DP Tool Club 15/CD_ASCQ_15_070894.iso/vrac/olbible.zip/IKING

Text File | 1994-04-25 | 139KB | 2,292 lines

!|1K|*|                                 FIRST KINGS



Chapter 1

1   Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him
    with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2   Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord
    the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her
    cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get
    heat.
3   So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel,
    and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4   And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered
    to him: but the king knew her not.
5   Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be
    king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run
    before him.
6   And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast
    thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him
    after Absalom.
7   And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the
    priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
8   But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the
    prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to
    David, were not with Adonijah.
9   And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of
    Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's
    sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
10  But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon
    his brother, he called not.
11  Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying,
    Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and
    David our lord knoweth it not?
12  Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou
    mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
13  Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou,
    my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon
    thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then
    doth Adonijah reign?
14  Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come
    in after thee, and confirm thy words.
15  And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king
    was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
16  And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king
    said, What wouldest thou?
17  And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto
    thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me,
    and he shall sit upon my throne.
18  And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou
    knowest it not:
19  And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and
    hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab
    the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
20  And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that
    thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king
    after him.
21  Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep
    with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
22  And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also
    came in.
23  And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when
    he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with
    his face to the ground.
24  And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall
    reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25  For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and
    sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the
    captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and
    drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
26  But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the
    son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27  Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it
    unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after
    him?
28  Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came
    into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
29  And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed
    my soul out of all distress,
30  Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying,
    Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
    throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
31  Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to
    the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
32  And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
    prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the
    king.
33  The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your
    lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him
    down to Gihon:
34  And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king
    over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king
    Solomon.
35  Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my
    throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be
    ruler over Israel and over Judah.
36  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen:
    the Lord God of my lord the king say so too.
37  As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with
    Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king
    David.
38  So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of
    Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused
    Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
39  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and
    anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said,
    God save king Solomon.
40  And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with
    pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the
    sound of them.
41  And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they
    had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet,
    he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
42  And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the
    priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant
    man, and bringest good tidings.
43  And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king
    David hath made Solomon king.
44  And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
    prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the
    Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
45  And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in
    Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang
    again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46  And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47  And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David,
    saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his
    throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the
    bed.
48  And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which
    hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
49  And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up,
    and went every man his way.
50  And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and
    caught hold on the horns of the altar.
51  And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king
    Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying,
    Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant
    with the sword.
52  And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall
    not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found
    in him, he shall die.
53  So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And
    he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go
    to thine house.

Chapter 2

1   Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged
    Solomon his son, saying,
2   I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew
    thyself a man;
3   And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep
    his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his
    testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest
    prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4   That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me,
    saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in
    truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail
    thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
5   Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and
    what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the
    son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the
    blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was
    about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
6   Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go
    down to the grave in peace.
7   But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let
    them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I
    fled because of Absalom thy brother.
8   And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite
    of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went
    to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him
    by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
9   Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and
    knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou
    down to the grave with blood.
10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
    David.
11  And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years:  seven
    years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in
    Jerusalem.
12  Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom
    was established greatly.
13  And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of
    Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
14  He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say
    on.
15  And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all
    Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom
    is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the
    Lord.
16  And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto
    him, Say on.
17  And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will
    not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
18  And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
19  Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for
    Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her,
    and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's
    mother; and she sat on his right hand.
20  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say
    me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will
    not say thee nay.
21  And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy
    brother to wife.
22  And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou
    ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also;
    for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest,
    and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
23  Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and
    more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
24  Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set
    me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as
    he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
25  And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and
    he fell upon him that he died.
26  And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth,
    unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death:  but I will not at
    this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God
    before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all
    wherein my father was afflicted.
27  So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that
    he might fulfil the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the
    house of Eli in Shiloh.
28  Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though
    he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the
    Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
29  And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle
    of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah
    the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
30  And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him,
    Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here.
    And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and
    thus he answered me.
31  And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him,
    and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab
    shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
32  And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon
    two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword,
    my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner,
    captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of
    the host of Judah.
33  Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon
    the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and
    upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from
    the Lord.
34  So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew
    him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35  And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the
    host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
36  And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build
    thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any
    whither.
37  For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the
    brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die:
    thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
38  And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the
    king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem
    many days.
39  And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the
    servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And
    they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
40  And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to
    seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
41  And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath,
    and was come again.
42  And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not
    make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know
    for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any
    whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word
    that I have heard is good.
43  Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment
    that I have charged thee with?
44  The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness
    which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father:
    therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
45  And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be
    established before the Lord for ever.
46  So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out,
    and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the
    hand of Solomon.

