# verses

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<pb/>Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: ‘Bring her out between the ranks <f>[29]</f> and put to the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest had said, ‘She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD.’


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So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.


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<pb/>Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.


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All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. <pb/>Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD.


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He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the LORD and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne.


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All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.


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<pb/> <f>[32]</f> <n>[1]</n> In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash <f>[33]</f> became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.


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The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.


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<pb/>Joash said to the priests, ‘Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the LORD — the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.


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Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.’


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Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, ‘Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.’


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The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.


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<pb/>Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the LORD. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the LORD.


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Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the LORD and put it into bags.


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When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the LORD — the carpenters and builders,


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the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the LORD, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.


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<pb/>The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the LORD;


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They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.


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The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings <f>[34]</f> was not brought into the temple of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.


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<pb/>About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.


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But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors — Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah — and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.


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<pb/>As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for seventeen years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them.


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So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.


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<pb/>Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favour, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.


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The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.


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But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole <f>[35]</f> remained standing in Samaria.


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<pb/>Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.


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<pb/>As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash <f>[36]</f> his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for sixteen years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.


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<pb/>As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.


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<pb/>Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. ‘My father! My father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’


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‘Take the bow in your hands,’ he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.


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<pb/>‘Open the east window,’ he said, and he opened it. ‘Shoot!’ Elisha said, and he shot. ‘The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!’ Elisha declared. ‘You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.’


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<pb/>Then he said, ‘Take the arrows,’ and the king took them. Elisha told him, ‘Strike the ground.’ He struck it three times and stopped.


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The man of God was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.’


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Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.


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But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.


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Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.


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<pb/>In the second year of Jehoash <f>[37]</f> son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash.


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<pb/>After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.


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Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the LORD commanded: ‘Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.’ <f>[38]</f>


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<pb/>He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.


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<pb/>Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: ‘Come, let us face each other in battle.’


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<pb/>But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: ‘A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, “Give your daughter to my son in marriage.” Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.


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You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?’


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<pb/>Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.


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Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate — a section about four hundred cubits long. <f>[39]</f>


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He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.


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<pb/>As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.


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As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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<pb/>They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.


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<pb/>Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, <f>[40]</f> who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.


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<pb/>In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned for forty-one years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea, <f>[41]</f> in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.


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<pb/>The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; <f>[42]</f> there was no-one to help them.


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And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Jeroboam’s reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah <f>[43]</f> son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign.


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He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.


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<pb/>The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy <f>[44]</f> until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. <f>[45]</f> Jotham the king’s son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Azariah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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Azariah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for six months.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his predecessors had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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<pb/>Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people, <f>[46]</f> assassinated him and succeeded him as king.


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So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: ‘Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.’ <f>[47]</f>


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<pb/>Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria for one month.


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Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>The other events of Shallum’s reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.


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<pb/>At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.


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<pb/>In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria for ten years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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<pb/>Then Pul <f>[48]</f> king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents <f>[49]</f> of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom.


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Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy person had to contribute fifty shekels <f>[50]</f> of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Menahem’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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<pb/>In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for two years.


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Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>The other events of Pekahiah’s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.


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<pb/>In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for twenty years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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<pb/>In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria.


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Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Pekah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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<pb/>In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.


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The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Jotham’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.


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Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God.


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He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.


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He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.


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<pb/>Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him.


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At that time, Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram by driving out the people of Judah. Edomites then moved into Elath and have lived there to this day.


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<pb/>Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, ‘I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.’


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And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.


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The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death.


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<pb/>Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction.


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So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned.


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When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings <f>[51]</f> on it.


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He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and splashed the blood of his fellowship offerings against the altar.


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The bronze altar that stood before the LORD he brought from the front of the temple — from between the new altar and the temple of the LORD — and put it on the north side of the new altar.


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<pb/>King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest: ‘On the large new altar, offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and his grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this altar the blood of all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance.’


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<pb/>King Ahaz cut off the side panels and removed the basins from the movable stands. He removed the Sea from the bronze bulls that supported it and set it on a stone base.


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He took away the Sabbath canopy <f>[52]</f> that had been built at the temple and removed the royal entrance outside the temple of the LORD, in deference to the king of Assyria.


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<pb/>As for the other events of the reign of Ahaz, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for nine years.


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<pb/>Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute.


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But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So <f>[53]</f> king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.


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The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.


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In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the River Habor and in the towns of the Medes.


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<pb/>All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshipped other gods


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and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.


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The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.


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At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the LORD’s anger.


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The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’


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<pb/>But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God.


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They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, ‘Do not do as they do.’


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<pb/>They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshipped Baal.


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They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practised divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.


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<pb/>So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left,


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and even Judah did not keep the commands of the LORD their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced.


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Therefore the LORD rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.


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<pb/>When he tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin.


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until the LORD removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.


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<pb/>The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.


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When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.


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It was reported to the king of Assyria: ‘The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.’


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<pb/>Then the king of Assyria gave this order: ‘Make one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.’


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So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD.


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<pb/>Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places.


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The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima;


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the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.


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They worshipped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places.


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They worshipped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.


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<pb/>To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.


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When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: ‘Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.


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But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices.


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You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.


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Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.’


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Even while these people were worshipping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.


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<pb/>In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.


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He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah <f>[55]</f> daughter of Zechariah.


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He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan. <f>[56]</f>)


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<pb/>Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no-one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.


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He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.


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And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.


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<pb/>In King Hezekiah’s fourth year, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and laid siege to it.


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At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah’s sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel.


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The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the River Habor and in towns of the Medes.


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This happened because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant — all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out.


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<pb/>In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.


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So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: ‘I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.’ The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents <f>[57]</f> of silver and thirty talents <f>[58]</f> of gold.


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So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace.


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<pb/>At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the LORD, and gave it to the king of Assyria.


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<pb/>The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field.


text:
They called for the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them.


text:
<pb/>The field commander said to them, ‘Tell Hezekiah: <pb/>‘ “This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: on what are you basing this confidence of yours?


text:
You say you have the counsel and the might for war — but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?


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Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.


text:
But if you say to me, ‘We are depending on the LORD our God’ — isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?


text:
<pb/>‘ “Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses — if you can put riders on them!


text:
How can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen <f>[59]</f>?


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Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.” ’


text:
<pb/>Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.’


text:
<pb/>But the commander replied, ‘Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall — who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?’


text:
<pb/>Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, ‘Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!


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Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, “The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”


text:
<pb/>‘Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig-tree and drink water from your own cistern,


text:
until I come and take you to a land like your own — a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! <pb/>‘Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, “The LORD will deliver us.”


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Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?


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Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’


text:
<pb/>But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, ‘Do not answer him.’


text:
<pb/>Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.


text:
<pb/>When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD.


text:
He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.


text:
They told him, ‘This is what Hezekiah says: this day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.


text:
It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.’


text:
Isaiah said to them, ‘Tell your master, “This is what the LORD says: do not be afraid of what you have heard — those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.


text:
Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.” ’


text:
<pb/>When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.


text:
<pb/>Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the king of Cush, <f>[60]</f> was marching out to fight against him. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word:


text:
‘Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.”


text:
Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?


text:
Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them — the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?


text:
Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?’


text:
<pb/>Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.


text:
And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: ‘LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.


text:
Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.


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They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.


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Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.’


text:
<pb/>Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.


text:
This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: <pb/><t>‘ “Virgin Daughter Zion </t><t>despises you and mocks you. </t><t>Daughter Jerusalem </t><t>tosses her head as you flee. </t>


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<t>Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? </t><t>Against whom have you raised your voice </t><t>and lifted your eyes in pride? </t><t>Against the Holy One of Israel! </t>


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<t>By your messengers </t><t>you have ridiculed the Lord. </t><t>And you have said, </t><t>‘With my many chariots </t><t>I have ascended the heights of the mountains, </t><t>the utmost heights of Lebanon. </t><t>I have cut down its tallest cedars, </t><t>the choicest of its junipers. </t><t>I have reached its remotest parts, </t><t>the finest of its forests. </t>


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<t>I have dug wells in foreign lands </t><t>and drunk the water there. </t><t>With the soles of my feet </t><t>I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.’ <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘ “Have you not heard? </t><t>Long ago I ordained it. </t><t>In days of old I planned it; </t><t>now I have brought it to pass, </t><t>that you have turned fortified cities </t><t>into piles of stone. </t>


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<t>Their people, drained of power, </t><t>are dismayed and put to shame. </t><t>They are like plants in the field, </t><t>like tender green shoots, </t><t>like grass sprouting on the roof, </t><t>scorched before it grows up. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘ “But I know where you are </t><t>and when you come and go </t><t>and how you rage against me. </t>


text:
<t>Because you rage against me </t><t>and because your insolence has reached my ears, </t><t>I will put my hook in your nose </t><t>and my bit in your mouth, </t><t>and I will make you return </t><t>by the way you came.” </t>


text:
<pb/>‘This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah: <pb/><t>‘This year you will eat what grows by itself, </t><t>and the second year what springs from that. </t><t>But in the third year sow and reap, </t><t>plant vineyards and eat their fruit. </t>


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<t>Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah </t><t>will take root below and bear fruit above. </t>


text:
<t>For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, </t><t>and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. </t> <pb/>‘The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.


text:
<pb/>‘Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria: <pb/><t>‘ “He will not enter this city </t><t>or shoot an arrow here. </t><t>He will not come before it with shield </t><t>or build a siege ramp against it. </t>


text:
<t>By the way that he came he will return; </t><t>he will not enter this city,” </t><t>declares the LORD. </t>


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<t>“I will defend this city and save it, </t><t>for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.” ’ </t>


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<pb/>That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning — there were all the dead bodies!


text:
<pb/>One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’


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‘Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.


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‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, “This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD.


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I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.” ’


text:
<pb/>Then Isaiah said, ‘Prepare a poultice of figs.’ They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.


text:
<pb/>Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, ‘What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the LORD on the third day from now?’


text:
<pb/>Isaiah answered, ‘This is the LORD’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?’


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<pb/>‘It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,’ said Hezekiah. ‘Rather, let it go back ten steps.’


text:
<pb/>Then the prophet Isaiah called on the LORD, and the LORD made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.


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<pb/>At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness.


text:
Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses — the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine oil — his armoury and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.


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<pb/>Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, ‘What did those men say, and where did they come from?’ <pb/>‘From a distant land,’ Hezekiah replied. ‘They came from Babylon.’


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<pb/>The prophet asked, ‘What did they see in your palace?’ <pb/>‘They saw everything in my palace,’ Hezekiah said. ‘There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.’


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the time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.


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And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’


text:
<pb/>‘The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,’ Hezekiah replied. For he thought, ‘Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?’


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


text:
<pb/>Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.


text:
He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.


text:
He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshipped them.


text:
He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put my Name.’


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He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practised divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.


text:
<pb/>He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name for ever.


text:
I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them.’


text:
But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.


text:
‘Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols.


text:
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.


text:
I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb-line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.


text:
I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies;


text:
they have done evil in my eyes and have aroused my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.’


text:
<pb/>Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end — besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Manasseh’s reign, and all he did, including the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


text:
Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.


text:
<pb/>Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah.


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He followed completely the ways of his father, worshipping the idols his father had worshipped, and bowing down to them.


text:
Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Amon’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


text:
<pb/>Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.


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<pb/>In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said:


text:
‘Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and make him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.


text:
Make them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And make these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD —


text:
the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also make them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.


text:
But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.’


text:
<pb/>Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.’ He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.


text:
Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: ‘Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.’


text:
Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’ And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.


text:
He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:


text:
‘Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.’


text:
<pb/>Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.


text:
<pb/>She said to them, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: tell the man who sent you to me,


text:
“This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.


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Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, <f>[61]</f> my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.”


text:
Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard:


text:
because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people — that they would become a curse <f>[62]</f> and be laid waste — and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.


text:
Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.” ’ <pb/>So they took her answer back to the king.


text:
He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets — all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD.


text:
The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD — to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.


text:
<pb/>The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.


text:
He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem — those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.


text:
He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people.


text:
He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine-prostitutes that were in the temple of the LORD, the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah.


text:
<pb/>Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the gateway at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which was on the left of the city gate.


