
The First Book of Kings

   {1:1} Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered
him with clothes, but he couldn't keep warm. {1:2} Therefore his
servants said to him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young
virgin. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie
in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm." {1:3} So they
sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel,
and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. {1:4}
The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and
ministered to him; but the king didn't know her intimately. {1:5} Then
Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king."
Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before
him. {1:6} His father had not displeased him at any time in saying,
"Why have you done so?" and he was also a very handsome man; and he was
born after Absalom. {1:7} 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 who belonged to
David, were not with Adonijah. {1:9} Adonijah killed sheep and cattle
and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he
called all his brothers, 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 didn't call. {1:11} Then Nathan
spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Haven't you heard
that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn't
know it? {1:12} Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel,
that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
{1:13} Go in to king David, and tell him, 'Didn't you, my lord, king,
swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign
after me, and he shall sit on 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} Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was
very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.
{1:16} Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said,
"What would you like?" {1:17} She said to him, "My lord, you swore by
[1>]Yahweh[<1] your [2>]God[<2] to your handmaid, 'Assuredly Solomon
your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' {1:18}
Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don't know it.
{1:19} He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has
called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the
captain of the army; but he hasn't called Solomon your servant. {1:20}
You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you
should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him. {1:21} Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep
with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders."

   {1:22} Behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the
prophet came in. {1:23} They told the king, saying, "Behold, Nathan the
prophet!"

   When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the
king with his face to the ground. {1:24} Nathan said, "My lord, king,
have you said, 'Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my
throne?' {1:25} For he is gone down this day, and has slain cattle and
fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons,
and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are
eating and drinking before him, and say, 'Long live king Adonijah!'
{1:26} But he hasn't called me, even me your servant, and Zadok the
priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
{1:27} Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven't shown to
your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him?"

   {1:28} Then king David answered, "Call to me Bathsheba." She came
into the king's presence, and stood before the king. {1:29} The king
swore, and said, "As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all
adversity, {1:30} most certainly as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God
of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me,
and he shall sit on my throne in my place;' most certainly so will I do
this day."

   {1:31} Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and showed
respect to the king, and said, "Let my lord king David live forever!"

   {1:32} King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the
prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." They came before the king.
{1:33} The king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord,
and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to
Gihon. {1:34} Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him
there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, 'Long live king
Solomon!' {1:35} Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come
and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place. I have
appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah."

   {1:36} Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said,
"Amen. May Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so. {1:37} As
Yahweh has been with my lord the king, even so may he be 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 on king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
{1:39} Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and
anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, "Long
live king Solomon!"

   {1:40} All the people came up after him, and the people piped with
pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their
sound. {1:41} Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as
they had made an end of eating. When Joab heard the sound of the
trumpet, he said, "Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?"

   {1:42} While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the
priest came: and Adonijah said, "Come in; for you are a worthy man, and
bring good news."

   {1:43} Jonathan answered Adonijah, "Most certainly our lord king
David has made Solomon king. {1:44} The king has sent with him Zadok
the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the
Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride on the
king's mule. {1:45} Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have
anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing, so
that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard. {1:46}
Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. {1:47} Moreover the
king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, 'May your
God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne
greater than your throne;' and the king bowed himself on the bed.
{1:48} Also thus said the king, 'Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
who has given one to sit on my throne this day, my eyes even seeing
it.'"

   {1:49} All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and each
man went his way. {1:50} Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he
arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. {1:51} It
was told Solomon, saying, "Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for,
behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let king
Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the
sword.'"

   {1:52} Solomon said, "If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair
of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he
shall die."

   {1:53} So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the
altar. He came and bowed down to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him,
"Go to your house."

   {2:1} Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he
commanded Solomon his son, saying, {2:2} "I am going the way of all the
earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man; {2:3} and keep
the instruction of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his
statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies,
according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may
prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn yourself. {2:4} That
Yahweh may establish 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,' he
said, 'a man on the throne of Israel.'

   {2:5} "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to
me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to
Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed,
and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his
sash that was about his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
{2:6} Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don't let his gray
head go down to [3>]Sheol[<3] in peace. {2:7} But show kindness to the
sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those who eat at
your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your
brother.

   {2:8} "Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the
Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day
when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and
I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the
sword.' {2:9} Now therefore don't hold him guiltless, for you are a
wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall
bring his gray head down to [4>]Sheol[<4] with blood." {2:10} David
slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. {2:11} The
days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven
years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. {2:12}
Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was
firmly established. {2:13} Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to
Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, "Do you come peaceably?"

   He said, "Peaceably. {2:14} He said moreover, I have something to
tell you."

   She said, "Say on."

   {2:15} He said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all
Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom
is turned around, and has become my brother's; for it was his from
Yahweh. {2:16} Now I ask one petition of you. Don't deny me."

   She said to him, "Say on." {2:17} He said, "Please speak to Solomon
the king (for he will not tell you 'no'), that he give me Abishag the
Shunammite as wife."

   {2:18} Bathsheba said, "Alright. I will speak for you to the king."

   {2:19} Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon, to speak to him for
Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and
sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king's
mother; and she sat on his right hand. {2:20} Then she said, "I ask one
small petition of you; don't deny me."

   The king said to her, "Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you."

   {2:21} She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah
your brother as wife."

   {2:22} King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you ask Abishag the
Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also; for he is my
elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab
the son of Zeruiah." {2:23} Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying,
"God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word
against his own life. {2:24} Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has
established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who
has made me a house, as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to
death this day."

   {2:25} King Solomon sent by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell
on him, so that he died. {2:26} To Abiathar the priest the king said,
"Go to Anathoth, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death. But I
will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the
[5>]Lord[<5] Yahweh before David my father, and because you were
afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted." {2:27} So Solomon
thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill
the word of Yahweh, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in
Shiloh.

   {2:28} The news came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah,
though he didn't turn after Absalom. Joab fled to the Tent of Yahweh,
and caught hold on the horns of the altar. {2:29} It was told king
Solomon, "Joab has fled to the Tent of Yahweh, and behold, he is by the
altar." Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go,
fall on him."

   {2:30} Benaiah came to the Tent of Yahweh, and said to him, "Thus
says the king, 'Come forth!'"

   He said, "No; but I will die here."

   Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, "Thus said Joab, and
thus he answered me."

   {2:31} The king said to him, "Do as he has said, and fall on him,
and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without
cause, from me and from my father's house. {2:32} Yahweh will return
his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous
and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David
didn't know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel,
and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah. {2:33} So
shall their blood return on the head of Joab, and on the head of his
seed forever. But to David, and to his seed, and to his house, and to
his throne, there shall be peace forever from Yahweh."

   {2:34} Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell on him,
and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
{2:35} The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the
army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
{2:36} The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Build
yourself a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and don't go out from
there anywhere. {2:37} For on the day you go out, and pass over the
brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die: your blood
shall be on your own head."

   {2:38} Shimei said to the king, "The saying is good. As my lord the
king has said, so will your servant do." Shimei lived in Jerusalem many
days.

   {2:39} It happened at the end of three years, that two of the
servants of Shimei ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath.
They told Shimei, saying, "Behold, your servants are in Gath."

   {2:40} Shimei arose, and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to
Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants
from Gath. {2:41} It was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from
Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.