Chapter 3

1   And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took
    Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had
    made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and
    the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2   Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house
    built unto the name of the Lord, until those days.
3   And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his
    father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
4   And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great
    high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that
    altar.
5   In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God
    said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6   And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father
    great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in
    righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept
    for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on
    his throne, as it is this day.
7   And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of
    David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out
    or come in.
8   And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen,
    a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9   Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people,
    that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this
    thy so great a people?
10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast
    not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself,
    nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself
    understanding to discern judgment;
12  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a
    wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before
    thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both
    riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like
    unto thee all thy days.
14  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my
    commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy
    days.
15  And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to
    Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and
    offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a
    feast to all his servants.
16  Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and
    stood before him.
17  And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one
    house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18  And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that
    this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no
    stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
19  And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
20  And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while
    thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child
    in my bosom.
21  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was
    dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my
    son, which I did bear.
22  And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead
    is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living
    is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
23  Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and
    thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead,
    and my son is the living.
24  And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before
    the king.
25  And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to
    the one, and half to the other.
26  Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for
    her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the
    living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be
    neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27  Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no
    wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
28  And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and
    they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to
    do judgment.

Chapter 4

1   So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
2   And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the
    priest,
3   Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son
    of Ahilud, the recorder.
4   And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and
    Abiathar were the priests:
5   And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son
    of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
6   And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was
    over the tribute.
7   And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided
    victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year
    made provision.
8   And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
9   The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and
    Elonbethhanan:
10  The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the
    land of Hepher:
11  The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the
    daughter of Solomon to wife:
12  Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and
    all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to
    Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
13  The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair
    the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the
    region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls
    and brasen bars:
14  Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
15  Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon
    to wife:
16  Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
17  Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
18  Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
19  Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of
    Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the
    only officer which was in the land.
20  Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in
    multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21  And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of
    the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents,
    and served Solomon all the days of his life.
22  And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine
    flour, and threescore measures of meal,
23  Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred
    sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
24  For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from
    Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he
    had peace on all sides round about him.
25  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under
    his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
26  And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and
    twelve thousand horsemen.
27  And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all
    that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month:  they
    lacked nothing.
28  Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they
    unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his
    charge.
29  And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
    largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
30  And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the
    east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31  For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman,
    and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all
    nations round about.
32  And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand
    and five.
33  And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even
    unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts,
    and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all
    kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

Chapter 5

1   And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had
    heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for
    Hiram was ever a lover of David.
2   And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3   Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto
    the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every
    side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4   But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that
    there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5   And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my
    God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I
    will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my
    name.
6   Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of
    Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will
    I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint:
    for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew
    timber like unto the Sidonians.
7   And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he
    rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath
    given unto David a wise son over this great people.
8   And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which
    thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber
    of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
9   My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea:  and I
    will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint
    me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive
    them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my
    household.
10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his
    desire.
11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to
    his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to
    Hiram year by year.
12  And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was
    peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was
    thirty thousand men.
14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses:  a
    month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was
    over the levy.
15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and
    fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16  Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work,
    three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that
    wrought in the work.
17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones,
    and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18  And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the
    stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

Chapter 6

1   And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the
    children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth
    year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the
    second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.
2   And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length
    thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits,
    and the height thereof thirty cubits.
3   And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the
    length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits
    was the breadth thereof before the house.
4   And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
5   And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about,
    against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of
    the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
6   The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six
    cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the
    wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams
    should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
7   And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready
    before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe
    nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
8   The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house:
    and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of
    the middle into the third.
9   So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with
    beams and boards of cedar.
10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high:
    and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
11  And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,
12  Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk
    in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments
    to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake
    unto David thy father:
13  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake
    my people Israel.
14  So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
15  And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both
    the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling:  and he covered
    them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with
    planks of fir.
16  And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor
    and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within,
    even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.
17  And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
18  And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open
    flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
19  And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark
    of the covenant of the Lord.
20  And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and
    twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and
    he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of
    cedar.
21  So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a
    partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it
    with gold.
22  And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all
    the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with
    gold.
23  And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten
    cubits high.
24  And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the
    other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto
    the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
25  And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one
    measure and one size.
26  The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the
    other cherub.
27  And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched
    forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched
    the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall;
    and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
28  And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
29  And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved
    figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and
    without.
30  And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and
    without.
31  And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the
    lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
32  The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them
    carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them
    with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
33  So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a
    fourth part of the wall.
34  And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door
    were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
35  And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and
    covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
36  And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a
    row of cedar beams.
37  In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid,
    in the month Zif:
38  And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth
    month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and
    according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building
    it.

