and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. Therefore, he said to his chariotman, “Turn your hand and carry me out of the camp; for I am hurt.”
34 And the battle increased that day. And the king of Israel stood still in his chariot against the Aramites until evening and died at the time of the Sun going down.
19 And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned safely to his house in Jerusalem.
2 And Jehu, the son of Hanani the Seer, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Would you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore, for this thing the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
3 “Nevertheless, good things are found in you, because you have taken away the groves out of the land and have prepared your heart to seek God.”
4 So, Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and returned and went through the people, from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers.
5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the strong cities of Judah, city by city,
6 and said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do. For you do not execute the judgments of man, but of the LORD, and he will be with you in the cause and judgment.
7 “Therefore now, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Consider and do it. For there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor receiving of reward.”
8 Moreover, Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chiefs of the families of Israel for the judgment and cause of the LORD in Jerusalem. And they returned to Jerusalem.
9 And he charged them, saying, “Thus shall you do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a perfect heart.
10 “And in every case that shall come to you from your brethren who dwell in your cities — between blood and blood, between Law and Precept, Statutes and Judgments — admonish them, so that they do not trespass against the LORD and wrath does not come upon you and upon your brethren. This shall you do and not trespass.
11 “And behold, Amariah the Priest, shall be the chief over you in all matters of the LORD. And Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, a ruler of the House of Judah, shall be for all the king’s affairs. And the Levites shall be officers before you. Be courageous and do it! And the LORD shall be with the good.”
20 Also after this the children of Moab came, and the children of Ammon and some others besides the Ammonites, to do battle against Jehoshaphat.
2 Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude comes against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram. And behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar.” (which is En Gedi)
3 And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 And Judah gathered themselves together to ask counsel of the LORD. They even came out of all the cities of Judah to inquire of the LORD.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the House of the LORD, in front of the new court,
6 and said, “O LORD God of our fathers! Are You not God in Heaven? And do You not reign over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in Your Hand is power and might! And no one is able to withstand You.
7 “Did not You, our God, cast out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the seed of Abraham, Your friend, forever?
8 “And they dwelt in it, and have built You a Sanctuary in it for Your Name, saying,
9 ‘if misery comes upon us as the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this House, and in Your presence (for Your Name is in this House), and will cry to You in our tribulation. And You will hear and help.’
10 “And now behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, by whom You would not let Israel go when they came out of the land of Egypt, they have turned aside from them and have not destroyed them.
11 “Behold, I say, they reward us by coming to cast us out of Your inheritance which You have caused us to inherit.
12 “O, our God! Will You not judge them? For there is no strength in us before this great multitude that comes against us, nor do we know what to do! But our eyes are toward You.”
13 And all Judah stood before the LORD with their young ones, their wives, and their children.
14 And Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, upon whom came the Spirit of the LORD, was in the midst of the Congregation.
15 And he said, “Listen all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Neither fear nor be afraid of this great multitude! For the battle is not yours, but God’s!
16 “Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they come up by the cleft of Ziz. And you shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 “You shall not need to fight in this. Stand still. Do not move. And behold the salvation of the LORD towards you. O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be afraid! Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you!”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the earth. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
19 And the Levites of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20 And when they arose early in the morning, they went forth to the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they departed, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you shall be established! Believe His Prophets and you shall prosper!”
21 And after he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to the LORD, and those who would praise in the beautiful Sanctuary by going forth before the men of arms, and saying, “Praise the LORD! For His mercy endures forever!”
22 And when they began to shout and to praise, the LORD laid ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah. And they were stricken.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to kill and to destroy. And when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy each other.
24 And when Judah came toward Mizpah in the wilderness, they looked to the multitude. And behold, the carcasses had fallen to the earth. And no one escaped.
25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found abundance among them, in both goods and also bodies with precious jewels, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. It took them three days to gather the spoil; for it was large.
26 And on the fourth day, they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah; for they blessed the LORD there. Therefore, they call the name of that place “The Valley of Berachah” to this day.
27 Then, every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat, their leader, to go back to Jerusalem with joy. For the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 And they came to Jerusalem, to the House of the LORD, with viols and with harps and with trumpets.
29 And the fear of God was upon all the kingdoms of the Earth after they had heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 So, the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet. And his God gave him rest on every side.
31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah and was thirty-five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
32 And he walked in the way of Asa, his father, and did not depart from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.
33 However, the high places were not taken away. For the people had not yet prepared their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Concerning the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35 Still, after this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was given to do evil.
36 And he joined with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. And they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has broken your works.” And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
21 Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And Jehoram, his son, reigned in his place.