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Although the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.


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<pb/>He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no-one could use it to sacrifice their son or daughter in the fire to Molek.


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He removed from the entrance to the temple of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court <f>[63]</f> near the room of an official named Nathan-Melek. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.


text:
<pb/>He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the LORD. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley.


text:
The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption — the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon.


text:
Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.


text:
<pb/>Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin — even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also.


text:
Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.


text:
<pb/>The king asked, ‘What is that tombstone I see?’ <pb/>The people of the city said, ‘It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it.’


text:
<pb/>‘Leave it alone,’ he said. ‘Don’t let anyone disturb his bones.’ So they spared his bones and those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.


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<pb/>Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria and that had aroused the LORD’s anger.


text:
Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.


text:
<pb/>The king gave this order to all the people: ‘Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.’


text:
Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.


text:
<pb/>Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfil the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD.


text:
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.


text:
<pb/>Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger.


text:
So the LORD said, ‘I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, “My Name shall be there.” <f>[64]</f>’


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Josiah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


text:
<pb/>While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went up to the River Euphrates to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Necho faced him and killed him at Megiddo.


text:
Josiah’s servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.


text:
<pb/>Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.


text:
Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents <f>[65]</f> of silver and a talent <f>[66]</f> of gold.


text:
Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died.


text:
Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Necho the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments.


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<pb/>Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah.


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<pb/>During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But then he turned against Nebuchadnezzar and rebelled.


text:
The LORD sent Babylonian, <f>[67]</f> Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by his servants the prophets.


text:
Surely these things happened to Judah according to the LORD’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done,


text:
including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


text:
<pb/>The king of Egypt did not march out from his own country again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates.


text:
<pb/>Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.


text:
<pb/>At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it,


text:
Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him. <pb/>In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner.


text:
As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the LORD.


text:
He carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans — a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.


text:
<pb/>Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the prominent people of the land.


text:
The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.


text:
<pb/>Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.


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It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. <pb/>Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.


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<pb/>So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He camped outside the city and built siege works all around it.


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<pb/>By the ninth day of the fourth <f>[68]</f> month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.


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Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians <f>[69]</f> were surrounding the city. They fled towards the Arabah, <f>[70]</f>


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but the Babylonian <f>[71]</f> army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,


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and he was captured. <pb/>He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him.


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They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.


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<pb/>On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.


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He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.


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The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.


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Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.


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But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.


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<pb/>The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon.


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They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.


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The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls — all that were made of pure gold or silver.


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<pb/>The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed.


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Each pillar was eighteen cubits <f>[72]</f> high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits <f>[73]</f> high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.


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<pb/>The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.


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Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisors. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city.


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There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. <pb/>So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.


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<pb/>Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah.


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When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah — Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.


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Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. ‘Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,’ he said. ‘Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.’


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<pb/>In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.


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At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians.


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<pb/>In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month.


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He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honour higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.


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So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.


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<t>The sons <f>[2]</f> of Japheth: <pb/>Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek and Tiras. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Cush: <pb/>Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah and Sabteka. <pb/>The sons of Raamah: <pb/>Sheba and Dedan. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Shem: <pb/>Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. <pb/>The sons of Aram: <f>[6]</f> <pb/>Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshek. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Two sons were born to Eber: <pb/>one was named Peleg, <f>[7]</f> because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were their descendants: <pb/>Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, </t>


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<t>The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: <pb/>Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. <pb/>The sons of Jokshan: <pb/>Sheba and Dedan. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Midian: <pb/>Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. <pb/>All these were descendants of Keturah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Eliphaz: <pb/>Teman, Omar, Zepho, <f>[10]</f> Gatam and Kenaz; <pb/>by Timna: Amalek. <f>[11]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Shobal: <pb/>Alvan, <f>[12]</f> Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. <pb/>The sons of Zibeon: <pb/>Aiah and Anah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The son of Anah: <pb/>Dishon. <pb/>The sons of Dishon: <pb/>Hemdan, <f>[13]</f> Eshban, Ithran and Keran. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Ezer: <pb/>Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. <f>[14]</f> <pb/>The sons of Dishan <f>[15]</f>: <pb/>Uz and Aran. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned: <pb/>Bela son of Beor, whose city was named Dinhabah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, <f>[17]</f> and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. </t>


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<t>The sons of Judah: <pb/>Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. <pb/>(Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar bore Perez and Zerah to Judah. <pb/>He had five sons in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Zerah: <pb/>Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol and Darda <f>[18]</f> — five in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The son of Karmi: <pb/>Achar, <f>[19]</f> who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things. <f>[20]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ram was the father of Amminadab, <pb/>and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, the leader of the people of Judah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jesse was the father of <pb/>Eliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, <pb/>the third Shimea, </t>


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<t>Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. <pb/>Zeruiah’s three sons were Abishai, Joab and Asahel. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: <pb/>Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Later, Hezron, when he was sixty years old, married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead. He made love to her, and she bore him Segub. <pb/> </t>


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<t>(But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, <f>[23]</f> as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements — sixty towns.) <pb/>All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead. <pb/> </t>


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<t>After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father <f>[24]</f> of Tekoa. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron: <pb/>Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and <f>[25]</f> Ahijah. </t>


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<t>The son of Appaim: <pb/>Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan. Sheshan was the father of Ahlai. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: <pb/>Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Jonathan: <pb/>Peleth and Zaza. <pb/>These were the descendants of Jerahmeel. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: <pb/>Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, <pb/>and his son Mareshah, <f>[26]</f> who was the father of Hebron. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Shema was the father of Raham, <pb/>and Raham the father of Jorkeam. <pb/>Rekem was the father of Shammai. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of <pb/>Haran, Moza and Gazez. <pb/>Haran was the father of Gazez. <pb/> </t>


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<t>She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah <pb/>and to Sheva the father of Makbenah and Gibea. <pb/>Caleb’s daughter was Aksah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the descendants of Caleb. <pb/>The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: <pb/>Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, </t>


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<t>The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were: <pb/>Haroeh, half the Manahathites, </t>


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<t>and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Salma: <pb/>Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, </t>


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<t>and the clans of scribes <f>[27]</f> who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the Rekabites. <f>[28]</f></t>


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<pb/><t>These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron: <pb/>the firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; <pb/>the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; <pb/>the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; <pb/>and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. <pb/>David reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years, </t>


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<t>and these were the children born to him there: <pb/>Shammua, <f>[29]</f> Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba <f>[30]</f> daughter of Ammiel. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, <pb/>Abijah his son, <pb/>Asa his son, <pb/>Jehoshaphat his son, <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Josiah: <pb/>Johanan the firstborn, <pb/>Jehoiakim the second son, <pb/>Zedekiah the third, <pb/>Shallum the fourth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Pedaiah: <pb/>Zerubbabel and Shimei. <pb/>The sons of Zerubbabel: <pb/>Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister. </t>


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<t>The descendants of Hananiah: <pb/>Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shekaniah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Shekaniah: <pb/>Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat — six in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Elioenai: <pb/>Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani — seven in all.</t>


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<t>Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the sons <f>[34]</f> of Etam: <pb/>Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash. Their sister was named Hazzelelponi. </t>


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<t>Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. <pb/>These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and father <f>[35]</f> of Bethlehem. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum. </t>


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<pb/>Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, <f>[36]</f> saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’


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Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.


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<t>Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. <f>[37]</f> These were the men of Rekah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Kenaz: <pb/>Othniel and Seraiah. <pb/>The sons of Othniel: <pb/>Hathath and Meonothai. <f>[38]</f> </t>


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<t>Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. <pb/>Seraiah was the father of Joab, <pb/>the father of Ge Harashim. <f>[39]</f> It was called this because its people were skilled workers. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: <pb/>Iru, Elah and Naam. <pb/>The son of Elah: <pb/>Kenaz. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Ezrah: <pb/>Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. <pb/>One of Mered’s wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. </t>


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<t>These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married. <pb/>His wife from the tribe of Judah gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soko, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham: <pb/>the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maakathite. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Shimon: <pb/>Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon. <pb/>The descendants of Ishi: <pb/>Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Shelah son of Judah: <pb/>Er the father of Lekah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jokim, the men of Kozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) </t>


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<t>They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah.


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Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David.


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and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. <f>[40]</f> These were their settlements. <pb/><t>And they kept a genealogical record: <pb/> </t>


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<t>and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. </t> <pb/>Their families increased greatly,


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and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks.


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They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.


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<pb/>The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed <f>[41]</f> them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.


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And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.


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<pb/><t>The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, </t>


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<t>and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph) — </t>


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<t>and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser <f>[42]</f> king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: <pb/>Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, </t>


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<t>and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. </t> <pb/>They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon.


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To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the River Euphrates, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.


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<pb/>During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.


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<t>Their relatives, by families, were: <pb/>Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber — seven in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasture-lands of Sharon as far as they extended.


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<pb/>All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.


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<pb/>The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service — able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle.


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They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.


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They seized the livestock of the Hagrites — fifty thousand camels, two hundred and fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive,


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and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.


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<pb/>The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).


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<pb/>These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families.


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But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.


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So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.


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<t>The children of Amram: <pb/>Aaron, Moses and Miriam. <pb/>The sons of Aaron: <pb/>Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Johanan the father of Azariah. <pb/>It was Azariah who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jozadak was deported when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Merari: <pb/>Mahli and Mushi. <pb/>These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: <pb/> </t>


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<t>Eliab his son, <pb/>Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son <pb/>and Samuel his son. <f>[47]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Samuel: <pb/>Joel <f>[48]</f> the firstborn <pb/>and Abijah the second son. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Merari: <pb/>Mahli, Libni his son, <pb/>Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there.


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They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.


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<pb/><t>Here are the men who served together with their sons: <pb/>from the Kohathites: <pb/>Heman, the musician, <pb/>the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, <pb/> </t>


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<t>and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: <pb/>Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea, <pb/> </t>


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<t>and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: <pb/>Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, <pb/>the son of Malluk, </t>


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<pb/>Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God.


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But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.


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<pb/><t>These were the descendants of Aaron: <pb/>Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, <pb/>Abishua his son, </t>


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<t>These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them): <pb/> </t>


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<t>So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, <f>[50]</f> Jattir, Eshtemoa, </t>


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<t>And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, <f>[52]</f> Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasture-lands. <pb/>The total number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim. <pb/> </t>


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<t>In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, <f>[53]</f> </t>


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<t>And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasture-lands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The Gershonites received the following: <pb/>from the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasture-lands; <pb/> </t>


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<t>and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasture-lands. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: <pb/>from the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, <f>[54]</f> Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasture-lands; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, </t>


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<t>The sons of Tola: <pb/>Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel — heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The son of Uzzi: <pb/>Izrahiah. <pb/>The sons of Izrahiah: <pb/>Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Ishiah. All five of them were chiefs. </t>


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<t>According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Bela: <pb/>Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families — five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Beker: <pb/>Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. </t>


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<t>The son of Jediael: <pb/>Bilhan. <pb/>The sons of Bilhan: <pb/>Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. </t>


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<t>All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites <f>[55]</f> the descendants of Aher. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Naphtali: <pb/>Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem <f>[56]</f> — the descendants of Bilhah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Manasseh: <pb/>Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. </t>


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<t>Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister’s name was Maakah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters. </t>


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<t>Makir’s wife Maakah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The son of Ulam: <pb/>Bedan. <pb/>These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of Ephraim: <pb/>Shuthelah, Bered his son, <pb/>Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, <pb/>Tahath his son, </t>


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<t>Zabad his son <pb/>and Shuthelah his son. <pb/>(Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. </t>


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<t>Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, <f>[57]</f> because there had been misfortune in his family. </t>


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<t>His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. </t>


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<t>Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these were descendants of Asher — heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.</t>


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<pb/><t>Benjamin was the father of: <pb/>Bela his firstborn, <pb/>Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third, <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the descendants of Ehud, who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath: <pb/> </t>


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<t>Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Elpaal: <pb/>Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages), </t>


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<t>and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jeiel <f>[62]</f> the father <f>[63]</f> of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. <pb/>His wife’s name was Maakah, </t>


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<t>and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. <f>[65]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. </t>


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<t>Azel had six sons, and these were their names: <pb/>Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of his brother Eshek: <pb/>Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second son and Eliphelet the third. </t>


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<t>The sons of Ulam were brave warriors who could handle the bow. They had many sons and grandsons — 150 in all. <pb/>All these were the descendants of Benjamin.</t>


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<pb/>All Israel was listed in the genealogies in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.