   {2:42} The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Didn't
I adjure you by Yahweh, and warn you, saying, 'Know for certain, that
on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely
die?' You said to me, 'The saying that I have heard is good.' {2:43}
Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the commandment that
I have instructed you with?" {2:44} The king said moreover to Shimei,
"You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did
to David my father. Therefore Yahweh shall return your wickedness on
your own head. {2:45} But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne
of David shall be established before Yahweh forever." {2:46} So the
king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell
on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of
Solomon.

   {3:1} 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 Yahweh, and
the wall of Jerusalem all around. {3:2} Only the people sacrificed in
the high places, because there was no house built for the name of
Yahweh until those days. {3:3} Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the
statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in
the high places. {3:4} The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for
that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt
offerings on that altar. {3:5} In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in
a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."

   {3:6} Solomon said, "You have shown to your servant David my father
great loving kindness, according as he walked before you in truth, and
in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept
for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to
sit on his throne, as it is this day. {3:7} Now, Yahweh my God, you
have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am but a
little child. I don't know how to go out or come in. {3:8} Your servant
is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people,
that can't be numbered nor counted for multitude. {3:9} Give your
servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I
may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this your
great people?"

   {3:10} The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this
thing. {3:11} God said to 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 your enemies, but have asked for
yourself understanding to discern justice; {3:12} behold, I have done
according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and an
understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you,
neither after you shall any arise like you. {3:13} I have also given
you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there
shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days. {3:14} If you
will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your
father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."

   {3:15} Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to
Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and
offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast
to all his servants.

   {3:16} Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king, and
stood before him. {3:17} The one woman said, "Oh, my lord, I and this
woman dwell in one house. I delivered a child with her in the house.
{3:18} It happened the third day after I delivered, that this woman
delivered also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the
house, just us two in the house. {3:19} This woman's child died in the
night, because she lay on it. {3:20} She arose at midnight, and took my
son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her
bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. {3:21} When I rose in the
morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked
at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore."

   {3:22} The other woman said, "No; but the living is my son, and the
dead is your son."

   This said, "No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son."
Thus they spoke before the king.

   {3:23} Then the king said, "The one says, 'This is my son who lives,
and your son is the dead;' and the other says, 'No; but your son is the
dead one, and my son is the living one.'" {3:24} The king said, "Get me
a sword." They brought a sword before the king. {3:25} The king said,
"Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to
the other."

   {3:26} Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king,
for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, "Oh, my lord, give
her the living child, and in no way kill it!"

   But the other said, "It shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide it."

   {3:27} Then the king answered, "Give her the living child, and in no
way kill it. She is its mother."

   {3:28} 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 justice.

   {4:1} King Solomon was king over all Israel. {4:2} These were the
princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; {4:3}
Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son
of Ahilud, the recorder; {4:4} and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over
the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; {4:5} and Azariah the
son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was
chief minister, the king's friend; {4:6} and Ahishar was over the
household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to
forced labor. {4:7} Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who
provided food for the king and his household: each man had to make
provision for a month in the year. {4:8} These are their names: Ben
Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; {4:9} Ben Deker, in Makaz, and in
Shaalbim, and Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan; {4:10} Ben Hesed, in
Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh, and all the land of Hepher); {4:11}
Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of
Solomon as wife); {4:12} Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and
Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel,
from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; {4:13} Ben
Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of
Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him belonged the region of Argob,
which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);
{4:14} Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; {4:15} Ahimaaz, in
Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife);
{4:16} Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; {4:17}
Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; {4:18} Shimei the son of
Ela, in Benjamin; {4:19} Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead,
the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and
he was the only officer who 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} Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms
from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of
Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his
life. {4:22} Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of
fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, {4:23} ten head of fat cattle,
and twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep,
besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl. {4:24}
For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even
to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on
all sides around him. {4:25} Judah and Israel lived safely, every man
under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all
the days of Solomon. {4:26} Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses
for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. {4:27} Those officers
provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon's
table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking. {4:28}
Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to
the place where the officers were, every man according to his duty.
{4:29} God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore.
{4:30} Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the
east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. {4:31} For he was wiser than all
men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the
sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations all around. {4:32}
He spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were one thousand five.
{4:33} He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the
hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of
birds, and of creeping things, and of fish. {4:34} There came of all
peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who
had heard of his wisdom.

   {5:1} Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had
heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father: for
Hiram was ever a lover of David. {5:2} Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
{5:3} "You know how that David my father could not build a house for
the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every
side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet. {5:4} But now
Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither
adversary, nor evil occurrence. {5:5} Behold, I purpose to build a
house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my
father, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your
place, he shall build the house for my name.' {5:6} Now therefore
command that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon. My servants shall
be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants
according to all that you shall say. For you know that there is not
among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

   {5:7} It happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he
rejoiced greatly, and said, "Blessed is Yahweh this day, who has given
to David a wise son over this great people." {5:8} Hiram sent to
Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message which you have sent to me. 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 to
the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you
shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you
shall receive them. You shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for
my household."

   {5:10} So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir
according to all his desire. {5:11} Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand
measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of
pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. {5:12} Yahweh gave
Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram
and Solomon; and they two made a treaty together. {5:13} King Solomon
raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
{5:14} 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 men subject to forced labor. {5:15} Solomon had seventy
thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters
in the mountains; {5:16} besides Solomon's chief officers who were over
the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the
people who labored in the work. {5:17} The king commanded, and they cut
out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house
with worked stone. {5:18} Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and
the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build
the house.

   {6:1} It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the
children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth
year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the
second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh. {6:2} The
house which king Solomon built for Yahweh, its length was sixty cubits,
and its breadth twenty, and its height thirty cubits. {6:3} The porch
before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was its length, according
to the breadth of the house. Ten cubits was its breadth before the
house. {6:4} For the house he made windows of fixed lattice work. {6:5}
Against the wall of the house he built stories all around, against the
walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle;
and he made side rooms all around. {6:6} The nethermost story was five
cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was
seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of
the house all around, that the beams should not have hold in the walls
of the house. {6:7} The house, when it was in building, was built of
stone prepared at the quarry; and 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 side rooms was in the right side of the house:
and they went up by winding stairs into the middle story, and out of
the middle into the third. {6:9} So he built the house, and finished
it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. {6:10} He
built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and
they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

   {6:11} The word of Yahweh came to Solomon, saying, {6:12}
"Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my
statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to
walk in them; then will I establish my word with you, which I spoke to
David your father. {6:13} 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} He built
the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of
the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside
with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.
{6:16} He built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with
boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling: he built them for it
within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place. {6:17} In front of
the temple sanctuary was forty cubits. {6:18} There was cedar on the
house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there
was no stone seen. {6:19} He prepared an oracle in the midst of the
house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. {6:20}
Within the oracle was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in
breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure
gold: and he covered the altar with cedar. {6:21} So Solomon overlaid
the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across
before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. {6:22} The whole house
he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole
altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold. {6:23} In the
oracle he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. {6:24}
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 to the
uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. {6:25} The other cherub
was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one form.
{6:26} The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of
the other cherub. {6:27} He set the cherubim within the inner house;
and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, 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} He overlaid the cherubim with gold. {6:29} He carved all
the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim and palm
trees and open flowers, inside and outside. {6:30} The floor of the
house he overlaid with gold, inside and outside. {6:31} For the
entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive wood: the lintel and door
posts were a fifth part of the wall. {6:32} So he made two doors of
olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim and palm trees
and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold
on the cherubim, and on the palm trees. {6:33} So also made he for the
entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part
of the wall; {6:34} and two doors of fir wood: the two leaves of the
one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were
folding. {6:35} He carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and
he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work. {6:36} He built
the inner court with three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar
beams. {6:37} In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of
Yahweh laid, in the month Ziv. {6:38} In the eleventh year, in the
month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout
all its parts, and according to all its fashion. So was he seven years
in building it.

