Chapter 1
1 Well, Solomon (the son of David) grew stronger in his kingdom because his God Jehovah was with him and made him great.
2 Then Solomon spoke to all the generals, lieutenants,
judges, governors of
6 Then Solomon offered a thousand whole-burnt offerings as sacrifices to Jehovah there on the bronze Altar before the Tent of the Proofs. 7 And that night, God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask for whatever you wish and I will give it to you.’
8 And Solomon said to God, ‘You’ve been extremely kind to my father David, and You’ve made me the king in his place. 9 So, O my God Jehovah, may You prove true to Your Name in all the things that You [promised] to my father David. For, You have made me the king over a people that are as vast as the dust on the ground. 10 So, give me wisdom and understanding for when these people come before me, because, who can judge so many people!’
11 And God said to Solomon, ‘Because this is the desire of your heart, and you didn’t ask for wealth, possessions, glory, the lives of your enemies, or for a long life, but for the wisdom and understanding to judge My people over whom I have appointed you king, 12 I give you the wisdom and understanding. However, I am also giving you wealth, possessions, and glory. I’m giving you more than any of the kings that came before you or any who will come after you.’
13 So, Solomon left The Tent of Proofs in the place of worship
in
14 Then Solomon started collecting chariots and horsemen;
and [in time] he had a thousand four-hundred chariots and twelve-thousand
horsemen, who he stationed in cities that [he built] to hold the chariots, and
he kept many of the men with him in
15 And thereafter, the king made silver and gold as common
in
16 Well, Solomon bought horses from
Chapter 2
1 Then Solomon gave the word to start building the Temple to the Name of Jehovah and a House for His Kingdom. 2 So, he brought together seventy-thousand laborers, eighty-thousand quarry workers (in the mountains), and three-thousand six-hundred supervisors.
3 Then Solomon sent a message to King Hiram of
5 ‘Now, the
8 ‘Also, please send me cedar, juniper, and pine boards from
10 And look, I will send along gifts of grain as food for your servants who will cut the trees; a-hundred-and-forty-thousand bushels of wheat, a-hundred-and-forty-thousand bushels of barley, twenty-thousand jugs of wine, and twenty-thousand jugs of olive oil.’
11 So, King Hiram of
13 ‘Now, I have sent a man to you who is wise and
knowledgeable; my servant Hiram. Why, his mother is one of the daughters of
Dan, although his father is from
15 ‘And concerning the grain, barley, olive oil, and wine
that my lord spoke of; let him send it to his servants 16 and we will cut all
the trees of Lebanon that you need and send it on the sea to Joppa by barge.
Then you can then carry it on to
17 So, Solomon gathered all the foreign men the land of Israel that had been counted by his father David, and he found that there were a hundred and fifty-three thousand, six hundred of them. 18 So, seventy-thousand were put to work loading carriers, eighty-thousand were put to work in the mountain quarries, and three-thousand-six-hundred were assigned as the supervisors.
Chapter 3
1 Then Solomon started construction on the Temple of Jehovah on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, where Jehovah had appeared to his father David on the threshing floor that he had [bought] from Ornan the Jebusite. 2 He started construction in the second month of the fourth year of his reign.
3 And when Solomon built the Temple of God, he made it a hundred feet long and thirty-three feet wide. 4 Then the columned porch that adjoined its full width along the front was thirty-three feet wide and thirty-three feet high.
Inside it was totally covered in pure gold. 5 It was a large building made of cedar wood that had been covered in pure gold and engraved with palms and chain work. 6 Valuable stones were then added to make the Temple more glorious. Using gold that he got from Pharaoh Imn, 7 he gilded the Temple’s walls, gatehouses, roofing, and doorways, and he carved cherubs on its walls.
8 Next, he made the Holy of Holies. Its width (running along the front of the Temple) was thirty-three feet, and it was thirty-three feet long. Then he had it covered with thirteen-tons of gold. 9 And the weight of each nail was the same as the weight of fifty gold coins. The upper rooms were also covered in gold.
10 Then inside the Temple, facing the Holy of Holies, he made two cherubs of durable wood that were covered with gold. 11 They both stood thirty-three feet tall, and their wings were each eight feet long, 12 touching the Temple walls on one side and touching each other [in the middle]. 13 Their [combined] wingspan was thirty-two feet, and they stood on their feet with their faces toward the [Holy Place].
14 Then he made the veil of blue [thread], purple [yarn], scarlet [cloth], and linen that was woven into [the shape of] cherubs.
15 And in front of the Temple there were two columns that each stood fifty-feet tall, and their caps were each eight-feet tall. 16 Then he made a chain-work for the corners that were put on the column caps, and a hundred pomegranate figures were mounted over the chain-work. 17 These columns were located on each side of the [entrance to] the Temple, and he named the one on the right Success, and the one on the left Strength.
Chapter 4
1 Then he built a bronze Altar that was thirty-three feet long, thirty-three feet wide, and sixteen feet high. 2 And after that, he had the [Sacred] Sea cast. It was round and sixteen feet in diameter. It stood eight-feet high and it was fifty-feet around. 3 This bathing tub [was resting on metal] calves that were standing in a sixteen-foot circle beneath it. 4 There were twelve calves that were cast in two types… three looked north, three looked west, three looked south, and three looked east, with their backsides facing inward, and the Sea sat on top of them.
5 [The Sea] looked like a palm in the middle, and its rim was like the edge of a cup, with carved lily buds [all around]. And it had a capacity of twenty-thousand gallons.
6 And after he finished that, he made ten washbasins, five of which were put on the right and five on the left. They were used to wash and rinse those who sacrificed the whole-burnt offerings. However, the Sea could only be used by the Priests for washing.
7 Then he made ten of the unique golden lamp stands and put them in the Temple, five on the right, and five on the left. 8 And he made ten tables and put them in the Temple… five on the right and five on the left. And he made a hundred golden bowls.
9 Next, he made the Courtyard of the Priests. It was very large, and it had bronze doorways.
10 He located the [Sacred] Sea next to the corner of the Temple, on the right side to the east.
11 Then Hiram made the meat hooks, the censers, the grate for the Altar, and all the other items. For by then he had completed the rest of the work on the Temple of God for King Solomon. 12 He had made two columns with bases and caps. These caps had a meshwork that covered the tops. 13 And he made four-hundred gold bells to cover the tops of the meshwork, and two kinds of pomegranates to cover the mesh on the bottom sides of the column caps.
14 Hiram made the ten wash tubs and their bases, 15 the Sacred Sea with the twelve calves beneath it, 16 the foot basins, ladles, cooking pots, meat hooks, and everything else. Then he brought it all to King Solomon at the Temple of Jehovah. It was all made of pure bronze 17 that he had cast for the king in a temporary structure, which he had built underground near the Jordan.
18 Solomon had a tremendous number of items made, because he had more than enough bronze. 19 He had everything made [that was needed] for the Temple of Jehovah, including the golden Altar, the tables, the place settings for the bread, 20 the unique lampstands and their lamps for lighting [the Temple]… which were all made from pure gold. 21 And there were the tongs, lamps, bowls, and incense pans, which were also made of pure gold, 22 as were the Temple doors and the inner door to the Holy of Holies.
Chapter 5
1 After Solomon finished construction on the Temple of Jehovah, he carried in all the holy things of his father David (the things made of silver and gold) and put them into the Temple treasury. 2 And thereafter, he held an assembly in Jerusalem of all the elders of Israel, all the tribal heads, and all the family heads of the sons of Israel, as they brought the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah out of the city of David, which was on [Mount] Zion.
3 So, all Israel assembled with the king during the holiday of the seventh month, 4 including all the elders. Then the Levites picked up the Chest 5 and carried it to the Tent of Proofs, along with all the holy items, which the Priests and Levites were also carrying.
6 Then Solomon and the entire assembly of the God-fearing who had gathered there around the Chest, sacrificed so many calves and sheep that they couldn’t be counted.
7 So, the Priests carried the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah and placed it inside the Temple, inside the Holy of Holies, beneath the wings of the cherubs. 8 So, there it sat beneath the spread wings of the cherubs who watched over the Chest, with its bearing poles lying across the top. 9 And the bearing poles could be seen sticking through the covering to the Holy of Holies, but they couldn’t be seen from outside [the Temple]. Yet, they are still there to this day.
10 Nothing was in the Chest except the two tablets, which Moses had put there at The Dry Place (Horeb) when Jehovah made the [Agreement] with the sons of Israel after they left the land of Egypt.
11 Then the Priests came out of the Holy Place. At the time, all the Priests were viewed as holy, since the assignments and the daily rotations 12 had yet to be made among the Levites.