Chapter 7

1   But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished
    all his house.
2   He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof
    was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the
    height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with
    cedar beams upon the pillars.
3   And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty
    five pillars, fifteen in a row.
4   And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in
    three ranks.
5   And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light
    was against light in three ranks.
6   And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits,
    and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them:
    and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.
7   Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the
    porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the
    floor to the other.
8   And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which
    was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter,
    whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
9   All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed
    stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation
    unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
10  And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of
    ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
11  And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and
    cedars.
12  And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones,
    and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the
    Lord, and for the porch of the house.
13  And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14  He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a
    man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and
    understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to
    king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
15  For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and
    a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
16  And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of
    the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the
    height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
17  And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the
    chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one
    chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
18  And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one
    network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with
    pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
19  And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily
    work in the porch, four cubits.
20  And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above,
    over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegrantes
    were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter.
21  And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up
    the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the
    left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
22  And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the
    pillars finished.
23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other:
    it was round all about, and his height was five cubits:  and a line of
    thirty cubits did compass it round about.
24  And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it,
    ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about:  the knops were cast in
    two rows, when it was cast.
25  It stood upon 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 above upon them, and all
    their hinder parts were inward.
26  And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought
    like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two
    thousand baths.
27  And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one
    base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height
    of it.
28  And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and
    the borders were between the ledges:
29  And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and
    cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above:  and beneath the
    lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.
30  And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass:  and the
    four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters
    molten, at the side of every addition.
31  And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit:  but
    the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an
    half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders,
    foursquare, not round.
32  And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the
    wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit
    and half a cubit.
33  And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel:
    their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes,
    were all molten.
34  And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and
    the undersetters were of the very base itself.
35  And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit
    high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders
    thereof were of the same.
36  For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof,
    he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion
    of every one, and additions round about.
37  After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting,
    one measure, and one size.
38  Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths:
    and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one
    laver.
39  And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the
    left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the
    house eastward over against the south.
40  And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram
    made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the
    house of the Lord:
41  The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the
    top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of
    the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars;
42  And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even tw rows of
    pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters
    that were upon the pillars;
43  And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
44  And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;
45  And the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: and all these vessels,
    which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the Lord, were of
    bright brass.
46  In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground
    between Succoth and Zarthan.
47  And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were
    exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.
48  And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the
    Lord: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread
    was,
49  And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five
    on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the
    tongs of gold,
50  And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and
    the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of
    the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to
    wit, of the temple.
51  So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the
    Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had
    dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put
    among the treasures of the house of the Lord.

Chapter 8

1   Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the
    tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king
    Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant
    of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2   And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at
    the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3   And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4   And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the
    congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even
    those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5   And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were
    assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and
    oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6   And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto
    his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even
    under the wings of the cherubims.
7   For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the
    ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8   And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen
    out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without:
    and there they are unto this day.
9   There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses
    put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of
    Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10  And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy
    place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11  So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud:
    for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
12  Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick
    darkness.
13  I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for
    thee to abide in for ever.
14  And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation
    of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
15  And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his
    mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
16  Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I
    chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my
    name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17  And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the
    name of the Lord God of Israel.
18  And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart
    to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine
    heart.
19  Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall
    come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
20  And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up
    in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the
    Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of
    Israel.
21  And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of
    the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of
    the land of Egypt.
22  And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all
    the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23  And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven
    above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy
    servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
24  Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst
    him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine
    hand, as it is this day.
25  Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my
    father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man
    in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take
    heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before
    me.
26  And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified,
    which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27  But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven
    of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have
    builded?
28  Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his
    supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer,
    which thy servant prayeth before thee today:
29  That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even
    toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that
    thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward
    this place.
30  And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy
    people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in
    heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31  If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon
    him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this
    house:
32  Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning
    the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the
    righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33  When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they
    have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy
    name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34  Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel,
    and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their
    fathers.
35  When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have
    sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy
    name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36  Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of
    thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should
    walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people
    for an inheritance.
37  If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting,
    mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them
    in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness
    there be;
38  What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy
    people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart,
    and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39  Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and
    give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for
    thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40  That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which
    thou gavest unto our fathers.
41  Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but
    cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;
42  (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and
    of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this
    house;
43  Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that
    the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know
    thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know
    that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44  If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever
    thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which
    thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45  Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and
    maintain their cause.
46  If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and
    thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they
    carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47  Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were
    carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the
    land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and
    have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48  And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their
    soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and
    pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers,
    the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for
    thy name:
49  Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy
    dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50  And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their
    transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give
    them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have
    compassion on them:
51  For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest
    forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52  That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and
    unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all
    that they call for unto thee.
53  For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth,
    to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy
    servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
54  And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this
    prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of
    the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to
    heaven.
55  And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud
    voice, saying,
56  Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel,
    according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all
    his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57  The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not
    leave us, nor forsake us:
58  That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and
    to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he
    commanded our fathers.
59  And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the
    Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the
    cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times,
    as the matter shall require:
60  That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and
    that there is none else.
61  Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in
    his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62  And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the
    Lord.
63  And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered
    unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty
    thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the
    house of the Lord.
64  The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was
    before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and
    meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen
    altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt
    offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65  And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a
    great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of
    Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen
    days.
66  On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king,
    and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness
    that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his
    people.

