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2 Chronicles
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Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and
Yahweh his God was with him,
and magnified him exceedingly.
Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of
hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel,
the heads of the fathers’ houses.
So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high
place that was at Gibeon; for there was the Tent of Meeting of
God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the
wilderness.
But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to
the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a
tent for it at Jerusalem.
Moreover the bronze altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son
of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of Yahweh: and
Solomon and the assembly were seeking counsel there.
Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before Yahweh, which
was at the Tent of Meeting, and offered one thousand burnt
offerings on it.
In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask
what I shall give you.”
Solomon said to God, “You have shown great loving kindness to
David my father, and have made me king in his place.
Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be
established; for you have made me king over a people like the
dust of the earth in multitude.
Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in
before this people; for who can judge this your people, that is
so great?”
God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you
have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those
who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked
wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people,
over whom I have made you king:
wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches,
wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have
been before you; neither shall there any after you have the
like.”
So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from
before the Tent of Meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over
Israel.
Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had one thousand
four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he
placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
The king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and
cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the
lowland, for abundance.
The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from
Kue; the king’s merchants purchased them from Kue.
They brought up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six
hundred pieces of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty: and
so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria,
did they bring them out by their means.
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1:1 “Yahweh” is
God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other
translations.
1:1 The Hebrew word rendered
“God” is “Elohim.”
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2 Chronicles 2 |
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Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Yahweh,
and a house for his kingdom.
Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and
eighty thousand men who were stone cutters in the mountains, and
three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, “As you dealt
with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house
in which to dwell, even so deal with me.
Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my
God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of
sweet spices, and for the continual show bread, and for the
burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the
new moons, and on the set feasts of Yahweh our God. This is an
ordinance forever to Israel.
“The house which I build is great; for our God is great above
all gods.
But who is able to build him a house, since heaven and the
heaven of heavens can’t contain him? who am I then, that I
should build him a house, except just to burn incense before
him?
“Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in
silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson,
and blue, and who knows how to engrave all kinds of engravings,
to be with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and in
Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
“Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of
Lebanon; for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in
Lebanon: and behold, my servants shall be with your servants,
even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am
about to build shall be great and wonderful.
Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who cut
timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty
thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine,
and twenty thousand baths of oil.”
Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent
to Solomon, “Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you
king over them.”
Huram continued, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, that
made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise
son, endowed with discretion and understanding, that should
build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.
Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, of
Huram my father’s,
the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a
man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass,
in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in
fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any kind of
engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place
appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful
men of my lord David your father.
“Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine,
which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants:
and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need;
and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you
shall carry it up to Jerusalem.”
Solomon numbered all the foreigners who were in the land of
Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had
numbered them; and they were found one hundred fifty-three
thousand six hundred.
He set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, and eighty
thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three
thousand six hundred overseers to set the people at work.
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2 Chronicles 3 |
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Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem
on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father,
which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, in the
threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the
fourth year of his reign.
Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the
building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the
first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.
The porch that was before the house, its length, according to
the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one
hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold.
The greater house he made a ceiling with fir wood, which he
overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and
chains.
He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the
gold was gold of Parvaim.
He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and its
walls, and its doors, with gold; and engraved cherubim on the
walls.
He made the most holy house: its length, according to the
breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and its breadth twenty
cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six
hundred talents.
The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid
the upper rooms with gold.
In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and
they overlaid them with gold.
The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of
the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the
house; and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to
the wing of the other cherub.
The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the
wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits also,
joining to the wing of the other cherub.
The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty
cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were
toward the house.
He made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine
linen, and ornamented it with cherubim.
Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty-five cubits
high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was
five cubits.
He made chains in the oracle, and put them on the tops of the
pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on
the chains.
He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the
right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz. |
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2 Chronicles 4 |
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Then he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits its length, and
twenty cubits its breadth, and ten cubits its height.
Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim,
round in compass; and its height was five cubits; and a line of
thirty cubits encircled it.
Under it was the likeness of oxen, which encircled it, for ten
cubits, encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast when
it was cast.
It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and
three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the
south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set on
them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.
It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was worked like the
brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held
three thousand baths.
He made also ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and
five on the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to
the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the
priests to wash in.
He made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance
concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the
right hand, and five on the left.
He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on
the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins
of gold.
Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great
court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them
with brass.
He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward
the south.
Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram
made an end of doing the work that he did for king Solomon in
the house of God:
the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were
on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two
bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,
and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows
of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the
capitals that were on the pillars.
He made also the bases, and the basins made he on the bases;
one sea, and the twelve oxen under it.
The pots also, and the shovels, and the forks, and all its
vessels, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the
house of Yahweh of bright brass.
In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay
ground between Succoth and Zeredah.
Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the
weight of the brass could not be found out.
Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the
golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them;
and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the
ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold;
and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that
perfect gold;
and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire
pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner
doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the main
hall of the temple were of gold. |
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2 Chronicles 5 |
Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of Yahweh was
finished. Solomon brought in the things that David his father
had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the
vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads
of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the
children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the
covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion.
And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at
the feast, which was in the seventh month.
All the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark;
and they brought up the ark, and the Tent of Meeting, and all
the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests
the Levites bring up.
King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were
assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and
cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.
The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its
place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place,
even under the wings of the cherubim.
For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the
ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.
The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from
the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and
there it is to this day.