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<pb/><t>Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were: <pb/> </t>


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<t>Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Of the Benjaminites: <pb/>Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ibneiah son of Jeroham; <pb/>Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; <pb/>and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; <pb/>and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Of the Levites: <pb/>Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; <pb/>and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The gatekeepers: <pb/>Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their fellow Levites, Shallum their chief </t>


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<t>being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their ancestors had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD. <pb/> </t>


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<t>In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. </t> <pb/>The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer.


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They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the LORD — the house called the tent of meeting.


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Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods.


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But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God.


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They would spend the night stationed round the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.


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<pb/>Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out.


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Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices.


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A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread.


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Some of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.


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<pb/>Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.


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<pb/>All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.


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<pb/><t>Jeiel the father <f>[68]</f> of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. <pb/>His wife’s name was Maakah, </t>


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<t>Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. <f>[69]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ahaz was the father of Jadah, Jadah <f>[72]</f> was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. </t>


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<t>Azel had six sons, and these were their names: <pb/>Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.</t>


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<pb/>Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.’ <pb/>But his armour-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.


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<pb/>When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.


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<pb/>The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.


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They stripped him and took his head and his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people.


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all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.


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<pb/>Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,


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and did not enquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.


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In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD your God said to you, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.” ’


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<pb/>When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel.


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<pb/>David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there


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said to David, ‘You will not get in here.’ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion — which is the City of David.


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<pb/>David had said, ‘Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief.’ Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.


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He built up the city around it, from the terraces <f>[73]</f> to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.


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<pb/>These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors — they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the LORD had promised —


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this is the list of David’s mighty warriors: <pb/>Jashobeam, <f>[74]</f> a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers <f>[75]</f>; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.


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He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.


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But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.


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<pb/>Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.


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So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD.


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‘God forbid that I should do this!’ he said. ‘Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?’ Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. <pb/>Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.


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<pb/>Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.


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He was doubly honoured above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.


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And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits <f>[76]</f> tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.


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<pb/><t>The mighty warriors were: <pb/>Asahel the brother of Joab, <pb/>Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Zelek the Ammonite, <pb/>Naharai the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Eliel the Mahavite, <pb/>Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, <pb/>Ithmah the Moabite, <pb/> </t>


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<pb/><t>These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; </t>


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<t>they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin): <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; <pb/>Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; <pb/>Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, </t>


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<t>and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; <pb/>Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, <f>[77]</f> </t>


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<pb/>Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.


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<pb/>These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.


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It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.


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David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.’


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<pb/>Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: <pb/><t>‘We are yours, David! </t><t>We are with you, son of Jesse! </t><t>Success, success to you, </t><t>and success to those who help you, </t><t>for your God will help you.’ </t> <pb/>So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.


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<pb/>Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, ‘It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.’)


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When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.


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They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.


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<pb/><t>These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said: <pb/> </t>


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<t>from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe — 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king — 18,000; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do — 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty — 50,000; <pb/> </t>


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<t>and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon — 120,000. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. </t> <pb/>They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.


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The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them.


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Also, their neighbours from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.


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<pb/>David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.


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He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, ‘If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasture-lands, to come and join us.


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Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not enquire of <f>[79]</f> it <f>[80]</f> during the reign of Saul.’


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<pb/>So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.


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David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim — the ark that is called by the Name.


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David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.


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<pb/>When they came to the threshing-floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.


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The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.


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<pb/>Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. <f>[81]</f>


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He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


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The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had.


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<pb/>Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.


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And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.


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<pb/>When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.


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so David enquired of God: ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?’ <pb/>The LORD answered him, ‘Go, I will deliver them into your hands.’


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<pb/>So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, ‘As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.’ So that place was called Baal Perazim. <f>[83]</f>


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so David enquired of God again, and God answered him, ‘Do not go directly after them, but circle round them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.


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As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.’


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So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.


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<pb/>After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.


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Then David said, ‘No-one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him for ever.’


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<pb/>David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.


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<pb/>Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.


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He said to them, ‘You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.


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It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not enquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.’


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So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.


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<pb/>David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.


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<pb/>So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;


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and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah, <f>[85]</f> Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, <f>[86]</f> the gatekeepers.


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Zechariah, Jaaziel, <f>[87]</f> Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to <e>alamoth,</e> <f>[88]</f>


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and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to <e>sheminith.</e> <f>[89]</f>


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Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skilful at it.


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Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.


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<pb/>So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.


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Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.


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Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.


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So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.


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<pb/>As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.


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<pb/>They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.


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After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.


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Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.


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<pb/>He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to extol, <f>[90]</f> thank, and praise the LORD, the God of Israel:


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Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel, <f>[91]</f> Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,


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and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.


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<pb/>That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the LORD in this manner:


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<pb/><t>Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; </t><t>make known among the nations what he has done. </t>


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<t>He remembers <f>[92]</f> his covenant for ever, </t><t>the promise he made, for a thousand generations, </t>


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<t>Splendour and majesty are before him; </t><t>strength and joy are in his dwelling-place. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, </t><t>ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. </t>


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<t>Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; </t><t>bring an offering and come before him. </t><t>Worship the LORD in the splendour of his <f>[94]</f> holiness. </t>


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<t>Tremble before him, all the earth! </t><t>The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; </t><t>let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’ </t>


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<t>Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; </t><t>let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! </t>


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<t>Let the trees of the forest sing, </t><t>let them sing for joy before the LORD, </t><t>for he comes to judge the earth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Saviour; </t><t>gather us and deliver us from the nations, </t><t>that we may give thanks to your holy name, </t><t>and glory in your praise.’ </t>


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<t>Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, </t><t>from everlasting to everlasting. </t> <pb/>Then all the people said ‘Amen’ and ‘Praise the LORD.’


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<pb/>David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.


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He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.


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<pb/>David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon


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to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel.


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With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, ‘for his love endures for ever.’


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Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.


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<pb/>Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.


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<pb/>After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.’


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<pb/>‘Go and tell my servant David, “This is what the LORD says: you are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.


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I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling-place to another.


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Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders <f>[95]</f> whom I commanded to shepherd my people, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ”


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I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth.


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And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning


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and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. <pb/>‘ “I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you:


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when your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.


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I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.


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<pb/>Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: <pb/>‘Who am I, LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?


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And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, LORD God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.


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LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.


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<pb/>‘There is no-one like you, LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.


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And who is like your people Israel — the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?


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<pb/>‘And now, LORD, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established for ever. Do as you promised,


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so that it will be established and that your name will be great for ever. Then people will say, “The LORD Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!” And the house of your servant David will be established before you.


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<pb/>‘You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.


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Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your sight; for you, LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed for ever.’


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<pb/>In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.


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<pb/>Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument at <f>[96]</f> the River Euphrates.


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David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.


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He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought him tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.


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<pb/>David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.


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From Tebah <f>[97]</f> and Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.


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<pb/>When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,


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he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze.


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<pb/>King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.


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He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.


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<pb/><t>Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; <pb/>Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek <f>[98]</f> son of Abiathar were priests; <pb/>Shavsha was secretary; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; <pb/>and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.</t>


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David thought, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. <pb/>When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him,


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the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, ‘Do you think David is honouring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?’


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So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.


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<pb/>When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, ‘Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.’


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<pb/>When the Ammonites realised that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents <f>[99]</f> of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, <f>[100]</f> Aram Maakah and Zobah.


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They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.


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The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.


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He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.


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Joab said, ‘If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.


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When the Ammonites realised that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the River Euphrates, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.


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<pb/>When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.


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But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.


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<pb/>When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. <pb/>So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.


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<pb/>In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.


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David took the crown from the head of their king <f>[101]</f> — its weight was found to be a talent <f>[102]</f> of gold, and it was set with precious stones — and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city


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and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labour with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.


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<pb/>In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.


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So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, ‘Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.’


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<pb/>But Joab replied, ‘May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?’


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<pb/>The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.


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Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: in all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.


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<pb/>But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him.


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<pb/>Then David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.’


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three years of famine, three months of being swept away <f>[103]</f> before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD — days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.” Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.’


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<pb/>David said to Gad, ‘I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.’


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And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand.’ The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing-floor of Araunah <f>[104]</f> the Jebusite.


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<pb/>David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell face down.


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<pb/>David said to God, ‘Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, <f>[105]</f> have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? LORD my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.’


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<pb/>Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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<pb/>While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves.


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Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing-floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.


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<pb/>David said to him, ‘Let me have the site of your threshing-floor so that I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.’


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<pb/>Araunah said to David, ‘Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.’


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<pb/>But King David replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.’


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David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.


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At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.


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The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.


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But David could not go before it to enquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.


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<pb/>Then David said, ‘The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.’


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<pb/>So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.


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He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.


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He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.


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<pb/>David said, ‘My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.’ So David made extensive preparations before his death.


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<pb/>Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.


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David said to Solomon: ‘My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God.


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But this word of the LORD came to me: “You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.


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But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, <f>[107]</f> and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.


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He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.”


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<pb/>‘Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would.


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May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.


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Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave to Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.


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<pb/>‘I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents <f>[108]</f> of gold, a million talents <f>[109]</f> of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.


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You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work


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in gold and silver, bronze and iron — craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you.’


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He said to them, ‘Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the LORD and to his people.


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Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.’


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The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.


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David said, ‘Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the LORD and six thousand are to be officials and judges.


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Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.’


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<pb/><t>David separated the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Shimei: <pb/>Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran — three in all. <pb/>(These were the heads of the families of Ladan.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>And the sons of Shimei: <pb/>Jahath, Ziza, <f>[110]</f> Jeush and Beriah. <pb/>These were the sons of Shimei — four in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>(Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Amram: <pb/>Aaron and Moses. <pb/>Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants for ever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name for ever. </t>


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<t>The descendants of Eliezer: <pb/>Rehabiah was the first. <pb/>(Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Hebron: <pb/>Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, <pb/>Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Merari: <pb/>Mahli and Mushi. <pb/>The sons of Mahli: <pb/>Eleazar and Kish. <pb/> </t>


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<t>(Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>These were the descendants of Levi by their families — the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more who served in the temple of the LORD. </t>


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<t>For David had said, ‘Since the LORD, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem for ever, </t>


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<t>the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.’ </t>


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<t>According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more. </t>


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<pb/>The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God.


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They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the special flour for the grain offerings, the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.


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They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening


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and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.


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<pb/>And so the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the LORD.


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<pb/>These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron: <pb/>The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


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But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests.


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With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering.


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A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants.


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They divided them impartially by casting lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.


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<pb/>The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelek son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites — one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.


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<pb/>This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.


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<pb/><t>As for the rest of the descendants of Levi: <pb/>From the sons of Amram: Shubael; <pb/>from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sons of Hebron: <pb/>Jeriah the first, <f>[111]</f> Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. <pb/>These were the Levites, according to their families. </t>


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<pb/>They also cast lots, just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the eldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.


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<pb/>David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:


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<pb/><t>from the sons of Asaph: <pb/>Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As for Jeduthun, from his sons: <pb/>Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, <f>[112]</f> Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the LORD. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As for Heman, from his sons: <pb/>Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. </t>


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<t>(All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given to him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.) </t>


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<pb/>All these men were under the supervision of their father for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. <pb/>Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.


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Along with their relatives — all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD — they numbered 288.