   {7:1} Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he
finished all his house. {7:2} For he built the house of the forest of
Lebanon; its length was one hundred cubits, and its breadth fifty
cubits, and its height thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars,
with cedar beams on the pillars. {7:3} It was covered with cedar above
over the forty-five beams, that were on the pillars; fifteen in a row.
{7:4} There were beams in three rows, and window was over against
window in three ranks. {7:5} All the doors and posts were made square
with beams: and window was over against window in three ranks. {7:6} He
made the porch of pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth
thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and a threshold
before them. {7:7} He made the porch of the throne where he was to
judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from
floor to floor. {7:8} His house where he was to dwell, the other court
within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for
Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken as wife), like this porch.
{7:9} All these were of costly stones, even of cut stone, according to
measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation
to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court. {7:10} The
foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten
cubits, and stones of eight cubits. {7:11} Above were costly stones,
even cut stone, according to measure, and cedar wood. {7:12} The great
court around had three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar
beams; like as the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and the porch of
the house. {7:13} King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
{7:14} He was the son of a widow 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 skill, to work all works in brass. He came
to king Solomon, and performed all his work. {7:15} For he fashioned
the two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of
twelve cubits encircled either of them about. {7:16} He made two
capitals of molten brass, to set on 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} There were nets of checker work, and wreaths of
chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars;
seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. {7:18} So
he made the pillars; and there were two rows around on the one network,
to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars: and he did
so for the other capital. {7:19} The capitals that were on the top of
the pillars in the porch were of lily work, four cubits. {7:20} There
were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which
was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows
around on the other capital. {7:21} He set up the pillars at the porch
of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called its name
Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz. {7:22}
On the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars
finished. {7:23} He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to
brim, round in compass, and its height was five cubits; and a line of
thirty cubits encircled it. {7:24} Under its brim around there were
buds which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea: the buds
were in two rows, cast when it was cast. {7:25} It stood on 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 on them above, and all their hinder parts
were inward. {7:26} It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked
like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand
baths. {7:27} He made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the
length of one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its
height. {7:28} The work of the bases was like this: they had panels;
and there were panels between the ledges; {7:29} and on the panels that
were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the
ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were
wreaths of hanging work. {7:30} Every base had four bronze wheels, and
axles of brass; and the four feet of it had supports: beneath the basin
were the supports molten, with wreaths at the side of each. {7:31} The
mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and its mouth was
round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its
mouth were engravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.
{7:32} The four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axles of the
wheels were in the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half
a cubit. {7:33} The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot
wheel: their axles, and their rims, and their spokes, and their naves,
were all molten. {7:34} There were four supports at the four corners of
each base: its supports were of the base itself. {7:35} In the top of
the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of
the base its stays and its panels were of the same. {7:36} On the
plates of its stays, and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions,
and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all
around. {7:37} In this way, he made the ten bases: all of them had one
casting, one measure, and one form. {7:38} He made ten basins of brass:
one basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and
on every one of the ten bases one basin. {7:39} He set the bases, five
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, toward the
south. {7:40} Hiram made the basins, and the shovels, and the basins.
So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he worked for king
Solomon in the house of Yahweh: {7:41} the two pillars, and the two
bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two
networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of
the pillars; {7:42} and the four hundred pomegranates for the two
networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two
bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; {7:43} and the ten
bases, and the ten basins on the bases; {7:44} and the one sea, and the
twelve oxen under the sea; {7:45} and the pots, and the shovels, and
the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon,
in the house of Yahweh, were of burnished brass. {7:46} The king cast
them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and
Zarethan. {7:47} Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they
were exceeding many: the weight of the brass could not be found out.
{7:48} Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh:
the golden altar, and the table whereupon the show bread was, of gold;
{7:49} and the lampstands, five on the right side, and five on the
left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps,
and the tongs, of gold; {7:50} and the cups, and the snuffers, and the
basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold; and the
hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and
for the doors of the house, of the temple, of gold. {7:51} Thus all the
work that king Solomon worked in the house of Yahweh was finished.
Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries
of the house of Yahweh.

   {8:1} Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads
of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' households of the children
of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the
covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion. {8:2} All
the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in
the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. {8:3} All the elders of
Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. {8:4} They brought up the
ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that
were in the Tent; even these the priests and the Levites brought up.
{8:5} King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were
assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and
cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. {8:6} The
priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into
the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings
of the cherubim. {8:7} For the cherubim spread forth their wings over
the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles
above. {8:8} The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were
seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen
outside: and there they are to this day. {8:9} There was nothing in the
ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when
Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out
of the land of Egypt. {8:10} It came to pass, when the priests had come
out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh,
{8:11} so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the
cloud; for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh. {8:12} Then
Solomon said, "Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick
darkness. {8:13} I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place
for you to dwell in forever."

   {8:14} The king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly
of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood. {8:15} He said,
"Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to
David your father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying, {8:16}
'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no
city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name
might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'

   {8:17} "Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house
for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. {8:18} But Yahweh said to
David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my
name, you did well that it was in your heart. {8:19} Nevertheless, you
shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of
your body, he shall build the house for my name.' {8:20} Yahweh has
established his word that he spoke; for I have risen up in the place of
David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised,
and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
{8:21} There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant
of Yahweh, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of
the land of Egypt."

   {8:22} Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of
all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
{8:23} and he said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like
you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving
kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
{8:24} who have kept with your servant David my father that which you
promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it
with your hand, as it is this day. {8:25} Now therefore, may Yahweh,
the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which
you have promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man in my
sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed
to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.'

   {8:26} "Now therefore, God of Israel, please let your word be
verified, which you spoke to your servant David my father. {8:27} But
will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven
of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house that I have
built! {8:28} Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for
his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer
which your servant prays before you this day; {8:29} that your eyes may
be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which
you have said, 'My name shall be there;' to listen to the prayer which
your servant shall pray toward this place. {8:30} Listen to the
supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they
shall pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place;
and when you hear, forgive.

   {8:31} "If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on
him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swear before your altar in
this house; {8:32} then hear in heaven, and do, and judge your
servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and
justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

   {8:33} "When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy,
because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and
confess your name, and pray and make supplication to you in this house:
{8:34} then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel,
and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers.

   {8:35} "When the sky 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 in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your
people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should
walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people
for an inheritance.