Chapter 9

1   And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the
    house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which
    he was pleased to do,
2   That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared
    unto him at Gibeon.
3   And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy
    supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house,
    which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and
    mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4   And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in
    integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I
    have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5   Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever,
    as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a
    man upon the throne of Israel.
6   But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children,
    and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set
    before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7   Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them;
    and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my
    sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8   And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall
    be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord
    done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9   And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who
    brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken
    hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them:
    therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.
10  And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had
    built the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the king's house,
11  (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees
    and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then
    king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12  And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had
    given him; and they pleased him not.
13  And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my
    brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14  And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
15  And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to
    build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall
    of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
16  For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it
    with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it
    for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.
17  And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
18  And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
19  And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his
    chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to
    build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his
    dominion.
20  And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites,
    Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of
    Israel,
21  Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the
    children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did
    Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
22  But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they
    were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains,
    and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
23  These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work,
    five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in
    the work.
24  But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her
    house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
25  And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace
    offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord, and he burnt
    incense upon the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the
    house.
26  And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside
    Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27  And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge
    of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28  And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred
    and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

Chapter 10

1   And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning
    the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.
2   And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that
    bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was
    come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
3   And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid
    from the king, which he told her not.
4   And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the
    house that he had built,
5   And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the
    attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and
    his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no
    more spirit in her.
6   And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine
    own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
7   Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen
    it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity
    exceedeth the fame which I heard.
8   Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand
    continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
9   Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on
    the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore
    made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
10  And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of
    spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such
    abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king
    Solomon.
11  And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in
    from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
12  And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the
    Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers:
    there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
13  And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire,
    whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal
    bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her
    servants.
14  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
    hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
15  Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the
    spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of
    the country.
16  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred
    shekels of gold went to one target.
17  And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold
    went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of
    Lebanon.
18  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with
    the best gold.
19  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind:
    and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two
    lions stood beside the stays.
20  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon
    the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
21  And 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; none
    were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
22  For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram:
    once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and
    silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
23  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and
    for wisdom.
24  And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God
    had put in his heart.
25  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and
    vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and
    mules, a rate year by year.
26  And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a
    thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom
    he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
27  And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars
    made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for
    abundance.
28  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn:  the
    king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
29  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred skekels
    of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the
    kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them
    out by their means.

