Bible in 90 Days
The Lord Gives Solomon a Promise and a Warning
11 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and accomplished all his plans for the Lord’s temple and his royal palace,[a] 12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered[b] your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made.[c] 13 When[d] I close up the sky[e] so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation,[f] or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who belong to me,[g] humble themselves, pray, seek to please me,[h] and repudiate their sinful practices,[i] then I will respond[j] from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.[k] 15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.[l] 16 Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home;[m] I will be constantly present there.[n] 17 You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations.[o] 18 Then I will establish your dynasty,[p] just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’[q]
19 “But if you people[r] ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep,[s] and decide to serve and worship other gods,[t] 20 then I will remove you[u] from my land I have given you,[v] I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence,[w] and I will make you[x] an object of mockery and ridicule[y] among all the nations. 21 As for this temple, which was once majestic,[z] everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 22 Others will then answer,[aa] ‘Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors,[ab] who led them out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served.[ac] That is why he brought all this disaster down on them.’”
Building Projects and Commercial Efforts
8 After twenty years, during which Solomon built the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram[ad] had given him and settled Israelites there. 3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it. 4 He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath. 5 He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates,[ae] 6 and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him,[af] and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept.[ag] He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.[ah]
7 Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.[ai] 8 Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day.[aj] 9 Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews;[ak] the Israelites served as his soldiers, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces.[al] 10 These men worked for King Solomon as supervisors; there were a total of 250 of them who were in charge of the people.[am]
11 Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David[an] to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of King David of Israel, for the places where the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
12 Then Solomon offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the temple’s porch.[ao] 13 He observed the daily requirements for sacrifices that Moses had specified for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual celebrations—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Shelters.[ap] 14 As his father David had decreed, Solomon[aq] appointed the divisions of the priests to do their assigned tasks, the Levitical orders to lead worship and help the priests with their daily tasks,[ar] and the divisions of the gatekeepers to serve at their assigned gates.[as] This was what David the man of God had ordered.[at] 15 They did not neglect any detail of the king’s orders pertaining to the priests, Levites, and treasuries.[au]
16 All the work ordered by Solomon was completed, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid until it was finished; the Lord’s temple was completed.
17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Elat on the coast in the land of Edom. 18 Huram sent him ships and some of his sailors, men who were well acquainted with the sea. They sailed with Solomon’s men to Ophir[av] and took from there 450 talents[aw] of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.
Solomon Entertains a Queen
9 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon,[ax] she came to challenge[ay] him[az] with difficult questions.[ba] She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp,[bb] bringing with her camels carrying spices,[bc] a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king.[bd] 3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s wisdom, the palace[be] he had built, 4 the food in his banquet hall,[bf] his servants and attendants[bg] in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple,[bh] she was amazed.[bi] 5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight[bj] was true! 6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story![bk] Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy![bl] 8 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored[bm] you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf.[bn] Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them,[bo] he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”[bp] 9 She gave the king 120 talents[bq] of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched.[br] 10 (Huram’s[bs] servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as[bt] fine[bu] timber and precious gems. 11 With the timber the king made steps[bv] for the Lord’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments[bw] for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah before that.[bx]) 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him.[by] Then she left and returned[bz] to her homeland with her attendants.
Solomon’s Wealth
13 Solomon received 666 talents[ca] of gold per year,[cb] 14 besides what he collected from the merchants[cc] and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures[cd] of hammered gold were used for each shield. 16 He also made 300 small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures[ce] of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.[cf]
17 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne.[cg] The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.[ch] 19 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.[ci]
20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time.[cj] 21 The king had a fleet of large merchant ships[ck] manned by Huram’s men[cl] that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet[cm] came into port with cargoes of[cn] gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[co]
22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth.[cp] 23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.[cq] 24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.[cr]
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses[cs] and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and also with him in Jerusalem.[ct] 26 He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River[cu] to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as plentiful[cv] in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was[cw] as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the foothills.[cx] 28 Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.
Solomon’s Reign Ends
29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded[cy] in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 30 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 31 Then Solomon passed away[cz] and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.
The Northern Tribes Rebel
10 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in[da] Shechem to make Rehoboam[db] king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 They sent for him,[dc] and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made us work too hard![dd] Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.”[de] 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served[df] his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them,[dg] “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 7 They said to him, “If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.”[dh] 8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up.[di] 9 He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?”[dj] 10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam[dk] had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden’[dl]—say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father![dm] 11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier.[dn] My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’”[do]
12 Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 13 The king responded to the people harshly. He[dp] rejected the advice of the older men 14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you;[dq] I will make them even heavier.[dr] My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.”[ds] 15 The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events[dt] so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made[du] through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 When all Israel saw[dv] that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David—no share in the son of Jesse![dw] Return to your homes, O Israel![dx] Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!”[dy] So all Israel returned to their homes.[dz] 17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 18 King Rehoboam sent Hadoram,[ea] the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.