But then the musicians and singers from the families of Asaph, Heman, and IdiThoUm (and those who were with them) dressed themselves in fine linen and stood in front of the Altar with their cymbals, stringed instruments, and woodwinds, along with a hundred and twenty Priests who blew their trumpets. 13 And they played a loud symphony, which was accompanied by singing, to acknowledge and praise Jehovah. Then the voices, trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments reached a crescendo, singing ‘Jehovah is good and His mercies will last through the ages.’
And at that, the glorious cloud of Jehovah started to fill the Temple. 14 So, the Priests were no longer able to stand there and serve before the face of the cloud, because the glory of Jehovah was filling the Temple of God.
Chapter 6
1 Then Solomon said, ‘Jehovah says that He camps in a dark place. 2 So, I have built a House to Your Name as something holy to You… a place for You to camp through the ages.’
3 Then the king turned his head and blest the entire gathering of Israel as they were standing nearby. 4 And he said, ‘Praise Jehovah the God of Israel, who spoke to my father David with His mouth, and who filled his hands saying, 5 From the day that I led My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from among any of the tribes of Israel to build a [Temple] to My Name. Nor have I chosen a man to be a leader over My people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for My Name, and I have chosen David to lead My people Israel.
7 ‘Then it came into the heart of my father David to build a Temple to the Name of Jehovah the God of Israel. 8 But Jehovah said to my father David, It’s a good thing that your heart has been moved to build a Temple to My Name, 9 However, you may not build it for Me. Your son who comes from your loins will build a Temple to My Name.
10 ‘Now, Jehovah has made the thing that He said come true, for I have taken the place of my father David, and I am sitting on the throne of Israel, just as Jehovah said. And now I’ve built a Temple to the Name of Jehovah the God of Israel. 11 I’ve also put the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah, which He made with Israel, there.’
12 Then [he walked over] and stood against the Altar of Jehovah and raised his arms before the assembly of Israel. 13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform in the middle of the Temple courtyard that was eight-feet long, eight-feet wide, and five-feet high. So, he got up on it and fell to his knees before the whole assembly of Israel; then he raised his arms to the sky 14 and said: ‘Oh Jehovah, God of Israel, there is no other god like You in the heavens or on the earth who keeps his agreements and shows mercy, as You have shown to Your children who are now standing before You with their whole hearts. 15 You kept [the agreement] that You made with Your servant David (my father), which You promised with Your mouth, and with which You’ve filled Your hands to this day.
16 ‘And now, O Jehovah, God of Israel; keep [the promise] that you made with Your servant David (my father) when You said, There will never fail to be a man from you who sits before My face on the throne of Israel, as long as your sons are careful to always obey My Laws, as you have done before Me.’
17 ‘And now, O Jehovah, God of Israel, may the things that You said to Your servant David prove to be true; 18 that You will for a fact live as God upon the earth. But if the sky and the heavens of the heavens aren’t enough to hold You, then how can this House that I built do so?
19 ‘Please hear the prayers of Your servant, and listen to these things that I’m begging before You, O Jehovah God; please answer the prayers and petitions that Your servant has brought before You today. 20 May Your eyes watch over this Temple day and night… this place that You said would be called by Your Name. Hear the prayer that Your servant is praying in this place… 21 listen to whatever things that Your servant and Your people Israel pray for in this place. Listen from the place where You are staying in the heavens and be forgiving. 22 For, if a man should sin against his neighbor and [the neighbor] then comes before the Altar at this Temple to curse him, 23 listen to him from the heavens and act. Judge Your servants, and bring the bad ways of lawbreakers upon their own heads. Give justice to the just, and repay each one for his righteousness.
24 ‘And if Your people Israel should be devastated by their enemies for sinning against You, and then return and acknowledge Your Name and pray and beg before You in this Temple, 25 please listen from the heavens and forgive Your people Israel. Then return the land that You gave to them and their ancestors.
26 ‘And if You should hold back the skies so there is no rain, because of their sinning against You, and they come and pray and praise Your Name in this place, turning away from their sins because You have humbled them, 27 then listen to them from the heavens and forgive the sins of your servants and of your people Israel. Then show them the good ways to go, and bring rain upon Your land that you have given Your people as their inheritance.
28 ‘Or if a famine comes upon the land, or a killing plague, or a wind-blown blight, or jaundice, or locust, or grasshoppers; or if an enemy should attack their cities – whatever the calamity or misery – 29 please listen to the things that they beg and pray for. And if any man among all Your people Israel knows of a man who has an infection and has become disabled, and then he raises his arms to this Temple, 30 please listen to him from the Home that has been prepared for You – from the heavens – and forgive the man. Know his heart and give him the things he deserves. For, only You know the hearts of the sons of men. 31 May they all fear Your ways for as long as they live on the face of the land that You gave to their ancestors.
32 ‘And when foreigners who are not of Your people Israel come from far-away lands because of Your great Name, strong hand, and raised arm, and they come to pray in this place, 33 listen to them from Your Home in the heavens and do everything that they ask, so all the people of the earth will know Your Name and fear You, as do Your people Israel. And may they recognize that this Temple, which I built, bears Your Name.
34 ‘And if Your people go to war against their enemies – wherever You may send them – and they pray in the direction of this city that You chose, and toward this Temple that I’ve built to Your Name, 35 then listen from the heavens to the things that they beg and pray for, and bring them justice.
36 ‘And when they sin against You (for there isn’t a man who doesn’t sin) and You strike them and hand them over to their enemies, and they are carried away as captives to lands that are near or far away, 37 and they then turn their hearts to the land from which they were taken, and turn and beg to You in their captivity, saying, We have sinned! We have broken [Your] Laws! We were wrong!, 38 and then they return to You with their whole hearts and inner selves, and to this land from which they were taken captive, and pray toward the land that You gave to them and their ancestors, and toward this city which You chose, and toward this Temple that I have built to Your Name; 39 listen to the things that they beg and pray for from Your home in the heavens, and bring them justice. Forgive Your people for their sins against You, O Jehovah. Open Your eyes and ears to the things that people beg for [in the direction of] this place!
41 ‘And now, O Jehovah our God; awaken from Your rest when it comes to this Chest of Your strength, and to Your Priests, O Lord our God. May they wrap themselves in Your salvation, and may Your sons rejoice in good things!
42 O Jehovah our God; don’t turn Your face away from Your anointed one. Remember the [goodness] of Your servant David!’
Chapter 7
1 Then, as Solomon was finishing his prayer, fire came down from the sky and consumed the whole-burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of Jehovah filled the Temple. 2 So, the Priests couldn’t enter the Temple at that time, because the glory of Jehovah filled the Temple.
3 Now, when all the sons of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of Jehovah in the Temple, they all fell to the stone pavement with their faces to the ground, bowing low and praising Jehovah, [saying], ‘He is good, and He is merciful through the ages.’
4 Then the king and all the people offered [more] sacrifices before Jehovah. 5 King Solomon offered twenty-two-thousand calves and a-hundred-and-twenty-thousand sheep. And with that, he and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.
6 Meanwhile, the Priests were standing watch, and the Levites were playing songs that were written to Jehovah by King David on their [musical] instruments, [and singing] the songs they had written, which acknowledged before Jehovah His mercy through the ages. Then the Priests stood out in front and blew their trumpets, as the people stood there [listening].
7 Thereafter, Solomon made the middle of the courtyard of the Temple of Jehovah holy by sacrificing whole-burnt offerings and the fat of salvation. However, the bronze Altar that Solomon had made wasn’t large enough to handle all the whole-burnt offerings, gift offerings, and fat.
8 Well, Solomon observed the holiday for seven days, and all Israel stayed there with him; for it was a huge crowd that had come from as far away as the entrance to HaMath and the River of Egypt. 9 Then on the eighth day, he proclaimed a holiday recess to the Altar dedication, since they had already celebrated the holiday during the previous seven days. 10 So, on the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people back to their homes, and they all left joyfully and with happy hearts over all the good things that Jehovah had done to David, Solomon, and His people Israel.
11 Now, Solomon had completed the Temple of Jehovah, his own palace, and everything else that he wanted to do for the Temple of Jehovah, and his house prospered. 12 Then Jehovah appeared to Solomon one night and said to him: ‘I’ve heard your prayers, and I’ve chosen this place for Myself as a Temple for sacrifices. 13 So, if I should stop up the sky and not allow it to rain, or if I should send locusts to eat all the trees, or if I should send a deadly plague among My people, 14 and then they become ashamed and once more have My Name called upon them, and they pray to Me and search for My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will listen to them from the heavens, forgive their sins, and heal their land, 15 for My eyes will be open and My ears will pay close attention to the prayers of these people.
16 ‘I have also chosen this Temple and made it holy to My Name through the ages, so it will remain in My eyes and in My heart each day. 17 And if you come before Me, as did your father David, and do everything that I tell you to do, following My instructions and Commandments, 18 I will elevate the throne of your kingdom, just as I promised your father David when I said, No [descendant] of yours will be removed from the leadership of Israel.