Chapter 11

1   But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter
    of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and
    Hittites;
2   Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of
    Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you:
    for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon
    clave unto these in love.
3   And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred
    concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4   For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away
    his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord
    his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5   For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and
    after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6   And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully
    after the Lord, as did David his father.
7   Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of
    Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the
    abomination of the children of Ammon.
8   And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and
    sacrificed unto their gods.
9   And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from
    the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10  And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go
    after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.
11  Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of
    thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have
    commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give
    it to thy servant.
12  Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's
    sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13  Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe
    to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I
    have chosen.
14  And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite:
    he was of the king's seed in Edom.
15  For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of
    the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male
    in Edom;
16  (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had
    cut off every male in Edom:)
17  That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants
    with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
18  And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men
    with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of
    Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him
    land.
19  And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave
    him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the
    queen.
20  And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes
    weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among
    the sons of Pharaoh.
21  And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and
    that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let
    me depart, that I may go to mine own country.
22  Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that,
    behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered,
    Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.
23  And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah,
    which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
24  And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when
    David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein,
    and reigned in Damascus.
25  And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the
    mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over
    Syria.
26  And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's
    servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted
    up his hand against the king.
27  And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king:
    Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his
    father.
28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing
    the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the
    charge of the house of Joseph.
29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem,
    that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had
    clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in
    twelve pieces:
31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the
    Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand
    of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
32  (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for
    Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of
    Israel:)
33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the
    goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom
    the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do
    that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my
    judgments, as did David his father.
34  Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will
    make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake,
    whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
35  But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it
    unto thee, even ten tribes.
36  And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may
    have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen
    me to put my name there.
37  And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy
    soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
38  And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee,
    and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my
    statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be
    with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will
    give Israel unto thee.
39  And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
40  Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and
    fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the
    death of Solomon.
41  And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his
    wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
42  And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was
    forty years.
43  And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
    David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 12

1   And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to
    make him king.
2   And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in
    Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon,
    and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
3   That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation
    of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
4   Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the
    grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us,
    lighter, and we will serve thee.
5   And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to
    me. And the people departed.
6   And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before
    Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I
    may answer this people?
7   And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this
    people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good
    words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8   But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him,
    and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which
    stood before him:
9   And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this
    people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father
    did put upon us lighter?
10  And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying,
    Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy
    father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt
    thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's
    loins.
11  And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add
    to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will
    chastise you with scorpions.
12  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the
    king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13  And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's
    counsel that they gave him;
14  And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My
    father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also
    chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15  Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was
    from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by
    Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the
    people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither
    have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now
    see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
17  But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah,
    Rehoboam reigned over them.
18  Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all
    Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam
    made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
20  And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come
    again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him
    king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David,
    but the tribe of Judah only.
21  And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house
    of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand
    chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel,
    to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22  But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
23  Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all
    the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people,
    saying,
24  Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your
    brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this
    thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and
    returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
25  Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and
    went out from thence, and built Penuel.
26  And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the
    house of David:
27  If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at
    Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their
    lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go
    again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and
    said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:  behold
    thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29  And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
30  And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before
    the one, even unto Dan.
31  And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest
    of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
32  And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth
    day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered
    upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he
    had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which
    he had made.
33  So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the
    fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had
    devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of
    Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

Chapter 13

1   And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the
    Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
2   And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O
    altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto
    the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the
    priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones
    shall be burnt upon thee.
3   And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the
    Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that
    are upon it shall be poured out.
4   And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of
    God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his
    hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put
    forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to
    him.
5   The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar,
    according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the
    Lord.
6   And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat now the
    face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored
    me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king's hand was
    restored him again, and became as it was before.
7   And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh
    thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
8   And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine
    house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink
    water in this place:
9   For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no
    bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou
    camest.
10  So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to
    Bethel.
11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told
    him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the
    words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their
    father.
12  And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had
    seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13  And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the
    ass: and he rode thereon,
14  And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak:
    and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah?
    And he said, I am.
15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16  And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee:
    neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17  For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no
    bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou
    camest.
18  He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake
    unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into
    thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto
    him.
19  So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank
    water.
20  And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the
    Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back:
21  And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus
    saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord,
    and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
22  But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place,
    of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water;
    thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
23  And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had
    drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he
    had brought back.
24  And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him:  and
    his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also
    stood by the carcase.
25  And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and
    the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city
    where the old prophet dwelt.
26  And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard
    thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the
    word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion,
    which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord,
    which he spake unto him.
27  And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled
    him.
28  And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and
    the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase,
    nor torn the ass.
29  And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it
    upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city,
    to mourn and to bury him.
30  And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him,
    saying, Alas, my brother!
31  And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his
    sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the
    man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
32  For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the
    altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are
    in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
33  After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made
    again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever
    would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high
    places.
34  And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it
    off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