There was nothing in the ark except the two tables which Moses
put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the
children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
It happened, when the priests were come out of the holy place,
(for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves,
and did not keep their divisions;
also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph,
Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in
fine linen, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps,
stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred
twenty priests sounding with trumpets;)
it happened, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to
make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and
when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals
and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying,
- “For he is good;
- for his loving kindness endures forever!”
that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of
Yahweh,
so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the
cloud: for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.
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2 Chronicles 6 |
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Then Solomon said, “Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the
thick darkness.
But I have built you a house of habitation, and a place for you
to dwell in forever.”
The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of
Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.
He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with
his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled
it, saying,
‘Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of
Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build
a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man
to be prince over my people Israel:
but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and
have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for
the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
But Yahweh said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your
heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in
your heart:
nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who
shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for
my name.’
“Yahweh has performed his word that he spoke; for I have risen
up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of
Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the
name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
There I have set the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh,
which he made with the children of Israel.”
He stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the
assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands
(for Solomon had made a bronze scaffold, five cubits long, and
five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the
midst of the court; and on it he stood, and kneeled down on his
knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his
hands toward heaven;)
and he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like
you, in heaven, or on earth; you who keep covenant and loving
kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their
heart;
who have kept with your servant David my father that which you
promised him: yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled
it with your hand, as it is this day.
“Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your
servant David my father that which you have promised him,
saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on
the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their
way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’
Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be
verified, which you spoke to your servant David.
“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven
and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this
house which I have built!
Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and to his
supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the
prayer which your servant prays before you;
that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even
toward the place where you have said that you would put your
name; to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray
toward this place.
Listen to the petitions of your servant, and of your people
Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yes, hear from
your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear,
forgive.
“If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him
to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar
in this house;
then hear from heaven, and do, and judge your servants, bringing
retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and
justifying the righteous, to give him according to his
righteousness.
“If your people Israel be struck down before the enemy, because
they have sinned against you, and shall turn again and confess
your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this
house;
then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people
Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to them
and to their fathers.
“When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they
have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and
confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict
them:
then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and
of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which
they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have
given to your people for an inheritance.
“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if
there is blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their
enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever
plague or whatever sickness there is;
whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all
your people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and
his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this
house:
then hear from heaven, your dwelling place and forgive, and
render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you
know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children
of men;)
that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they
live in the land which you gave to our fathers.
“Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people
Israel, when he shall come from a far country for your great
name’s sake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm;
when they shall come and pray toward this house:
then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do
according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all
the peoples of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as
does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house
which I have built is called by your name.
“If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by
whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward
this city which you have chosen, and the house which I have
built for your name;
then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and
maintain their cause.
“If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin),
and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so
that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near;
yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are
carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in
the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have
done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;’
if they return to you with all their heart and with all their
soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried
them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to
their fathers, and the city which you have chosen, and toward
the house which I have built for your name:
then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their
prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and
forgive your people who have sinned against you.
“Now, my God, let, I beg you, your eyes be open, and let your
ears be attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place.
“Now therefore arise, Yahweh God, into your resting place, you,
and the ark of your strength: let your priests, Yahweh God, be
clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.
“Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed: remember
your loving kindnesses to David your servant.”
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2 Chronicles 7 |
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down
from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices;
and the glory of Yahweh filled the house.
The priests could not enter into the house of Yahweh, because
the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh’s house.
All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down,
and the glory of Yahweh was on the house; and they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, and
worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying,
- “For he is good;
- for his loving kindness endures for ever.”
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before
Yahweh.
King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of
cattle, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and
all the people dedicated the house of God.
The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites
also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king
had made to give thanks to Yahweh, when David praised by their
ministry, saying “For his loving kindness endures for ever.” The
priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood.
Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court holy that was
before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt
offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the
bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the
burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat.
So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all
Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of
Hamath to the brook of Egypt.
On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the
dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the
people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the
goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to
Israel his people.
Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh, and the king’s house:
and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart
to make in the house of Yahweh, and in his own house.
Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have
heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a
house of sacrifice.
“If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command
the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my
people;
if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.
Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer
that is made in this place.
For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my name may
be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there
perpetually.
“As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father
walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and
will keep my statutes and my ordinances;
then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I
covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘There shall not fail
you a man to be ruler in Israel.’
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;
then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I
have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my
name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb
and a byword among all peoples.
This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it shall be
astonished, and shall say, ‘Why has Yahweh done thus to this
land, and to this house?’
They shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned Yahweh, the God of
their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt,
and took other gods, worshiped them, and served them. Therefore
he has brought all this evil on them.’”
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2 Chronicles 8 |
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It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had
built the house of Yahweh, and his own house,
that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built
them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.
Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.
He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities,
which he built in Hamath.
Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower,
fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and
all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his
horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure
in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his
dominion.
As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
who were not of Israel;
of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the
children of Israel didn’t consume, of them Solomon conscripted
forced labor to this day.
But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for
his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains,
and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.
These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two-hundred
fifty, who ruled over the people.
Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of
David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, “My
wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel,
because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy.”
Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of
Yahweh, which he had built before the porch,
even as the duty of every day required, offering according to
the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons,
and on the set feasts, three times in the year, even in the
feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the
feast of tents.
He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father,
the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites
to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests,
as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their
divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God
commanded.
They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the
priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the
treasures.
Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the
foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished. So
the house of Yahweh was completed.
Then went Solomon to Ezion Geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore
in the land of Edom.
Huram sent him ships and servants who had knowledge of the sea
by the hands of his servants; and they came with the servants of
Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from there four hundred fifty
talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.