19 ‘However, if you should turn away and abandon My instructions and the Commandments that I’ve set before you, and go and serve other gods and bow before them, 20 I will remove all of you from the land that I’ve given to you, and I will turn My face away from this Temple that I’ve made holy to My Name, and make it an example that will be talked about among the nations. 21 Then people who pass by this Temple that I’ve made so important will be shocked and ask, Why did Jehovah do all this to this land and to this house? 22 And they will be told, Because they abandoned Jehovah, the God of their ancestors who led them out of the land of Egypt, and they started following other gods, bowing before them and serving them. That’s why God has brought all these bad things upon them.’
Chapter 8
1 It was some twenty years after Solomon finished building the Temple of Jehovah and his palace, 2 that he started developing the cities which Hiram had given him, and he settled the sons of Israel there. 3 He went to Zobah (in Hamath) and strengthened its defenses, 4 then he built Tadmor in the desert, and he built several other fortified cities in Hamath. 5 He also built both Upper and Lower BethHoron, and he fortified them all with walls, bars, and gates; and that’s where he kept his chariots and cavalry. 6 Then Solomon did all the things he wanted to do in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his kingdom.
7 Those who were left in the land that were descendants of the Hittites, Amorites, Pherezites, Hivites, and Jebusites (all those who weren’t Israelites) 8 and who hadn’t been destroyed by Israel, and they were forced by Solomon to pay a tribute (which they still do to this day). 9 And Solomon didn’t appoint any Israelites as servants in his kingdom, for these were his warriors, governors, great men, and those in charge of his chariots and cavalry. 10 There were two-hundred-and-fifty [of them] who were governors that King Solomon had appointed over the supervisors of public works among the people.
11 Then Solomon built a palace for the daughter of Pharaoh outside the city of David, where he sent her to live. For he said: ‘You may not live as the wife of the king of Israel inside the city of David, for it is holy due to the fact that the Chest of Jehovah is there.’
12 Solomon also sacrificed whole-burnt offerings on the Altar that he built to Jehovah (in front of the Temple) 13 on each of the days that they calculated by the Commandments of Moses… on the Sabbaths, on the [New Moons], and on the three annual holidays (the Festival of Yeast-free Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Tents).
14 Then, following the instructions of his father David, he set up the divisions of the Priests and assigned their duties. He assigned the watches for the Levites, and for when they were to direct the other priests (as he understood it was to be handled each day), as well as the shifts for the gatekeepers of each of the gates. He did just as David (the man of God) had instructed… 15 all the commandments of the king were followed when it came to the Priests, Levites, and everything that had to do with the [Temple] treasures.
16 Solomon continued to set everything in order from the day that the Temple foundation was laid, to the day that it was completed. 17 Then Solomon built EziOn and Geber in ElAth by the Sea (in the land of Idumea). 18 And Hiram sent some of his servants (who were able seamen) with boats to be used by Solomon’s servants, and they went to Ophir where they brought back fourteen-tons of gold to King Solomon.
Chapter 9
1 Well, when the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s reputation, she came to Jerusalem to test him with riddles. And when she came, it was with a very large contingent of [servants] and with camels that carried huge amounts of aromatics, gold, and gems. And when she spoke to Solomon, she talked about everything that concerned her, 2 then Solomon replied to everything that she asked, not missing a word.
3 Well, after the Queen of Sheba saw the Wisdom of Solomon, the Temple he had built, 4 the food on his tables, what his servants looked like, the stations and uniforms of his wine servers, and all the whole-burnt offerings that he sacrificed at the Temple of Jehovah, she was beside herself. 5 And she said to the king, ‘Everything that I heard in my own land about you and the wise things you say, are true! 6 However, I didn’t believe any of it until I came and saw it with my own eyes. And look, they didn’t tell me half the story, because I’ve [learned] so much from your wisdom! 7 Why, your men and your servants are blest to be able to always stand before you and listen to your wisdom. 8 May your God Jehovah be praised for choosing you and putting you on His throne as the king. Your God Jehovah must have a great love for Israel and [and must plan] for it to last through the ages, that He would put you as king over them as their righteous judge.’
9 Then she gave the king three-and-a-half tons of gold and a huge amount of aromatics and gems. And the aromatics that she gave him were without equal.
10 Then the servants of Solomon and Hiram brought gold to Solomon from Ophir, as well as pine lumber and precious gems. 11 The king used the wood to build the entryway stairs to the Temple of Jehovah, and to his palace, as well as harps and other stringed instruments for his musicians. And nothing like this had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.
12 Then King Solomon gave the Queen of Sheba everything she desired and had asked for… which exceeded the [gifts] that she had brought to Solomon; and she returned to her land.
13 Well, the weight of the gold that was brought to Solomon that year was twenty tons. 14 And this was in addition to what his men had gained in their trading. For, all the kings of Arabia and all the governors of the land brought gold and silver to the king. 15 So, Solomon had two-hundred shields of pure gold hammered out that were each made with six-hundred gold coins, 16 and three-hundred shields of three-hundred gold coins each, that were then taken and hung in the king’s palace, in [the room he called] the forest of Lebanon.
17 Then the king had a huge throne made for himself from ivory tusks that were covered with pure gold. 18 And he had six steps to the throne that were overlaid with gold. There was a drop-off on either side of the throne, 19 and there were twelve [carved] lions on either side of the throne that were positioned along the drop-off, on the six steps leading up to the king’s throne. Nothing like this was ever seen in any other kingdom.
20 Everything that King Solomon had was made of gold, and everything in his palace and in the forest of Lebanon was overlaid with gold. For, during the time of Solomon, silver wasn’t considered anything.
21 The king’s ships would sail to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram once every three years, and they would return to the king filled with gold, silver, ivory, and monkeys. 22 So, Solomon became greater than all other kings in both wealth and wisdom, 23 and all the kings of the earth would come before Solomon to listen to the wisdom that God had put into his heart. 24 And when they came, they each brought gifts… items of gold and silver, clothes, balsam, spices, horses, and mules, which they did each year.
25 So, Solomon soon had four-thousand mares for his chariots, and twelve-thousand horsemen, who he stationed in the cities that he built for his chariots, as well as with him in Jerusalem. 26 He also ruled over all the kings, from the river and the land of the Philistines to the borders of Egypt.
27 During his reign, gold and silver in Jerusalem became as common as stones, and cedar wood was as common as sycamores in the plains. 28 Solomon also had horses delivered from Egypt and many other lands.
29 The rest of the things that Solomon said – from beginning to end – [Look!] were written by the Prophet Nathan, by AhiJah the Shilonite, and in the visions of the Seer JoEl, who saw things concerning JeroBoam (the son of Nabat).
30 So, Solomon reigned over all of Israel for forty years. 31 Then he went to sleep and they buried him in a tomb in the city of David (his father), and his son RehoBoam started ruling in his place.
Chapter 10
1 Well, RehoBoam went to Shechem, for there is where he was to receive his coronation as king over Israel. 2 And when JeroBoam (the son of Nabat) heard of it, he returned from Egypt where he had been living since he had to flee from King Solomon, 3 because the assembly of Israel had called for him. And when he got there, he and the entire assembly went to and said, 4 ‘Your father put a hard yoke on us, so now free us from the hard service and the heavy yoke that your father put us under, and we will serve you.’
5 And [RehoBoam] replied: ‘Leave me for three days, and then return [for an answer].’ So, the people left.
6 Well, King RehoBoam assembled all the older men who had served his father Solomon during his entire life, and asked, ‘How do you suggest that I answer the people?’
7 And they told him: ‘If you give a good reply to these people today and think well of them, they will serve you for as long as you live.’
8 However, he rejected this advice of the older men and listened to the advice of the younger men that he had grown up with, and who he had chosen as his councilors. 9 For when he asked them, ‘What do you suggest that I tell these people who came before me and asked me to remove the yoke that my father put on them?’, 10 the young men who had been raised with him replied, ‘When you speak to them say: Why, my little finger is greater than the loins of my father. 11 So, if my father disciplined you with a heavy load, I will add to the weight of your yoke. And if my father disciplined you with whips, I will discipline you with scorpions!’
12 So, when all the people and JeroBoam came before RehoBoam on the third day (for the king had said, ‘Return to me on the third day), 13 the king gave them the hard answer, because he had rejected the council of the older men, and he told them what the younger men had suggested. He said, 14 ‘My father put you under a heavy yoke, so I will add to it. And my father disciplined you with whips, so I will discipline you with scorpions.’
15 The [reason why the] king had refused to listen to what the people said, was because God caused the words that He said through AhiJah the Shilonite concerning JeroBoam (the son of Nabat) 16 and all Israel to be fulfilled, and kept him from listening to them.