   {8:37} "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if
there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges
them in the land of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness
there is; {8:38} whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man,
or by all your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own
heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: {8:39} then hear
in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render to
every man according to all 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 to our fathers.

   {8:41} "Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people
Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for your name's sake
{8:42} (for they shall hear of your great name, and of your mighty
hand, and of your outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward
this house; {8:43} hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do
according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the
peoples 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, by
whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to Yahweh toward the
city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for
your name; {8:45} then hear in heaven their prayer and their
supplication, and maintain their cause. {8:46} If they sin against you
(for there is no man who doesn't sin), and you are angry with them, and
deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the
land of the enemy, far off or near; {8:47} yet if they shall repent in
the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make
supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive,
saying, 'We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt
wickedly;' {8:48} if they return to you with all their heart and with
all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive,
and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the
city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your
name: {8:49} then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven,
your dwelling place, and maintain their cause; {8:50} and forgive your
people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in
which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion
before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on
them {8:51} (for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you
brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron); {8:52}
that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant, and to
the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they
cry to you. {8:53} For you separated them from among all the peoples of
the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant,
when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh."

   {8:54} It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all
this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar
of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth
toward heaven. {8:55} He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel
with a loud voice, saying, {8:56} "Blessed be Yahweh, who has given
rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has
not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses
his servant. {8:57} May Yahweh 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 to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded
our fathers. {8:59} Let these my words, with which I have made
supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night,
that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his
people Israel, as every day shall require; {8:60} that all the peoples
of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God. There is none else.

   {8:61} "Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to
walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."

   {8:62} The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before
Yahweh. {8:63} Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings,
which he offered to Yahweh, two and twenty thousand head of cattle, and
one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of
Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh. {8:64} The same day the king made
the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for
there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat
of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before Yahweh
was too little to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering,
and the fat of the peace offerings. {8:65} So Solomon held the feast at
that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance
of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh 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 to their tents joyful
and glad of heart for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David
his servant, and to Israel his people.

   {9:1} It happened, when Solomon had finished the building of the
house of Yahweh, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which
he was pleased to do, {9:2} that Yahweh appeared to Solomon the second
time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. {9:3} Yahweh said to him, "I
have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before
me. I have made this house holy, which you have built, to put my name
there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.
{9:4} As for you, 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
ordinances; {9:5} then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over
Israel forever, according as I promised to David your father, saying,
'There shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel.' {9:6} But if
you turn away from following me, you or your children, and not keep my
commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall 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 made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel
shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. {9:8} Though this
house is so high, yet shall everyone who passes by it be astonished,
and shall hiss; and they shall say, 'Why has Yahweh done thus to this
land, and to this house?' {9:9} and they shall answer, 'Because they
forsook Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of
Egypt, and laid hold of other gods, and worshiped them, and served
them. Therefore Yahweh has brought all this evil on them.'"

   {9:10} It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had
built the two houses, the house of Yahweh 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} Hiram
came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and
they didn't please him. {9:13} He said, "What cities are these which
you have given me, my brother?" He called them the land of Cabul to
this day. {9:14} Hiram sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of
gold.

   {9:15} This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to
build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall
of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. {9:16} Pharaoh king of
Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain
the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it for a portion to his
daughter, Solomon's wife. {9:17} Solomon built Gezer, and Beth Horon
the lower, {9:18} and Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the
land, {9:19} and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and the
cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that
which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in
Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. {9:20} As for all the
people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel;
{9:21} their children who were left after them in the land, whom the
children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them Solomon
raised a levy of bondservants to this day. {9:22} But of the children
of Israel Solomon made no bondservants; but they were the men of war,
and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his
chariots and of his horsemen. {9:23} These were the chief officers who
were over Solomon's work, five hundred fifty, who bore rule over the
people who labored in the work. {9:24} But Pharaoh's daughter came up
out of the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her:
then he built Millo. {9:25} Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings on the altar which he built to Yahweh three times a year,
burning incense with them, on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he
finished the house. {9:26} King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion
Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the [6>]Red Sea[<6], in
the land of Edom. {9:27} Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors
who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. {9:28} They
came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty
talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

   {10:1} When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to prove him with hard
questions. {10:2} She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with
camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and
when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in
her heart. {10:3} Solomon told her all her questions: there was not
anything hidden from the king which he didn't tell her. {10:4} When the
queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, 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 clothing, and
his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of
Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. {10:6} She said to the king,
"It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of
your wisdom. {10:7} However I didn't believe the words, until I came,
and my eyes had seen it. Behold, the half was not told me! Your wisdom
and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. {10:8} Happy are your
men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you,
who hear your wisdom. {10:9} Blessed is Yahweh your God, who delighted
in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel
forever, therefore made he you king, to do justice and righteousness."
{10:10} She gave the king one hundred 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} The navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir,
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones.
{10:12} The king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of
Yahweh, and for the king's house, harps also and stringed instruments
for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this
day. {10:13} King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal
bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
{10:14} Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred sixty-six talents of gold, {10:15} besides that which the
traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings
of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. {10:16} King
Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels
of gold went to one buckler. {10:17} he made three hundred shields of
beaten gold; three minas 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 finest gold.
{10:19} There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne
was round behind; and there were stays on either side by the place of
the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. {10:20} Twelve lions
stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there
was nothing like it made in any kingdom. {10:21} 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 Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three
years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and
apes, and peacocks. {10:23} So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of
the earth in riches and in wisdom. {10:24} All the earth sought the
presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his
heart. {10:25} They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver,
and vessels of gold, and clothing, and armor, and spices, horses, and
mules, a rate year by year. {10:26} Solomon gathered together chariots
and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and
twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and
with the king at Jerusalem. {10:27} The king made silver to be in
Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees
that are in the lowland, for abundance. {10:28} The horses which
Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king's merchants
received them in droves, each drove at a price. {10:29} A chariot came
up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse
for one hundred fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and
for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means.

   {11:1} Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites,
Sidonians, and Hittites; {11:2} of the nations concerning which Yahweh
said to the children of Israel, "You shall not go among them, neither
shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods." Solomon joined to these in love. {11:3} He had seven
hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives
turned away his heart. {11:4} For it happened, when Solomon was old,
that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart
was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his
father. {11:5} For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. {11:6}
Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn't go
fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. {11:7} Then Solomon built
a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that
is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of
Ammon. {11:8} So he did for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense
and sacrificed to their gods. {11:9} Yahweh was angry with Solomon,
because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who
had appeared to him twice, {11:10} and had commanded him concerning
this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn't keep
that which Yahweh commanded. {11:11} Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon,
"Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my
statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom
from you, and will give it to your servant. {11:12} Notwithstanding I
will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake; but I will
tear it out of the hand of your son. {11:13} However I will not tear
away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David
my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."

   {11:14} Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite:
he was of the king's seed in Edom. {11:15} For it happened, when David
was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was gone up to bury the
slain, and had struck every male in Edom {11:16} (for Joab and all
Israel remained there six months, 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} They arose out of Midian, and came to Paran; and they took men
with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of
Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land.
{11:19} Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he
gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the
queen. {11:20} The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom
Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house
among the sons of Pharaoh. {11:21} When Hadad heard in Egypt that David
slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead,
Hadad said to Pharaoh, "Let me depart, that I may go to my own country."

