At that time Solomon held the festival for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt.

For now I have chosen and consecrated this house so that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

For a long time Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law,

In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.

At that time the seer Hanani came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Aram and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped you.

Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks, in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties on some of the people at the same time.

But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

So Edom has been in revolt against the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted against his rule because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor like the fires made for his ancestors.

Some time afterward Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord.

From the time that Amaziah turned away from the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.

Assyria Refuses to Help Judah

At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.

Apostasy and Death of Ahaz

In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz.

(for they could not keep it at its proper time because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem).

There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.

Many brought gifts to the Lord in Jerusalem and precious things to King Hezekiah of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.

The people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days.