17 Then the people said to the king, ‘What [do we owe] David and the inheritance of the sons of Jesse? Run to your Tents, O Israel! And you return to your own house, O David!’
So, all the men of Israel returned to their homes, and RehoBoam only ruled over those who lived in Judah. 18 For, when King RehoBoam sent AdoniRam to collect their taxes, they threw rocks at him and killed him… and King RehoBoam had to run to his chariot to flee back to [the safety of] Jerusalem. 19 So, Israel annulled their allegiance to the house of David, which is still true today.
Chapter 11
1 Well, when RehoBoam returned to Jerusalem, he called an assembly of Judah and BenJamin – a hundred and eighty thousand young men – for the purpose of going to war. Then he went off to fight Israel, in order to bring them back under his rule. 2 But Jehovah told the Man of God ShemaiJah, 3 ‘Tell RehoBoam (the son of Solomon, the king Judah) and all Israel, Judah, and BenJamin, that Jehovah says you must not go and attack your brothers. Everyone must just go back home, because I have said this!’
4 As the result, they obeyed the words of Jehovah and they didn’t attack JeroBoam. 5 So, RehoBoam [reigned] in Jerusalem and he built [many] fortified cities throughout Judea. 6 He also refortified BethLehem, AiTan, Thekoe, 7 BethSoura, SochOth, OdolLam, 8 Gath, MariSan, Ziph, 9 AdoRaim, Lachish, Azeka, 10 SaraA, AiLom, and Hebron (in Judah and in BenJamin). 11 He built strong walls around them and appointed governors over them, then he sent them provisions of food, olive oil, and wine, 12 and he armed each city with shields and spears. He made all the cities that he ruled in Judah and BenJamin very strong.
13 Then all the Priests and Levites who had been scattered throughout Israel, left their homes and came to him. 14 They left their homes and all their possessions, and moved to Judah and unto Jerusalem, because JeroBoam and his sons drove them out, so they wouldn’t represent [Jehovah in his land]. 15 For, he had assigned his own priests for the high places, his idols, his foolish things, and the calves that he made. 16 He also drove everyone out of the tribes of Israel whose hearts belonged to Jehovah the God of Israel. And they all moved to Jerusalem where they could sacrifice to Jehovah the God of their ancestors. 17 So, the [influx of] all these people strengthened RehoBoam (the son of Solomon) and the kingdom of Judah, for he followed in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
18 RehoBoam had married MolLath (the daughter of David’s son JeriMoth) and AbiGail (the daughter of Jesse’s son EliAb), 19 and she gave birth to her sons JaOus, ShamarJa, and ZaAm. 20 Then he married MaAchah (AbSalom’s daughter), and she gave birth to AbiJah, JetThi, Zeza, and SalemOth.
21 Now, RehoBoam loved AbSalom’s daughter MaAcha more than his other wives and concubines (he had eighteen wives and thirty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters), 22 so he appointed MaAcha’s son AbiJah over his brothers to become king after him, 23 and he became very powerful throughout the fortified cities and borders of Judah and BenJamin. He also sent huge amounts of provisions to them, but he asked for many wives.
Chapter 12
1 Well, once RehoBoam was firmly established on his throne, he abandoned the Commandments of Jehovah, and all Israel followed along. 2 Then in the fifth year of the reign of RehoBoam, Shishak (the king of Egypt) attacked Jerusalem, because they had sinned against Jehovah. 3 He came with twelve-hundred chariots, sixty-thousand cavalrymen, and innumerable soldiers from Egypt, Libya, SukKia, and Ethiopia, 4 and they captured all the fortified cities of Judah… then they came to Jerusalem.
5 Thereafter, the Prophet ShemaiJah went to RehoBoam and the governors of Judah who had fled to Jerusalem, and said to them, ‘Jehovah says, You have abandoned Me, so I will abandon you into the hands of Shishak.’
6 Well, the king and all the governors of Judah were ashamed, and they said, ‘Jehovah is just.’
7 And when Jehovah saw their shame, He sent word to ShemaiJah, saying, ‘They feel ashamed, so I won’t destroy them totally. I will give them some small consideration, and I won’t pour out all My rage upon Jerusalem. 8 They will become My servants and they’ll come to know what serving Me really means… and what it means to serve the kingdom of this land.’
9 Then Shishak (the king of Egypt) attacked Jerusalem and took all the treasures that were in the Temple of Jehovah, as well as all the treasures in the king’s palace, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made 10 (which RehoBoam later replaced with brass shields). Then Shishak put his guards in the king’s gatehouse, 11 so whenever the king went to the Temple of Jehovah, they would go along and watch him, and then return with him.
12 Well, because he felt ashamed, the anger of Jehovah turned away from him and he didn’t remain corrupt to the end. So, things went well for Judah, 13 as RehoBoam continued reigning in Jerusalem, and he started to regain his power.
RehoBoam was forty-one-years-old when he started his reign, and he ruled in Jerusalem (the city from among all the tribes of Israel where Jehovah chose to put His Name) for seventeen years. His mother’s name was NoOmMa (she was an Ammonite). 14 But he continued to act wickedly, because he could never straighten out his heart toward seeking Jehovah.
15 [Look!] All the words of RehoBoam (from beginning to end) and all the things he did were recorded by the Prophet ShemaiJah and by the Seer AdDo.
RehoBoam stayed in a state of war with JeroBoam throughout his life. 16 Then he died and was buried in a tomb with his ancestors in the city of David, and his son AbiJah became king after him.
Chapter 13
1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of JeroBoam, AbiJah started reigning over Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was MaAcha, and she was the daughter of OuriEl from Gibeon.
[During the lifetime of] AbiJah, there was war between him and JeroBoam. 3 For, AbiJah brought together a huge force of four-hundred-thousand mighty warriors, and JeroBoam came against him with an even larger army of eight-hundred-thousand mighty warriors. 4 Then AbiJah stood on Mount Somoron (in the mountains of Ephraim) and shouted: ‘Hear me, O JeroBoam and all Israel; 5 don’t you know that Jehovah the God of Israel appointed King David to rule over Israel through the ages, and that He made a salt agreement with his sons? 6 And then JeroBoam, the son of Nabat and the servant of David’s son Solomon, rebelled against his lord 7 and gathered a group of troublemakers and lawbreakers to come against Solomon’s son RehoBoam. And because RehoBoam was then young and timid at heart, he didn’t oppose him face-to-face.
8 ‘And now you dare to speak of resisting the kingdom of Jehovah and the hands of the sons of David, and you’ve gathered a huge army against us. But your gods are the gold calves that JeroBoam made for you. 9 Didn’t you drive out the Priests of Jehovah… the sons of Aaron and the Levites? And didn’t you choose your own priests from among the people of the land? So, just anyone who came and offered seven rams was made the priest of something that isn’t even a God! 10 But we have Jehovah as our God, and we haven’t abandoned Him! His Priests, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, still serve before Jehovah in their daily rotations and offer whole-burnt offerings to Jehovah in the mornings and evenings. They also burn the [sacred] incense, lay the [sacred] bread loaves on the table, and serve before the sacred lampstand of pure gold, keeping the lamps burning to light the nights.
11 ‘We’re the ones who guard the watches of Jehovah the God of our ancestors, and you’re the ones who have abandoned Him. 12 So {Look!} Jehovah is leading us, and His Priests are blowing the signal trumpets that testify against you and the sons of Israel. You can’t fight against Jehovah the God of your ancestors, because what you’re doing won’t be blest.’
13 Well at the time, [part of] JeroBoam’s [army] was marching around Judah to ambush them from behind. So, while JeroBoam was there in the front, an ambush was forming behind Judah. Then, when the army of Judah looked around, 14 they found that they were being attacked from the front and from the rear. So, they yelled to Jehovah and the Priests started blowing their trumpets. 15 And when the men of Judah started calling to Jehovah, He struck JeroBoam and Israel, there before AbiJah and Judah. 16 And then the sons of Israel turned and ran from Judah. So, Jehovah saved them from their hands.
17 Then AbiJah and his men attacked, causing a great calamity for Israel, for they killed five-hundred-thousand of their mighty men. 18 So, the sons of Israel were disgraced that day, and the sons of Judah became stronger, because they trusted in Jehovah the God of their ancestors.
19 Well, AbiJah pursued JeroBoam and captured the cities of BethEl (and her surrounding towns), JeShanah (and her surrounding towns), and Ephron (and her surrounding towns). 20 So, JeroBoam was no longer strong during the rest of AbiJah’s lifetime, because Jehovah struck him and ended him. 21 But AbiJah grew stronger and took fourteen wives for himself, fathering twenty sons and sixteen daughters.