   {11:22} Then Pharaoh said to him, "But what have you lacked with me,
that behold, you seek to go to your own country?"

   He answered, "Nothing, however only let me depart."

   {11:23} God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada,
who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. {11:24} He gathered
men to him, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of
Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and lived therein, and reigned in
Damascus. {11:25} He was an adversary to Israel all the days of
Solomon, besides the mischief of Hadad: and he abhorred Israel, and
reigned over Syria. {11:26} Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of
Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow,
he also lifted up his hand against the king. {11:27} This was the
reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo,
and repaired the breach of the city of David his father. {11:28} The
man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man
that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labor of
the house of Joseph. {11:29} It happened at that time, when Jeroboam
went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him
in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they
two were alone in the field. {11:30} Ahijah laid hold of the new
garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. {11:31} He said
to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces; for thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel,
'Behold, I will tear 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 worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians,
Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon.
They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes,
and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.

   {11:34} "'However 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, who kept my commandments and my statutes;
{11:35} but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will
give it to you, even ten tribes. {11:36} To his son will I give one
tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in
Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
{11:37} I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your
soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. {11:38} It shall be, if
you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways,
and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my
commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and
will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel
to you. {11:39} I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not
forever.'" {11:40} Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but
Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was
in Egypt until the death of Solomon. {11:41} Now the rest of the acts
of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren't they written in
the book of the acts of Solomon? {11:42} The time that Solomon reigned
in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. {11:43} Solomon slept
with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

   {12:1} Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel had come to Shechem
to make him king. {12:2} It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat
heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the
presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt, {12:3} and they
sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel
came, and spoke to 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 on us, lighter, and we will serve you."

   {12:5} He said to them, "Depart for three days, then come back to
me."

   The people departed. {12:6} King Rehoboam took counsel with the old
men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived,
saying, "What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?"

   {12:7} They spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this
people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good
words to them, then they will be your servants forever."

   {12:8} But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had
given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with
him, who stood before him. {12:9} He said to them, "What counsel do you
give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me,
saying, 'Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?'"

   {12:10} The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him,
saying, "Thus you shall tell this people who spoke to you, saying,
'Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;' you shall
say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.
{12:11} Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will
add to your yoke: my father 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 asked, saying, "Come to me again the third day."
{12:13} The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel
of the old men which they had given him, {12:14} and spoke to them
according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your
yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with
whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

   {12:15} So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing
brought about of Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh
spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. {12:16}
When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people
answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? Neither do
we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now
see to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents.

   {12:17} But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. {12:18} Then king Rehoboam sent
Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel
stoned him to death with stones. 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 to this day. {12:20} It happened, when all
Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him
to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none
who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. {12:21}
When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of
Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen
men, who 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 to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, {12:23} "Speak to
Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of
Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, {12:24}
'Thus says Yahweh, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your
brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for
this thing is of me."'" So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and
returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh.

   {12:25} Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim,
and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel. {12:26}
Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house
of David. {12:27} If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the
house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn
again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill
me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah." {12:28} Whereupon the king
took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, "It is
too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and see your gods, Israel,
which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" {12:29} He set the one
in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. {12:30} This thing became a
sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan.
{12:31} He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all
the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. {12:32} Jeroboam ordained
a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like
the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; he did so in
Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in
Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. {12:33} He went
up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the
eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart:
and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the
altar, to burn incense.

   {13:1} Behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of
Yahweh to Beth El: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn
incense. {13:2} He cried against the altar by the word of Yahweh, and
said, "Altar, altar, thus says Yahweh: 'Behold, a son shall be born to
the house of David, Josiah by name. On you he shall sacrifice the
priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn
men's bones on you.'" {13:3} He gave a sign the same day, saying, "This
is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split
apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out."

   {13:4} It happened, when the king heard the saying of the man of
God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put out
his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him!" His hand, which he put
out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to
himself. {13:5} The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured
out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had
given by the word of Yahweh. {13:6} The king answered the man of God,
"Now entreat the favor of Yahweh your God, and pray for me, that my
hand may be restored me again."

   The man of God entreated Yahweh, and the king's hand was restored
him again, and became as it was before.

   {13:7} The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me, and
refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward."

   {13:8} The man of God said to the king, "Even if you gave me half of
your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor
drink water in this place; {13:9} for so was it commanded me by the
word of Yahweh, saying, 'You shall eat no bread, nor drink water,
neither return by the way that you came.'" {13:10} So he went another
way, and didn't return by the way that he came to Bethel.

   {13:11} Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel; and one of his
sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that
day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had
spoken to the king.

   {13:12} Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" Now his
sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah.
{13:13} He said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they
saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it. {13:14} He went after
the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. He said to him,
"Are you the man of God who came from Judah?"

   He said, "I am." {13:15} Then he said to him, "Come home with me,
and eat bread."

   {13:16} 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 Yahweh, 'You shall eat no
bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you
came.'"

   {13:18} He said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are; and an
angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, 'Bring him back with
you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" He lied
to him.

   {13:19} So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and
drank water. {13:20} It happened, as they sat at the table, that the
word of Yahweh came to the prophet who brought him back; {13:21} and he
cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says Yahweh,
'Because you have been disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh, and have not
kept the commandment which Yahweh your God commanded you, {13:22} but
came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which
he said to you, "Eat no bread, and drink no water"; your body shall not
come to the tomb of your fathers.'"

   {13:23} It happened, after he had eaten bread, and after he had
drunk, that he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought
back. {13:24} When he had gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed
him. His body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it. The lion
also stood by the body. {13:25} Behold, men passed by, and saw the body
cast in the way, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and
told it in the city where the old prophet lived. {13:26} When the
prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, "It is
the man of God who was disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh. Therefore
Yahweh has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain
him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke to him." {13:27}
He spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle the donkey for me." They saddled
it. {13:28} He went and found his body cast in the way, and the donkey
and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body, nor
mauled the donkey. {13:29} The prophet took up the body of the man of
God, and laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to the
city of the old prophet to mourn, and to bury him. {13:30} He laid his
body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my
brother!"

   {13:31} It happened, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his
sons, saying, "When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb in which the
man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones. {13:32} For the
saying which he cried by the word of Yahweh against the altar in
Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the
cities of Samaria, will surely happen."

   {13:33} After this thing Jeroboam didn't return from his evil way,
but again made priests of the high places from among all the people.
Whoever wanted to, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of
the high places. {13:34} This thing became sin to the house of
Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the surface of
the earth.

   {14:1} At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. {14:2}
Jeroboam said to his wife, "Please get up and disguise yourself, that
you won't be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Go to Shiloh. Behold,
there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be
king over this people. {14:3} Take with you ten loaves, and cakes, and
a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the
child."

   {14:4} Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and
came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes
were set by reason of his age. {14:5} Yahweh said to Ahijah, "Behold,
the wife of Jeroboam comes to inquire of you concerning her son; for he
is sick. Thus and thus you shall tell her; for it will be, when she
comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman."

