I Kings
1:1 Now
king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but
he got no heat.
1:2 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
your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
1:3
So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts
of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
1:4 And the
damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king
had sexual contact with her not.
1:5
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.
1:6 And
his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why have you done so?
and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
1:7 And he
conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they
following Adonijah helped him.
1:8
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.
1:9
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:
1:10
But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men,
and Solomon his brother, he called not.
1:11
Wherefore Nathan spoke unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith does reign, and David
our lord knows it not?
1:12
Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel,
that you may save yours own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
1:13
Go and get you in unto king David, and say unto him, Did
not you, my lord, O king, swear unto yours handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon
your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does
Adonijah reign?
1:14 Behold,
while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm
your words.
1:15 And
Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and
Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
1:16
And Bathsheba bowed, and did reverence unto the king. And
the king said, What would you?
1:17
And she said unto him, My lord, you sware by the LORD your
God unto yours handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after
me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
1:18
And now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and now, my lord the king,
you know it not:
1:19 And
he has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has called all the
sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but
Solomon your servant has he not called.
1:20
And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon
you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king
after him.
1:21 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.
1:22
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the
prophet also came in.
1:23
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.
1:24
And Nathan said, My lord, O king, have you said, Adonijah
shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
1:25
For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fat
cattle and sheep in abundance, and has 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.
1:26
But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, has he not called.
1:27 Is this
thing done by my lord the king, and you have not showed it unto your servant,
who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
1:28
Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And
she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
1:29
And the king swore, and said, As the LORD lives, that has
redeemed my soul out of all distress,
1:30
Even as I swore unto you by the LORD God of Israel, saying,
Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne
in my position; even so will I certainly do this day.
1:31
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.
1:32 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.
1:33
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:
1:34 And
let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel:
and blow all of you with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
1:35 Then
all of you shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for
he shall be king in my position: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel
and over Judah.
1:36 And
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of
my lord the king say so too.
1:37
As the LORD has 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.
1:38 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.
1:39
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.
1:40
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.
1:41 And
Adonijah and all the guest 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?
1:42
And while he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar
the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for you are a valiant man,
and bring good tidings.
1:43
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord
king David has made Solomon king.
1:44
And the king has 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:
1:45
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 all of you have heard.
1:46
And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.
1:47 And
moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make
the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your
throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
1:48
And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of
Israel, which has given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing
it.
1:49 And
all the guest that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every
man his way.
1:50 And
Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the
horns of the altar.
1:51
And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah fears
king Solomon: for, lo, he has 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.
1:52 And
Solomon said, If he will show 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.
1:53 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 yours house.
2:1 Now the
days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2:2 I
go the way of all the earth: be you strong therefore, and show yourself a man;
2:3 And
keep the charge of the LORD your 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 you may prosper in all that you do, and anywhere you
turn yourself:
2:4 That
the LORD may continue his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If your 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 you (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
2:5 Moreover
you know 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.
2:6 Do
therefore according to your wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave
in peace.
2:7 But
show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those
that eat at your table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom
your brother.
2:8 And,
behold, you have with you 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 swore to him by the LORD, saying, I will not
put you to death with the sword.
2:9
Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for you are a wise
man, and know what you ought to do unto him; but his hoar head bring you down
to the grave with blood.
2:10
So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David.
2:11 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.
2:12
Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and
his kingdom was established greatly.
2:13
And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother
of Solomon. And she said, Come you peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
2:14 He said
moreover, I have somewhat to say unto you. And she said, Say on.
2:15
And he said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and that
all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: nevertheless the kingdom
is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD.
2:16 And
now I ask one petition of you, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
2:17 And
he said, Speak, I pray you, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say you nay,)
that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
2:18
And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for you unto the
king.
2:19 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.
2:20 Then
she said, I desire one small petition of you; I pray you, say me not nay. And
the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say you nay.
2:21 And
she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother to wife.
2:22 And
king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why do you 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.
2:23 Then
king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah
have not spoken this word against his own life.
2:24
Now therefore, as the LORD lives, which has established
me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me an house,
as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
2:25
And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
2:26
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get you to Anathoth,
unto yours own fields; for you are worthy of death: but I will not at this time
put you to death, because you bare the ark of the LORD God before David my father,
and because you have been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
2:27 So Solomon
thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfill the
word of the LORD, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
2:28 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.
2:29
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.
2:30
And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said
unto him, Thus says 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.
2:31 And
the king said unto him, Do as he has said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that
you may take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house
of my father.
2:32 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 know, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel,
and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
2:33
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.
2:34 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.
2:35
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.
2:36 And
the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build you an house in
Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any where.
2:37
For it shall be, that on the day you go out, and pass over
the brook Kidron, you shall know for certain that you shall surely die: your blood
shall be upon yours own head.