22 All of the rest of the things that AbiJah said and did are written in the scroll of the Prophet AdDo.
Chapter 14
1 Then AbiJah died and they buried him in a tomb with his ancestors in the city of David, and his son Asa started reigning after him.
During the life of Asa, everything was quiet in the land of Judah for ten years, 2 and he did good things and was righteous before his God Jehovah. 3 He removed all the pagan altars and high places [of worship], he broke down their monuments, and he cut down their sacred poles. 4 Then he urged Judah to search for Jehovah the God of their ancestors, and to obey His Laws and Commandments. 5 Throughout Judah he had all the altars and idols destroyed, and he brought peace to all the walled cities in the land. 6 So everything was peaceful, and there were no wars during that period, because Jehovah gave him rest.
7 Then [Asa] said to the people of Judah: ‘We should rebuild all our cities and give them walls, towers, gates, and bars. For, since we’ve been searching for our God Jehovah, He has been searching for us, and He’s provided us rest all around and blest us.’
8 Now at the time, Asa had three-hundred-thousand armed soldiers from the land of Judah who each carried shields and spears, and two-hundred-and-eighty-thousand bowmen with small shields, from the land of BenJamin. And they were all powerful warriors.
9 Then Zare the Ethiopian came against them with a million troops and three-hundred chariots. 10 And when he reached MariSha, Asa came to meet him and attacked him in the ravine north of the city. 11 Then Asa called to Jehovah his God and said, ‘O Jehovah; it isn’t impossible for You to save with many or with few, so strengthen us, O Jehovah God, for we will trust in You. We’ve come against this huge army in Your Name, O Jehovah our God, so don’t allow any man to defeat You!’
12 Well, Jehovah cut down the Ethiopians before Judah, and they fled. 13 Then Asa and his men chased after them all the way to Gedor. And there the Ethiopians couldn’t find a place to hide, so they were cut down and defeated before Jehovah and his army, and they carried away much loot.
14 Now, because Jehovah was with them, the whole situation was reversed; for [Judah] attacked and destroyed all the towns around Gedor, and they ravaged all the [Ethiopian] cities, carrying away a huge amount of loot. 15 They even destroyed the tents and property of the shepherds, carrying away many sheep and camels; and they returned to Jerusalem.
Chapter 15
1 Then the Breath of Jehovah came over AzariJah (the son of Oded), and he went to meet with Asa, all Judah, and [the tribe of] BenJamin. And he said, ‘Hear me Asa, and all Judah, and BenJamin! 2 As long as you’re with Him, Jehovah will be with you. And if you search for Him, He’ll be found by you. However; if you abandon Him, He’ll abandon you.
3 ‘Now, Israel has been without the true God for a long time, and there has been no Priest who can explain things clearly, and no Law. 4 But since [the people] have returned to Jehovah the God of Israel, He will be found by them.
5 ‘There has been no peace for those who enter or leave [our cities, until now], but Jehovah has brought a change of state to all those who live everywhere. 6 For, nation used to fight against nation and city against city, because God shocked them by bringing all sorts of problems upon them. 7 But now you must be strong and not lose your grip, because you will reap the reward of your [good] deeds!’
8 Well, after he heard these words of the Prophet AzariJah, Asa was moved to drive all the disgusting things out of the land of Judah and BenJamin. He dedicated all the [idols] that JeroBoam had captured in the mountains of Ephraim [to destruction], [and he repaired] the Altar of Jehovah that was in front of His Temple. 9 Then he [called an] assembly of Judah, BenJamin, and those of the tribes of Ephraim, ManasSeh, and Simeon who were living among them (for many had moved there from Israel when they saw that Jehovah God was with him). 10 So, they all came to Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa, 11 and he sacrificed part of the things they had captured to Jehovah that day… seven-hundred calves and seven-thousand sheep. 12 And they all agreed to search for Jehovah the God of their ancestors with their whole hearts and souls. 13 They also agreed that anyone who refused to search for Jehovah the God of Israel should die, whether they are young or old, male or female. 14 So, everyone swore an oath to Jehovah in a loud voice, as the trumpets and horns were being blown. 15 And everyone in Judah was delighted to swear the oath with their whole souls… freely and of their own will. So they searched for Jehovah and He was found by them; then He rested among them.
16 [Asa] then forced his mother MaAcha to stop worshiping before Astarte, and he cut down the idol, incinerated it, and had [its ashes] thrown into the Cedar (Kidron) Wadi. 17 However, he failed to remove the high places of worship that were then located all around Judah and Israel. Yet, Asa’s heart remained [true] throughout the rest of his life. 18 He also recovered the holy things of his ancestor David and the holy things of the Temple of God… all the items of silver and gold.
19 And there was no more war through the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
Chapter 16
1 It was during the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa that BaAsha (the king of Israel) attacked Judah, and he built Rama to keep [his people] from entering or leaving the land of Asa (the king of Judah). 2 Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasury in the Temple of Jehovah and the king’s palace, and sent it to BenAder, the king of Syria who lived in Damascus, saying: 3 ‘Let’s create a treaty between you and me, and between my father and your father. Look! I’m sending you gold and silver; so come and scatter BaAsha (the king of Israel), and drive him away from me!’
4 Well, King BenAder listened to Asa and he ordered his generals to attack the cities of Israel. So they attacked AiOn, Dan, AbelMain, and [cities] throughout the land of Naphtali. 5 And when BaAsha heard what was happening, he stopped building Rama and ended his projects. 6 Then King Asa gathered all Judah and they picked up the stones and timbers that BaAsha was using to build Rama, and used them to build Gabae and Maspha.
7 Thereafter, the Prophet HanaNi went to Asa (the king of Judah) and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Syria and you didn’t put your trust in your God Jehovah, the army of Syria won’t remain under your control. 8 Don’t [you remember] how large and courageous the armies of the Ethiopians and Libyans were, and how vast their cavalry was? And when you relied on Jehovah, He gave them into your hands. 9 For the eyes of Jehovah search throughout the earth looking to strengthen any heart that is devoted to Him. But now I want you to know that you’re going to have to go to war.’
10 Well, Asa was furious with the Prophet and had him thrown in prison because he was so angry, and he had several people killed.
11 {Look!} The rest of the things that Asa said and did (from beginning to end) are written in the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.
12 It was during the thirty-ninth year of Asa’s reign that he became seriously ill, for he was having problems with his feet. And rather than going to Jehovah for help, he went to the physicians. 13 So, Asa [died] and went to sleep with his ancestors, and his reign ended in its fortieth year. 14 Then they buried him in a tomb that he had dug for himself in the city of David. They placed [his body] on a bed that was covered with aromatics and expensive perfumes, and they held a great funeral for him.
Chapter 17
1 After that, [Asa’s] son JehoShaphat took his place as the king. And JehoShaphat fortified the [land] against Israel 2 by placing troops in all the walled cities of Judah. He also appointed governors over each city in Judah, and over all the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 Now, Jehovah was with JehoShaphat, because he started out by following in the ways of his ancestor David. 4 He didn’t [worship] any of the idols… just Jehovah the God of his father. He obeyed the commandments of his father and he didn’t follow in the ways of Israel. 5 So, Jehovah strengthened the kingdom under his hands, and all Judah sent him gifts. As the result, he became very rich and powerful.
6 He followed in the ways of [Jehovah faithfully], and he again removed all the high places of worship and all the sacred poles from the land of Judah. 7 Then, during the third year of his reign, he sent his governors, sons, and dignitaries (AbdiAn, ZachariJah, NathanaEl, and MichaiJah) to teach in the cities of Judah, 8 along with the Levites (ShemaiJah, NathaniJah, ZabDiJah, AsiEl, SemiRamOth, JoNathan, AdoniJah, and TobiJah) and the Priests (EliSama and JoRam). 9 So, they traveled throughout Judah with the book of the Law of Jehovah, going to each city and teaching [God’s Law] to the people. 10 As the result, Jehovah brought a change over all the surrounding kingdoms, because they no longer went to war against JehoShaphat.
11 Why, even the Philistines brought JehoShaphat gifts and things made of silver; and the people of Arabia brought him seven-thousand, seven-hundred male sheep, and seven-thousand, seven-hundred male goats. 12 So he kept growing in stature and importance, as he built houses and fortified cities throughout Judea, 13 and started several public-works projects.
He also kept a contingent of mighty warriors in Jerusalem, 14 and here are their numbers by houses and families:
· The generals of Judah were AdNah, the leader of three-hundred-thousand men; 5 JoAnan, the leader of two-hundred and eighty thousand; 16 AmasiJah (the son of Zari, who was known for his zeal for Jehovah), the leader of two-hundred-thousand strong, mighty men.
· 17 And from [the tribe of] BenJamin came the strong, powerful leader EliAda, who had two-hundred-thousand bowmen that carried small shields. 18 And following him was JoZabad with a hundred-and-eighty-thousand mighty men of war.