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2 Chronicles 9 |
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When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came
to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very
great train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance,
and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she
talked with him of all that was in her heart.
Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything
hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.
When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the
house that he had built,
and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and
the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, his cup
bearers also, and their clothing, and his ascent by which he
went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her.
She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my
own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.
However I didn’t believe their words, until I came, and my eyes
had seen it; and behold, the half of the greatness of your
wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard.
Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand
continually before you, and hear your wisdom.
Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on
his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God: because your God
loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you
king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and
spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was
there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who
brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious
stones.
The king made of the algum trees terraces for the house of
Yahweh, and for the king’s house, and harps and stringed
instruments for the singers: and there were none like these seen
before in the land of Judah.
King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever
she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So
she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all
the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought
gold and silver to Solomon.
King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six
hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler.
he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred
shekels of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the
house of the forest of Lebanon.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it
with pure gold.
And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of
gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either
side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the
stays.
Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the
six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom.
All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the
vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold:
silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants
of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish,
bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches
and wisdom.
All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to
hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and clothing, armor, and spices, horses, and
mules, a rate year by year.
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and
twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot
cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of
the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and he made
cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for
abundance.
They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all
lands.
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they
written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the
prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the
seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of
David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 10 |
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Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to
make him king.
It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he
was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king
Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and
they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
“Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the
grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put
on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”
He said to them, “Come again to me after three days.”
The people departed.
King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood
before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What
counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?”
They spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to this people, and
please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be
your servants forever.”
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given
him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with
him, who stood before him.
He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may return
answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the
yoke that your father did put on us lighter?’”
The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying,
“Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your
father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us;’ thus you
shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s
waist.
Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add
to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions.’”
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day,
as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”
The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the
counsel of the old men,
and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying,
“My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with
scorpions.”
So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought
about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he
spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the
people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in
David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every
man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So
all Israel departed to their tents.
But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to
forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death
with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get himself up to his
chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
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2 Chronicles
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When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house
of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men,
who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom
again to Rehoboam.
But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all
Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
‘Thus says Yahweh, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your
brothers! Return every man to his house; for this thing is of
me.”’” So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned
from going against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in
Judah.
He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in
Benjamin, fortified cities.
He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and
stores of food, and oil and wine.
In every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding
strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to
him out of all their border.
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and
came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them
off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh;
and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the
male goats, and for the calves which he had made.
After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their
hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to
sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the
son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years
in the way of David and Solomon.
Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the
son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of
Jesse;
and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore
him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his
wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty
concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty
daughters.)
Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even
the prince among his brothers; for he was minded to make him
king.
He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all
the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he
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2 Chronicles 12 |
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It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and
he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel
with him.
It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak
king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had
trespassed against Yahweh,
with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The
people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the
Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.
He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came
to Jerusalem.
Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of
Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of
Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken
me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’”
Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and
they said, “Yahweh is righteous.”
When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh
came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will
not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my
wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of
Shishak.
Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my
service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”
So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took
away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of
the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the
shields of gold which Solomon had made.
King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and
committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who
kept the door of the king’s house.
It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of
Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into
the guard room.
When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so
as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there
were good things found.
So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned:
for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh
had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name
there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to
seek Yahweh.
Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in
the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer,
after the way of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam
and Jeroboam continually.
Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 13 |
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In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign
over Judah.
Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was
Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between
Abijah and Jeroboam.
Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even
four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set the battle in
array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who
were mighty men of valor.
Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country
of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel:
Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the
kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his
sons by a covenant of salt?
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of
David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord.
There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who
strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon,
when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not
withstand them.
“Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of
the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are
with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.
Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron,
and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves after the ways
of the peoples of other lands? so that whoever comes to
consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same
may be a priest of those who are no gods.
“But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him;
and we have priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron,
and the Levites in their work:
and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt
offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also set they in
order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its
lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the instruction of
Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.
Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the
trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of
Israel, don’t fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for
you shall not prosper.”
But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they
were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind
them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the
trumpets.
Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah
shouted, it happened, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel
before Abijah and Judah.
The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them
into their hand.
Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so
there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen
men.
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and
the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh,
the God of their fathers.
Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel
with its towns, and Jeshanah with its towns, and Ephron with its
towns.
Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of
Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died.
But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and
became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.
The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings,
are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.
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2 Chronicles 14
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So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days
the land was quiet ten years.
Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his
God:
for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and
broke down the pillars, and cut down the Asherim,
and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers,
and to do the law and the commandment.
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places
and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and
he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.
For he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities, and make walls
around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet
before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought
him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and
prospered.
Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah
three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields
and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand: all these were
mighty men of valor.
There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of
a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to
Mareshah.
Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array
in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is none
besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no
strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in
your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are
our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”
So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled.
Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and
there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover
themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh, and before
his army; and they carried away very much booty.
They struck all the cities around Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh
came on them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was
much spoil in them.
They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away sheep
in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
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2 Chronicles 15 |
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The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded:
and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and
all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you, while you are with
him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you
forsake him, he will forsake you.
Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, and without
a teaching priest, and without law.
But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of
Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to
him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants
of the lands.
They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city
against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.
But you be strong, and don’t let your hands be slack; for your
work shall be rewarded.”
When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the
prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of
all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which
he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed
the altar of Yahweh, that was before the porch of Yahweh.
He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with
them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they
fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that
Yahweh his God was with him.
So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third
month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, of the spoil which they
had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand
sheep.
They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their
fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;
and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel,
should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or
woman.
