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Amaziah Reigns over Judah

14 In the second year of King Joash son of Joahaz of Israel, King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah began to reign.(A) He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like his ancestor David; in all things he did as his father Joash had done. But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.(B) As soon as the royal power was firmly in his hand, he killed his servants who had murdered his father the king.(C) But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “The parents shall not be put to death for the children or the children be put to death for the parents, but all shall be put to death for their own sins.”(D)

He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm; he called it Jokthe-el, which is its name to this day.(E)

Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”(F) King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ but a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush.(G) 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”(H)

11 But Amaziah would not listen. So King Jehoash of Israel went up; he and King Amaziah of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.(I) 12 Judah was defeated by Israel; everyone fled home.(J) 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah at Beth-shemesh; he came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits.(K) 14 He seized all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house, as well as hostages; then he returned to Samaria.(L)

15 Now the rest of the acts that Jehoash did, his might, and how he fought with King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?(M) 16 Jehoash slept with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; then his son Jeroboam succeeded him.

17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel.(N) 18 Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 19 They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.(O) 20 They brought him on horses; he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. 21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king to succeed his father Amaziah. 22 He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziah[a] slept with his ancestors.(P)

Jeroboam II Reigns over Israel

23 In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel began to reign in Samaria; he reigned forty-one years. 24 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath-hepher.(Q) 26 For the Lord saw that the distress of Israel was very bitter; there was no one left, bond or free, and no one to help Israel.(R) 27 But the Lord had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash.(S)

28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?(T) 29 Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, the kings of Israel; his son Zechariah succeeded him.(U)

Azariah Reigns over Judah

15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam of Israel, King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah began to reign.(V) He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.(W) He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.(X) The Lord struck the king so that he had a defiling skin disease to the day of his death and lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son was in charge of the palace, governing the people of the land.(Y) Now the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? Azariah slept with his ancestors; they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jotham succeeded him.(Z)

Zechariah Reigns over Israel

In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down in Ibleam[b] and killed him and reigned in place of him.(AA) 11 Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 12 This was the promise of the Lord that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it happened.(AB)

Shallum Reigns over Israel

13 Shallum son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah of Judah; he reigned one month in Samaria.(AC) 14 Then Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria; he struck down Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; he reigned in place of him.(AD) 15 Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, including the conspiracy that he made, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16 At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah, all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on; because they did not open it to him, he sacked it. He ripped open all the pregnant women in it.(AE)

Menahem Reigns over Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi began to reign over Israel; he reigned ten years in Samaria.(AF) 18 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart all his days from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 19 King Pul of Assyria came against the land; Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, so that he might help him confirm his hold on the royal power.(AG) 20 Menahem exacted the silver from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy, fifty shekels of silver from each one, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. 21 Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 22 Menahem slept with his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him.

Pekahiah Reigns over Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned two years.(AH) 24 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 25 Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty of the Gileadites and attacked him in Samaria, in the citadel of the palace along with Argob and Arieh; he killed him and reigned in place of him.(AI) 26 Now the rest of the deeds of Pekahiah and all that he did are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah Reigns over Israel

27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned twenty years.(AJ) 28 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.

29 In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria.(AK) 30 Then Hoshea son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah, attacked him, and killed him; he reigned in place of him, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham Reigns over Judah

32 In the second year of King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel, King Jotham son of Uzziah of Judah began to reign.(AL) 33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 34 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done.(AM) 35 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord.(AN) 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 37 In those days the Lord began to send King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.(AO) 38 Jotham slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, his ancestor; his son Ahaz succeeded him.

Footnotes

  1. 14.22 Heb the king
  2. 15.10 Lucianic: Meaning of Heb uncertain

Job Replies: I Am a Laughingstock

12 Then Job answered:

“No doubt you are the people,
    and wisdom will die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know such things as these?
I am a laughingstock to my friends;
    I, who called upon God and he answered me,
    a just and blameless man, I am a laughingstock.(A)
Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,[a]
    but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.(B)
The tents of robbers are at peace,
    and those who provoke God are secure,
    who bring their god in their hands.[b](C)

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth,[c] and they will teach you,
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?(D)
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of every human being.(E)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the palate tastes food?(F)
12 Is wisdom with the aged
    and understanding in length of days?(G)

13 “With God[d] are wisdom and strength;
    he has counsel and understanding.(H)
14 If he tears down, no one can rebuild;
    if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.(I)
15 If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
    if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.(J)
16 With him are strength and wisdom;
    the deceived and the deceiver are his.(K)
17 He leads counselors away stripped
    and makes fools of judges.(L)
18 He looses the sash of kings
    and binds a waistcloth on their loins.(M)
19 He leads priests away stripped
    and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
    and takes away the discernment of the elders.(N)
21 He pours contempt on princes
    and looses the belt of the strong.(O)
22 He uncovers deep things from the darkness
    and brings deep darkness to light.(P)
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
    he enlarges nations, then leads them away.(Q)
24 He strips understanding from the leaders[e] of the earth
    and makes them wander in a pathless waste.(R)
25 They grope in the dark without light;
    he makes them stagger like a drunkard.(S)

Footnotes

  1. 12.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 12.6 Or whom God brought forth by his hand; meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 12.8 Or speak to the earth
  4. 12.13 Heb him
  5. 12.24 Heb adds of the people

Do Not Judge Another

14 Welcome those who are weak in faith[a] but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.(A) Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.(B) Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat, for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord[b] is able to make them stand.

Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it for the Lord. Also those who eat, eat for the Lord, since they give thanks to God, while those who abstain, abstain for the Lord and give thanks to God.(C)

For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.(D) If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.(E)

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.[c](F) 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall give praise to[d] God.”(G)

12 So then, each one of us will be held accountable.[e](H)

Do Not Make Another Stumble

13 Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother or sister.(I) 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who considers it unclean.(J) 15 If your brother or sister is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let your good be slandered. 17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.(K) 18 The one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has human approval.(L) 19 Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.(M) 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong to make someone stumble by what you eat; 21 it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.[f](N) 22 Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve. 23 But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat because they do not act from faith,[g] for whatever does not proceed from faith[h] is sin.[i]

Footnotes

  1. 14.1 Or conviction
  2. 14.4 Other ancient authorities read for God
  3. 14.10 Other ancient authorities read of Christ
  4. 14.11 Or confess
  5. 14.12 Other ancient authorities add to God
  6. 14.21 Other ancient authorities add or be upset or be weakened
  7. 14.23 Or conviction
  8. 14.23 Or conviction
  9. 14.23 Other ancient authorities add here 16.25–27