19 These men were also the king’s governors, who were in charge of the fortified cities throughout Judea.
Chapter 18
1 Well, after JehoShaphat became very rich and famous, he decided to ally himself with the house of Ahab through marriage. 2 So after several years, he went to visit Ahab in Samaria with a large contingent of his people, and he sacrificed many calves and sheep on behalf of Ahab. Then, to show his love for him, he consented to go with him to [fight at] RamOth Gilead. 3 For, Ahab (the king of Israel) had asked JehoShaphat (the king of Judah), ‘Will you go to RamOth Gilead with me?’ And he replied, ‘You and your people are the same as [me and] my people, so we will join you in the war.’
4 However, JehoShaphat said to the king of Israel, ‘But first, let’s ask for [Jehovah’s direction]!’
5 So the king of Israel gathered all his prophets (some four-hundred men) and asked them, ‘Should I attack RamOth Gilead or should I wait?’
And they replied, ‘Go there, and God will hand them over to the king!’
6 But then JehoShaphat asked, ‘Aren’t there any Prophets of Jehovah who we can ask?’
7 And the king of Israel replied, ‘There’s one man who searches for answers from Jehovah, but I detest him, because he never prophesies anything good for me. All he ever tells me is bad things. He is MichaiJah, the son of JemBla.’
But JehoShaphat said, ‘The king shouldn’t talk that way!’
8 Then the king called one of his eunuchs and said, ‘Quickly! Go find MichaiJah (the son of JemBla) and bring him to me!’
9 Well at the time, the king of Israel and JehoShaphat (the king of Judah) were each sitting on their thrones in the broad area near the city gate of Samaria, dressed in [royal] robes, and all the prophets were there prophesying before them. 10 Then one of them (ZedekiJah, the son of CanaAn) made some iron horns for himself and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: You will gore the Syrians with these until you’ve wiped them out completely!’ 11 And all the rest of the prophets said the same thing. They said, ‘Go to RamOth Gilead and you’ll succeed, for the Lord will give it into the hands of the king.’
12 Then, the messenger who had been sent to call MichaiJah said to him, ‘Look! All the prophets are saying good things to the king, so it would be a blessing if you would tell him good things too.’
13 And MichaiJah replied, ‘As Jehovah lives, I’ll say whatever God tells me to say.’
14 So MicaJah went before the king, and the king asked, ‘Should I attack RamOth Gilead or should I wait?’
And he replied, ‘Go, and you will be blest, because it will be given into your hands!’
15 But the king said, ‘How often do I have ask you to swear to only tell me the truth in the Name of Jehovah?’
16 And MichaiJah said, ‘I see Israel being scattered in the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. For Jehovah said, They will be without a leader, so each one should return to his house in peace.’
17 Then the king of Israel said to JehoShaphat, ‘You see… didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophecy anything good… just bad things?’
18 And MichaiJah said, ‘That isn’t so! [These are] the words of Jehovah! For, I saw Jehovah sitting on His Throne, and all the armies of the heavens were sitting beside Him on His right and on His left. 19 Then Jehovah asked: Whom could I send to deceive Ahab the king of Israel, so that he attacks RamOth Gilead and is defeated? Then one suggested this and another that, 20 but then a spirit stepped forward into the presence of Jehovah 2 and said, I can fool him. And when Jehovah asked how, 21 he said: I will go into the mouths of his prophets as a lying spirit. And [God] said: You will be able to fool him; so go there and do so!
22 ‘As the result {Look!}, Jehovah has put a lying spirit into the mouths of all these, your prophets. And it was Jehovah who spoke these bad things against you, [not me].’
23 Then ZedekiJah (the son of Canaan) [came up] and hit MichaiJah in the jaw and shouted, ‘How has Jehovah’s Breath passed from me to you, so that you should feel so free to speak?’
24 And MichaiJah answered, ‘{Look!} You will know it in that day, when you must run from closet to closet to hide!’
25 Then the king of Israel gave the order: ‘Take MichaiJah and hand him over to Emer the city mayor, and to [my] son JoAsh the governor. 26 Tell them that the king wants this man thrown into prison and just fed moldy bread and water until we return in peace!’
27 And MichaiJah said, ‘Well, as Jehovah told me; you’re not going to return in peace… Listen all you people!’
28 So the king of Israel and JehoShaphat (the king of Judah) rode up to RamOth Gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said to JehoShaphat: ‘I’m going to disguise myself when I go into battle, so I want you to wear my clothes!’ And the king of Israel disguised himself and rode into the battle.
30 Then the king of Syria told the generals who were standing near him (those who were in charge of his chariots): ‘Don’t attack the regular soldiers, just attack the king of Israel.’ 31 So when the generals in charge of the chariots saw JehoShaphat, they shouted: ‘That’s the king of Israel!’ And they surrounded him and prepared to attack. But JehoShaphat called out, and Jehovah saved him by turning them away from him. 32 For, when the generals in charge of the chariots saw that it wasn’t the king of Israel, they turned and left him.
33 Then a skilled archer pulled his bow tight and shot an arrow at the king of Israel, hitting him in the middle of his chest, between his lungs. And [the king] said to his chariot driver, ‘Turn around and take me away from the battle, because I’m in a lot of pain!’
34 So the king of Israel left the battle that day, and there he sat on his chariot, right across from the Syrian lines, until the evening. Then he died just as the sun was setting.
Chapter 19
1 Well, as JehoShaphat (the king of Judah) was returning to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 the Prophet Jehu (the son of AnaNi) came to meet him. And he said, ‘O King JehoShaphat; why did you befriend and help a sinner who is hated by Jehovah? Now, because you did this, you’ve brought Jehovah’s anger upon yourself. 3 However, good things have been said about you, because you removed the sacred poles from the land of Judah, and you’ve straightened your heart to search for Jehovah.’
4 So thereafter, JehoShaphat continued to live in Jerusalem, and he once again went to all the people (from BeerSheba to the mountains of Ephraim) to turn them to Jehovah, the God of their ancestors. 5 He also assigned judges in all the walled cities of Judah, city by city. 6 And he told the judges: ‘Pay close attention to what you’re doing, because you aren’t judging for men. Rather, the decisions you make are for Jehovah, 7 so may the fear of God rest upon you! And be careful about how you act, for your God Jehovah isn’t unjust; He doesn’t pay any attention to what a man looks like, nor does He accept bribes!’
8 Then JehoShaphat brought the Levites, the Priests, and the patriarchs of Israel to Jerusalem to serve as judges for Jehovah, and to judge the people of Jerusalem. 9 And the instruction he gave to them were: ‘You must [judge] with the fear of Jehovah… in truth, and with a [pure] heart. 10 You must warn each man among your brothers who comes to you for justice from any of the cities, whether it’s a matter of blood, of order, of the Commandments, of the Law, or of the decisions [of God], that they must not sin against Jehovah. And so that He doesn’t become angry with you or your brothers, you must [remember this also] and not sin.
11 ‘{Look!} I’ve appointed AmariJah the Priest over you, because every decision is the word of Jehovah. Also, ZabdiJah (the son of IsMaEl) is in charge of the house of Judah when it comes to the decisions of the king. And the Scribes and Levites are there [to help you]. So, be strong and act; and then Jehovah will bless the good!’
Chapter 20
1 Then the sons of Moab, the sons of Ammon, and some of the Minaeans marched against JehoShaphat for war. 2 So his [messengers] spoke plainly to JehoShaphat and told him: ‘A huge army has come against you from the other side of the sea and from Syria. Look! They’re already in AsaSan Thamar (EnGedi).’
3 Well, this frightened JehoShaphat and he went to seek [Jehovah’s] guidance; then he proclaimed a fast in all Judah. 4 And thereafter, all Judah gathered to seek Jehovah’s help, coming from all the cities of the land. 5 Then JehoShaphat stood up before the entire assembly of Judah in Jerusalem, at the Temple of Jehovah (in front of the new courtyard), 6 and said: ‘O Jehovah, the God of my fathers; aren’t You the God of all that’s above the sky, and don’t You dominate all the kingdoms of the nations? Don’t Your hands have the strength to dominate everything, and can anyone stand against You? 7 For, You are Jehovah… You’re the One who destroyed those who lived in this land from before your people Israel, and You gave the land to the seed of Abraham… he who loved you through the age. 8 And this is where they live and where they’ve built a Sanctuary to Your Name.
9 ‘Now, [the people have said]: Should any bad things come against us, such as war, judgments, plague, or famine, we will come and stand before You and You will save us, for the battle Is Jehovah’s.