They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting, and
with trumpets, and with cornets.
All Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all
their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was
found of them: and Yahweh gave them rest all around.
Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being
queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah;
and Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at
the brook Kidron.
But the high places were not taken away out of Israel:
nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
He brought into the house of God the things that his father had
dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold,
and vessels.
There was no more war to the five and thirtieth year of the
reign of Asa.
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2 Chronicles 16 |
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In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king
of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might
not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the
house of Yahweh and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad
king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,
“Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between
my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and
gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he
may depart from me.”
Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his
armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and
Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.
It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building
Ramah, and let his work cease.
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the
stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built;
and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said
to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have
not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king
of Syria escaped out of your hand.
Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots
and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh,
he delivered them into your hand.
For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole
earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart
is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from
henceforth you shall have wars.”
Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for
he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed
some of the people at the same time.
Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his
feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he
didn’t seek Yahweh, but to the physicians.
Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth
year of his reign.
They buried him in his own tombs, which he had dug out for
himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was
filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by
the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.
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2 Chronicles 17 |
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Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened
himself against Israel.
He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set
garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim,
which Asa his father had taken.
Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways
of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals,
but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his
commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand; and all
Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and
honor in abundance.
His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh: and furthermore
he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even
Ben Hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah,
to teach in the cities of Judah;
and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and
Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and
Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with
them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with
them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah,
and taught among the people.
The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that
were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver
for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven
thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven
hundred male goats.
Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah
castles and cities of store.
He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty
men of valor, in Jerusalem.
This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’
houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain,
and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand;
and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred
eighty thousand;
and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered
himself to Yahweh; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men
of valor.
Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two
hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
and next to him Jehozabad and with him one hundred eighty
thousand ready prepared for war.
These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the
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2 Chronicles 18 |
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Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined
affinity with Ahab.
After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed
sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who
were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.
Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you
go with me to Ramoth Gilead?”
He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your
people. We will be with you in the war.”
Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first
for the word of Yahweh.”
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four
hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to
battle, or shall I forbear?”
They said, “Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of
the king.”
But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh
besides, that we may inquire of him?”
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by
whom we may inquire of Yahweh; but I hate him, for he never
prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah
the son of Imla.”
Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get
Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat
each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were
sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria;
and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said,
“Thus says Yahweh, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until
they are consumed.’”
All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead,
and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the
king.”
The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying,
“Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with
one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of
theirs, and speak good.”
Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I
speak.”
When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah,
shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?”
He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into
your hand.”
The king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that
you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”
He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep
that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, ‘These have no master. Let
them return every man to his house in peace.’”
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that
he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh
sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on
his right hand and on his left.
Yahweh said, ‘Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may
go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way,
and another saying in that way.
A spirit came out, stood before Yahweh, and said, ‘I will entice
him.’
“Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’
“He said, ‘I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets.’
“He said, ‘You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go
forth, and do so.’
“Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the
mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil
concerning you.”
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah
on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh go
from me to speak to you?”
Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall
go into an inner room to hide yourself.”
The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to
Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in the prison,
and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of
affliction, until I return in peace.”’”
Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not
spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you peoples, all of you!”
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up
to Ramoth Gilead.
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself,
and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king
of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his
chariots, saying, “Fight neither with small nor great, except
only with the king of Israel.”
It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat,
that they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they
turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out,
and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was
not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of
Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the
driver of the chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me out of the
army; for I am severely wounded.”
The battle increased that day. However the king of Israel
propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the
evening; and about the time of the going down of the sun, he
died.
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2 Chronicles 19 |
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Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to
Jerusalem.
Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said
to king Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those
who hate Yahweh? Because of this, wrath is on you from before
Yahweh.
Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you
have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your
heart to seek God.”
Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the
people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and
brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of
Judah, city by city,
and said to the judges, “Consider what you do: for you don’t
judge for man, but for Yahweh; and he is with you in the
judgment.
Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you. Take heed and do
it: for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of
persons, nor taking of bribes.”
Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and priests,
and of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel, for the
judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies. They returned to
Jerusalem.
He commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of
Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers
who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law
and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them,
that they not be guilty towards Yahweh, and so wrath come on you
and on your brothers. Do this, and you shall not be guilty.
Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of
Yahweh; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house
of Judah, in all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be
officers before you. Deal courageously, and may Yahweh be with
the good.”
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2 Chronicles 20 |
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It happened after this, that the children of Moab, and the
children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came
against Jehoshaphat to battle.
Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude
is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold,
they are in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).
Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Yahweh. He
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help from Yahweh.
They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh.
Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the
house of Yahweh, before the new court;
and he said, “Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in
heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations?
Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to
withstand you.
Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land
before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham
your friend forever?
They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your
name, saying,
‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or
famine—we will stand before this house, and before you, (for
your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction,
and you will hear and save.’
Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom
you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land
of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn’t destroy
them;
behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your
possession, which you have given us to inherit.
Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against
this great company that comes against us; neither know we what
to do, but our eyes are on you.”
All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their
wives, and their children.
Then the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah,
the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the
Levite, of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly;
and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says Yahweh to you,
‘Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great
multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the
ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley,
before the wilderness of Jeruel.
You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand
still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and
Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them
tomorrow, for Yahweh is with you.’”
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh,
worshipping Yahweh.
The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the
children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of
Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.
They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the
wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood
and said, “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of
Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, so you shall be
established! Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper.”
When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those
who should sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as
they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh;
for his loving kindness endures forever.
When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers
against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had
come against Judah; and they were struck.