11 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from Judah and Benjamin[eb] to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the Lord’s message came to the prophet[ec] Shemaiah, 3 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’”[ed] They obeyed the Lord and called off the attack against Jeroboam.[ee]
Rehoboam’s Reign
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: 6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11 He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine. 12 In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them.[ef] Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided.[eg] 14 The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests. 15 Jeroboam[eh] appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers[ei] and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made.[ej] 16 Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the Lord God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem[ek] to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors.[el] 17 They supported[em] the kingdom of Judah and were loyal to[en] Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; they followed the edicts of[eo] David and Solomon for three years.
18 Rehoboam married[ep] Mahalath the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of[eq] Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19 She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines.[er] He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor.[es] 23 He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities.[et] He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them.[eu]
12 After Rehoboam’s rule was established and solidified, he and all Israel rejected the law of the Lord. 2 Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 3 He had 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and an innumerable number of soldiers who accompanied him from Egypt, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. 4 He captured the fortified cities of Judah and marched against Jerusalem.
5 Shemaiah the prophet visited Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who were assembled in Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have rejected me, so I have rejected you and will hand you over to Shishak.’”[ev] 6 The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.”[ew] 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the Lord’s message came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them. I will deliver them soon.[ex] My anger will not be unleashed against[ey] Jerusalem through Shishak. 8 Yet they will become his subjects, so they can experience how serving me differs from serving the surrounding nations.”[ez]
9 King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. 10 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard[fa] who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 11 Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guards carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.[fb]
12 So when Rehoboam[fc] humbled himself, the Lord relented from his anger and did not annihilate him;[fd] Judah experienced some good things.[fe] 13 King Rehoboam solidified his rule in Jerusalem;[ff] he[fg] was forty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home.[fh] Rehoboam’s[fi] mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. 14 He did evil because he was not determined to follow the Lord.[fj]
15 The events of Rehoboam’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded[fk] in the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer that include genealogical records. There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 Then Rehoboam passed away[fl] and was buried in the City of David.[fm] His son Abijah replaced him as king.
Abijah’s Reign
13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother[fn] was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.[fo]
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors,[fp] while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors.[fq]
4 Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Don’t you realize that the Lord God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal covenant?[fr] 6 Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. 7 Lawless good-for-nothing men[fs] gathered around him and conspired[ft] against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man[fu] and could not resist them. 8 Now you are declaring that you will resist the Lord’s rule through the Davidic dynasty.[fv] You have a huge army,[fw] and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9 But you banished[fx] the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods![fy] 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord’s priests, and the Levites assist them with the work.[fz] 11 They offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly[ga] we are observing the Lord our God’s regulations, but you have rejected him. 12 Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you.[gb] You Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors,[gc] for you will not win!”
13 Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind.[gd] The main army was in front of the Judahite army;[ge] the ambushers were behind it. 14 The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear.[gf] So they cried out to the Lord for help. The priests blew their trumpets, 15 and the men of Judah gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army,[gg] and God handed them over to the men of Judah.[gh] 17 Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them;[gi] 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead.[gj] 18 That day[gk] the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord God of their ancestors.
19 Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah.[gl] The Lord struck him down and he died. 21 Abijah’s power grew; he had[gm] fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his deeds and sayings,[gn] are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo.
14 (13:23)[go] Abijah passed away[gp] and was buried in the City of David.[gq] His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign[gr] the land had rest for ten years.
Asa’s Religious and Military Accomplishments
2 (14:1) Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved.[gs] 3 He removed the pagan altars[gt] and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.[gu] 4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors[gv] and to observe his law and commands.[gw] 5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the towns of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule.[gx]
6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace. 7 He said to the people of Judah:[gy] “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates.[gz] The land remains ours because we have followed[ha] the Lord our God; we have followed him, and he has made us secure on all sides.”[hb] So they built the cities[hc] and prospered.
8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors. 9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men[hd] and 300 chariots . He arrived at Mareshah, 10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11 Asa prayed[he] to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered.[hf] Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army.[hg] O Lord, you are our God; don’t let men prevail against you!”[hh] 12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out;[hi] they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah[hj] carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14 They defeated all the towns surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic.[hk] The men of Judah[hl] looted all the towns, for they contained a huge amount of goods.[hm] 15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock.[hn] They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem.