10 ‘And look! The sons of Ammon, Moab, and [people from] the mountains of Seir – those whose lands You refused to allow Your people to pass through – have just returned from the land of Egypt, from which they were driven away and which they couldn’t conquer, 11 and now {Look!} they’ve come here to drive us out the inheritance that You gave us!
12 ‘O Jehovah our God, won’t You condemn them? Why, we aren’t strong enough to resist such a huge army, and we don’t know what to do to them. So, we’re all looking to You.’
13 Well, all Judah was standing there before Jehovah, including their wives and children. 14 Then the Breath of Jehovah came over OziEl (the son of ZachariJah, a descendant of BenaiJah, the son of EliEl, the son of MathaniJah the Levite of the sons of Asaph) as he stood there in the assembly. 15 And he said, ‘Listen all Judah, you who live in Jerusalem, and King JehoShaphat; for this is Jehovah’s reply to you: Don’t be afraid of that huge army, because this battle isn’t yours, it belongs to God. 16 You must march against them tomorrow. Look; they will be marching along the road to Asa, and you will find them camped beside the river in the JeriEl Desert. 17 However, don’t attack them, just stand there and watch; and then you’ll see that the deliverance of Jehovah is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t worry and don’t be frightened, for when you march to meet them tomorrow, Jehovah will be with you!’
18 Then JehoShaphat bowed upon his face, and all Judah and the people of Jerusalem fell to their faces before Jehovah. 19 And the Levites (the sons of Kohath and Kore) got up and started praising Jehovah the God of Israel, calling out loudly toward the heavens.
20 Well, they got up early the next morning and marched into the Thecoe Desert. And as they were marching, JehoShaphat got up and shouted: ‘Hear me, O Judah and those who live in Jerusalem! Trust in Jehovah and you’ll find His trust.… trust in His Prophet and you’ll be blest!’
21 Then [he marched with] the people, and he sent singers and [the Priests] who offer holy praise and acknowledgements, to march ahead of the army. And they were shouting, ‘Praise Jehovah and His mercy through the ages!’
22 Well, as they were shouting these praises and acknowledgements, Jehovah caused the sons of Ammon to turn against Moab and the people of the mountains of Seir who were marching against Judah, and they all turned and started running away. 23 Then the sons of Ammon and the Moabites attacked the people from the mountains of Seir, and they killed everyone who lived there… and then they started fighting among themselves until they were all destroyed.
24 So when Judah reached the ridge along the edge of the desert, they looked down on the whole army and found them all lying on the ground dead… none were left; 25 so JehoShaphat and his people went down and took all their possessions (there were many cattle, personal things, desirable things, and loot, and they took everything). Why, it took three days for them to pick up everything, because there was so much to be collected!
26 Then on the fourth day, they all assembled in the Canyon of Blessing… which is what they started calling it, because Jehovah had blest them there, and it’s still called the Valley of Blessing to this day.
27 Then all the men of Judah marched back to Jerusalem joyfully, with JehoShaphat taking the lead. For, everyone was so happy over what Jehovah had done to their enemies. 28 And as they entered Jerusalem, they were playing stringed instruments, woodwinds, and trumpets, and they went to the Temple of Jehovah. 29 Then Jehovah brought a change of state upon all the kingdoms of the land, for when they heard that Jehovah was fighting against the enemies of Israel, 30 they allowed the kingdom of JehoShaphat to have peace and rest all around.
31 Well, JehoShaphat started his reign over Judah when he was thirty-five years old, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azuba, and she was the daughter of Sali. 32 He followed in the ways of his father Asa, and he never turned aside from doing what was upright before Jehovah. 33 But the high places of worship were still there, and the people never straightened out their hearts to Jehovah the God of their ancestors.
34 {Look!} The rest of the things that JehoShaphat said, from beginning to end, have been written by Jehu (the son of Anani), who wrote it all in the scroll of the kings of Israel.
35 But later on, JehoShaphat (the king of Judah) [displeased Jehovah] by working with AhaziJah (the king of Israel) to build boats in Ezion Geber that they could sail to Tarshish. 36 So, EliEzer (the son of DodiJa, from MarIsis) prophesied against JehoShaphat, saying: 37 ‘Because you befriended AhaziJah, Jehovah has destroyed all your work and broken your boats to pieces.’
As the result, they never sailed to Tarshish.
Chapter 21
1 Then JehoShaphat went to sleep with his ancestors and they buried him in a tomb in the city of David. And his son JehoRam started reigning in place of him.
2 Now, JehoRam had six brothers, AzariJah, JeiEl, ZachariJah, AzariJah, MichaEl, and SaphatiJah, all of whom were sons of JehoShaphat, the king of Judah. 3 And their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, shields, and walled cities in Judah; however, he gave the kingdom to JehoRam, because he was the firstborn. 4 But after JehoRam became strong in his kingdom, he killed all his brothers and some of the governors of Israel with a sword.
5 JehoRam was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. 6 But he started acting like the kings of Israel and doing the same things as the house of Ahab, acting wickedly before Jehovah, because he married the daughter of Ahab. 7 However, Jehovah didn’t want to destroy the house of David due to the agreement that He had made with David, when He told him that He would give him and his sons a lamp through all the years.
8 Then Edom rebelled against Judah and appointed a king to rule over them. 9 So JehoRam, his leaders, and cavalry went to Edom; but during the night the generals in charge of his chariots found themselves surrounded, and they all retreated to their tents. 10 So, Edom has continued their revolt against Judah down to this day. Then Lobna revolted and became free of [JehoRam’s] rule, because he had abandoned Jehovah the God of his ancestors… 11 he built the high places [of worship] in the cities of Judah, and led the people of Jerusalem into [spiritual] immorality.
12 Then [JehoRam] received a letter from the Prophet EliJah that said, ‘This is what Jehovah the God of your ancestor David has said: Because you haven’t followed in the ways of your father JehoShaphat, or in the ways of Asa the king of Judah, 13 and have gone in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you’ve led the people of Judah and Jerusalem into [spiritual] immorality (as the house of Ahab is guilty of immorality), and because you murdered your brothers, the sons of your father who were all better than you, 14 {Look!} Jehovah is going to bring a great calamity upon you, your people, your sons, your wives, and everything you own… 15 then you’re going to become very sick and feel worse each day until your belly bursts.’
16 So Jehovah sent the Philistines, the Arabians, and the people from around Ethiopia against JehoRam, 17 and they attacked Judah and beat them. Then they carried off everything that they found in the king’s palace and in the houses of his sons and daughters. And the only son that survived was JehoAhaz (his youngest). 18 And thereafter, Jehovah] struck him with a disease of the belly that couldn’t be cured, 19 and it got worse day after day for two years. Then his belly broke open from the disease and he died in agony.
Well, his people didn’t even hold a funeral for him as they had done for his ancestors. 20 He was thirty-two years old when he started his reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. But when he died, he wasn’t highly regarded, so they buried him in a tomb in the city of David, but not among the kings.
Chapter 22
1 Then the people in Jerusalem chose his youngest son AhaziJah to be their king, because all his older sons had been murdered by a band of Arabian and Alimozonian highwaymen. 2 So, JehoRam’s son AhaziJah became the king of Judah and started his reign in Jerusalem when he was twenty-five years old. His mother’s name was AthaliJah, and she was the daughter of Omri.
3 AhaziJah also followed in the ways of the house of Ahab, because his mother was his counselor in sin. 4 So, like the house of Ahab, he acted wickedly before Jehovah, because [Ahab’s family] were his counselors after his father died, and they led him into destruction. 5 For, he listened to their council and joined Ahab’s son JehoRam (the king of Israel) in a war against HazaEl (the king of Syria) at RamOth Gilead.
[Now, in this war] JehoRam was shot by a bowman, 6 so he went to the hospital at JezreEl to be treated for the wound that he had received in his war against HazaEl (the king of Syria ) at RamOth. Then AhaziJah (the son of JehoRam, the king of Judah) went to see JehoRam (the son of Ahab) while he was recovering there in JezreEl. And that’s when (under God’s direction) the final event in the life of AhaziJah happened, 7 for he joined with JehoRam to fight against Jehu (the son of Nimshi), the one who Jehovah had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.
8 Now, Jehu was punishing the house of Ahab when he found the governors of Judah along with some of AhaziJah’s relatives, and he killed them all. 9 Then Jehu told [his men] to search for AhaziJah, and they caught up with him at the hospital in Samaria. So, they showed Jehu where he was, and then Jehu killed him. But they buried him in a tomb, for they said, ‘He’s the descendant of JehoShaphat, a man who searched for Jehovah with his whole heart.’
Thereafter, with the death of AhaziJah, there was no one left to rule his kingdom. 10 And when his mother AthaliJah learned that her son AhaziJah had been killed, she tried to have everyone in the royal house of Judah murdered. 11 But JosaBeth (the king’s daughter) stole his son JoAsh from the midst of the other sons of the king who were to be killed, and she hid him and fed him in a bed closet.