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<pb/><t>The first lot, which was for Asaph, fell to Joseph, <pb/>his sons and relatives <f>[113]</f> — 12 <f>[114]</f> <pb/>the second to Gedaliah, <pb/>him and his relatives and sons — 12</t>


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<pb/><t>The divisions of the gatekeepers: <pb/>from the Korahites: <pb/>Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph. </t>


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<t>Meshelemiah had sons: <pb/>Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, <pb/>Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Obed-Edom also had sons: <pb/>Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, <pb/>Joah the third, Sakar the fourth, <pb/>Nethanel the fifth, </t>


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<t>Ammiel the sixth, <pb/>Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth. <pb/>(For God had blessed Obed-Edom.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father’s family because they were very capable men. </t>


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<t>The sons of Shemaiah: <pb/>Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; <pb/>his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they and their sons and their relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work — descendants of Obed-Edom, 62 in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Hosah the Merarite had sons: <pb/>Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first), <pb/> </t>


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<t>Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third <pb/>and Zechariah the fourth. <pb/>The sons and relatives of Hosah were 13 in all. <pb/> </t>


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<t>These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering in the temple of the LORD, just as their relatives had. </t>


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<t>The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. <f>[118]</f> <pb/>Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counsellor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom, and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah. <pb/>Guard was alongside guard: <pb/> </t>


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<t>there were six Levites a day on the east, <pb/>four a day on the north, <pb/>four a day on the south <pb/>and two at a time at the storehouse. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As for the court <f>[119]</f> to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court <f>[120]</f> itself. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>Their fellow Levites were <f>[121]</f> in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.


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<pb/>The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli,


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the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the temple of the LORD.


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<t>Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries. </t>


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<t>His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son and Shelomith his son. <pb/> </t>


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<t>(Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders. </t>


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<t>Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the LORD. </t>


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<t>And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the Izharites: <pb/>Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the Hebronites: <pb/>Hashabiah and his relatives — seventeen hundred able men — were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the king’s service. </t>


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<t>As for the Hebronites, Jeriah was their chief according to the genealogical records of their families. <pb/>(In the fortieth year of David’s reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead. </t>


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<t>Jeriah had two thousand seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.)</t>


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<pb/><t>This is the list of the Israelites — heads of families, commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and their officers, who served the king in all that concerned the army divisions that were on duty month by month throughout the year. Each division consisted of 24,000 men. <pb/> </t>


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<t>In charge of the first division, for the first month, was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel. There were 24,000 men in his division. </t>


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<t>In charge of the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; Mikloth was the leader of his division. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The third army commander, for the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was chief and there were 24,000 men in his division. </t>


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<t>This was the Benaiah who was a mighty warrior among the Thirty and was over the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was in charge of his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel the brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah was his successor. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbekai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, from the family of Othniel. There were 24,000 men in his division. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The leaders of the tribes of Israel: <pb/>over the Reubenites: Eliezer son of Zikri; <pb/>over the Simeonites: Shephatiah son of Maakah; <pb/> </t>


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<t>over the Ephraimites: Hoshea son of Azaziah; <pb/>over half the tribe of Manasseh: Joel son of Pedaiah; <pb/> </t>


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<t>over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo son of Zechariah; <pb/>over Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.


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Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. God’s wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering, and the number was not entered in the book <f>[122]</f> of the annals of King David.


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<pb/><t>Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. <pb/>Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards. <pb/>Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine vats. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the western foothills. <pb/>Joash was in charge of the supplies of olive oil. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon. <pb/>Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels. <pb/>Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks. <pb/>All these were the officials in charge of King David’s property. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counsellor, a man of insight and a scribe. <pb/>Jehiel son of Hakmoni took care of the king’s sons. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor. <pb/>Hushai the Arkite was the king’s confidant. <pb/> </t>


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<t>(Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.) <pb/>Joab was the commander of the royal army.</t>


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<pb/>David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the warriors and all the brave fighting men.


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<pb/>King David rose to his feet and said: ‘Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it.


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But God said to me, “You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.”


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<pb/>‘Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel for ever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.


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Of all my sons — and the LORD has given me many — he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.


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He said to me, “Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.


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I will establish his kingdom for ever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.”


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<pb/>‘So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants for ever.


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<pb/>‘And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you for ever.


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Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.’


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<pb/>Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement.


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He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.


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He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.


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He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service:


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the weight of gold for the gold lampstands and their lamps, with the weight for each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for each silver lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand;


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the weight of gold for each table for consecrated bread; the weight of silver for the silver tables;


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the weight of pure gold for the forks, sprinkling bowls and pitchers; the weight of gold for each gold dish; the weight of silver for each silver dish;


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and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the LORD.


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<pb/>‘All this,’ David said, ‘I have in writing as a result of the LORD’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.’


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<pb/>David also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.


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The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.’


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<pb/>Then King David said to the whole assembly: ‘My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God.


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With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God — gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, <f>[123]</f> stones of various colours, and all kinds of fine stone and marble — all of these in large quantities.


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Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple:


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three thousand talents <f>[124]</f> of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents <f>[125]</f> of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings,


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for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the LORD today?’


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<pb/>Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly.


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They gave towards the work on the temple of God five thousand talents <f>[126]</f> and ten thousand darics <f>[127]</f> of gold, ten thousand talents <f>[128]</f> of silver, eighteen thousand talents <f>[129]</f> of bronze and a hundred thousand talents <f>[130]</f> of iron.


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Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.


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The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.


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<pb/>David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, <pb/><t>‘Praise be to you, LORD, </t><t>the God of our father Israel, </t><t>from everlasting to everlasting. </t>


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<t>Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power </t><t>and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, </t><t>for everything in heaven and earth is yours. </t><t>Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; </t><t>you are exalted as head over all. </t>


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<t>Wealth and honour come from you; </t><t>you are the ruler of all things. </t><t>In your hands are strength and power </t><t>to exalt and give strength to all. </t>


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<pb/>‘But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.


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We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.


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LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.


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I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.


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LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people for ever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.


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And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.’


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<pb/>Then David said to the whole assembly, ‘Praise the LORD your God.’ So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the LORD and the king.


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<pb/>The next day they made sacrifices to the LORD and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.


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They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD that day. <pb/>Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the LORD to be ruler and Zadok to be priest.


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So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him.


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All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon.


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<pb/>The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendour such as no king over Israel ever had before.


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He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honour. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer,


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together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands.


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<pb/>Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.


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<pb/>Then Solomon spoke to all Israel — to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families —


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and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the LORD’s servant had made in the wilderness.


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Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.


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But the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the LORD; so Solomon and the assembly enquired of him there.


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Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the LORD in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.


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<pb/>That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’


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<pb/>Solomon answered God, ‘You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.


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Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.


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Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?’


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<pb/>God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honour, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king,


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therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honour, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.’


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<pb/>Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting. And he reigned over Israel.


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<pb/>Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, <f>[1]</f> which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.


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The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.


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Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue <f>[2]</f> — the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.


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They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels <f>[3]</f> of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. <f>[4]</f> They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.


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<pb/> <f>[5]</f> <n>[1]</n> Solomon gave orders to build a temple for the Name of the LORD and a royal palace for himself.


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He conscripted 70,000 men as carriers and 80,000 as stonecutters in the hills and 3,600 as foremen over them.


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<pb/>Solomon sent this message to Hiram <f>[6]</f> king of Tyre: <pb/>‘Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in.


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Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals of the LORD our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.


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But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?


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<pb/>‘Send me, therefore, a man skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, and in purple, crimson and blue yarn, and experienced in the art of engraving, to work in Judah and Jerusalem with my skilled workers, whom my father David provided.


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<pb/>‘Send me also cedar, juniper and algum <f>[7]</f> logs from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting timber there. My servants shall work with yours


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I will give your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors <f>[8]</f> of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors <f>[9]</f> of barley, twenty thousand baths <f>[10]</f> of wine and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.’


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<pb/>Hiram king of Tyre replied by letter to Solomon: <pb/>‘Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you their king.’


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<pb/>And Hiram added: <pb/>‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth! He has given King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and discernment, who will build a temple for the LORD and a palace for himself.


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whose mother was from Dan and whose father was from Tyre. He is trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen. He is experienced in all kinds of engraving and can execute any design given to him. He will work with your skilled workers and with those of my lord, David your father.


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<pb/>‘Now let my lord send his servants the wheat and barley and the olive oil and wine he promised,


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and we will cut all the logs from Lebanon that you need and will float them as rafts by sea down to Joppa. You can then take them up to Jerusalem.’


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<pb/>Solomon took a census of all the foreigners residing in Israel, after the census his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600.


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He assigned 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.


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<pb/>Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing-floor of Araunah <f>[11]</f> the Jebusite, the place provided by David.


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<pb/>The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide <f>[12]</f> (using the cubit of the old standard).


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The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits <f>[13]</f> long across the width of the building and twenty <f>[14]</f> cubits high. <pb/>He overlaid the inside with pure gold.


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He panelled the main hall with juniper and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs.


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He overlaid the ceiling beams, door-frames, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.


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<pb/>He built the Most Holy Place, its length corresponding to the width of the temple — twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents <f>[15]</f> of fine gold.


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The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits <f>[17]</f> long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub.


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Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub.


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The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall. <f>[18]</f>


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<pb/>He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.


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<pb/>For the front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits <f>[19]</f> long, each with a capital five cubits high.


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He made interwoven chains <f>[20]</f> and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.


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He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin <f>[21]</f> and the one to the north Boaz. <f>[22]</f>


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He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits <f>[24]</f> high. It took a line of thirty cubits <f>[25]</f> to measure round it.


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Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it — ten to a cubit. <f>[26]</f> The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.


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It was a handbreadth <f>[27]</f> in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths. <f>[28]</f>


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<pb/>He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.


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<pb/>He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.


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<pb/>He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.


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<pb/>He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze.


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<pb/>And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. <pb/>So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God:


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<t>the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); <pb/> </t>


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<t>the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles. </t> <pb/>All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the LORD were of polished bronze.


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The king had them cast in clay moulds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. <f>[29]</f>


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All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.


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<pb/>Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: <pb/><t>the golden altar; <pb/>the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.</t>


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<pb/>When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated — the silver and gold and all the furnishings — and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple.


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<pb/>Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.


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and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The Levitical priests carried them up;


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The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles.


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These poles were so long that their ends, extending from the ark, could be seen from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.


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There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.


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<pb/>The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.


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All the Levites who were musicians — Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives — stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.


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The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: <pb/><t>‘He is good; </t><t>his love endures for ever.’ </t> <pb/>Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud,


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and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.


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Then he said: <pb/>‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said,


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“Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel.


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But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”


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<pb/>‘The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.’


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<pb/>Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.


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Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, <f>[30]</f> and had placed it in the centre of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands towards heaven.


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He said: <pb/>‘LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth — you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.


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<pb/>‘Now, LORD, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, “You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.”


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<pb/>‘But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple that I have built!


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Yet, LORD my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.


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May your eyes be open towards this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays towards this place.


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Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray towards this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling-place; and when you hear, forgive.


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then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.


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<pb/>‘When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple,


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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.


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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land that you gave your people for an inheritance.


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<pb/>‘When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,


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and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel — being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their hands towards this temple —


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then hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Forgive, and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart),


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so that they will fear you and walk in obedience to you all the time they live in the land that you gave our ancestors.


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<pb/>‘As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when they come and pray towards this temple,


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then hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house that I have built bears your Name.


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<pb/>‘When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you towards this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,


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<pb/>‘When they sin against you — for there is no-one who does not sin — and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near;


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and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, “We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly”;


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and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray towards the land that you gave their ancestors, towards the city you have chosen and towards the temple that I have built for your Name;


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then from heaven, your dwelling-place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.


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<pb/>‘Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.


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<pb/><t>‘Now arise, LORD God, and come to your resting-place, </t><t>you and the ark of your might. </t><t>May your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, </t><t>may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness. </t>


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<t> LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. </t><t>Remember the great love promised to David your servant.’</t>


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<pb/>When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.