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the
inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and
when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone
helped to destroy another.
When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they
looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies
fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them,
they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies,
and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves,
more than they could carry away: and they were three days in
taking the spoil, it was so much.
On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of
Beracah; for there they blessed Yahweh: therefore the name of
that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and
Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem
with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their
enemies.
They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and
trumpets to the house of Yahweh.
The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when
they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel.
So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest
all around.
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old
when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in
Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of
Shilhi.
He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn aside
from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh.
However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had
the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold,
they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which
is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
After this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with
Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:
and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish;
and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against
Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with
Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works.” The ships were
broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
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2 Chronicles 21 |
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Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his
place.
He had brothers, 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.
Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and
of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the
kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father,
and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with
the sword, and various also of the princes of Israel.
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of
Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife: and he did that
which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
However Yahweh would not destroy the house of David, because of
the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to
give a lamp to him and to his children always.
In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made
a king over themselves.
Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots
with him: and he rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who
surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots.
So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day: then
did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand, because
he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made
the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, and led
Judah astray.
A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says
Yahweh, the 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,
but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute,
like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of
your father’s house, who were better than yourself:
behold, Yahweh will strike with a great plague your people, and
your children, and your wives, and all your substance;
and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels,
until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by
day.’”
Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines,
and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians:
and they came up against Judah, and broke into it, and carried
away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and
his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left
him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable
disease.
It happened, in process of time, at the end of two years, that
his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of
severe diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the
burning of his fathers.
Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being
desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in
the tombs of the kings.
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2 Chronicles 22 |
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The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king
in his place; for the band of men who came with the Arabians to
the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram
king of Judah reigned.
Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he
reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was
Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother
was his counselor to do wickedly.
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the
house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of
his father, to his destruction.
He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the
son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria
at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.
He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had
given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria.
Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see
Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to
Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against
Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off the
house of Ahab.
It happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of
Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the
brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and killed them.
He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in
Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and killed him; and they
buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who
sought Yahweh with all his heart.” The house of Ahaziah had no
power to hold the kingdom.
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of
Judah.
But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son
of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who
were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So
Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada
the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from
Athaliah, so that she didnt kill him.
He was with them hidden in the house of God six years: and
Athaliah reigned over the land.
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2 Chronicles 23 |
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In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the
captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael
the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah
the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into
covenant with him.
They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all
the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel,
and they came to Jerusalem.
All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of
God. He said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as
Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David.
This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who
come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall
be porters of the thresholds.
A third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at
the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the
courts of Yahweh’s house.
But let no one come into the house of Yahweh, except the
priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come
in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow Yahweh’s
instructions.
The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons
in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be
with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out.”
So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada
the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who
were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on
the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn’t dismiss the shift.
Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the
spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s,
which were in the house of God.
He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand,
from the right side of the house to the left side of the house,
along by the altar and the house, around the king.
Then they brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him,
and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and
his sons anointed him; and they said, “Long live the king!”
When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising
the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh:
and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the
entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all
the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers
also played musical instruments, and led the singing of praise.
Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, “Treason! treason!”
Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who
were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between
the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the
sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t kill her in the Yahweh’s
house.”
So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse
gate to the king’s house; and they killed her there.
Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people,
and the king, that they should be Yahweh’s people.
All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and
broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the
priest of Baal before the altars.
Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the
hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in
the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as
it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with
singing, according to the order of David.
He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh, that no
one who was unclean in anything should enter in.
He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the
governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and
brought down the king from the house of Yahweh: and they came
through the upper gate to the king’s house, and set the king on
the throne of the kingdom.
So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet.
Athaliah they had slain with the sword.
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2 Chronicles 24 |
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Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah, of
Beersheba.
Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the
days of Jehoiada the priest.
Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he became the father of
sons and daughters.
It happened after this, that Joash was minded to restore the
house of Yahweh.
He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to
them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money to repair
the house of your God from all Israel from year to year. See
that you expedite this matter.” However the Levites didn’t do it
right away.
The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, “Why
haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses
the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of
Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the tent of the testimony?”
For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the
house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of
Yahweh did they bestow on the Baals.
So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside
at the gate of the house of Yahweh.
They made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring
in for Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on
Israel in the wilderness.
All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and
cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
It was so, that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s
officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that
there was much money, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s
officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it
to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money
in abundance.
The king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the
service of the house of Yahweh; and they hired masons and
carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh, and also such as
worked iron and brass to repair the house of Yahweh.
So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in
their hands, and they set up the house of God in its state, and
strengthened it.
When they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money
before the king and Jehoiada, of which were made vessels for the
house of Yahweh, even vessels with which to minister and to
offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered
burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh continually all the days
of Jehoiada.
But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; one
hundred thirty years old was he when he died.
They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he
had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and
made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them.
They forsook the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and
served the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came on Judah and
Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.
Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh; and
they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the
priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus
says God, ‘Why do you disobey the commandments of Yahweh, so
that you can’t prosper? Because you have forsaken Yahweh, he has
also forsaken you.’”
They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the
commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh.
Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada
his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he
said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.”
It happened at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians
came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and
destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people,
and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus.
For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men;
and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because
they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they
executed judgment on Joash.
When they were departed for him (for they left him very sick),
his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons
of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died;
and they buried him in the city of David, but they didn’t bury
him in the tombs of the kings.
These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of
Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the
Moabitess.
Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid
on him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are
written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his
son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 25 |
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Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name
was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.
He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with
a perfect heart.