15 God’s Spirit came upon Azariah son of Oded. 2 He met[ho] Asa and told him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him.[hp] If you seek him, he will respond to you,[hq] but if you reject him, he will reject you. 3 For a long time[hr] Israel had not sought the one true God, or a priest to instruct them, or the law. 4 Because of their distress, they turned back to the Lord God of Israel. They sought him and he responded to them.[hs] 5 In those days[ht] no one could travel safely,[hu] for total chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands.[hv] 6 One nation was crushed by another, and one city by another, for God caused them to be in great turmoil.[hw] 7 But as for you, be strong and don’t get discouraged,[hx] for your work will be rewarded.”[hy]
8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he was encouraged.[hz] He removed the detestable idols from the entire land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had seized in the Ephraimite hill country. He repaired the altar of the Lord in front of the porch of the Lord’s temple.[ia]
9 He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers[ib] from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live[ic] when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 10 They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11 At that time[id] they sacrificed to the Lord some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep.[ie] 12 They solemnly agreed[if] to seek the Lord God of their ancestors[ig] with their whole heart and being. 13 Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old,[ih] male or female. 14 They swore their allegiance to the Lord, shouting their approval loudly and sounding trumpets and horns.[ii] 15 All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the Lord and he responded to them.[ij] He made them secure on every side.[ik]
16 King Asa also removed Maacah his grandmother[il] from her position as queen mother[im] because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her loathsome pole and crushed and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 17 The high places were not eliminated from Israel, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime.[in] 18 He brought the holy items that his father and he had made into God’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.[io]
Asa’s Failures
19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. 16 1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah, and he established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah.[ip] 2 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and sent it to King Ben Hadad of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 3 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made.[iq] See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.”[ir] 4 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel.[is] They conquered[it] Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim,[iu] and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying[iv] Ramah and abandoned the project.[iw] 6 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah.[ix] He used the materials to build up[iy] Geba and Mizpah.
7 At that time Hanani the prophet[iz] visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you! 9 Certainly[ja] the Lord watches the whole earth carefully[jb] and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.[jc] You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” 10 Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail.[jd] Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time.
Asa’s Reign Ends
11 The events of Asa’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel.[je] 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease, he did not seek the Lord, but only the doctors. 13 Asa passed away[jf] in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David.[jg] They laid him to rest on a platform[jh] covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.[ji]
Jehoshaphat Becomes King
17 His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.[jj] 2 He placed troops in all Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons[jk] throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor[jl] David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign.[jm] He did not seek the Baals, 4 but instead sought the God of his ancestors[jn] and obeyed[jo] his commands, unlike the Israelites.[jp] 5 The Lord made his kingdom secure;[jq] all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.[jr] 6 He was committed to following the Lord;[js] he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
10 The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah;[jt] they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
12 Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. 13 He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem.[ju] 14 These were their divisions by families:
There were 1,000 officers from Judah.[jv] Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors, 15 Jehochanan the commander led 280,000, 16 and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.
17 From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, 18 and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.
19 These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
18 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 2 and after several years[jw] went down to visit[jx] Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him.[jy] He persuaded him to join in an attack[jz] against Ramoth Gilead. 3 King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” He replied, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.”[ka] 4 Then Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel,[kb] “First,[kc] please seek an oracle from the Lord.”[kd] 5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”[ke] They said, “Attack! God[kf] will hand it over to the king.” 6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will,[kg] but I despise[kh] him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always[ki] disaster—Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!” 8 The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at[kj] the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” 11 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 12 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.[kk] Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!”[kl] 13 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!”
14 Micaiah[km] came before the king and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you.”[kn] 15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in[ko] the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 16 Micaiah[kp] replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 18 Micaiah[kq] said, “That being the case, listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. 19 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that. 20 Then a spirit[kr] stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 21 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord[ks] said, ‘Deceive and overpower him.[kt] Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 22 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 23 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 24 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 26 Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water[ku] until I return safely.”’” 27 Micaiah said, “If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Take note,[kv] all you people.”
28 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter[kw] the battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers;[kx] fight only the king of Israel!” 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him. 32 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 33 Now an archer shot an arrow at random,[ky] and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king[kz] ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line,[la] for I am wounded.” 34 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king of Israel stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.
19 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, 2 the prophet[lb] Jehu son of Hanani confronted him;[lc] he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord?[ld] Because you have done this, the Lord is angry with you![le] 3 Nevertheless you have done some good things;[lf] you removed[lg] the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow God.”[lh]
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow[li] the Lord God of their ancestors.[lj] 5 He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah.[lk] 6 He told the judges, “Be careful what you do,[ll] for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 7 Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”[lm]
8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord[ln] and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.[lo] 9 He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives.[lp] 10 Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you[lq] (whether it involves a violent crime[lr] or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.[ls] 11 Take note, Amariah the chief priest will oversee[lt] you in every matter pertaining to the Lord and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in every matter pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Act courageously,[lu] and may the Lord be with those who do well!”