Chapter 14

1   At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
2   And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise
    thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee
    to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I
    should be king over this people.
3   And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey,
    and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
4   And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to
    the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by
    reason of his age.
5   And the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to
    ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt
    thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall
    feign herself to be another woman.
6   And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in
    at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest
    thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
7   Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I
    exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people
    Israel,
8   And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee:
    and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my
    commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only
    which was right in mine eyes;
9   But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone
    and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and
    hast cast me behind thy back:
10  Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and
    will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him
    that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of
    the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
11  Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him
    that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the Lord
    hath spoken it.
12  Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet
    enter into the city, the child shall die.
13  And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of
    Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some
    good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
14  Moreover the Lord shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall
    cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
15  For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water,
    and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to
    their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they
    have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger.
16  And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did
    sin, and who made Israel to sin.
17  And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah:  and
    when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
18  And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the
    word of the Lord, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the
    prophet.
19  And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he
    reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the
    kings of Israel.
20  And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years:  and
    he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
21  And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty
    and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years
    in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes
    of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an
    Ammonitess.
22  And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to
    jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their
    fathers had done.
23  For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on
    every high hill, and under every green tree.
24  And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to
    all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the
    children of Israel.
25  And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak
    king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
26  And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the
    treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away
    all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
27  And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed
    them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of
    the king's house.
28  And it was so, when the king went into the house of the Lord, that
    the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
29  Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they
    not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
30  And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
31  And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
    in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
    And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

Chapter 15

1   Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned
    Abijam over Judah.
2   Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
    Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3   And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before
    him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart
    of David his father.
4   Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in
    Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5   Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and
    turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of
    his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
6   And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his
    life.
7   Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not
    written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there
    was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
8   And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of
    David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
9   And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over
    Judah.
10  And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's
    name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
11  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did
    David his father.
12  And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the
    idols that his fathers had made.
13  And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen,
    because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and
    burnt it by the brook Kidron.
14  But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was
    perfect with the Lord all his days.
15  And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the
    things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the Lord, silver,
    and gold, and vessels.
16  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their
    days.
17  And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah,
    that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
18  Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the
    treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's
    house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants:  and king Asa
    sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of
    Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19  There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy
    father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come
    and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from
    me.
20  So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the
    hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and
    Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of
    Naphtali.
21  And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off
    building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
22  Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was
    exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber
    thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba
    of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23  The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he
    did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of
    the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his
    old age he was diseased in his feet.
24  And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in
    the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his
    stead.
25  And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the
    second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
26  And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of
    his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
27  And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired
    against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the
    Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
28  Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and
    reigned in his stead.
29  And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of
    Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had
    destroyed him, according unto the saying of the Lord, which he spake by
    his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
30  Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made
    Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the Lord God of
    Israel to anger.
31  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not
    written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
32  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their
    days.
33  In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah
    to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
34  And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of
    Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Chapter 16

1   Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against
    Baasha, saying,
2   Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over
    my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast
    made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
3   Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of
    his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of
    Nebat.
4   Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that
    dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
5   Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might,
    are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
    Israel?
6   So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah
    his son reigned in his stead.
7   And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the
    word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the
    evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, in provoking him to anger
    with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and
    because he killed him.
8   In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son
    of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
9   And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against
    him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza
    steward of his house in Tirzah.
10  And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and
    seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
11  And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his
    throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that
    pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
12  Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word
    of the Lord, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
13  For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which
    they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the Lord
    God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
14  Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not
    written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15  In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign
    seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon,
    which belonged to the Philistines.
16  And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired,
    and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the
    captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
17  And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they
    besieged Tirzah.
18  And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he
    went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house
    over him with fire, and died,
19  For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord,
    in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make
    Israel to sin.
20  Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought,
    are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
    Israel?
21  Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the
    people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half
    followed Omri.
22  But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that
    followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
23  In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign
    over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
24  And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver,
    and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built,
    after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
25  But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all
    that were before him.
26  For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his
    sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel
    to anger with their vanities.
27  Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he
    shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
    of Israel?
28  So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab
    his son reigned in his stead.
29  And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the
    son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over
    Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
30  And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all
    that were before him.
31  And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk
    in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel
    the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal,
    and worshipped him.
32  And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had
    built in Samaria.
33  And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of
    Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
34  In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the
    foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof
    in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he
    spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