2:38
And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my
lord the king has said, so will your servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem
many days.
2:39 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, your servants be in Gath.
2:40
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.
2:41 And
it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come
again.
2:42 And
the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make you to
swear by the LORD, and protested unto you, saying, Know for a certain, on the
day you go out, and walk abroad any where, that you shall surely die? and you
said unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
2:43
Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD, and the
commandment that I have charged you with?
2:44
The king said moreover to Shimei, You know all the wickedness
which yours heart is privy to, that you did to David my father: therefore the
LORD shall return your wickedness upon yours own head;
2:45
And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David
shall be established before the LORD for ever.
2:46
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.
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.
3:2
Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there
was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
3:3
And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David
his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
3:4
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.
3:5 In
Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what
I shall give you.
3:6 And
Solomon said, You have showed unto your servant David my father great mercy, according
as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of
heart with you; and you have kept for him this great kindness, that you have given
him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
3:7
And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king
instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go
out or come in.
3:8 And
your servant is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people,
that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
3:9
Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge
your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge
this your so great a people?
3:10
And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked
this thing.
3:11 And
God said unto him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself
long life; neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of
yours enemies; but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment;
3:12 Behold,
I have done according to your words: lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding
heart; so that there was none like you before you, neither after you shall any
arise like unto you.
3:13
And I have also given you that which you have not asked,
both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto
you all your days.
3:14
And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and
my commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days.
3:15 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.
3:16
Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king,
and stood before him.
3:17
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.
3:18
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.
3:19
And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid
it.
3:20 And
she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while yours handmaid slept,
and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
3:21
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.
3:22
And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son,
and the dead is your son. And this said, No; but the dead is your son, and the
living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
3:23
Then said the king, The one says, This is my son that lives,
and your son is the dead: and the other says, Nay; but your son is the dead, and
my son is the living.
3:24
And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a
sword before the king.
3:25
And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give
half to the one, and half to the other.
3:26
Then spoke 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 yours, but divide it.
3:27
Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child,
and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
3:28
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.
4:1 So
king Solomon was king over all Israel.
4:2
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son
of Zadok the priest,
4:3
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat
the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
4:4
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok
and Abiathar were the priests:
4:5
And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and
Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
4:6 And Ahishar
was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
4:7 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.
4:8
And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
4:9 The
son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:
4:10 The
son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:
4:11 The
son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon
to wife:
4:12 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:
4:13
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
brazen bars:
4:14 Ahinadab
the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
4:15
Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter
of Solomon to wife:
4:16
Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
4:17 Jehoshaphat
the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
4:18
Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
4:19
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.
4:20
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the
sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
4:21
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.
4:22
And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures
of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
4:23
Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an
hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl.
4:24 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.
4:25 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.
4:26
And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his
chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
4:27
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.
4:28 Barley
also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where
the officers were, every man according to his charge.
4:29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding
much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
4:30 And
Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country,
and all the wisdom of Egypt.
4:31
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.
4:32
And he spoke three thousand proverbs: and his songs were
a thousand and five.
4:33
And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon
even unto the hyssop that springs out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and
of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
4:34
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
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.
5:2
And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
5:3
You know 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.
5:4
But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side,
so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.
5:5
And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of
the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying, Your son, whom
I will set upon your throne in your room, he shall build an house unto my name.
5:6 Now
therefore command you that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants
shall be with your servants: and unto you will I give hire for your servants according
to all that you shall appoint: for you know that there is not among us any that
can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
5:7
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 has given
unto David a wise son over this great people.
5:8
And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the
things which you sent to me for: and I will do all your desire concerning timber
of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
5:9
My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the
sea: and I will convey them by sea in rafts unto the place that you shall appoint
me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and you shall receive them: and
you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
5:10
So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according
to all his desire.
5:11
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.
5:12
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.
5:13 And
king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand
men.
5:14 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.
5:15
And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens,
and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
5:16
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.
5:17 And
the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones,
to lay the foundation of the house.
5:18
And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them,
and the Gibalites also: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
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.
6:2
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.
6:3
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.
6:4
And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
6:5 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:
6:6 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.
6:7
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.
6:8 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.
6:9 So
he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards
of cedar.
6:10 And
then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested
on the house with timber of cedar.
6:11
And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
6:12 Concerning
this house which you are in building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute
my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform
my word with you, which I spoke unto David your father:
6:13
And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will
not forsake my people Israel.
6:14
So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
6:15
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.
6:16 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.
6:17
And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty
cubits long.
6:18 And
the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was
cedar; there was no stone seen.
6:19
And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there
the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
6:20
And the oracle in the front part 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.
6:21 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.