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When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshipped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, <pb/><t>‘He is good; </t><t>his love endures for ever.’ </t>


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And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God.


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The priests took up their positions, as did the Levites with the LORD’s musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the LORD and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, ‘His love endures for ever.’ Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.


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<pb/>Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.


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<pb/>So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him — a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt.


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On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more.


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On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.


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<pb/>When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace,


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the LORD appeared to him at night and said: <pb/>‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.


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<pb/>‘When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,


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if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.


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I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there for ever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.


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<pb/>‘As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,


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I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, “You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.”


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<pb/>‘But if you <f>[31]</f> turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you <f>[32]</f> and go off to serve other gods and worship them,


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then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple which I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.


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This temple will become a heap of rubble. All <f>[33]</f> who pass by will be appalled and say, “Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?”


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People will answer, “Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshipping and serving them — that is why he brought all this disaster on them.” ’


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<pb/>At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built the temple of the LORD and his own palace,


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He rebuilt Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities, with walls and with gates and bars,


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as well as Baalath and all his store cities, and all the cities for his chariots and for his horses <f>[35]</f> — whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory that he ruled.


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<pb/>There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites).


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Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land — whom the Israelites had not destroyed — to serve as slave labour, as it is to this day.


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But Solomon did not make slaves of the Israelites for his work; they were his fighting men, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and charioteers.


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They were also King Solomon’s chief officials — two hundred and fifty officials supervising the men.


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<pb/>Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, ‘My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.’


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<pb/>On the altar of the LORD that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the LORD,


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according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths, the New Moons and the three annual festivals — the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.


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In keeping with the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their duties and the Levites to lead the praise and to assist the priests according to each day’s requirement. He also appointed the gatekeepers by divisions for the various gates, because this was what David the man of God had ordered.


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They did not deviate from the king’s commands to the priests or to the Levites in any matter, including that of the treasuries.


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<pb/>All Solomon’s work was carried out, from the day the foundation of the temple of the LORD was laid until its completion. So the temple of the LORD was finished.


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And Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own men, sailors who knew the sea. These, with Solomon’s men, sailed to Ophir and brought back four hundred and fifty talents <f>[36]</f> of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.


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<pb/>When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.


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the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at <f>[37]</f> the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.


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But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.


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Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them for ever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.’


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<pb/>Then she gave the king 120 talents <f>[38]</f> of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


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<pb/>(The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algum-wood <f>[39]</f> and precious stones.


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The king used the algum-wood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)


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<pb/>King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.


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not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders. Also all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories brought gold and silver to Solomon.


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<pb/>King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels <f>[41]</f> of hammered gold went into each shield.


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He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three hundred shekels <f>[42]</f> of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.


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All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s day.


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The king had a fleet of trading ships <f>[43]</f> manned by Hiram’s <f>[44]</f> servants. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.


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All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.


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Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift — articles of silver and gold, and robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.


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<pb/>Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, <f>[45]</f> which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.


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He ruled over all the kings from the River Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?


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When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt.


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<pb/>They replied, ‘If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants.’


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<pb/>The young men who had grown up with him replied, ‘The people have said to you, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.” Now tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.


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So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfil the word that the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.


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<pb/>When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: <pb/><t>‘What share do we have in David, </t><t>what part in Jesse’s son? </t><t>To your tents, Israel! </t><t>Look after your own house, David!’ </t> <pb/>So all the Israelites went home.


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<pb/>King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, <f>[46]</f> who was in charge of forced labour, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin — a hundred and eighty thousand able young men — to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.


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“This is what the LORD says: do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.” ’ So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.


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He strengthened their defences and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.


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He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.


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The Levites even abandoned their pasture-lands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD


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Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time.


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<pb/>Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.


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Rehoboam loved Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.


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<pb/>Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.


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He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.


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<pb/>After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel <f>[47]</f> with him abandoned the law of the LORD.


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Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam.


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With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites <f>[48]</f> that came with him from Egypt,


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<pb/>Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: “You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.” ’


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<pb/>When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: ‘Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.


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They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.’


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<pb/>When Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.


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Whenever the king went to the LORD’s temple, the guards went with him, bearing the shields, and afterwards they returned them to the guardroom.


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<pb/>Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.


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<pb/>King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.


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<pb/>As for the events of Rehoboam’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that deal with genealogies? There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.


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Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Abijah his son succeeded him as king.


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and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah, <f>[49]</f> a daughter <f>[50]</f> of Uriel of Gibeah. <pb/>There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.


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Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.


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<pb/>Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, ‘Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!


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Don’t you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants for ever by a covenant of salt?


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Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.


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<pb/>‘And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods.


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But didn’t you drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.


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<pb/>‘As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them.


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Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him.


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God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.’


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<pb/>Now Jeroboam had sent troops round to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.


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Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets


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and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.


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Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men.


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The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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<pb/>Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.


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<pb/>But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.


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<pb/>The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.


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<pb/> <f>[51]</f> <n>[1]</n> And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years.


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He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. <f>[52]</f>


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He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him.


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He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No-one was at war with him during those years, for the LORD gave him rest.


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<pb/>‘Let us build up these towns,’ he said to Judah, ‘and put walls round them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side.’ So they built and prospered.


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<pb/>Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men.


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<pb/>Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.


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Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.


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<pb/>Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, ‘LORD, there is no-one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. LORD, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.’


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and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the LORD and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.


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They destroyed all the villages around Gerar, for the terror of the LORD had fallen on them. They looted all these villages, since there was much plunder there.


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They also attacked the camps of the herdsmen and carried off droves of sheep and goats and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.


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He went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.


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But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.


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In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.


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One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.


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<pb/>When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of <f>[53]</f> Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.


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<pb/>Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.


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At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.


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They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.


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All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.


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All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.


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<pb/>King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley.


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Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.


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He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.


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<pb/>In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.


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<pb/>Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the LORD’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.


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‘Let there be a treaty between me and you,’ he said, ‘as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.’


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<pb/>Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim <f>[54]</f> and all the store cities of Naphtali.


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Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.


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<pb/>At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.


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Were not the Cushites <f>[55]</f> and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen <f>[56]</f>? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand.


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For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.’


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<pb/>Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.


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<pb/>The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the doctors.


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They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes, and they made a huge fire in his honour.


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He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.


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<pb/>The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals


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The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honour.


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His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.


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<pb/>In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah.


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With them were certain Levites — Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah — and the priests Elishama and Jehoram.


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They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went round to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.


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<pb/>The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat.


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Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.


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Their enrolment by families was as follows: <pb/><t>from Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: <pb/>Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men; <pb/> </t>


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<t>next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the LORD, with 200,000. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From Benjamin: <pb/>Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.


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Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead.


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Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, ‘Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?’ <pb/>Jehoshaphat replied, ‘I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.’


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<pb/>So the king of Israel brought together the prophets — four hundred men — and asked them, ‘Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?’ <pb/>‘Go,’ they answered, ‘for God will give it into the king’s hand.’


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Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, ‘This is what the LORD says: “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.” ’


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<pb/>When he arrived, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?’ <pb/>‘Attack and be victorious,’ he answered, ‘for they will be given into your hand.’


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<pb/>Micaiah continued, ‘Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left.


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And the LORD said, “Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?” <pb/>‘One suggested this, and another that.


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Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, “I will entice him.” <pb/>‘ “By what means?” the LORD asked.


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<pb/>‘ “I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,” he said. <pb/>‘ “You will succeed in enticing him,” said the LORD. “Go and do it.”


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<pb/>‘So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.’


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<pb/>Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. ‘Which way did the spirit from <f>[57]</f> the LORD go when he went from me to speak to you?’ he asked.


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<pb/>The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son,


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<pb/>Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, ‘Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.’


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When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, ‘This is the king of Israel.’ So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him,


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<pb/>But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armour. The king told the chariot driver, ‘Wheel round and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.’


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All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.


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Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, ‘Should you help the wicked and love <f>[58]</f> those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you.


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There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.’


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<pb/>Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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He told them, ‘Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.


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Now let the fear of the LORD be on you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.’


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<pb/>In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the LORD and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem.


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In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities — whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations — you are to warn them not to sin against the LORD; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.


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<pb/>‘Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the LORD be with those who do well.’


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<pb/>After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites <f>[59]</f> came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.


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<pb/>Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army is coming against you from Edom, <f>[60]</f> from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar’ (that is, En Gedi).


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The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.


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<pb/>Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard


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and said: <pb/>‘LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no-one can withstand you.


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Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it for ever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?


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“If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.”


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<pb/>‘But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.


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See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.


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Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.’


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<pb/>All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.


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<pb/>Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.


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<pb/>He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.


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Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.


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You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” ’


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<pb/>Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.


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Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.


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<pb/>Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.’


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After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendour of his <f>[61]</f> holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: <pb/><t>‘Give thanks to the LORD, </t><t>for his love endures for ever.’ </t>


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<pb/>As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.


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The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.


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<pb/>When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked towards the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no-one had escaped.


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So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing <f>[62]</f> and also articles of value — more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.


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On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah <f>[63]</f> to this day.


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<pb/>Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.


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<pb/>The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.


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<pb/>So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.


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He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.


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The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.


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<pb/>The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.


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<pb/>Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.


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He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. <f>[64]</f> After these were built at Ezion Geber,


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Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade. <f>[65]</f>


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<pb/>Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.


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Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. <f>[66]</f>


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Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.


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<pb/>When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel.


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Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants for ever.


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So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night.


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To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. <pb/>Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his ancestors.


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He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.


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<pb/>Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: <pb/>‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: “You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah.


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But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you.


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So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow.


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You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.” ’


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<pb/>The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites.


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They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, <f>[67]</f> the youngest.


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In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honour, as they had for his predecessors.


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<pb/>Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. He passed away, to no-one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.


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<pb/>The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.


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<pb/>Ahaziah was twenty-two <f>[68]</f> years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisors, to his undoing.


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He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram <f>[69]</f> son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram;


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so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth <f>[70]</f> in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. <pb/>Then Ahaziah <f>[71]</f> son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded.


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<pb/>Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.


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While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them.


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He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, ‘He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.’ So there was no-one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom.


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<pb/>When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah.


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But Jehosheba, <f>[72]</f> the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, <f>[73]</f> the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so that she could not kill him.


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<pb/>In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri.


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They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem,


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the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God. <pb/>Jehoiada said to them, ‘The king’s son shall reign, as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David.


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Now this is what you are to do: a third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors,


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a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the others are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the LORD.


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No-one is to enter the temple of the LORD except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe the LORD’s command not to enter. <f>[74]</f>


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The Levites are to station themselves round the king, each with weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.’


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<pb/>The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men — those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty — for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.


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Then he gave the commanders of units of a hundred the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of God.


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He stationed all the men, each with his weapon in his hand, round the king — near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.


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<pb/>Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’


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<pb/>When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the LORD.


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She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, ‘Treason! Treason!’


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<pb/>Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: ‘Bring her out between the ranks <f>[75]</f> and put to the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest had said, ‘Do not put her to death at the temple of the LORD.’


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So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.


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<pb/>Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king <f>[76]</f> would be the LORD’s people.


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All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.


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<pb/>Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the LORD in the hands of the Levitical priests, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered.


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He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the LORD’s temple so that no-one who was in any way unclean might enter.


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<pb/>He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the LORD. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne.


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All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.


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<pb/>Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.


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He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, ‘Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now.’ But the Levites did not act at once.


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<pb/>Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, ‘Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the tent of the covenant law?’


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<pb/>Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.


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<pb/>At the king’s command, a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the temple of the LORD.


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A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the wilderness.


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All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full.


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Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money.


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The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who carried out the work required for the temple of the LORD. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the LORD’s temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple.


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<pb/>The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it.


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When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the LORD’s temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the LORD.


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He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.


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<pb/>After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.


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They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and worshipped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem.


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Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.


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<pb/>Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, ‘This is what God says: “Why do you disobey the LORD’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.” ’


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<pb/>But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD’s temple.