   {14:6} 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
do you pretend to be another? For I am sent to you with heavy news.
{14:7} Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel:
"Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over
my people Israel, {14:8} and tore 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 my eyes, {14:9} but have done evil above
all who were before you, and 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 on the house of
Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who [7>]urinates on a
wall,[<7] he who is shut up and he who is left at large in Israel, and
will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away
dung, until it is all gone. {14:11} He who dies of Jeroboam in the city
shall the dogs eat; and he who dies in the field shall the birds of the
sky eat: for Yahweh has spoken it."' {14:12} Arise therefore, and go to
your house. When your feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
{14:13} 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 Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.
{14:14} Moreover Yahweh will raise him up a king over Israel, who shall
cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is day! What? Even now. {14:15} For
Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he
will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their
fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made
their Asherim, provoking Yahweh to anger. {14:16} He will give Israel
up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has sinned, and with which
he has made Israel to sin."

   {14:17} Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah. As
she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. {14:18} All
Israel buried him, and mourned for him, according to the word of
Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet. {14:19} 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} The days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty
years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his
place. {14:21} Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam
was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of
all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name
was Naamah the Ammonitess. {14:22} Judah did that which was evil in the
sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins
which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. {14:23}
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on
every high hill, and under every green tree; {14:24} and there were
also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations
of the nations which Yahweh drove out before the children of Israel.
{14:25} It happened 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 Yahweh, 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} King Rehoboam made in their place
shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of
the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. {14:28} It was so,
that as often as the king went into the house of Yahweh, the guard bore
them, and brought them back into the guard room. {14:29} Now the rest
of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren't they written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? {14:30} There was war
between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. {14:31} Rehoboam slept with
his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and
his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in
his place.

   {15:1} Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat
began Abijam to reign over Judah. {15:2} He reigned three years in
Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.
{15:3} He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done
before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the
heart of David his father. {15:4} Nevertheless for David's sake, Yahweh
his God gave 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 Yahweh, and didn't turn aside from anything that he
commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of
Uriah the Hittite. {15:6} Now there was war between Rehoboam and
Jeroboam all the days of his life. {15:7} The rest of the acts of
Abijam, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and
Jeroboam. {15:8} Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in
the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his place. {15:9} In the
twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Asa to reign over
Judah. {15:10} He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem: and his
mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. {15:11} Asa did
that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as did David his father.
{15:12} He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the
idols that his fathers had made. {15:13} Also Maacah his mother he
removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for
an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook
Kidron. {15:14} But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless
the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days. {15:15} He
brought into the house of Yahweh the things that his father had
dedicated, and the things that himself had dedicated, silver, and gold,
and vessels. {15:16} There was war between Asa and Baasha king of
Israel all their days. {15:17} Baasha king of Israel went up against
Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone 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 Yahweh, and
the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of
his servants; and king Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of
Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus,
saying, {15:19} "There is a treaty between me and you, between my
father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver
and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may
depart from me."

   {15:20} Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his
armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel
Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. {15:21}
It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah,
and lived in Tirzah. {15:22} Then king Asa made a proclamation to all
Judah; none was exempted: and they carried away the stones of Ramah,
and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa built
therewith Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. {15:23} Now the rest of all the
acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities
which he built, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in
his feet. {15:24} 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 place. {15:25} Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign
over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned
over Israel two years. {15:26} He did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with
which he made Israel to sin. {15:27} Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the
house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at
Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel
were laying siege to Gibbethon. {15:28} Even in the third year of Asa
king of Judah, Baasha killed him, and reigned in his place. {15:29} It
happened that, as soon as he was king, he struck all the house of
Jeroboam: he didn't leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had
destroyed him; according to the saying of Yahweh, which he spoke by his
servant Ahijah the Shilonite; {15:30} for the sins of Jeroboam which he
sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his
provocation with which he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger.
{15:31} Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, aren't
they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
{15:32} There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their
days. {15:33} In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of
Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-four years.
{15:34} He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked
in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.

   {16:1} The word of Yahweh came to Jehu the son of Hanani against
Baasha, saying, {16:2} "Because 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 utterly sweep away Baasha and
his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat. {16:4} The dogs will eat Baasha's descendants who die in
the city; and he who dies of his in the field the birds of the sky will
eat."

   {16:5} Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his
might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel? {16:6} Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place. {16:7} Moreover by the
prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Yahweh against Baasha,
and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the
sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in
being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.

   {16:8} In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son
of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years. {16:9}
His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him.
Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who
was over the household in Tirzah: {16:10} and Zimri went in and struck
him, and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah,
and reigned in his place. {16:11} It happened, when he began to reign,
as soon as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of
Baasha: he didn't leave him a single one [8>]who urinates on a
wall,[<8] neither of his relatives, nor of his friends. {16:12} Thus
Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of
Yahweh, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, {16:13} for
all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they
sinned, and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the
God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. {16:14} Now the rest of
the acts of Elah, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? {16:15} In the twenty-seventh
year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the
people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the
Philistines. {16:16} The people who were encamped heard say, Zimri has
conspired, and has also struck the king: therefore all Israel made
Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
{16:17} Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they
besieged Tirzah. {16:18} It happened, when Zimri saw that the city was
taken, that he went into the castle 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 that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, 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 committed, aren't they 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 who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed
Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. {16:23} In
the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over
Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah. {16:24} He
bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he
built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built,
after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria. {16:25} Omri
did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and dealt wickedly
above all who were before him. {16:26} For he walked in all the way of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to
sin, to provoke Yahweh, the 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, aren't they 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
place. {16:29} In the thirty-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-two years. {16:30} Ahab the son
of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh above all that
were before him. {16:31} It happened, as if it had been a light thing
for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took
as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went
and served Baal, and worshiped him. {16:32} He reared up an altar for
Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. {16:33} Ahab
made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Yahweh, the God of
Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
{16:34} In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho: he laid its
foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates
with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of
Yahweh, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

   {17:1} Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the foreigners of Gilead,
said to Ahab, "As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I
stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my
word." {17:2} The word of Yahweh came to him, saying, {17:3} "Go away
from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that
is before the Jordan. {17:4} It shall be, that you shall drink of the
brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." {17:5} So he
went and did according to the word of Yahweh; for he went and lived by
the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. {17:6} 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} It happened after a while, that the
brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. {17:8} The word
of Yahweh came to him, saying, {17:9} "Arise, go to Zarephath, which
belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow
there to sustain you."

   {17:10} So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the
gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he
called to her, and said, "Please get me a little water in a vessel,
that I may drink."

   {17:11} As she was going to get it, he called to her, and said,
"Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

   {17:12} She said, "As Yahweh your God lives, I don't have a cake,
but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the jar. Behold,
I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my
son, that we may eat it, and die."

   {17:13} Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go and do as you have
said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it out to me,
and afterward make some for you and for your son. {17:14} For thus says
Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'The jar of meal shall not empty, neither
shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the
earth.'"

   {17:15} She went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she,
and he, and her house, ate many days. {17:16} The jar of meal didn't
empty, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of
Yahweh, which he spoke by Elijah. {17:17} It happened after these
things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell
sick; and his sickness was so severe, that there was no breath left in
him. {17:18} She said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, you man
of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my
son!"

   {17:19} He said to her, "Give me your son." He took him out of her
bosom, and carried him up into the room where he stayed, and laid him
on his own bed. {17:20} He cried to Yahweh, and said, "Yahweh my God,
have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I stay, by killing
her son?"