6:22
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.
6:23 And
within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
6:24 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.
6:25
And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims
were of one measure and one size.
6:26
The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was
it of the other cherub.
6:27
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.
6:28
And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
6:29
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.
6:30 And
the floors of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
6:31
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.
6:32
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.
6:33 So also
made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.
6:34 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.
6:35
And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open
flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
6:36
And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone,
and a row of cedar beams.
6:37
In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the
LORD laid, in the month Zif:
6:38
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.
7:1
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and
he finished all his house.
7:2
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.
7:3 And
it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars,
fifteen in a row.
7:4 And
there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks.
7:5 And
all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light
in three ranks.
7:6 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.
7:7
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.
7:8
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.
7:9
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.
7:10
And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones,
stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
7:11
And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed
stones, and cedars.
7:12
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.
7:13
And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
7:14 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.
7:15 For
he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve
cubits did compass either of them about.
7:16
And he made two capitals of molten brass, to set upon the
tops of the pillars: the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height
of the other capital was five cubits:
7:17
And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for
the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital,
and seven for the other capital.
7:18
And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the
one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top, with pomegranates:
and so did he for the other capital.
7:19
And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars were
of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
7:20
And the capitals upon the two pillars had pomegranates also
above, opposite to the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were
two hundred in rows round about upon the other capital.
7:21
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.
7:22
And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the
work of the pillars finished.
7:23
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.
7:24
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.
7:25
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.
7:26
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.
7:27 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.
7:28
And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders,
and the borders were between the ledges:
7:29
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.
7:30
And every base had four brazen wheels, and plates of brass:
and the four corners thereof had supporters: under the vessel that holds water
were supporters molten, at the side of every addition.
7:31
And the mouth of it within the capital 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 engravings with their borders, foursquare,
not round.
7:32 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.
7:33
And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot
wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their rims, and their spokes, were
all molten.
7:34 And
there were four supporters to the four corners of one base: and the supporters
were of the very base itself.
7:35
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.
7:36
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.
7:37
After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had
one casting, one measure, and one size.
7:38
Then made he ten lavers of brass: one vessel that holds
water contained forty baths: and every vessel that holds water was four cubits:
and upon every one of the ten bases one vessel that holds water.
7:39
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 opposite to the south.
7:40
And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons.
So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house
of the LORD:
7:41 The
two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the two
pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were
upon the top of the pillars;
7:42
And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even
two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals
that were upon the pillars;
7:43
And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
7:44 And
one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;
7:45
And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these
vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright
brass.
7:46 In
the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth
and Zarthan.
7:47 And
Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither
was the weight of the brass found out.
7:48
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 showbread
was,
7:49 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,
7:50
And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, 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 know,
of the temple.
7:51 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.
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.
8:2 And
all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the
month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
8:3
And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took
up the ark.
8:4 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.
8:5
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.
8:6
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.
8:7
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.
8:8 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.
8:9 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.
8:10
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the
holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
8:11
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.
8:12 Then
spoke Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
8:13 I have
surely built you an house to dwell in, a settled place for you to abide in for
ever.
8:14 And
the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and
all the congregation of Israel stood;)
8:15
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spoke
with his mouth unto David my father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
8:16 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.
8:17
And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house
for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
8:18
And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in
yours heart to build an house unto my name, you did well that it was in yours
heart.
8:19 Nevertheless
you shall not build the house; but your son that shall come forth out of your
loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
8:20
And the LORD has performed his word that he spoke, 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.
8:21 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.
8:22 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:
8:23
And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you,
in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keep covenant and mercy with your servants
that walk before you with all their heart:
8:24
Who have kept with your servant David my father that you
promised him: you spoke also with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with yours
hand, as it is this day.
8:25
Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with your servant
David my father that you promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man
in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that your children take heed to
their way, that they walk before me as you have walked before me.
8:26
And now, O God of Israel, let your word, I pray you, be
verified, which you spoke unto your servant David my father.
8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven
and heaven of heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have
built?
8:28 Yet
have you respect unto the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, O LORD
my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which your servant prays before
you to day:
8:29 That
yours eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place
of which you have said, My name shall be there: that you may hearken unto the
prayer which your servant shall make toward this place.
8:30
And hearken you to the supplication of your servant, and
of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear you in
heaven your dwelling place: and when you hear, forgive.
8:31
If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be
laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before yours altar in this
house:
8:32 Then
hear you in heaven, and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to
bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according
to his righteousness.
8:33
When your people Israel be smitten down before the enemy,
because they have sinned against you, and shall return to you, and confess your
name, and pray, and make supplication unto you in this house:
8:34
Then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people
Israel, and bring them again unto the land which you gave unto their fathers.