Chapter 17

1   And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said
    unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there
    shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
2   And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
3   Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook
    Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4   And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have
    commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
5   So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went
    and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
6   And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread
    and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
7   And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because
    there had been no rain in the land.
8   And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
9   Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell
    there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of
    the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he
    called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a
    vessel, that I may drink.
11  And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring
    me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12  And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an
    handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:  and, behold,
    I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my
    son, that we may eat it, and die.
13  And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but
    make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after
    make for thee and for thy son.
14  For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not
    waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord
    sendeth rain upon the earth.
15  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she and
    he, and her house, did eat many days.
16  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail,
    according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.
17  And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman,
    the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that
    there was no breath left in him.
18  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of
    God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my
    son?
19  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her
    bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon
    his own bed.
20  And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also
    brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21  And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto
    the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul
    come into him again.
22  And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child
    came into him again, and he revived.
23  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber
    into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See,
    thy son liveth.
24  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man
    of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

Chapter 18

1   And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to
    Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will
    send rain upon the earth.
2   And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine
    in Samaria.
3   And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house.  (Now
    Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:
4   For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that
    Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and
    fed them with bread and water.)
5   And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of
    water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the
    horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
6   So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it:  Ahab
    went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7   And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew
    him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
8   And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
9   And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy
    servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
10  As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my
    lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he
    took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
11  And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
12  And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the
    spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I
    come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy
    servant fear the Lord from my youth.
13  Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of
    the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a
    cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14  And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and
    he shall slay me.
15  And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I
    will surely shew myself unto him today.
16  So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet
    Elijah.
17  And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him,
    Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy
    father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord,
    and thou hast followed Baalim.
19  Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel,
    and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the
    groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.
20  So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the
    prophets together unto mount Carmel.
21  And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye
    between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then
    follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22  Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of
    the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23  Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one
    bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and
    put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on
    wood, and put no fire under:
24  And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of
    the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all
    the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25  And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for
    yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of
    your gods, but put no fire under.
26  And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it,
    and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O
    Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they
    leaped upon the altar which was made.
27  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry
    aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he
    is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28  And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with
    knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29  And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until
    the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was
    neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30  And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the
    people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that
    was broken down.
31  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes
    of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying,
    Israel shall be thy name:
32  And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord:  and
    he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures
    of seed.
33  And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid
    him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on
    the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34  And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time.
    And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35  And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench
    also with water.
36  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening
    sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of
    Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art
    God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these
    things at thy word.
37  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the
    Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38  Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and
    the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was
    in the trench.
39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they
    said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
40  And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of
    them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the
    brook Kishon, and slew them there.
41  And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a
    sound of abundance of rain.
42  So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of
    Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face
    between his knees,
43  And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went
    up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven
    times.
44  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there
    ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.  And he said,
    Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the
    rain stop thee not.
45  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with
    clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to
    Jezreel.
46  And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins,
    and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Chapter 19

1   And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had
    slain all the prophets with the sword.
2   Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do
    to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them
    by tomorrow about this time.
3   And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to
    Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4   But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and
    sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he
    might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I
    am not better than my fathers.
5   And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel
    touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6   And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a
    cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down
    again.
7   And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him,
    and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8   And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that
    meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9   And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the
    word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou
    here, Elijah?
10  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for
    the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine
    altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am
    left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And,
    behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
    mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord
    was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was
    not in the earthquake:
12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire:
    and after the fire a still small voice.
13  And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his
    mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And,
    behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here,
    Elijah?
14  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts:
    because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down
    thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only,
    am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15  And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness
    of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16  And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:
    and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be
    prophet in thy room.
17  And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael
    shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall
    Elisha slay.
18  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have
    not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
19  So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was
    plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth:
    and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20  And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray
    thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he
    said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
21  And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew
    them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave
    unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah,
    and ministered unto him.