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King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, ‘May the LORD see this and call you to account.’


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<pb/>At the turn of the year, <f>[77]</f> the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.


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Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash.


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When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.


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<pb/>Those who conspired against him were Zabad, <f>[78]</f> son of Shimeath an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith <f>[79]</f> a Moabite woman.


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The account of his sons, the many prophecies about him, and the record of the restoration of the temple of God are written in the annotations on the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.


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After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.


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Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: ‘Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.’ <f>[80]</f>


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<pb/>Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service, able to handle the spear and shield.


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He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents <f>[81]</f> of silver.


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<pb/>But a man of God came to him and said, ‘Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel — not with any of the people of Ephraim.


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Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.’


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<pb/>Amaziah asked the man of God, ‘But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?’ <pb/>The man of God replied, ‘The LORD can give you much more than that.’


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<pb/>So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.


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<pb/>Amaziah then marshalled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir.


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The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.


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<pb/>Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided towns belonging to Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.


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<pb/>When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them.


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The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, ‘Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?’


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<pb/>While he was still speaking, the king said to him, ‘Have we appointed you an advisor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?’ <pb/>So the prophet stopped but said, ‘I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.’


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<pb/>After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisors, he sent this challenge to Jehoash <f>[82]</f> son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: ‘Come, let us face each other in battle.’


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<pb/>But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah, ‘A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, “Give your daughter to my son in marriage.” Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.


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You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?’


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<pb/>Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.


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So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.


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Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, <f>[83]</f> at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate — a section about four hundred cubits <f>[84]</f> long.


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He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.


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As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?


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From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.


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<pb/>Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, <f>[86]</f> who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.


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<pb/>Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.


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He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear <f>[87]</f> of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.


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<pb/>He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines.


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God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites.


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The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.


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<pb/>Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.


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He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.


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<pb/>Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials.


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Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.


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Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armour, bows and slingstones for the entire army.


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In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defences so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.


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<pb/>But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.


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They confronted King Uzziah and said, ‘It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honoured by the LORD God.’


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<pb/>Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD’s temple, leprosy <f>[88]</f> broke out on his forehead.


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When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him.


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<pb/>King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house <f>[89]</f> — leprous, and excluded from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.


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<pb/>The other events of Uzziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.


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Uzziah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in a cemetery that belonged to the kings, for people said, ‘He had leprosy.’ And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices.


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Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.


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<pb/>Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents <f>[90]</f> of silver, ten thousand cors <f>[91]</f> of wheat and ten thousand cors <f>[92]</f> of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.


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<pb/>The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.


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Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.


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He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.


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<pb/>Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus. <pb/>He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him.


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In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah — because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king.


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The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.


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<pb/>But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, ‘Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.


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And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God?


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Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites that you have taken as prisoners, for the LORD’s fierce anger rests on you.’


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<pb/>Then some of the leaders in Ephraim — Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai — confronted those who were arriving from the war.


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‘You must not bring those prisoners here,’ they said, ‘or we will be guilty before the LORD. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.’


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<pb/>So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly.


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The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.


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while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soko, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages.


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The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, <f>[94]</f> for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.


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Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.


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He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, ‘Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.’ But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.


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<pb/>Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors of the LORD’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.


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In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of his ancestors.


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<pb/>The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.


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<pb/>In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them.


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and said, ‘Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the LORD, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary.


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Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD’s dwelling-place and turned their backs on him.


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They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel.


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Therefore, the anger of the LORD has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes.


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This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity.


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Now I intend to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us.


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My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.’


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<pb/><t>Then these Levites set to work: <pb/>from the Kohathites: <pb/>Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; <pb/>from the Merarites: <pb/>Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; <pb/>from the Gershonites: <pb/>Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from the descendants of Elizaphan: <pb/>Shimri and Jeiel; <pb/>from the descendants of Asaph: <pb/>Zechariah and Mattaniah; <pb/> </t>


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<t>from the descendants of Heman: <pb/>Jehiel and Shimei; <pb/>from the descendants of Jeduthun: <pb/>Shemaiah and Uzziel. </t>


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<pb/>When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD.


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The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley.


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They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.


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<pb/>Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: ‘We have purified the entire temple of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles.


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We have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the LORD’s altar.’


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<pb/>Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the LORD.


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They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering <f>[96]</f> for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the LORD.


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So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it against the altar; next they slaughtered the rams and splashed their blood against the altar; then they slaughtered the lambs and splashed their blood against the altar.


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The goats for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them.


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The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.


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<pb/>He stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the LORD through his prophets.


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<pb/>Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the LORD began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments of David king of Israel.


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The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed.


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<pb/>When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshipped.


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King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshipped.


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<pb/>Then Hezekiah said, ‘You have now dedicated yourselves to the LORD. Come and bring sacrifices and thank-offerings to the temple of the LORD.’ So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank-offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.


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<pb/>The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs — all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD.


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The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats.


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The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their relatives the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.


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There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings. <pb/>So the service of the temple of the LORD was re-established.


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Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.


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<pb/>Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.


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The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month.


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They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.


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They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.


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<pb/>At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: <pb/>‘People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.


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Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.


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Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the LORD. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated for ever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.


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If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.’


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<pb/>The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them.


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Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.


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<pb/>A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month.


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They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.


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<pb/>They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the LORD.


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Then they took up their usual positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites.


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Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs <f>[97]</f> to the LORD.


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Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone


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who sets their heart on seeking God — the LORD, the God of their ancestors — even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.’


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<pb/>The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the LORD every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the LORD. <f>[98]</f>


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<pb/>Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised <f>[99]</f> the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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<pb/>The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.


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Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves.


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The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah.


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There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.


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The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling-place.


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<pb/>When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.


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<pb/>Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions — each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites — to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the LORD’s dwelling.


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The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the LORD.


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He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.


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As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.


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The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps.


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When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel.


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and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, ‘Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.’


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Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah, a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank.


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Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.


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<pb/>Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the LORD and also the consecrated gifts.


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Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.


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<pb/>In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records — all who would enter the temple of the LORD to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.


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And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.


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They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.


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<pb/>As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns or in any other towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.


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<pb/>This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.


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In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.


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<pb/>After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.


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he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.


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They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. ‘Why should the kings <f>[100]</f> of Assyria come and find plenty of water?’ they said.


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Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces <f>[101]</f> of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.


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<pb/>He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words:


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‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.


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With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.


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<pb/>Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:


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<pb/>‘This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: on what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?


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When Hezekiah says, “The LORD our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,” he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst.


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Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it”?


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<pb/>‘Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?


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Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand?


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Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!’


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The king also wrote letters ridiculing the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: ‘Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.’


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Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city.


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They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world — the work of human hands.


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And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.


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<pb/>So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them <f>[102]</f> on every side.


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Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.


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<pb/>In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.


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But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.


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Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.


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<pb/>Hezekiah had very great wealth and honour, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.


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He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks.


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He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.


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<pb/>It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channelled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.


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But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.


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<pb/>The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honoured him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-five years.


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He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshipped them.


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He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘My Name will remain in Jerusalem for ever.’


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He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practised divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.


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<pb/>He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name for ever.


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I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything that I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.’


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But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.


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So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.


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In his distress he sought the favour of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.


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And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.


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<pb/>Afterwards he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.


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<pb/>He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the LORD, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city.


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Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank-offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.


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<pb/>The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel. <f>[103]</f>


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His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself — all these are written in the records of the seers. <f>[104]</f>


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Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshipped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made.


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But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the LORD; Amon increased his guilt.


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<pb/>Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years.


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He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.


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<pb/>In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.


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Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.


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he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.


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<pb/>They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.


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Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the LORD’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple.


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They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.


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<pb/>The workers laboured faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites — all who were skilled in playing musical instruments —


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had charge of the labourers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.


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<pb/>While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses.


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Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.’ He gave it to Shaphan.


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<pb/>Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: ‘Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them.


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They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.’


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He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, <f>[105]</f> Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:


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‘Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.’


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<pb/>Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him <f>[106]</f> went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, <f>[107]</f> the son of Hasrah, <f>[108]</f> keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.


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“This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people — all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah.


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Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, <f>[109]</f> my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.”


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because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.


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Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.” ’ <pb/>So they took her answer back to the king.


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He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites — all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD.


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The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD — to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.


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<pb/>Then he made everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.


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<pb/>Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he made all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors.


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<pb/>Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.


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He said to the Levites, who instructed all Israel and who had been consecrated to the LORD: ‘Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.


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Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and by his son Solomon.


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<pb/>‘Stand in the holy place with a group of Levites for each sub-division of the families of your fellow Israelites, the lay people.


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Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the LORD commanded through Moses.’


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<pb/>Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle — all from the king’s own possessions.


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<pb/>His officials also contributed voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials in charge of God’s temple, gave the priests two thousand six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle.


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Also Konaniah along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.


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<pb/>The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions as the king had ordered.


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The Passover lambs were slaughtered, and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals.


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They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the sub-divisions of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle.


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They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots, cauldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people.


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After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests.


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<pb/>The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.


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<pb/>So at that time the entire service of the LORD was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, as King Josiah had ordered.


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The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.


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The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem.


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<pb/>After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle.


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But Necho sent messengers to him saying, ‘What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.’


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<pb/>Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.


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So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.


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<pb/>Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.


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<pb/>The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the LORD —


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<pb/>And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.


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<pb/>Jehoahaz <f>[110]</f> was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months.


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The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents <f>[111]</f> of silver and a talent <f>[112]</f> of gold.


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The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Necho took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.


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<pb/>Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD his God.


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Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.


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Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the LORD and put them in his temple <f>[113]</f> there.


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<pb/>The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Jehoiachin was eighteen <f>[114]</f> years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD.


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In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, together with articles of value from the temple of the LORD, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle, <f>[115]</f> Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.


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<pb/>Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eleven years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the LORD.


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He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.


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Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.


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<pb/>The LORD, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling-place.


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But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.


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He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, <f>[116]</f> who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.


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He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the LORD’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials.


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They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.


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<pb/>He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power.


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The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfilment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.


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<pb/>In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfil the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:


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<pb/>‘This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: <pb/>‘ “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the LORD their God be with them.” ’


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<pb/>‘This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: <pb/>‘ “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.


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Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.


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And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.” ’


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<pb/>Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites — everyone whose heart God had moved — prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.


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All their neighbours assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.


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<pb/>Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. <f>[1]</f>


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Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.


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<pb/><t>This was the inventory: <pb/>gold dishes — 30 <pb/>silver dishes — 1,000 <pb/>silver pans <f>[2]</f> — 29</t>


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<t>In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. </t> <pb/>Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


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<pb/><t>Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town, </t>


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<t>in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah): <pb/>The list of the men of the people of Israel:</t>


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<t>The Levites: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Jeshua and Kadmiel (of the line of Hodaviah) — 74 <pb/> </t>


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<t>The gatekeepers of the temple: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Shallum, Ater, Talmon, <pb/>Akkub, Hatita and Shobai — 139 <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of the servants of Solomon: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,</t>


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<pb/><t><n>[The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon]</n> — 392 <pb/> </t>


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<t>The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:</t>


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<t>And from among the priests: <pb/>The descendants of <pb/>Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). <pb/> </t>


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<t>These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. </t>


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<t>The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings towards the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.


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According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics <f>[4]</f> of gold, 5,000 minas <f>[5]</f> of silver and 100 priestly garments.


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<pb/>The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.


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<pb/>When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem.


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Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.


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Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.


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Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.


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After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD.


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On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD’s temple had not yet been laid.


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<pb/>Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorised by Cyrus king of Persia.


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<pb/>In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD.


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Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah <f>[6]</f>) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.


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<pb/>When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.


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With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: <pb/><t>‘He is good; </t><t>his love towards Israel endures for ever.’ </t> <pb/>And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.


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But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.


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No-one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.


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<pb/>When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,


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they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, ‘Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’


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<pb/>But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, ‘You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.’


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<pb/>Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. <f>[7]</f>


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They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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<pb/>At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, <f>[8]</f> they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.