Now it happened, when the kingdom was established to him, that
he killed his servants who had killed the king his father.
But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to
that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh
commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not die for the children,
neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man
shall die for his own sin.”
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them
according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands
and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin: and he
numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them
three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who
could handle spear and shield.
He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of
Israel for one hundred talents of silver.
A man of God came to him, saying, “O king, don’t let the army of
Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the
children of Ephraim.
But if you will go, take action, be strong for the battle. God
will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help,
and to overthrow.”
Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the
hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?”
The man of God answered, “Yahweh is able to give you much
more than this.”
Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that had come to
him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was
greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce
anger.
Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the
Valley of Salt, and struck of the children of Seir ten thousand.
other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive,
and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from
the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should
not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from
Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand,
and took much spoil.
Now it happened, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter
of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of
Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself
before them, and burned incense to them.
Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and
he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought
after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own
people out of your hand?”
It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him,
“Have we made you one of the king’s counselors? Stop! Why should
you be struck down?”
Then the prophet stopped, and said, “I know that God has
determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have
not listened to my counsel.”
Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to
Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel,
saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The
thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in
Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as his wife; then
a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down
the thistle.
You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart
lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home. Why should you meddle
with trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with
you?’”
But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that he might
deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had
sought after the gods of Edom.
So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of
Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which
belongs to Judah.
Judah was defeated by Israel; and they fled every man to his
tent.
Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of
Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh, and brought him to
Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of
Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were
found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of
the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of
Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold,
aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel?
Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following
Yahweh they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he
fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed
him there.
They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in
the city of Judah.
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2 Chronicles 26 |
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All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old,
and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.
He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.
Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he
reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was
Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that his father Amaziah had done.
He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had
understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought
Yahweh, God made him to prosper.
He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down
the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod;
and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the
Philistines.
God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians
who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim.
The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad
even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate,
and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and
fortified them.
He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns,
for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the
plain: and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains
and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming.
Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, who went out to war
by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by
Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of
Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
The whole number of the heads of fathers’ houses, even the
mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred.
Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven
thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to
help the king against the enemy.
Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and
spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for
slinging.
He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on
the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows
and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was
marvelously helped, until he was strong.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did
corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went
into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of
incense.
Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty
priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men:
and they resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t
for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests
the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out
of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be
for your honor from Yahweh God.”
Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn
incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy
broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of
Yahweh, beside the altar of incense.
Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him,
and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him
out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out,
because Yahweh had struck him.
Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived
in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the
house of Yahweh: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house,
judging the people of the land.
Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his
fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for
they said, “He is a leper.” Jotham his son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 27 |
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Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and
he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was
Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.
He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that his father Uzziah had done: however he didn’t enter
into the temple of Yahweh. The people did yet corruptly.
He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall
of Ophel he built much.
Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in
the forests he built castles and towers.
He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and
prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same
year one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of
wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of
Ammon render to him, in the second year also, and in the third.
So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before
Yahweh his God.
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his
ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of
Israel and Judah.
He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city
of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place. |
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2 Chronicles 28 |
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Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was
right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father;
but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also
molten images for the Baals.
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom,
and burnt his children in the fire, according to the
abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the
children of Israel.
He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the
hills, and under every green tree.
Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king
of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great
multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also
delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him
with a great slaughter.
For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty
thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had
forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son,
and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to
the king.
The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers
two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also
away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and he
went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to
them, “Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was
angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you
have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven.
Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and
Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren’t
there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your
God?
Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have
taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh
is on you.”
Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the
son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah
the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up
against those who came from the war,
and said to them, “You shall not bring in the captives here: for
you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against
Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass
is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the
princes and all the assembly.
The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the
captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among
them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something
to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of
them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm
trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.
At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried
away captives.
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and
of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon,
and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, and Timnah with its
towns, Gimzo also and its towns: and they lived there.
For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for
he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against
Yahweh.
Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed
him, but didn’t strengthen him.
For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out
of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the
king of Assyria: but it didn’t help him.
In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against
Yahweh, this same king Ahaz.
For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and
he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, so
I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” But they were
the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut
in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors
of the house of Yahweh; and he made him altars in every corner
of Jerusalem.
In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to
other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his
fathers.
Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel.
Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city,
even in Jerusalem; for they didn’t bring him into the tombs of
the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 29 |
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Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; and
he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name
was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to
all that David his father had done.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened
the doors of the house of Yahweh, and repaired them.
He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them
together into the broad place on the east,
and said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify
yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your
fathers, and carry out the filthiness out of the holy place.
For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in
the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him, and have
turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and
turned their backs.
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the
lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings
in the holy place to the God of Israel.
Therefore the wrath of Yahweh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he
has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an
astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.
For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons
and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of
Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.
My sons, don’t be negligent now; for Yahweh has chosen you to
stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his
ministers, and burn incense.”
Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the
son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons
of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of
Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and
Eden the son of Joah;
and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons
of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;
and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of
Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
They gathered their brothers, and sanctified themselves, and
went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words
of Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh.
The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh, to
cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found
in the temple of Yahweh into the court of the house of Yahweh.
The Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.
Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify,
and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of
Yahweh; and they sanctified the house of Yahweh in eight days:
and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and
said, “We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh, and the altar
of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and the table of show
bread, with all its vessels.
Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast
away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and
behold, they are before the altar of Yahweh.”
Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of
the city, and went up to the house of Yahweh.
They brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and
seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the
sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of
Aaron to offer them on the altar of Yahweh.
So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood,
and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and
sprinkled the blood on the altar: they killed also the lambs,
and sprinkled the blood on the altar.