   {17:21} He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to
Yahweh, and said, "Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come
into him again."

   {17:22} Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he revived. {17:23} Elijah took the
child, and brought him down out of the room into the house, and
delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, "Behold, your son lives."

   {17:24} The woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of
God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth."

   {18:1} It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to
Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I
will send rain on the earth."

   {18:2} Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in
Samaria. {18:3} Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now
Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly: {18:4} for it was so, when Jezebel cut
off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and
hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) {18:5}
Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of
water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the
horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."

   {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} As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he
recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is it you, my lord
Elijah?"

   {18:8} He answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, 'Behold,
Elijah is here!'"

   {18:9} He said, "Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your
servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? {18:10} As Yahweh your God
lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to
seek you. When they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the
kingdom and nation, that they didn't find you. {18:11} Now you say,
'Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Elijah is here."' {18:12} It will happen,
as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you
I don't know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find
you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my
youth. {18:13} Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed
the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh's prophets
with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? {18:14} Now
you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Elijah is here";' and he will
kill me."

   {18:15} Elijah said, "As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I
stand, I will surely show myself to him today." {18:16} So Obadiah went
to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. {18:17} It
happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you,
you troubler of Israel?"

   {18:18} He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your
father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh,
and you have followed the Baals. {18:19} Now therefore send, and gather
to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the
prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who
eat at Jezebel's table."

   {18:20} So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the
prophets together to Mount Carmel. {18:21} Elijah came near to all the
people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If
Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."

   The people answered him not a word.

   {18:22} Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a
prophet of Yahweh; but Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men.
{18:23} Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one
bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and
put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the
wood, and put no fire under it. {18:24} You call on the name of your
god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers by
fire, let him be God."

   All the people answered, "It is well said."

   {18:25} Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for
yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name
of your god, but put no fire under it."

   {18:26} They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed
it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon,
saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered.
They leaped about the altar which was made. {18:27} It happened at
noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud; for he is a god.
Either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or
perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened."

   {18:28} They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with
knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. {18:29} It was
so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the
offering of the offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to
answer, nor any who regarded.

   {18:30} Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all
the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was
thrown down. {18:31} Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number
of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came,
saying, "Israel shall be your name." {18:32} With the stones he built
an altar in the name of Yahweh. He made a trench around the altar,
large enough to contain two measures of seed. {18:33} He put the wood
in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said,
"Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on
the wood." {18:34} He said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the
second time. He said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third
time. {18:35} The water ran around the altar; and he also filled the
trench with water.

   {18:36} It happened at the time of the offering of the offering,
that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "Yahweh, the God of
Abraham, of 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, Yahweh, hear me, that this
people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned
their heart back again."

   {18:38} Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt
offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the
water that was in the trench. {18:39} When all the people saw it, they
fell on their faces. They said, "Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!"

   {18:40} Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Don't let
one of them escape!"

   They seized them. Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and
killed them there. {18:41} Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink;
for there is the sound of abundance of rain."

   {18:42} So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the
top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face
between his knees. {18:43} He said to his servant, "Go up now, look
toward the sea."

   He went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing."

   He said, "Go again" seven times.

   {18:44} It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a
small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea."

   He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so that the rain
doesn't stop you.'"

   {18:45} It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with
clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to
Jezreel. {18:46} The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he tucked his
cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

   {19:1} Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had
killed all the prophets with the sword. {19:2} Then Jezebel sent a
messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also,
if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about
this time!"

   {19:3} 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 Yahweh, take away my
life; for I am not better than my fathers."

   {19:5} He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an
angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat!"

   {19:6} He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on
the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
{19:7} The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him,
and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you."

   {19:8} He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that
food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God. {19:9} He
came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh
came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

   {19:10} He said, "I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of
Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown
down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I
only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

   {19:11} He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh."

   Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the
mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was
not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in
the earthquake. {19:12} After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh
was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. {19:13} It
was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle,
and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice
came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

   {19:14} He said, "I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of
Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown
down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I
only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

   {19:15} Yahweh said to him, "Go, return on your way to the
wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be
king over Syria. {19:16} You shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be
king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of
Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place. {19:17} It shall happen, that
he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. {19:18} Yet will I
leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to
Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him."

   {19:19} So he departed there, 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 over to him, and cast his mantle on him.
{19:20} He left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me
please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you."

   He said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?"

   {19:21} He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen,
and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the
oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went
after Elijah, and served him.

   {20:1} Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together;
and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and
he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. {20:2} He sent
messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him,
"Thus says Ben Hadad, {20:3} 'Your silver and your gold is mine. Your
wives also and your children, even the best, are mine.'"

   {20:4} The king of Israel answered, "It is according to your saying,
my lord, O king. I am yours, and all that I have."

   {20:5} The messengers came again, and said, "Ben Hadad says, 'I sent
indeed to you, saying, "You shall deliver me your silver, and your
gold, and your wives, and your children; {20:6} but I will send my
servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your
house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatever
is pleasant in your 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, "Please notice how this man seeks mischief; for he sent to me
for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold;
and I didn't deny him."

   {20:8} All the elders and all the people said to him, "Don't listen,
neither consent."

   {20:9} Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, "Tell my
lord the king, 'All that you sent for to your servant at the first I
will do; but this thing I cannot do.'"

   The messengers departed, and brought him back the message. {20:10}
Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, "The gods do so to me, and more also,
if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people
who follow me."

   {20:11} The king of Israel answered, "Tell him, 'Don't let him who
puts on his armor brag like he who takes it off.'"

   {20:12} It happened, when Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was
drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his
servants, "Prepare to attack!" They prepared to attack the city.

   {20:13} Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and
said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Have you seen all this great multitude?
Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know
that I am Yahweh.'"

   {20:14} Ahab said, "By whom?"

   He said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'By the young men of the princes of the
provinces.'"

   Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?"

   He answered, "You."

   {20:15} Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the
provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he
mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven
thousand. {20:16} They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking
himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings
who helped him. {20:17} The young men of the princes of the provinces
went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, "Men
are coming out from Samaria."

   {20:18} He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive;
or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

   {20:19} So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes
of the provinces, and the army which followed them. {20:20} They each
killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad
the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. {20:21} The king of
Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the
Syrians with a great slaughter. {20:22} The prophet came near to the
king of Israel, and said to 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} The servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their god is
a god 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} Do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his
place, and put captains in their place. {20:25} Muster an army, like
the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot.
We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger
than them."

   He listened to their voice, and did so. {20:26} It happened at the
return of the year, that Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to
Aphek, to fight against Israel. {20:27} The children of Israel were
mustered, and were provisioned, and went against them. The children of
Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats; but
the Syrians filled the country. {20:28} A man of God came near and
spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Because the
Syrians have said, "Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god
of the valleys"; therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into
your hand, and you shall know that I am Yahweh.'"

   {20:29} They encamped one over against the other seven days. So it
was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of
Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day.
{20:30} But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on
twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled, and came into
the city, into an inner room. {20:31} His servants said to him, "See
now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful
kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our
heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life."