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<pb/>And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language. <f>[9]</f>, <f>[10]</f>


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<pb/>Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:


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<pb/>Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates — the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,


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and the other people whom the great and honourable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.


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<pb/>(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) <pb/>To King Artaxerxes, <pb/>From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:


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<pb/>The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.


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<pb/>Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer. <f>[11]</f>


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Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonoured, we are sending this message to inform the king,


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so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.


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We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.


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<pb/>The king sent this reply: <pb/>To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates: <pb/>Greetings.


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I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.


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Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.


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Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.


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Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?


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<pb/>As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.


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<pb/>Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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<pb/>Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.


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Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.


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<pb/>At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, ‘Who authorised you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?’


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But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.


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<pb/>This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius.


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<pb/>The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.


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<pb/>We questioned the elders and asked them, ‘Who authorised you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?’


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We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.


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<pb/>This is the answer they gave us: <pb/>‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished.


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But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.


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<pb/>‘However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.


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He even removed from the temple <f>[13]</f> of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple <f>[14]</f> in Babylon. Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor,


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and he told him, “Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.”


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<pb/>‘So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.’


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<pb/>Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.


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<pb/>King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon.


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A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: <pb/>Memorandum:


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<pb/>In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: <pb/>Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be sixty cubits <f>[15]</f> high and sixty cubits wide,


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with three courses of large stones and one of timber. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.


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Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.


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<pb/>Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there.


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Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.


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<pb/>Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: <pb/>Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.


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Whatever is needed — young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem — must be given them daily without fail,


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so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.


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<pb/>Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.


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May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. <pb/>I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.


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<pb/>Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence.


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So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.


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The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.


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<pb/>Then the people of Israel — the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles — celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.


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For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering <f>[16]</f> for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel.


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And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.


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The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves.


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So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbours in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.


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For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.


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<pb/>After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,


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this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.


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Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.


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He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.


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For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.


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<pb/>This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel:


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<pb/>Artaxerxes, king of kings, <pb/>To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: <pb/>Greetings.


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<pb/>Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.


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You are sent by the king and his seven advisors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.


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Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,


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together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.


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With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.


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<pb/>You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.


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Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God.


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And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.


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<pb/>Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you —


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up to a hundred talents <f>[17]</f> of silver, a hundred cors <f>[18]</f> of wheat, a hundred baths <f>[19]</f> of wine, a hundred baths <f>[20]</f> of olive oil, and salt without limit.


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Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?


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You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.


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<pb/>And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates — all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them.


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Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. <f>[21]</f>


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<pb/>Praise be to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honour to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way


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and who has extended his good favour to me before the king and his advisors and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.


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<pb/><t>These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes: <pb/> </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Phinehas: <pb/>Gershom; <pb/>of the descendants of Ithamar: <pb/>Daniel; <pb/>of the descendants of David: <pb/>Hattush </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Shekaniah; <pb/>of the descendants of Parosh: <pb/>Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men; <pb/> </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Pahath-Moab: <pb/>Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men; <pb/> </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Zattu: <f>[22]</f> <pb/>Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men; <pb/> </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Bani: <f>[23]</f> <pb/>Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men; <pb/> </t>


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<t>of the descendants of Adonikam: <pb/>the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>I assembled them at the canal that flows towards Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there.


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So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning,


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and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.


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Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all;


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and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 men in all.


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They also brought 220 of the temple servants — a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.


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<pb/>There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.


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I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’


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<pb/>Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers,


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and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisors, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God.


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I weighed out to them 650 talents <f>[24]</f> of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, <f>[25]</f> 100 talents <f>[26]</f> of gold,


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20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, <f>[27]</f> and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.


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<pb/>I said to them, ‘You as well as these articles are consecrated to the LORD. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors.


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Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.’


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Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.


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<pb/>On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.


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<pb/>On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.


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<pb/>Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, <f>[28]</f> twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.


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They also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.


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<pb/>After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, ‘The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighbouring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.


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They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.’


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<pb/>When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.


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Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered round me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.


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<pb/>Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God


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and prayed: <pb/>‘I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.


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From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.


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<pb/>‘But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place <f>[29]</f> in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.


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Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: he has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.


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you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: “The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other.


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Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.”


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<pb/>‘What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.


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Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?


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LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.’


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<pb/>While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites — men, women and children — gathered round him. They too wept bitterly.


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Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, ‘We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.


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Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.


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<pb/>So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath.


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Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.


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<pb/>A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.


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Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.


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<pb/>Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.


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Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.


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Now honour <f>[30]</f> the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’


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But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing.


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Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.’


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Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.


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<pb/>So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases,


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and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.


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<pb/><t>Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women: <pb/>From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: <pb/>Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. </t>


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<t>(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.) <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Pashhur: <pb/>Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Among the Levites: <pb/>Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the musicians: <pb/>Eliashib. <pb/>From the gatekeepers: <pb/>Shallum, Telem and Uri. <pb/> </t>


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<t>And among the other Israelites: <pb/>From the descendants of Parosh: <pb/>Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Elam: <pb/>Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Zattu: <pb/>Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Bani: <pb/>Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: <pb/>Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Hashum: <pb/>Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Nebo: <pb/>Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives. <f>[32]</f></t>


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<pb/>The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: <pb/>In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,


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Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.


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<pb/>They said to me, ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’


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<pb/>When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.


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Then I said: <pb/>‘LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,


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let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.


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We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.


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<pb/>‘Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,


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but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”


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<pb/>‘They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.


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Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.’ <pb/>I was cupbearer to the king.


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<pb/>In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,


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so the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.’ <pb/>I was very much afraid,


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but I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’


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and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.’


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<pb/>Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.


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<pb/>I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?


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And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.


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So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.


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<pb/>When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.


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I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.


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<pb/>By night I went out through the Valley Gate towards the Jackal <f>[1]</f> Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.


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Then I moved on towards the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through;


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so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate.


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The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.


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<pb/>Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’


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I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. <pb/>They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.


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<pb/>But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’


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<pb/>I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’


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<pb/>Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.


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<pb/>The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.


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Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs.


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The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. <f>[2]</f>


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<pb/>The Jeshanah <f>[3]</f> Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.


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Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah — Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth — places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates.


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Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.


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Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him.


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Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.


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Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.


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<pb/>The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits <f>[4]</f> of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.


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<pb/>The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.


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<pb/>The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, <f>[5]</f> by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David.


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Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs <f>[6]</f> of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.


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<pb/>Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district.


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Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui <f>[7]</f> son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah.


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Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armoury as far as the angle of the wall.


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Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest.


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Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.


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Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.


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Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner,


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and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh


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and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate towards the east and the projecting tower.


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Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.


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Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs.


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Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.


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Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner;


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<pb/> <f>[8]</f> <n>[1]</n> When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,


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and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble — burned as they are?’


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<pb/>Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, ‘What they are building — even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!’


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<pb/>Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.


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Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of <f>[9]</f> the builders.


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<pb/>So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.


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<pb/>But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.


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<pb/>Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the labourers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.’


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<pb/>Also our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.’


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<pb/>Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, ‘Wherever you turn, they will attack us.’


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<pb/>Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.


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After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’


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<pb/>When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our work.


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<pb/>From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armour. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah


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who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,


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and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.


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<pb/>Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.


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<pb/>So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.


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At that time I also said to the people, ‘Let every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so that they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.’


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Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water. <f>[10]</f>


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Some were saying, ‘We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.’


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<pb/>Others were saying, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.’


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<pb/>Still others were saying, ‘We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.


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Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.’


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I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, ‘You are charging your own people interest!’ So I called together a large meeting to deal with them


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and said: ‘As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!’ They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.


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<pb/>So I continued, ‘What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?


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I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!


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Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them — one per cent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.’


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<pb/>‘We will give it back,’ they said. ‘And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.’ <pb/>Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.


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I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!’ <pb/>At this the whole assembly said, ‘Amen,’ and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.


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<pb/>Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year — twelve years — neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.


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But the earlier governors — those preceding me — placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels <f>[11]</f> of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.


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Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we <f>[12]</f> did not acquire any land.


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<pb/>Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.


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Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.


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<pb/>When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it — though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates —


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Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: ‘Come, let us meet together in one of the villages <f>[13]</f> on the plain of Ono.’ <pb/>But they were scheming to harm me;


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so I sent messengers to them with this reply: ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?’


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<pb/>Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his assistant to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter


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in which was written: <pb/>‘It is reported among the nations — and Geshem <f>[14]</f> says it is true — that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king


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and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: “There is a king in Judah!” Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.’


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<pb/>I sent him this reply: ‘Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.’


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<pb/>They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ <pb/>But I prayed, ‘Now strengthen my hands.’


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<pb/>One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you — by night they are coming to kill you.’


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<pb/>But I said, ‘Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!’


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I realised that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.


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He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.


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<pb/>Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me.


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<pb/>When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realised that this work had been done with the help of our God.


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<pb/>Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them.


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For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.


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Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.


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<pb/>After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.


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I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.


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I said to them, ‘The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, make them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.’


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<pb/>Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.


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So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:


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<pb/><t>These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, </t>


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<t>in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah): <pb/>The list of the men of the people of Israel:</t>


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<t>The Levites: <pb/>the descendants <pb/>of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) — 74 <pb/> </t>


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<t>The gatekeepers of the temple: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Shallum, Ater, Talmon, <pb/>Akkub, Hatita and Shobai — 138 <pb/> </t>


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<t>The descendants of the servants of Solomon: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,</t>


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<t>And from among the priests: <pb/>the descendants of <pb/>Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). <pb/> </t>


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<t>The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics <f>[16]</f> of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.


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Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics <f>[17]</f> of gold and 2,200 minas <f>[18]</f> of silver.


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The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas <f>[19]</f> of silver and 67 garments for priests.


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<pb/>The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. <pb/>When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,


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<pb/>all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.


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<pb/>So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.


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He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.


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<pb/>Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.


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<pb/>Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.


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Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.


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<pb/>The Levites — Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah — instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.


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They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear <f>[20]</f> and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.


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<pb/>Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.


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<pb/>Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’


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<pb/>Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.


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<pb/>On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered round Ezra the teacher of the Law to give attention to the words of the Law.


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They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month


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and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: ‘Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and other leafy trees, to make temporary shelters’ — as it is written. <f>[21]</f>


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<pb/>So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.


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The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.


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<pb/>Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.


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<pb/>On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.


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Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.


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They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the LORD their God.


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Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the LORD their God.


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And the Levites — Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah — said: ‘Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. <f>[22]</f>’ <pb/>‘Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.


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You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.


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<pb/>‘You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.


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You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.


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<pb/>‘You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea. <f>[23]</f>


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You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day.


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You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.


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By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.


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<pb/>‘You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good.


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You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.


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In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.


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<pb/>‘But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands.


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They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,


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even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, “This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,” or when they committed awful blasphemies.


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<pb/>‘Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.


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You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.


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For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.


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<pb/>‘You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon <f>[24]</f> king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.


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You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess.


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Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased.


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They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they revelled in your great goodness.


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<pb/>‘But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.


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So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.


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<pb/>‘But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.


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<pb/>‘You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, “The person who obeys them will live by them.” Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.


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For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighbouring peoples.


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But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.


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<pb/>‘Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes — the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.


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In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.


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Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep.


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Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.


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<pb/>‘But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so that they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.


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Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.


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<pb/>‘In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.’ <f>[25]</f>


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<pb/> <f>[26]</f> <n>[1]</n> Those who sealed it were: <pb/><t>The governor: <pb/>Nehemiah son of Hakaliah. <pb/>Zedekiah, </t>


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<pb/>‘The rest of the people — priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighbouring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand —


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all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.


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<pb/>‘We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.


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<pb/>‘When the neighbouring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.


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<pb/>‘We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel <f>[27]</f> each year for the service of the house of our God:


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for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings <f>[28]</f> to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.


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<pb/>‘We — the priests, the Levites and the people — have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.


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<pb/>‘We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.


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<pb/>‘As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.


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<pb/>‘Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.


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A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.


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The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. <pb/>‘We will not neglect the house of our God.’