2 And he had brethren (the sons of Jehoshaphat): Azariah and Jehiel and Zechariah and Azariah and Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel.
3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with strong cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram; for he was the eldest.
4 And Jehoram rose up over the kingdom of his father and made himself strong and killed all his brethren with the sword, and also some of the other princes of Israel.
5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign. And he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the House of Ahab had done. For he took the daughter of Ahab as a wife. And he wrought evil in the Eyes of the LORD.
7 However, the LORD would not destroy the House of David, because of the Covenant that He had made with David, and because He had promised to give a light to him and to his sons forever.
8 In his days, Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and made a king over themselves.
9 And Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him. And he rose up by night and struck Edom (which had surrounded him) and the captains of the chariots.
10 So, Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then at the same time, Libnah rebelled from under his hand, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
11 Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah.
12 And a writing came to him from Elijah the Prophet, saying, “Thus says the LORD God of David your father: ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, your father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah,
13 ‘but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, as the House of Ahab went a whoring, and have also killed your brethren of your father’s house (who were better than you),
14 ‘behold, the LORD will strike your people and your children and your wives and all your substance with a great plague. 15’And you shall be in great diseases in the disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out because of the disease, day by day.’”
16 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram, and the Arabians (who were next to the Ethiopians).
17 And they came up into Judah and broke into it and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also his sons, and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18 And after all this, the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
19 And in process of time, after the end of two years, his guts fell out with his disease. So, he died of grave diseases. And his people made no burning for him like the burning of his fathers.
20 When he began to reign, he was thirty-two years old. And he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years and lived without being desired. Still, they buried him in the City of David, but not among the sepulchers of the kings.
22 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place. For the army that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the eldest. Therefore, Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned.
2 Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign. And he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri.
3 He also walked in the ways of the House of Ahab. For his mother counseled him to do wickedly.
4 Therefore, he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the House of Ahab. For they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
5 And he walked after their counsel and went with Jehoram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, to fight against Hazael, king of Aram, at Ramoth Gilead. And the Aramites struck Joram.
6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel, because of the wounds with which they had wounded him at Ramah when he fought with Hazael, king of Aram. Now Azariah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram, the son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was diseased.
7 And the destruction of Ahaziah came from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he had come, he went forth with Jehoram against Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the House of Ahab.
8 Therefore, when Jehu executed judgment upon the House of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah that waited on Ahaziah, he killed them also.
9 And he sought Ahaziah. And they caught him where he was hidden in Samaria and brought him to Jehu and killed him and buried him, “Because,” they said, “he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So, the House of Ahaziah was not able to retain the kingdom.
10 Therefore, when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the king’s seed of the House of Judah.
11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were to be killed and put him and his nurse in the bed chamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the Priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah. So, she did not kill him.
12 And he was hidden with them in the House of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
23 And in the seventh year, Jehoiada grew bold and took the captains of hundreds—Azariah the son of Jeroham and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan and Azariah the son of Obed and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah and Elishaphat the son of Zichri—into covenant with him.
2 And they went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel. And they came to Jerusalem.
3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the House of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son must reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David.
4 “This is what you shall do. One third of you who come on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be gatekeepers of the doors.
5 “And one third shall be at the king’s house, and one third at the gate of the foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the House of the LORD.
6 “But let no one come into the House of the LORD except the priests and the Levites who minister. They shall go in, for they are holy. But all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.
7 “And the Levites shall surround the king, all around, every man with his weapon in his hand. And whoever enters into the House shall be killed. And you are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 So, the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the Priest had commanded. And every man took his men who came in on the Sabbath along with those who went out on the Sabbath. For Jehoiada the Priest did not discharge the divisions.
9 And Jehoiada the Priest delivered spears to the captains of hundreds, and shields, and bucklers, which had been King David’s and were in the House of God.
10 And he had all the people stand (every man with his weapon in his hand) from the right side of the House to the left side of the House, by the Altar and by the House, all around the king.
11 Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown upon him and gave him the Testimony and made him King. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “God save the king.”
12 But when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people, into the House of the LORD.
13 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance. And the princes and the trumpets were by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew the trumpets. And the singers were with instruments of music, and those who could sing praise. Then, Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Then Jehoiada the Priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were governors of the army, and said to them, “Take her forth between the ranks! And let whoever follows her die by the sword!” For the Priest had said, “Do not kill her in the House of the LORD.”
15 So they laid hands on her. And when she had come to the entrance of the horse gate, by the king’s house, they killed her there.
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