   {20:32} So they put sackcloth on their bodies and ropes on their
heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, "Your servant Ben
Hadad says, 'Please let me live.'"

   He said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

   {20:33} Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to take this
phrase; and they said, "Your brother Ben Hadad."

   Then he said, "Go, bring him."

   Then Ben Hadad came out to him; and he caused him to come up into
the chariot. {20:34} Ben Hadad said to him, "The cities which my father
took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for
yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria."

   "I," said Ahab, "will let you go with this covenant." So he made a
covenant with him, and let him go.

   {20:35} A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow
by the word of Yahweh, "Please strike me!"

   The man refused to strike him. {20:36} Then he said to him, "Because
you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you are
departed from me, a lion shall kill you." As soon as he was departed
from him, a lion found him, and killed him.

   {20:37} Then he found another man, and said, "Please strike me."

   The man struck him, smiting and wounding him. {20:38} So the prophet
departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself
with his headband over his eyes. {20:39} As the king passed by, he
cried to 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 to me,
and said, 'Guard this man! If by any means he be missing, then your
life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.'
{20:40} As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone."

   The king of Israel said to him, "So your judgment shall be; you
yourself have decided it."

   {20:41} He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and
the king of Israel recognized that he was of the prophets. {20:42} He
said to him, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Because you have let go out of your
hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life
shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'"

   {20:43} The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and
came to Samaria.

   {21:1} It happened 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} Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your
vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near
to my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or,
if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money."

   {21:3} Naboth said to Ahab, "May Yahweh forbid me, that I should
give the inheritance of my fathers to you!"

   {21:4} Ahab came into his house sullen and angry 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." He laid himself down on
his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. {21:5} But
Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why is your spirit so
sad, that you eat no bread?"

   {21:6} He said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,
and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it
pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' He answered, 'I
will not give you my vineyard.'"

   {21:7} Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern the kingdom
of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your 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 to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived
with Naboth. {21:9} She wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast,
and set Naboth on high among the people. {21:10} Set two men, base
fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'You
cursed God and the king!' Then carry him out, and stone him to death."

   {21:11} The men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who
lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, according as it was
written in the letters which she had sent to them. {21:12} They
proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. {21:13} The
two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him. The base fellows
testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the
people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" Then they carried him
out of the city, and stoned him to death with stones. {21:14} Then they
sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned, and is dead."

   {21:15} It happened, 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} It happened, 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} The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the
Tishbite, saying, {21:18} "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel,
who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where
he has gone down to take possession of it. {21:19} You shall speak to
him, saying, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Have you killed and also taken
possession?"' You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says Yahweh, "In
the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your
blood, even yours."'"

   {21:20} Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?"

   He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do
that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh. {21:21} Behold, I will bring
evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab
everyone [9>]who urinates against a wall,[<9] and him who is shut up
and him who is left at large in Israel. {21:22} I will make your house
like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of
Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which you have
provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin." {21:23} Yahweh also
spoke of Jezebel, saying, "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of
Jezreel. {21:24} The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and
the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field."

   {21:25} But there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do that
which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel his wife stirred
up. {21:26} He did very abominably in following idols, according to all
that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of
Israel. {21:27} It happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore
his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
sackcloth, and went softly.

   {21:28} The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
{21:29} "See 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 on his house."

   {22:1} They continued three years without war between Syria and
Israel. {22:2} It happened in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah came down to the king of Israel. {22:3} The king of Israel
said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we are
still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?" {22:4}
He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth
Gilead?"

   Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people
as your people, my horses as your horses." {22:5} Jehoshaphat said to
the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh."

   {22:6} Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about
four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead
to battle, or shall I forbear?"

   They said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the
king."

   {22:7} But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh,
that we may inquire of him?"

   {22:8} The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man
by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate
him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

   Jehoshaphat said, "Don't let the king say so."

   {22:9} Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, "Quickly
get Micaiah the son of Imlah."

   {22:10} Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open
place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were
prophesying before them. {22:11} Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him
horns of iron, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'With these you shall push
the Syrians, until they are consumed.'" {22:12} All the prophets
prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh
will deliver it into the hand of the king."

   {22:13} The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying,
"See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please
let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good."

   {22:14} Micaiah said, "As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that
I will speak."

   {22:15} When he had come to the king, the king said to him,
"Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?"

   He answered him, "Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into
the hand of the king." {22:16} The king said to him, "How many times do
I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the
name of Yahweh?"

   {22:17} He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as
sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, 'These have no master. Let
them each return to his house in peace.'"

   {22:18} The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you
that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"

   {22:19} Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of Yahweh. I saw
Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by
him on his right hand and on his left. {22:20} Yahweh said, 'Who shall
entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said one
thing; and another said another. {22:21} A spirit came out and stood
before Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.' {22:22} Yahweh said to
him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You will entice him, and will
also prevail. Go out and do so.' {22:23} Now therefore, behold, Yahweh
has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and
Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you."

   {22:24} Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck
Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh go
from me to speak to you?"

   {22:25} Micaiah said, "Behold, you will see on that day, when you go
into an inner room to hide yourself."

   {22:26} The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back
to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son. {22:27}
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} Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not
spoken by me." He said, "Listen, all you people!"

   {22:29} So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
up to Ramoth Gilead. {22:30} The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I
will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your
robes." The king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

   {22:31} Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains
of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, except
only with the king of Israel. {22:32} It happened, when the captains of
the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely that is the king
of Israel!" and they turned aside to fight against him. Jehoshaphat
cried out. {22:33} It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw
that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing
him. {22:34} A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king
of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the
driver of his chariot, "Turn your hand, and carry me out of the battle;
for I am severely wounded." {22:35} The battle increased that day. The
king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and died at
evening. The blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.
{22:36} A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun,
saying, "Every man to his city, and every man to his country!"

   {22:37} So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they
buried the king in Samaria. {22:38} They washed the chariot by the pool
of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes
washed themselves; according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke.

   {22:39} Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and
the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built,
aren't they 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 place. {22:41} Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign
over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. {22:42}
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah
the daughter of Shilhi. {22:43} He walked in all the way of Asa his
father; He didn't turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the
eyes of Yahweh: however the high places were not taken away; the people
still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. {22:44}
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, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Judah? {22:46} The remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the
days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land. {22:47} There was
no king in Edom: a deputy was king. {22:48} Jehoshaphat made ships of
Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they didn't go; for the ships
were broken at Ezion Geber. {22:49} Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said
to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants in the ships."
But Jehoshaphat would not. {22:50} Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers,
and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father;
Jehoram his son reigned in his place. {22:51} Ahaziah the son of Ahab
began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.
{22:52} He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, 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, in which he made Israel to sin. {22:53}
He served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the
God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.



________________________________________________________________________

Footnotes:
[1] {1:17} "Yahweh" is God's proper Name, sometimes rendered "LORD"
(all caps) in other translations.

[2] {1:17} The Hebrew word rendered "God" is "Elohim."

[3] {2:6} Sheol is the place of the dead.

[4] {2:9} Sheol is the place of the dead.

[5] {2:26} The word translated "Lord" is "Adonai."

[6] {9:26} or, Sea of Reeds

[7] {14:10} or, male

[8] {16:11} or, male

[9] {21:21} or, male