8:35 When
heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you;
if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin,
when you afflict them:
8:36
Then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants,
and of your people Israel, that you teach them the good way wherein they should
walk, and give rain upon your land, which you have given to your people for an
inheritance.
8:37 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;
8:38
What prayer and supplication whatsoever be made by any man,
or by all your people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own
heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
8:39
Then hear you in heaven your dwelling place, and forgive,
and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart you know; (for
you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;)
8:40
That they may fear you all the days that they live in the
land which you gave unto our fathers.
8:41
Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of your people
Israel, but comes out of a far country for your name's sake;
8:42
(For they shall hear of your great name, and of your strong
hand, and of your stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this
house;
8:43 Hear
you in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls
to you for: that all people of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do
your people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have built,
is called by your name.
8:44
If your people go out to battle against their enemy, anywhere
you shall send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which you have
chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name:
8:45
Then hear you in heaven their prayer and their supplication,
and maintain their cause.
8:46
If they sin against you, (for there is no man that sins
not,) and you 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;
8:47
Yet if they shall call to reflect themselves in the land
where they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto you in
the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have
done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
8:48
And so return unto you with all their heart, and with all
their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray
unto you toward their land, which you gave unto their fathers, the city which
you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:
8:49
Then hear you their prayer and their supplication in heaven
your dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
8:50
And forgive your people that have sinned against you, and
all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against you, and give
them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion
on them:
8:51 For
they be your people, and yours inheritance, which you brought forth out of Egypt,
from the midst of the furnace of iron:
8:52
That yours eyes may be open unto the supplication of your
servant, and unto the supplication of your people Israel, to hearken unto them
in all that they call for unto you.
8:53
For you did separate them from among all the people of the
earth, to be yours inheritance, as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant,
when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God.
8:54
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.
8:55 And
he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
8:56 Blessed
be the LORD, that has given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that
he promised: there has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised
by the hand of Moses his servant.
8:57
The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers:
let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
8:58
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.
8:59
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:
8:60
That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD
is God, and that there is none else.
8:61
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.
8:62 And
the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
8:63 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.
8:64
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
food offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brazen altar that
was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and food offerings,
and the fat of the peace offerings.
8:65
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.
8:66 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.
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,
9:2
That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he
had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
9:3
And the LORD said unto him, I have heard your prayer and
your supplication, that you have made before me: I have hallowed this house, which
you have built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall
be there perpetually.
9:4
And if you will walk before me, as David your father walked,
in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have
commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my judgments:
9:5
Then I will establish the throne of your kingdom upon Israel
for ever, as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not fail you
a man upon the throne of Israel.
9:6
But if all of you shall at all turn from following me, all
of you 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:
9:7 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:
9:8
And at this house, which is high, every one that passes
by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why has the LORD
done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9:9
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 has
the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
9:10
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,
9:11 (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.
9:12
And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon
had given him; and they pleased him not.
9:13
And he said, What cities are these which you have given
me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
9:14
And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
9:15 And
this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; in order to build the
house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and
Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
9:16
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.
9:17
And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
9:18 And
Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
9:19
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.
9:20 And
all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites,
and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
9:21
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 bondservants unto this day.
9:22
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.
9:23
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.
9:24 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.
9:25
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.
9:26 And
king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the
shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
9:27
And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors that had
knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
9:28
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four
hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
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.
10:2 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.
10:3
And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any
thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
10:4
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom,
and the house that he had built,
10:5
And the food 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.
10:6 And
she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of your
acts and of your wisdom.
10:7
Nevertheless I believed not the words, until I came, and
mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: your wisdom and
prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard.
10:8
Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, which
stand continually before you, and that hear your wisdom.
10:9
Blessed be the LORD your God, which delighted in you, to
set you on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore
made he you king, to do judgment and justice.
10:10
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.
10:11
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir,
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
10:12 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.
10:13
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.
10:14
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year
was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
10:15
Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the trade
of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of
the country.
10:16 And
king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold
went to one target.
10:17
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.
10:18 Moreover
the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
10:19 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.
10:20 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.
10:21
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.
10:22
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.
10:23
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for
riches and for wisdom.
10:24
And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom,
which God had put in his heart.
10:25
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.
10:26
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.
10:27 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.
10:28
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn:
the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
10:29
And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred
shekels 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.
11:1 But
king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh,
women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
11:2
Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children
of Israel, All of you 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.
11:3
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred
concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
11:4
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.
11:5
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians,
and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
11:6
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went
not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
11:7
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.
11:8
And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt
incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
11:9
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was
turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
11:10 And
had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods:
but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11:11
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this
is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have
commanded you, I will surely rend the kingdom from you, and will give it to your
servant.