Now, JosaBeth was the daughter of King JehoRam, the sister of AhaziJah, and the wife of JehoiAda (the Priest). And she kept JoAsh with her, hidden from AthaliJah (so she wouldn’t have him murdered) 12 in the Temple of God, until he was six years old. And during that time, AthaliJah ruled the land.
Chapter 23
1 After seven years, JehoiAda figured that the time had finally come. So, he took several army lieutenants (AzariJah the son of JehoRam, IsMaEl the son of JoAnan, AzariJah the son of Obed, MaAseJah the son of AdiJa, and EliSaphan the son of ZachariJah) with him into the Temple of Jehovah. 2 Then they traveled around Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and all the family heads of Israel, and brought them to Jerusalem; 3 and this whole gathering of Judah made a sacred agreement with the king there at the Temple of God. For, [JehoiAda] showed the king’s son to them and said, ‘Look… this is the king’s son! So, may he now become the king, just as Jehovah said concerning the house of David!
4 ‘Now, this is what you must do: A third of you Priests and Levites should come here on the Sabbath and occupy all the [Temple] gates and entrances; 5 a third must surround the king’s palace; and a third must occupy the central gate. Then all the people must assemble in the courtyards of the Temple of Jehovah… 6 but don’t allow anyone to go into the Temple who isn’t a Priest or Levite! Allow all the officiating Levites to enter, because they are holy, and all the rest should guard the watches of Jehovah. 7 Then each of the Levites should gather around the king with their weapons in their hands, and then kill anyone who dares to enter the Temple… and they must guard the king whenever he enters or leaves.’
8 So, the Levites and all Judah did exactly as JehoiAda the Priest told them. Each of [the lieutenants] had his men in their stations from the time that the Sabbath started until its conclusion, and JehoiAda didn’t allow the Priests to rest after their daily rotations. 9 He gave the Priests and army lieutenants their orders; then he armed them with swords, large shields, and even the small shields that King David had placed in the Temple of God, 10 and he stationed them all (carrying their weapons), from the room on the right of the Temple to the room left of the Altar, and all around the king’s palace. 11 Then he brought out the king’s son and placed the crown and the proofs upon him, and the [High] Priest JehoiAda and his sons anointed him as the king and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’
12 Well, when AthaliJah heard the sounds of the people running and shouting, praising the king, she went to the Temple of Jehovah 13 and saw {Look!} the king standing at his station in the king’s entrance [to the Temple], and she heard the trumpets blowing. For there were all the governors standing around the king; the people of the land were joyfully shouting and blowing trumpets; there were the musicians playing their instruments; and the singers were singing praises.
Then AthaliJah tore her robe and shouted, ‘Attack them!’
14 But JehoiAda the Priest told the army lieutenants, ‘Throw her out of the Temple, then take her outside and kill her with your swords… don’t kill her inside the Temple of Jehovah!’
15 Well, they released her and she walked through the gate of the horsemen toward the king’s palace, and that’s where they killed her.
16 Then JehoiAda proclaimed an agreement between himself, the people, and the king, that they were all going to be Jehovah’s people. 17 Then all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it and its altars down, and they ground his idols into a fine dust. Then they put Mathan (the priest of Baal) to death before his altars.
18 Thereafter, [High] Priest JehoiAda commissioned the Priests and Levites to refurbish the Temple of Jehovah, and he reestablished the assignments and daily rotations of the Priests and Levites as they were set up by David for the Temple of Jehovah. Then he sacrificed whole-burnt offerings to Jehovah in the way that was written in the Law of Moses, as they played the joyous songs that were written by David.
19 Thereafter, the gatekeepers were assigned at the gates of the Temple of Jehovah, to prevent anyone who was unclean in any way from entering. 20 And he gathered the family heads, the dignitaries, the people’s governors, and all the people of the land, and they conducted the king into Temple of Jehovah through the inner gate of the king’s palace, and sat him on the king’s throne. 21 And although all the people of the land were joyful, everything became silent as they put Queen AthaliJah to death with a sword.
Chapter 24
1 So, JoAsh was seven years old when began his reign, and he ruled from Jerusalem for forty years. His mother’s name was SabiJa, and she was from BeerSheba.
2 JoAsh did what was right before Jehovah for as long as the [High] Priest JehoiAda was alive.
3 Now, JehoiAda had married two wives who bore sons and daughters to him.
4 After that, it came into the heart of JoAsh to repair the Temple of Jehovah. 5 So he brought together all the Priests and Levites and said to them, ‘Go into all the cities of Judah and Israel each year and collect enough money to strengthen the Temple of Jehovah… go do it quickly!’
Well, the Levites didn’t do anything, 6 so King JoAsh called for JehoiAda their leader and asked, ‘Why haven’t you been overseeing the Levites, to make sure they are making the collections from Judah and Israel that were specified by Moses (the man of God) for the gathering of Israel at the Tent of Proofs? 7 Why, it is [Queen] AthaliJah who is to blame [for its condition], because it was her sons who wrecked the Temple of Jehovah, then they took all its holy things and dedicated them to Baal Im.’
8 ‘Then the king said: ‘Make a [collection] chest and place it just outside of the entrance to the Temple of Jehovah. 9 Then have them travel throughout Judah, Jerusalem, Israel, and into the desert, and tell [the people] to bring the amount that was specified by Moses (the servant of God) to Jehovah.’
10 Well thereafter, all the people and their governors came and brought [their tithes] until the [collection] chest was filled. 11 So, when the Levites carried the chest to the king’s accountants, they found that they had more than enough money [to complete the Temple project]. Then the king’s scribe and the High Priest’s accountant emptied the chest, and put it back in its place. They did this each day, and they gathered huge amounts of money, 12 which the king gave to the Priest JehoiAda and to those who were doing the work on the Temple of Jehovah, for they hired the stonecutters, carpenters, and metalworkers that were needed to repair Jehovah’s Temple.
13 So everyone did their jobs, and soon the project of rebuilding and refurbishing the Temple was completed. 14 Then after it was done, they carried the rest of the money to King JoAsh and JehoiAda, and they made things that were required for the services at the Temple, such as gold incense pans, and other items of silver and gold. Then whole-burnt offerings were sacrificed at the Temple of Jehovah throughout the life of JehoiAda.
15 Well, JehoiAda lived a very full life, which ended after a hundred-and-thirty years. 16 So they buried him in a tomb in the city of David… among the kings, because he had served Israel, God, and His Temple so well!
17 But after [High Priest] JehoiAda died, the governors of Judah came and bowed before the king, and the King [JoAsh] listened to them. 18 Then they abandoned the Temple of Jehovah the God of their ancestors, and started serving the Astartes and the idols… which has brought [God’s] anger upon Judah and Jerusalem down to this day. 19 So [God] sent His Prophets to turn them back to Jehovah, and they warned the people, but they just wouldn’t listen. 20 Then the Breath of God came over AzariJah the Priest (who was JehoiAda’s son), and he went before the people and told them, ‘This is what Jehovah has said: Why are you overlooking My Commandments so the things you’re doing won’t be blest? You have abandoned Jehovah, so He will abandon you!’
21 Well, following the orders of King JoAsh, they attacked him and stoned him to death there in the courtyard of Jehovah’s Temple. 22 For, JoAsh had forgotten the mercy that JehoiAda (the father of [AzariJah]) had shown him, and had his son murdered.
And as [AzariJah] was dying, he said: ‘Look down upon this O Jehovah, and judge!’
23 Well, as that year came to its end, the armies of Syria came and attacked Judah and Jerusalem, and they killed all the rulers of the people, then they carried away loot and brought it to their king in Damascus. 24 For, although the army of Syria that came against them wasn’t very large, God gave [Judah] and their huge army into their hands, because they had abandoned Jehovah the God of their ancestors.
They also punished JoAsh, 25 leaving him sick and broken. Then his own servants turned against him (over the blood of the son of JehoiAda the Priest), and they killed him in own his bed. So he died, and they buried him in a tomb in the city of David, but not in the tomb of the kings.
26 Well, the men who attacked him were Sabed (the son of SamaAth the Ammonite) and JoZabed (the son of SomarOth the Moabite) 27 and his sons (all five of them joined in killing him).
{Look!} The rest of the things [that JoAsh] said are written in the scrolls of the kings. Then his son AmaziJah became the king in his place.
Chapter 25
1 AmaziJah was twenty-five years old when he started his reign, and he reigned from Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was JoAden, and she was from Jerusalem.
2 Now, he did what was upright before Jehovah, but not with his whole heart.
3 When he became the king, he killed his servants who had murdered his father (the king), 4 but he didn’t kill their sons, because of what was written in the Sacred Agreement of the Law of Jeh