|
| |
| And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of
Oded: |
| And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear
ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye
be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye
forsake him, he will forsake you. |
| Now for a long season Israel hath been without the
true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. |
| But when they in their trouble did turn unto the
LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. |
| And in those times there was no peace to him that
went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the
inhabitants of the countries. |
| And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of
city: for God did vex them with all adversity. |
| Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be
weak: for your work shall be rewarded. |
| And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of
Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out
of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he
had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that
was before the porch of the LORD. |
| And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the
strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for
they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD
his God was with him. |
| So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in
the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. |
| And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the
spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand
sheep. |
| And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD
God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; |
| That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel
should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. |
| And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and
with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. |
| And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had
sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and
he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about. |
| And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the
king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a
grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the
brook Kidron. |
| But the high places were not taken away out of
Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. |
| And he brought into the house of God the things that
his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and
gold, and vessels. |
| And there was no more war unto the five and
thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. |
| In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa
Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the
intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. |
| Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the
treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to
Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, |
| There is a league between me and thee, as there was
between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and
gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may
depart from me. |
| And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the
captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon,
and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. |
| And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he
left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. |
| Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried
away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was
building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. |
| And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of
Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria,
and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of
Syria escaped out of thine hand. |
| Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host,
with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on
the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. |
| For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout
the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore
from henceforth thou shalt have wars. |
| Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a
prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And
Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. |
| And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo,
they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. |
| And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign
was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in
his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. |
| And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one
and fortieth year of his reign. |
| And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he
had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which
was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the
apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him. |
| And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and
strengthened himself against Israel. |
| And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of
Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of
Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. |
| And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked
in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; |
| But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked
in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. |
| Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his
hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches
and honour in abundance. |
| And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD:
moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. |
| Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his
princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to
Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. |
| And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and
Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan,
and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them
Elishama and Jehoram, priests. |
| And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the
law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of
Judah, and taught the people. |
| And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms
of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war
against Jehoshaphat. |
| Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat
presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven
thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he
goats. |
| And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he
built in Judah castles, and cities of store. |
| And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and
the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. |
| And these are the numbers of them according to the
house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the
chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. |
| And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with
him two hundred and fourscore thousand. |
| And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who
willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred
thousand mighty men of valour. |
| And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and
with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand. |
| And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred
and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. |
| These waited on the king, beside those whom the king
put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah. |
| Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance,
and joined affinity with Ahab. |
| And after certain years he went down to Ahab to
Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for
the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to
Ramothgilead. |
| And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king
of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I
am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in
the war. |
| And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel,
Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. |
| Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of
prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to
Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for
God will deliver it into the king's hand. |
| But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of
the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him? |
| And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There
is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for
he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah
the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. |
| And the king of Israel called for one of his
officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. |
| And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah
sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat
in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the
prophets prophesied before them. |
| And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns
of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria
until they be consumed. |
| And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to
Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand
of the king. |
| And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to
him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king
with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of
theirs, and speak thou good. |
| And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my
God saith, that will I speak. |
| And when he was come to the king, the king said unto
him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?
And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into
your hand. |
| And the king said to him, How many times shall I
adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the
LORD? |
| Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon
the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These
have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in
peace. |
| And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I
not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? |
| Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD;
I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven
standing on his right hand and on his left. |
| And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of
Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying
after this manner, and another saying after that manner. |
| Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the
LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him,
Wherewith? |
| And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in
the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him,
and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. |
| Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying
spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil
against thee. |
| Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and
smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the
LORD from me to speak unto thee? |
| And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day
when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. |
| Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and
carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's
son; |
| And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the
prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of
affliction, until I return in peace. |
| And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace,
then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye
people. |
| So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah went up to Ramothgilead. |
| And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will
disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes.
So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. |
| Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of
the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or
great, save only with the king of Israel. |
| And it came to pass, when the captains of the
chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel.
Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out,
and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. |
| For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the
chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back
again from pursuing him. |
| And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote
the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said
to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of
the host; for I am wounded. |
| And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king
of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the
even: and about the time of the sun going down he died. |
| And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his
house in peace to Jerusalem. |
| And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet
him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and
love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before
the LORD. |
| Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in
that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared
thine heart to seek God. |
| And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out
again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought
them back unto the LORD God of their fathers. |
| And he set judges in the land throughout all the
fenced cities of Judah, city by city, |
| And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye
judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. |
| Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you;
take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor
respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. |
| Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the
Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel,
for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned
to Jerusalem. |
| And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the
fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. |
| And what cause soever shall come to you of your
brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between
law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them
that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and
upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass. |
| And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in
all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of
the house of Judah, for all the king's matters: also the Levites shall
be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with
the good. |
| It came to pass after this also, that the children
of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the
Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. |
| Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying,
There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this
side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. |
| And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the
LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. |
| And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help
of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the
LORD. |
| And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah
and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, |
| And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou
God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?
and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to
withstand thee? |
| Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the
inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the
seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? |
| And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a
sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, |
| If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword,
judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in
thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our
affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. |
| And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and
mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out
of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; |
| Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast
us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. |
| O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no
might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we
what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. |
| And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their
little ones, their wives, and their children. |
| Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of
Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of
Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; |
| And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD
unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude;
for the battle is not yours, but God's. |
| To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come
up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook,
before the wilderness of Jeruel. |
| Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set
yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you,
O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out
against them: for the LORD will be with you. |
| And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the
ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the
LORD, worshipping the LORD. |
| And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites,
and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of
Israel with a loud voice on high. |
| And they rose early in the morning, and went forth
into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood
and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in
the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so
shall ye prosper. |
| And when he had consulted with the people, he
appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of
holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD;
for his mercy endureth for ever. |
| And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD
set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir,
which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. |
| For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against
the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and
when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped
to destroy another. |
| And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the
wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead
bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. |
| And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take
away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches
with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for
themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in
gathering of the spoil, it was so much. |
| And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in
the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the
name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this
day. |
| Then they returned, every man of Judah and
Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to
Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their
enemies. |
| And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps
and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. |
| And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those
countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies
of Israel. |
| So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God
gave him rest round about. |
| And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty
and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and
five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter
of Shilhi. |
| And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and
departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the
LORD. |
| Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as
yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their
fathers. |
| Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and
last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani,
who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. |
| And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join
himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: |
| And he joined himself with him to make ships to go
to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongaber. |
| Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah
prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself
with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken,
that they were not able to go to Tarshish. |
| Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son
reigned in his stead. |
| And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah,
and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all
these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. |
| And their father gave them great gifts of silver,
and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but
the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. |
| Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his
father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the
sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. |
| Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. |
| And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel,
like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife:
and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. |
| Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of
David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he
promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. |
| In his days the Edomites revolted from under the
dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. |
| Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all
his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites
which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. |
| So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of
Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his
hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. |
| Moreover he made high places in the mountains of
Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication,
and compelled Judah thereto. |
| And there came a writing to him from Elijah the
prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because
thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the
ways of Asa king of Judah, |
| But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel,
and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring,
like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy
brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: |
| Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy
people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: |
| And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy
bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. |
| Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the
spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the
Ethiopians: |
| And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and
carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and
his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him,
save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. |
| And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels
with an incurable disease. |
| And it came to pass, that in process of time, after
the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so
he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like
the burning of his fathers. |
| Thirty and two years old was he when he began to
reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without
being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in
the sepulchres of the kings. |
| And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his
youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the
Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of
Jehoram king of Judah reigned. |
| Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to
reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Athaliah the daughter of Omri. |
| He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for
his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. |
| Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like
the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his
father to his destruction. |
| He walked also after their counsel, and went with
Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of
Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram. |
| And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of
the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael
king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to
see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick. |
| And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming
to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu
the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of
Ahab. |
| And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing
judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the
sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew
them. |
| And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he
was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain
him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat,
who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no
power to keep still the kingdom. |
| But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her
son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of
Judah. |
| But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took
Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that
were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath,
the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she
was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him
not. |
| And he was with them hid in the house of God six
years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. |
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