They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the
king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them:
and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with
their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for
the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering
should be made for all Israel.
He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with
stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the
commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the
prophet; for the commandment was of Yahweh by his prophets.
The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests
with the trumpets.
Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar.
When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also,
and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of
Israel.
All the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the
trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering
was finished.
When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were
present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.
Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites
to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David, and of Asaph
the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their
heads and worshiped.
Then Hezekiah answered, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to
Yahweh; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into
the house of Yahweh.” The assembly brought in sacrifices and
thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought
burnt offerings.
The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was
seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all
these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three
thousand sheep.
But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all
the burnt offerings: therefore their brothers the Levites helped
them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had
sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in
heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the
peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt
offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in
order.
Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God
had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
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2 Chronicles 30 |
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Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to
Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of
Yahweh at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of
Israel.
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had
not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the
people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the
assembly.
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all
Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to
keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem:
for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is
written.
So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his
princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, “You children of Israel, turn
again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he
may return to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the
hand of the kings of Assyria.
Don’t be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who
trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he
gave them up to desolation, as you see.
Now don’t be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; but yield
yourselves to Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has
sanctified forever, and serve Yahweh your God, that his fierce
anger may turn away from you.
For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your children
shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and
shall come again into this land: for Yahweh your God is gracious
and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you
return to him.”
So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun: but they ridiculed them,
and mocked them.
Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun
humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do
the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of
Yahweh.
Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.
They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and
all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into
the brook Kidron.
Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the
second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and
sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the
house of Yahweh.
They stood in their place after their order, according to the
law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood
which they received of the hand of the Levites.
For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified
themselves: therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the
Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to
Yahweh.
For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet
they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah
had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon
everyone
who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers,
even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the
sanctuary.”
Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and
the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing
with loud instruments to Yahweh.
Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good
understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout
the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace
offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their
fathers.
The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and
they kept other seven days with gladness.
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the assembly for
offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the
princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand
sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and
all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who
came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah,
rejoiced.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of
Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like
in Jerusalem.
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy
habitation, even to heaven.
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2 Chronicles 31 |
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Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went
out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and
cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the
altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and
Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the
children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into
their own cities.
Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites
after their divisions, every man according to his service, both
the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace
offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the
gates of the camp of Yahweh.
He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the
burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt
offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the
new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law
of Yahweh.
Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give
the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give
themselves to the law of Yahweh.
As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel
gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, and oil,
and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe
of all things brought they in abundantly.
The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of
Judah, they also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and
the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh
their God, and laid them by heaps.
In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the
heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed Yahweh, and his people Israel.
Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning
the heaps.
Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him
and said, “Since people began to bring the offerings into the
house of Yahweh, we have eaten and had enough, and have left
plenty: for Yahweh has blessed his people; and that which is
left is this great store.”
Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of
Yahweh; and they prepared them.
They brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated
things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler,
and Shimei his brother was second.
Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and
Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were
overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by
the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of
the house of God.
Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate,
was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the
offerings of Yahweh, and the most holy things.
Under him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah,
Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their
office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well
to the great as to the small:
besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from
three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the
house of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their
service in their offices according to their divisions;
and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their
fathers’ houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and
upward, in their offices by their divisions;
and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little
ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through
all the congregation: for in their office of trust they
sanctified themselves in holiness.
Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields
of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men
who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males
among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy
among the Levites.
Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which
was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God.
In every work that he began in the service of the house of God,
and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did
it with all his heart, and prospered.
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2 Chronicles 32 |
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After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the
fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself.
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the
waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they
helped him.
So many people gathered together, and they stopped all the
springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the
land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find
much water?”
He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down,
and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and
strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and
shields in abundance.
He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them
together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and
spoke comfortably to them, saying,
“Be strong and courageous, don’t be afraid nor dismayed for the
king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for
there is a greater with us than with him.
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to
help us, and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves
on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to
Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with
him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at
Jerusalem, saying,
Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, “In whom do you trust,
that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine
and by thirst, saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of
the hand of the king of Assyria?’
Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his
altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall
worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense?’
Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the
peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands
in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my
fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of
my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my
hand?
Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you
in this way, neither believe him; for no god of any nation or
kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out
of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver
you out of my hand?”
His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his
servant Hezekiah.
He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and
to speak against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the
lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so
shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my
hand.”
They cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people
of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to
trouble them; that they might take the city.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the
peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.
Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz,
prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.
Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor,
and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of
Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When
he had come into the house of his god, those who came forth from
his own bowels killed him there with the sword.
Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from
the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand
of all others, and guided them on every side.
Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things
to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight
of all nations from thenceforth.
In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and he prayed to
Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.
But Hezekiah didn’t render again according to the benefit done
to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath
on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his
heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the
wrath of Yahweh didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided
him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious
stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all kinds of
goodly vessels;
storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil;
and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds.
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and
herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance.
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters
of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the
city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
However in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done
in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all
that was in his heart.
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds,
behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the
son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh
his son reigned in his place.
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2 Chronicles 33 |
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Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the
abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the
children of Israel.
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had
broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made
Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served
them.
He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said,
“My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.”
He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of
the house of Yahweh.
He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley
of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used
enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who
had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in
the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.
He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son,
“In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all
the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever:
neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the
land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will
observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law
and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses.”
Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that
they did evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed
before the children of Israel.
Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no
heed.
Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the
king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with
fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled
himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his
supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his
kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.
Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on
the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at
the fish gate; and he encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up
to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the
fortified cities of Judah.
He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of
Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of
the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the
city.
He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon sacrifices
of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to
serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but
only to Yahweh their God.
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God,
and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of
Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the
acts of the kings of Israel.
His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his
sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high
places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before
he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of
Hozai.
So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his
own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place.
Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem.
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did
Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved
images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.
He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father
had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and
more.
His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his
own house.
But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his
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2 Chronicles 34 |
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Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in
the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right
hand or to the left.
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he
began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the
twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high
places, and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten
images.
They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and the
incense altars that were on high above them he cut down; and the
Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images, he
broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it on the
graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
He burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged
Judah and Jerusalem.
So did he in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even
to Naphtali, around in their ruins.
He broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the engraved
images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars
throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the
land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and
Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz
the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God.
They came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money
that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the
keepers of the threshold, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh
and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah
and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
They delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the
oversight of the house of Yahweh; and the workmen who labored in
the house of Yahweh gave it to mend and repair the house;
even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy
cut stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the
houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
The men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were
Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and
Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set
it forward; and others of the Levites, all who were skillful
with instruments of music.
Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all
who did the work in every kind of service: and of the Levites
there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
When they brought out the money that was brought into the house
of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of
Yahweh given by Moses.
Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of
the law in the house of Yahweh.” Hilkiah delivered the book to
Shaphan.
Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back
word to the king, saying, “All that was committed to your
servants, they are doing.
They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of
Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers,
and into the hand of the workmen.”
Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest
has delivered me a book.” Shaphan read therein before the king.
It happened, when the king had heard the words of the law, that
he tore his clothes.
The king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and
Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the
king’s servant, saying,
“Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in
Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is
found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on
us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do
according to all that is written in this book.”
So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah
the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son
of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem
in the second quarter;) and they spoke to her to that effect.
She said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘Tell
the man who sent you to me,
“Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and
on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the
book which they have read before the king of Judah.
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other
gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of
their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out on this place, and
it shall not be quenched.’”’
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh,
thus you shall tell him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel:
“As touching the words which you have heard,
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before
God, when you heard his words against this place, and against
its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have
torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you,”
says Yahweh.
“Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be
gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all
the evil that I will bring on this place, and on its
inhabitants.”’”
They brought back word to the king.
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah
and Jerusalem.
The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the
Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read
in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was
found in the house of Yahweh.
The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh,
to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his
testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all
his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written
in this book.
He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand
to it. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the
covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries
that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all who were
found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All
his days they didn’t depart from following Yahweh, the God of
their fathers.
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2 Chronicles 35 |
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Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they killed
the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the
service of the house of Yahweh.
He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to
Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of
David king of Israel built. There shall no more be a burden on
your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God, and his people
Israel.
Prepare yourselves after your fathers’ houses by your divisions,
according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according
to the writing of Solomon his son.
Stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the
fathers’ houses of your brothers the children of the people, and
let there be for each a portion of a fathers’ house of the
Levites.
Kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your
brothers, to do according to the word of Yahweh by Moses.”
Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs
and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all
who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three
thousand bulls: these were of the king’s substance.
His princes gave for a freewill offering to the people, to the
priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel,
the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the
Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small livestock,
and three hundred head of cattle.
Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and
Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave
to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small
livestock, and five hundred head of cattle.
So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their
place, and the Levites by their divisions, according to the
king’s commandment.
They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood
which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them.
They removed the burnt offerings, that they might give them
according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the
children of the people, to offer to Yahweh, as it is written in
the book of Moses. So did they with the cattle.
They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance:
and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and
in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the
people.
Afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests,
because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering
the burnt offerings and the fat until night: therefore the
Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of
Aaron.
The singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to
the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the
king’s seer; and the porters were at every gate: they didn’t
need to depart from their service; for their brothers the
Levites prepared for them.
So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep
the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of
Yahweh, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at
that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of
Samuel the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep
such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the
Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this Passover
kept.
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king
of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates:
and Josiah went out against him.
But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, “What have I to do with
you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but
against the house with which I have war. God has commanded me to
make haste. Beware that it is God who is with me, that he not
destroy you.”
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but
disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t
listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to
fight in the valley of Megiddo.
The archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his
servants, “Take me away, because I am seriously wounded!”
So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the
second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he
died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and
Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and
singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day;
and they made them an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they are
written in the lamentations.
Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds,
according to that which is written in the law of Yahweh,
and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the
book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
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2 Chronicles 36 |
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Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah,
and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned three months in Jerusalem.
The king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land
one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and
Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz
his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
Jehoiakim was Twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and
he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was
evil in the sight of Yahweh his God.
Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound
him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of
Yahweh to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations
which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are
written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that
which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
At the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought
him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Yahweh,
and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned eleven years in Jerusalem:
and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God;
he didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking
from the mouth of Yahweh.
He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him
swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart
against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people,
trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the
nations; and they polluted the house of Yahweh which he had made
holy in Jerusalem.
Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his
messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had
compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words,
and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Yahweh arose
against his people, until there was no remedy.
Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who
killed their young men with the sword in the house of their
sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man
or gray-headed: he gave them all into his hand.
All the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the
treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king,
and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.
They burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed
all the goodly vessels of it.
He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon;
and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of
the kingdom of Persia:
to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until
the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths: for as long as it lay
desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of
Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh
stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a
proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in
writing, saying,
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has
given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded
me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever
there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with
him, and let him go up.’” |
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