11:12 Notwithstanding
in your days I will not do it for David your father's sake: but I will rend it
out of the hand of your son.
11:13
Nevertheless I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will
give one tribe to your son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake
which I have chosen.
11:14
And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad
the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
11:15
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;
11:16 (For
six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male
in Edom:)
11:17 That
Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into
Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
11:18
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.
11:19 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.
11:20
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.
11:21
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.
11:22
Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what have you lacked with
me, that, behold, you seek to go to yours own country? And he answered, Nothing:
nevertheless let me go in any way.
11:23
And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son
of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
11:24
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.
11:25
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.
11:26 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.
11:27 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.
11:28
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.
11:29
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:
11:30 And
Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
11:31 And
he said to Jeroboam, Take you ten pieces: for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten
tribes to you:
11:32 (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:)
11:33
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.
11:34 Nevertheless
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:
11:35
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will
give it unto you, even ten tribes.
11:36
And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant
may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me
to put my name there.
11:37
And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all
that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.
11:38
And it shall be, if you will hearken unto all that I command
you, and will 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 you, and build
you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto you.
11:39 And
I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
11:40
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.
11:41
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?
11:42 And
the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
11:43 And
Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father:
and Rehoboam his son reigned in his position.
12:1
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to
Shechem to make him king.
12:2
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;)
12:3
That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the
congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying,
12:4
Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you
the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us,
lighter, and we will serve you.
12:5
And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come
again to me. And the people departed.
12:6
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood
before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do all of you advise
that I may answer this people?
12:7
And they spoke unto him, saying, If you will be a servant
unto this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good
words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.
12:8
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:
12:9
And he said unto them, What counsel give all of you that
we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which
your father did put upon us lighter?
12:10
And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto
him, saying, Thus shall you speak unto this people that spoke unto you, saying,
Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter unto us; thus shall you
say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
12:11 And
now whereas my father did load you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke:
my father has chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12:12 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.
12:13
And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the
old men's counsel that they gave him;
12:14
And spoke 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.
12:15
Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the
cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spoke
by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
12:16
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 yours
own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
12:17
But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities
of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
12:18
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.
12:19
So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this
day.
12:20 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.
12:21 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.
12:22
But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
12:23 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,
12:24
Thus says the LORD, All of you 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.
12:25
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt
therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
12:26
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return
to the house of David:
12:27
If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the
LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people return unto their lord,
even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam
king of Judah.
12:28 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 your gods, O Israel, which brought
you up out of the land of Egypt.
12:29
And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
12:30 And
this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto
Dan.
12:31 And
he made an house of high places, and made priests of the low of the people, which
were not of the sons of Levi.
12:32
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.
12:33 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.
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.
13:2
And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD,
and said, O altar, altar, thus says the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto
the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon you shall he offer the priests of
the high places that burn incense upon you, and men's bones shall be burnt upon
you.
13:3 And
he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD has spoken;
Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured
out.
13:4 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.
13:5
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.
13:6 And
the king answered and said unto the man of God, Implore now the face of the LORD
your 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.
13:7
And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me,
and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.
13:8
And the man of God said unto the king, If you will give
me half yours house, I will not go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink
water in this place:
13:9
For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying,
Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way that you came.
13:10 So
he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
13:11 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.
13:12
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.
13:13
And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled
him the ass: and he rode thereon,
13:14
And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under
an oak: and he said unto him, Are you the man of God that came from Judah? And
he said, I am.
13:15 Then
he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
13:16
And he said, I may not return with you, nor go in with you:
neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place:
13:17
For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, You shall
eat no bread nor drink water there, nor return to go by the way that you came.
13:18 He
said unto him, I am a prophet also as you are; and an angel spoke unto me by the
word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with you into yours house, that he may
eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
13:19
So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house,
and drank water.
13:20
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:
13:21
And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying,
Thus says the LORD, Forasmuch as you have disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and
have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,
13:22
But came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the
place, of the which the Lord did say to you, Eat no bread, and drink no water;
your carcass shall not come unto the tomb of your fathers.
13:23
And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after
he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to know, for the prophet whom he
had brought back.
13:24
And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew
him: and his carcass was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also
stood by the carcass.
13:25
And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcass cast in
the way, and the lion standing by the carcass: and they came and told it in the
city where the old prophet dwelt.
13:26
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 has delivered him unto the lion, which has torn
him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke unto him.
13:27 And
he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
13:28 And
he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing
by the carcass: the lion had not eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass.
13:29 And
the prophet took up the carcass 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.
13:30 And
he laid his carcass in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas,
my brother!
13:31 And
it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, When
I am dead, then bury me in the tomb wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones
beside his bones:
13:32
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.