Chapter 20

1   And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together:  and
    there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and
    he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
2   And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said
    unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
3   Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even
    the goodliest, are mine.
4   And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according
    to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
5   And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad,
    saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me
    thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6   Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and
    they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it
    shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it
    in their hand, and take it away.
7   Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said,
    Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief:  for he sent
    unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my
    gold; and I denied him not.
8   And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto
    him, nor consent.
9   Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the
    king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will
    do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and
    brought him word again.
10  And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and
    more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the
    people that follow me.
11  And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that
    girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
12  And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was
    drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his
    servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array
    against the city.
13  And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying,
    Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I
    will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am
    the Lord.
14  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the
    young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order
    the battle? And he answered, Thou.
15  Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and
    they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the
    people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16  And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in
    the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped
    him.
17  And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and
    Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of
    Samaria.
18  And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or
    whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19  So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the
    city, and the army which followed them.
20  And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel
    pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with
    the horsemen.
21  And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots,
    and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22  And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go,
    strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return
    of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
23  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are
    gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us
    fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than
    they.
24  And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place,
    and put captains in their rooms:
25  And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for
    horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the
    plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto
    their voice, and did so.
26  And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered
    the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27  And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and
    went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like
    two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
28  And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and
    said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is
    God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I
    deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that
    I am the Lord.
29  And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it
    was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of
    Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30  But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon
    twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left.  And Benhadad fled,
    and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31  And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the
    kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee,
    put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the
    king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
32  So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their
    heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad
    saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my
    brother.
33  Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from
    him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then
    he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he
    caused him to come up into the chariot.
34  And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy
    father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in
    Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee
    away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him
    away.
35  And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour
    in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to
    smite him.
36  Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the
    Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay
    thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and
    slew him.
37  Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee.  And the
    man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
38  So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and
    disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
39  And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy
    servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned
    aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any
    means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou
    shalt pay a talent of silver.
40  And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king
    of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided
    it.
41  And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of
    Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
42  And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go
    out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore
    thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
43  And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and
    came to Samaria.

Chapter 21

1   And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had
    a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of
    Samaria.
2   And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may
    have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I
    will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to
    thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
3   And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the
    inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
4   And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word
    which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will
    not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon
    his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
5   But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit
    so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
6   And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and
    said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please
    thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will
    not give thee my vineyard.
7   And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom
    of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will
    give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
8   So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal,
    and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his
    city, dwelling with Naboth.
9   And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth
    on high among the people:
10  And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against
    him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him
    out, and stone him, that he may die.
11  And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the
    inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it
    was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
12  They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
13  And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him:
    and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the
    presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king.
    Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones,
    that he died.
14  Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
15  And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and
    was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the
    vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for
    money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
16  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab
    rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take
    possession of it.
17  And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18  Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:
    behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to
    possess it.
19  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou
    killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him,
    saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of
    Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
20  And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he
    answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold thyself to work evil
    in the sight of the Lord.
21  Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy
    posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall,
    and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
22  And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of
    Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the
    provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to
    sin.
23  And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat
    Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
24  Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that
    dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
25  But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work
    wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26  And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all
    things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children
    of Israel.
27  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his
    clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
    sackcloth, and went softly.
28  And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29  Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth
    himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his
    son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Chapter 22

1   And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2   And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of
    Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3   And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in
    Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the
    king of Syria?
4   And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to
    Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou
    art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5   And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at
    the word of the Lord today.
6   Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four
    hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to
    battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall
    deliver it into the hand of the king.
7   And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides,
    that we might inquire of him?
8   And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man,
    Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate
    him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And
    Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9   Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither
    Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10  And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on
    his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance
    of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11  And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he
    said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until
    thou have consumed them.
12  And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead,
    and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13  And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,
    saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king
    with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of
    them, and speak that which is good.
14  And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me,
    that will I speak.
15  So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we
    go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear?  And he answered
    him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the
    king.
16  And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that
    thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?
17  And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that
    have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them
    return every man to his house in peace.
18  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee
    that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19  And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord
    sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his
    right hand and on his left.
20  And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and
    fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on
    that manner.
21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I
    will persuade him.
22  And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth,
    and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he
    said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also:  go forth, and do so.
23  Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth
    of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning
    thee.
24  But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the
    cheek, and said, Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak
    unto thee?
25  And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt
    go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26  And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto
    Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27  And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed
    him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come
    in peace.
28  And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not
    spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
29  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to
    Ramothgilead.
30  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself,
    and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of
    Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31  But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had
    rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save
    only with the king of Israel.
32  And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
    Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they
    turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33  And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that
    it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34  And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of
    Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the
    driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host;
    for I am wounded.
35  And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his
    chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of
    the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36  And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going
    down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own
    country.
37  So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the
    king in Samaria.
38  And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs
    licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word
    of the Lord which he spake.
39  Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory
    house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not
    written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40  So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his
    stead.
41  And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the
    fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42  Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and
    he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
    Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43  And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside
    from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord:
    nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered
    and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44  And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he
    shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the
    chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46  And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his
    father Asa, he took out of the land.
47  There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48  Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold:  but
    they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
49  Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants
    go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50  And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
    fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in
    his stead.
51  Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the
    seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years
    over Israel.
52  And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of
    his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the
    son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53  For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the
    Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.