¹³ Better was ^(A)a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how ^(B)to take advice.

¹⁶ But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that ^(A)God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

^9 (A)For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those ^(B)whose heart is blameless^[a] toward him. ^(C)You have done foolishly in this, for from now on ^(D)you will have wars.” ¹⁰ Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him ^(E)in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.

¹⁵ But there was found in it ^(A)a poor, wise man, and he by his ^(B)wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶ But I say that ^(C)wisdom is better than might, though ^(D)the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

⁸ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

² These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought ^(A)a bad report of them to their father.