13:33
After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way,
but made again of the low of the people priests of the high places: whosoever
would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
13:34 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.
14:1
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
14:2 And
Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray you, and disguise yourself, that you
be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get you to Shiloh: behold, there
is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
14:3 And
take with you ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him:
he shall tell you what shall become of the child.
14:4
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.
14:5
And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam
comes to ask a thing of you for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shall you
say unto her: for it shall be, when she comes in, that she shall feign herself
to be another woman.
14:6
And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet,
as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, you wife of Jeroboam; why feign
you yourself to be another? for I am sent to you with heavy tidings.
14:7
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch
as I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over my people Israel,
14:8 And
rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it you: and yet you have
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;
14:9
But have done evil above all that were before you: for you
have gone and made you other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger,
and have cast me behind your back:
14:10
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam,
and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisses 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 takes away dung, till it be all gone.
14:11
Him that dies of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat;
and him that dies in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD has
spoken it.
14:12 Arise
you therefore, get you to yours own house: and when your feet enter into the city,
the child shall die.
14:13
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.
14:14
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.
14:15 For
the LORD shall strike 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.
14:16 And
he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who
made Israel to sin.
14:17
And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah:
and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
14:18
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according
to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the
prophet.
14:19 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.
14:20
And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty
years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his position.
14:21 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.
14:22
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.
14:23
For they also built them high places, and images, and groves,
on every high hill, and under every green tree.
14:24
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.
14:25
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam,
that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
14:26
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.
14:27
And king Rehoboam made in their position brazen shields,
and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door
of the king's house.
14:28
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.
14:29 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?
14:30
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their
days.
14:31 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 position.
15:1 Now
in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
15:2 Three
years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter
of Abishalom.
15:3 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.
15:4 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:
15:5
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.
15:6
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the
days of his life.
15:7
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.
15:8
And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in
the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his position.
15:9
And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned
Asa over Judah.
15:10 And
forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah,
the daughter of Abishalom.
15:11
And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD,
as did David his father.
15:12
And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed
all the idols that his fathers had made.
15:13
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.
15:14
But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's
heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
15:15
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.
15:16
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel
all their days.
15:17 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.
15:18
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,
15:19 There
is a league between me and you, and between my father and your father: behold,
I have sent unto you a present of silver and gold; come and break your league
with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
15:20
So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains
of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and stroke Ijon, and Dan,
and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
15:21 And
it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah,
and dwelt in Tirzah.
15:22
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 built; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and
Mizpah.
15:23 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.
15:24 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 position.
15:25
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.
15:26 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.
15:27
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar,
conspired against him; and Baasha stroke him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the
Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
15:28
Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay
him, and reigned in his position.
15:29
And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he stroke 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 spoke by his servant
Ahijah the Shilonite:
15:30
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.
15:31 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?
15:32
And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel
all their days.
15:33 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.
15:34
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.
16:1
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani
against Baasha, saying,
16:2
Forasmuch as I exalted you out of the dust, and made you
prince over my people Israel; and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and
have made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
16:3 Behold,
I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and
will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16:4
Him that dies of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat;
and him that dies of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
16:5 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?
16:6
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah:
and Elah his son reigned in his position.
16:7
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.
16:8 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.
16:9
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.
16:10
And Zimri went in and stroke him, and killed him, in the
twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his position.
16:11 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 pisses against a wall,
neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
16:12
Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according
to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.
16:13 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.
16:14
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?
16:15 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.
16:16 And
the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also slain
the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel
that day in the camp.
16:17
And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him,
and they besieged Tirzah.
16:18
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.
16:19
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.
16:20
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?
16:21 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.
16:22
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the
people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
16:23 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.
16:24
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.
16:25
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse
than all that were before him.
16:26
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.
16:27
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might
that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel?
16:28 So
Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned
in his position.
16:29
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.
16:30
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD
above all that were before him.
16:31
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.
16:32 And
he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
16:33 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.
16:34
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 spoke by Joshua
the son of Nun.
17:1 And
Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As
the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, but according to my word.
17:2
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
17:3 Get
you behind, and turn you eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that
is before Jordan.
17:4
And it shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and
I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
17:5
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.
17:6
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning,
and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
17:7
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried
up, because there had been no rain in the land.
17:8
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
17:9 Arise,
get you to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have
commanded a widow woman there to sustain you.
17:10
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 you, a little water in a vessel, that
I may drink.
17:11 And
as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray you,
a morsel of bread in yours hand.
17:12
And she said, As the LORD your God lives, 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.
17:13
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as you have
said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after
make for you and for your son.
17:14
For thus says 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
sends rain upon the earth.
17:15
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:
and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
17:16
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse
of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Elijah.
17:17 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.