The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success
20 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[lv] attacked Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers[lw] arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea,[lx] from the direction of Edom.[ly] Look, they are in Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice.[lz] He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 4 The people of Judah[ma] assembled to ask for the Lord’s help;[mb] they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.[mc]
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. 6 He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors,[md] you are the God who lives in heaven[me] and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. 7 Our God, you drove out[mf] the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession[mg] to the descendants of your friend[mh] Abraham. 8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple[mi] to honor you,[mj] saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack,[mk] judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple.[ml] We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will[mm] hear and deliver us.’ 10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming![mn] When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.[mo] They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us. We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”[mp]
13 All the men of Judah[mq] were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. 14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. 15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah,[mr] residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic[ms] because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them as[mt] they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you,[mu] O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![mv] Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah[mw] and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.[mx] 19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.[my]
20 Early the next morning they marched out to the wilderness of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah[mz] and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe![na] Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 21 He met[nb] with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”[nc]
22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked[nd] the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir[ne] who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir[nf] and annihilated them.[ng] When they had finished off the men[nh] of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.[ni] 24 When the men of Judah[nj] arrived at the observation post overlooking the wilderness and looked at[nk] the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors. 25 Jehoshaphat and his men[nl] went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing,[nm] and valuable items. They carried away everything they could.[nn] There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.[no]
26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where[np] they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah[nq] to this very day. 27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. 29 All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God[nr] when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.[ns]
Jehoshaphat’s Reign Ends
31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother[nt] was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.[nu] 33 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.[nv]
34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel.[nw]
35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who[nx] did evil. 36 They agreed[ny] to make large seagoing merchant ships;[nz] they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because[oa] you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.[ob]
21 Jehoshaphat passed away[oc] and was buried with his ancestors[od] in the City of David.[oe] His son Jehoram[of] replaced him as king.
Jehoram’s Reign
2 His brothers, Jehoshaphat’s sons, were Azariah, Jechiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel.[og] 3 Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
4 Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful.[oh] Then he killed all his brothers,[oi] as well as some of the officials of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 6 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter.[oj] He did evil in the sight of[ok] the Lord. 7 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David’s dynasty[ol] because of the promise[om] he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.[on]
8 During Jehoram’s[oo] reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king.[op] 9 Jehoram crossed over with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers.[oq] 10 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day.[or] At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah’s control[os] because Jehoram[ot] rejected the Lord God of his ancestors. 11 He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord[ou] and led Judah away from the Lord.[ov]
12 Jehoram[ow] received this letter from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: ‘You[ox] have not followed in the footsteps[oy] of your father Jehoshaphat and of[oz] King Asa of Judah, 13 but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel.[pa] You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family,[pb] who were better than you. 14 So look, the Lord is about to severely afflict[pc] your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own. 15 And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.’”[pd]
16 The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines[pe] and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites. 17 They attacked Judah and swept through it.[pf] They carried off everything they found in the royal palace,[pg] including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah. 18 After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease.[ph] 19 After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death.[pi] His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors.[pj]
20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death;[pk] he was buried in the City of David,[pl] but not in the royal tombs.
Ahaziah’s Reign
22 The residents of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons.[pm] So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. 2 Ahaziah was twenty-two[pn] years old when he became king, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother[po] was Athaliah, the granddaughter[pp] of Omri. 3 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty,[pq] for his mother gave him evil advice.[pr] 4 He did evil in the sight of[ps] the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they[pt] gave him advice that led to his destruction. 5 He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram[pu] of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria[pv] at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 6 Joram[pw] returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians[px] in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah[py] son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded.[pz]
7 God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram.[qa] When Ahaziah[qb] arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned[qc] to wipe out Ahab’s family.[qd] 8 While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. 9 He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned,[qe] “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place.[qf]
Athaliah is Eliminated
10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line[qg] of Judah.[qh] 11 So Jehoshabeath,[qi] the daughter of King Jehoram,[qj] took Ahaziah’s son Joash and stole him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. 12 He remained in hiding in God’s temple[qk] for six years while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
23 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact[ql] with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 2 They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.
They came to Jerusalem, 3 and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada[qm] said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. 4 This is what you must do. One-third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 5 Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others[qn] will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 6 No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. 7 The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple[qo] must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”[qp]
8 The Levites and all the men of Judah[qq] did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. 9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields[qr] that were kept in God’s temple. 10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.[qs] 11 Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia.[qt] They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head.[qu] They declared, “Long live the king!”
12 When Athaliah heard the royal guard[qv] shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd[qw] at the Lord’s temple. 13 Then she saw[qx] the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!”[qy] 14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards.[qz] Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple.[ra] 15 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance.[rb] There they executed her.
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