17:18 And
she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with you, O you man of God? are you come
unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
17:19
And he said unto her, Give me your son. And he took him
out of her bosom, and carried him up into an upper room, where he abode, and laid
him upon his own bed.
17:20
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, have
you also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
17:21 And
he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and
said, O LORD my God, I pray you, let this child's soul come into him again.
17:22 And
the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again,
and he revived.
17:23 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, your son lives.
17:24 And
the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that
the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.
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, show yourself unto Ahab; and
I will send rain upon the earth.
18:2
And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was
a sore famine in Samaria.
18:3
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house.
(Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
18:4
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.)
18:5
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains
of water, and unto all brooks: possibly we may find grass to save the horses and
mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
18:6
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout
it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
18:7 And
as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on
his face, and said, Are you that my lord Elijah?
18:8
And he answered him, I am: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah
is here.
18:9 And
he said, What have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand
of Ahab, to slay me?
18:10
As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom,
where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not there; he
took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found you not.
18:11
And now you says, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is
here.
18:12 And
it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD
shall carry you where I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot
find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant fear the LORD from my youth.
18:13 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?
18:14
And now you says, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is
here: and he shall slay me.
18:15
And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom
I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.
18:16
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went
to meet Elijah.
18:17 And
it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Are you he that
troubles Israel?
18:18
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and
your father's house, in that all of you have forsaken the commandments of the
LORD, and you have followed Baalim.
18:19
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.
18:20
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered
the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long
halt all of you between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal,
then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
18:22
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.
18:23 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:
18:24
And call all of you on the name of your gods, and I will
call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God.
And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
18:25
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one
bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for all of you are many; and call
on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
18:26
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.
18:27
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 possibly he sleeps, and must be awaked.
18:28
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner
with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
18:29
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.
18:30
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.
18:31
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 your name:
18:32
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.
18:33 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.
18:34 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.
18:35
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the
trench also with water.
18:36
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 you are God in Israel, and that I
am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
18:37
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that
you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again.
18:38 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.
18:39 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.
18:40
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.
18:41
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for
there is a sound of abundance of rain.
18:42
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,
18:43
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.
18:44 And
it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little
cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare
your chariot, and get you down that the rain stop you not.
18:45
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.
18:46 And
the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before
Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
19:1
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and likewise
how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
19:2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let
the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of
them by tomorrow about this time.
19:3
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and
came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
19:4 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.
19:5 And
as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and
said unto him, Arise and eat.
19:6
And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baked on the
coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him
down again.
19:7 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 you.
19:8
And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength
of that food forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
19:9 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 do you here, Elijah?
19:10
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of
hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down yours
altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and
they seek my life, to take it away.
19:11
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:
19:12 And
after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire
a still small voice.
19:13
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 do you here, Elijah?
19:14 And
he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children
of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down yours altars, and slain your
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to
take it away.
19:15 And
the LORD said unto him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus:
and when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
19:16
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over
Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shall you anoint to be prophet
in your room.
19:17 And
it shall come to pass, that him that escapes the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:
and him that escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
19:18
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees
which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.
19:19 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.
19:20
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let
me, I pray you, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. And
he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to you?
19:21
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.
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.
20:2
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city,
and said unto him, Thus says Benhadad,
20:3
Your silver and your gold is mine; your wives also and your
children, even the best, are mine.
20:4
And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king,
according to your saying, I am yours, and all that I have.
20:5
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Benhadad,
saying, Although I have sent unto you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver,
and your gold, and your wives, and your children;
20:6
Yet I will send my servants unto you tomorrow about this
time, and they shall search yours house, and the houses of your servants; and
it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in yours eyes, they shall put it in their
hand, and take it away.
20:7
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land,
and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeks 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.
20:8
And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken
not unto him, nor consent.
20:9
Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell
my lord the king, All that you did send in order to your servant at the first
I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought
him word again.
20:10 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.
20:11 And
the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girds on his
harness boast himself as he that puts it off.
20:12
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad 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.
20:13 And,
behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus says the LORD,
Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into yours hand
this day; and you shall know that I am the LORD.
20:14
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus says the LORD,
Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall
order the battle? And he answered, You.
20:15
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.
20:16
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.
20:17 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.
20:18
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them
alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
20:19
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came
out of the city, and the army which followed them.
20:20
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.
20:21 And
the king of Israel went out, and stroke the horses and chariots, and slew the
Syrians with a great slaughter.
20:22
And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto
him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do: for at the return
of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.
20:23
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.
20:24 And
do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains
in their rooms:
20:25 And
number you an army, like the army that you have 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.
20:26 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.
20:27
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.
20:28
And there came a man of God, and spoke unto the king of
Israel, and said, Thus says 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 yours hand, and all of you shall know that I am
the LORD.
20:29 And
they pitched one opposite to 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.
20:30
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.
20:31
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 you,
put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of
Israel: possibly he will save your life.
20:32
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on
their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Benhadad says,
I pray you, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
20:33 Now
the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did
hastily catch it: and they said, Your brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go all of
you, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up
into the chariot.
20:34
And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father
took from your father, I will restore; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus,
as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send you away with this covenant.
So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
20:35
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto
his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Strike me, I pray you. And the man refused
to strike him.
20:36 Then
said he unto him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as
soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you. And as soon as he was
departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
20:37
Then he found another man, and said, Strike me, I pray you.
And the man stroke him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
20:38
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the
way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
20:39
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he
said, Your 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 your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent
of silver.
20:40 And
as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said
unto him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it.
20:41
And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and
the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
20:42
And he said unto him, Thus says the LORD, Because you have
let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore
your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.
20:43
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased,
and came to Samaria.
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.
21:2 And
Ahab spoke unto Naboth, saying, Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for
a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give you for it
a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to you, I will give you the worth
of it in money.
21:3 And
Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance
of my fathers unto you.
21:4
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 you the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his
bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
21:5
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why
is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread?
21:6
And he said unto her, Because I spoke unto Naboth the Jezreelite,
and said unto him, Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it please you,
I will give you another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give you
my vineyard.
21:7 And
Jezebel his wife said unto him, Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise,
and eat bread, and let yours heart be merry: I will give you the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite.
21:8 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.
21:9 And
she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among
the people:
21:10 And
set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying,
You did blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that
he may die.
21:11 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.
21:12
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the
people.
21:13 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.
21:14
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and
is dead.
21:15 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 you for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
21:16 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.
21:17 And
the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:18
Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in
Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he is gone down to possess
it.
21:19 And
you shall speak unto him, saying, Thus says the LORD, Have you killed, and also
taken possession? And you shall speak unto him, saying, Thus says the LORD, In
the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood, even
yours.
21:20 And
Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have
found you: because you have sold yourself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
21:21 Behold,
I will bring evil upon you, and will take away your posterity, and will cut off
from Ahab him that pisses against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in
Israel,
21:22 And
will make yours house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith you have provoked
me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
21:23
And of Jezebel also spoke the LORD, saying, The dogs shall
eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
21:24
Him that dies of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and
him that dies in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
21:25
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.
21:26 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.
21:27
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.
21:28
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:29 See
you how Ahab humbles himself before me? because he humbles 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.
22:1
And they continued three years without war between Syria
and Israel.
22:2 And
it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down
to the king of Israel.
22:3
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know all
of you that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of
the hand of the king of Syria?
22:4
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle
to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are,
my people as your people, my horses as your horses.
22:5
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I
pray you, at the word of the LORD to day.
22:6
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.
22:7
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the
LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
22:8
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet
one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate
him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said,
Let not the king say so.
22:9
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten
here Micaiah the son of Imlah.
22:10
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.
22:11
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron:
and he said, Thus says the LORD, With these shall you push the Syrians, until
you have consumed them.
22:12
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead,
and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
22:13
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke unto
him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king
with one mouth: let your word, I pray you, be like the word of one of them, and
speak that which is good.
22:14
And Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD says
unto me, that will I speak.
22:15
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.
22:16 And
the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure you that you tell me nothing
but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
22:17
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.
22:18
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not
tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
22:19
And he said, Hear you 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.
22:20
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.
22:21 And
there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade
him.
22:22 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, You shall persude
him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
22:23
Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in
the mouth of all these your prophets, and the LORD has spoken evil concerning
you.
22:24 But
Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and stroke Micaiah on the cheek, and
said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto you?
22:25 And
Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see in that day, when you shall go into an inner
chamber to hide yourself.
22:26
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;
22:27 And
say, Thus says 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.
22:28
And Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the LORD
has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
22:29 So
the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
22:30 And
the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into
the battle; but put you on your robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself,
and went into the battle.
22:31
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.
22:32
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.
22:33
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.
22:34 And
a certain man drew a bow at random, and stroke the king of Israel between the
joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn
yours hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
22:35
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.
22:36
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.
22:37 So
the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
22:38 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 spoke.
22:39 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?
22:40
So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned
in his position.
22:41
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah
in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
22:42
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.
22:43
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.
22:44
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
22:45 Now
the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he
warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
22:46 And
the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he
took out of the land.
22:47
There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
22:48 Jehoshaphat
made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships
were broken at Eziongeber.
22:49
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let
my servants go with your servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
22:50 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 position.
22:51
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.
22:52 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:
22:53 For
he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel,
according to all that his father had done.