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<pb/>Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.


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<pb/><t>These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, </t>


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<t>while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem): <pb/>From the descendants of Judah: <pb/>Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; <pb/> </t>


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<t>and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the descendants of Benjamin: <pb/>Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, </t>


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<t>Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, </t>


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<t>and their associates, who carried on work for the temple — 822 men; <pb/>Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, </t>


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<t>and his associates, who were heads of families — 242 men; <pb/>Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, </t>


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<t>and his <f>[29]</f> associates, who were men of standing — 128. <pb/>Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim. <pb/> </t>


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<t>From the Levites: <pb/>Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; <pb/>Bakbukiah, second among his associates; <pb/>and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. <pb/> </t>


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<t>The gatekeepers: <pb/>Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates — 172 men. </t>


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<pb/>The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.


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<pb/>The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God.


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<pb/>Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.


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<pb/>As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages,


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Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.


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<pb/>The descendants of the Benjaminites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements,


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<pb/><t>These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua: <pb/>Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. <pb/>These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua. </t>


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<pb/>The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.


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<pb/><t>Joshua was the father of Joiakim, <pb/>Joiakim the father of Eliashib, <pb/>Eliashib the father of Joiada, <pb/> </t>


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<t>In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: <pb/>of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah; <pb/>of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian.


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The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals.


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And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.


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<pb/>Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates.


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They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.


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<pb/>At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.


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The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem — from the villages of the Netophathites,


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from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.


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When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.


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<pb/>I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of <f>[34]</f> the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of <f>[35]</f> the wall to the right, towards the Dung Gate.


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as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph,


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and his associates — Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani — with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession.


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At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.


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<pb/>The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of <f>[36]</f> the wall, together with half the people — past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,


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over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah <f>[37]</f> Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.


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<pb/>The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials,


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as well as the priests — Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets —


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and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah.


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And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.


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<pb/>At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.


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They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon.


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For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.


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So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.


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<pb/>On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,


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because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)


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<pb/>Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,


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and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.


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<pb/>But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission


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and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.


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I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.


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<pb/>I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.


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So I rebuked the officials and asked them, ‘Why is the house of God neglected?’ Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.


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I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.


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<pb/>Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.


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<pb/>In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.


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People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah.


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I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this wicked thing you are doing — desecrating the Sabbath day?


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Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.’


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<pb/>When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.


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But I warned them and said, ‘Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.’ From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.


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Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. <pb/>Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.


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Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.


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I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: ‘You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.


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Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.


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Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?’


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<pb/>One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.


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<pb/>Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.


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<pb/>So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.


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I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. <pb/>Remember me with favour, my God.


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<pb/>This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, <f>[1]</f> the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush <f>[2]</f>:


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and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.


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<pb/>For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendour and glory of his majesty.


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When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa.


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The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.


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Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.


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By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink without restriction, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.


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<pb/>On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him — Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas —


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to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.


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But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.


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<pb/>Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times


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and were closest to the king — Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.


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<pb/>‘According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?’ he asked. ‘She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.’


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<pb/>Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, ‘Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.


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For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, “King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.”


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This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.


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<pb/>‘Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.


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Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.’


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He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.


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<pb/>Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her.


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Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, ‘Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.


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Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.


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Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.’ This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.


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<pb/>Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,


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who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin <f>[3]</f> king of Judah.


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Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.


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<pb/>When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.


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She pleased him and won his favour. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.


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<pb/>Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.


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Every day he walked to and fro near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.


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<pb/>Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.


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And this is how she would go to the king: anything she wanted was given to her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.


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In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.


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<pb/>When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favour of everyone who saw her.


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She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.


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<pb/>Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favour and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.


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And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.


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But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.


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<pb/>During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana <f>[4]</f> and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.


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But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai.


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And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.


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<pb/>After these events, King Xerxes honoured Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of all the other nobles.


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All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honour to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour.


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<pb/>Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you disobey the king’s command?’


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Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behaviour would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.


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Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.


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<pb/>In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the <e>pur</e> (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on <f>[5]</f> the twelfth month, the month of Adar.


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<pb/>Then Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.


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If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents <f>[6]</f> of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.’


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<pb/>So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.


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<pb/>Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.


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Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews — young and old, women and children — on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.


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A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that they would be ready for that day.


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<pb/>The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.


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<pb/>When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.


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But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no-one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.


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In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.


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<pb/>When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.


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Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.


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Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.


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He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.


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‘All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold sceptre to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.’


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he sent back this answer: ‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.


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For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?’


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‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’


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<pb/>On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.


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When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the sceptre.


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<pb/>Then the king asked, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.’


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<pb/>‘If it pleases the king,’ replied Esther, ‘let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.’


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<pb/>‘Bring Haman at once,’ the king said, ‘so that we may do what Esther asks.’ <pb/>So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.


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As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, ‘Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.’


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If the king regards me with favour and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfil my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.’


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<pb/>Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.


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Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. <pb/>Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,


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Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honoured him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.


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‘And that’s not all,’ Haman added. ‘I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow.


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But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.’


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<pb/>His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, <f>[7]</f> and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.’ This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.


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<pb/>That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.


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It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.


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<pb/>‘What honour and recognition has Mordecai received for this?’ the king asked. <pb/>‘Nothing has been done for him,’ his attendants answered.


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<pb/>The king said, ‘Who is in the court?’ Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.


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<pb/>His attendants answered, ‘Haman is standing in the court.’ <pb/>‘Bring him in,’ the king ordered.


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<pb/>When Haman entered, the king asked him, ‘What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?’ <pb/>Now Haman thought to himself, ‘Who is there that the king would rather honour than me?’


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let them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.


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Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honour, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!” ’


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<pb/>‘Go at once,’ the king commanded Haman. ‘Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.’


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<pb/>So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!’


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<pb/>Afterwards Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,


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and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. <pb/>His advisors and his wife Zeresh said to him, ‘Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him — you will surely come to ruin!’


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While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.


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and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, ‘Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.’


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<pb/>Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favour with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life — this is my petition. And spare my people — this is my request.


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For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. <f>[8]</f>’


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<pb/>King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, ‘Who is he? Where is he — the man who has dared to do such a thing?’


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<pb/>Esther said, ‘An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!’ <pb/>Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.


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The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realising that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.


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<pb/>Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banqueting hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. <pb/>The king exclaimed, ‘Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?’ <pb/>As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.


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Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, ‘A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits <f>[9]</f> stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.’ <pb/>The king said, ‘Impale him on it!’


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<pb/>That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.


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The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.


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<pb/>Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.


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<pb/>‘If it pleases the king,’ she said, ‘and if he regards me with favour and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.


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For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?’


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<pb/>King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, ‘Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up.


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Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring — for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.’


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<pb/>At once the royal secretaries were summoned — on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. <f>[10]</f> These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.


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Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.


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<pb/>The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, <f>[11]</f> and to plunder the property of their enemies.


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The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.


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A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.


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<pb/>The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.


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<pb/>When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.


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In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.


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<pb/>On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.


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The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No-one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.


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And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them.


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Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.


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<pb/>The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.


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the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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The king said to Queen Esther, ‘The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.’


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<pb/>‘If it pleases the king,’ Esther answered, ‘give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.’


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<pb/>So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman.


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The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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<pb/>Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder.


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This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.


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<pb/>The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.


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<pb/>That is why rural Jews — those living in villages — observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.


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<pb/>Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far,


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as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote to them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.


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<pb/>So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them.


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For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the <e>pur</e> (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction.


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But when the plot came to the king’s attention, <f>[12]</f> he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back on to his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles.


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(Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word <e>pur</e>.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them,


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the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.


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These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews — nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.


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<pb/>So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.


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And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom — words of goodwill and assurance —


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to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.


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And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia?


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Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, pre-eminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.


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<pb/>In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.


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and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.


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<pb/>His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.


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When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular custom.


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<pb/>One day the angels <f>[1]</f> came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan <f>[2]</f> also came with them.


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The LORD said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ <pb/>Satan answered the LORD, ‘From roaming throughout the earth, going to and fro on it.’


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<pb/>Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’


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‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.


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But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’


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<pb/>The LORD said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’ <pb/>Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.


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<pb/>One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the eldest brother’s house,


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and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’


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<pb/>While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’


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<pb/>While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’


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<pb/>While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the eldest brother’s house,


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when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’


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<pb/>At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship


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and said: <pb/><t>‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, </t><t>and naked I shall depart. <f>[3]</f> </t><t>The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; </t><t>may the name of the LORD be praised.’ </t>


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<pb/>On another day the angels <f>[4]</f> came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.


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And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ <pb/>Satan answered the LORD, ‘From roaming throughout the earth, going to and fro on it.’


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<pb/>Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.’


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But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.’


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<pb/>So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.


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<pb/>He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish <f>[5]</f> woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ <pb/>In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.


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<pb/>When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathise with him and comfort him.


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When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognise him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.


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Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No-one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.


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<t>That day — may it turn to darkness; </t><t>may God above not care about it; </t><t>may no light shine on it. </t>


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<t>May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; </t><t>may a cloud settle over it; </t><t>may blackness overwhelm it. </t>


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<t>That night — may thick darkness seize it; </t><t>may it not be included among the days of the year </t><t>nor be entered in any of the months. </t>


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<t>May those who curse days <f>[6]</f> curse that day, </t><t>those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. </t>


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<t>May its morning stars become dark; </t><t>may it wait for daylight in vain </t><t>and not see the first rays of dawn, </t>


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<t>with kings and rulers of the earth, </t><t>who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, </t>


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<t>Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, </t><t>like an infant who never saw the light of day? </t>


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<t>to those who long for death that does not come, </t><t>who search for it more than for hidden treasure, </t>


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<pb/><t>‘If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? </t><t>But who can keep from speaking? </t>


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<t>But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; </t><t>it strikes you, and you are dismayed. </t>


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<t>‘Consider now: who, being innocent, has ever perished? </t><t>Where were the upright ever destroyed? </t>


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<t>It stopped, </t><t>but I could not tell what it was. </t><t>A form stood before my eyes, </t><t>and I heard a hushed voice: </t>


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<t>“Can a mortal be more righteous than God? </t><t>Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker? </t>


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<t>how much more those who live in houses of clay, </t><t>whose foundations are in the dust, </t><t>who are crushed more readily than a moth! </t>


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<pb/><t>‘Call if you will, but who will answer you? </t><t>To which of the holy ones will you turn? </t>


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<t>The hungry consume his harvest, </t><t>taking it even from among thorns, </t><t>and the thirsty pant after his wealth. </t>


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<t>He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; </t><t>he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. </t>


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<t>‘Blessed is the one whom God corrects; </t><t>so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. <f>[7]</f> </t>


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<t>In famine he will deliver you from death, </t><t>and in battle from the stroke of the sword. </t>


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<t>You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, </t><t>and need not fear when destruction comes. </t>


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<t>For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, </t><t>and the wild animals will be at peace with you. </t>


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<t>You will know that your tent is secure; </t><t>you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. </t>


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<t>You will know that your children will be many, </t><t>and your descendants like the grass of the earth. </t>


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<t>It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas — </t><t>no wonder my words have been impetuous. </t>


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<t>The arrows of the Almighty are in me, </t><t>my spirit drinks in their poison; </t><t>God’s terrors are marshalled against me. </t>


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<t>Is tasteless food eaten without salt, </t><t>or is there flavour in the sap of the mallow <f>[8]</f>? </t>


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<t>Then I would still have this consolation — </t><t>my joy in unrelenting pain — </t><t>that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘What strength do I have, that I should still hope? </t><t>What prospects, that I should be patient? </t>


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<t>But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, </t><t>as the streams that overflow </t>


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<t>They are distressed, because they had been confident; </t><t>they arrive there, only to be disappointed. </t>


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<t>Have I ever said, “Give something on my behalf, </t><t>pay a ransom for me from your wealth, </t>


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<t>deliver me from the hand of the enemy, </t><t>rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless”? <pb/> </t>


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<pb/><t>‘Do not mortals have hard service on earth? </t><t>Are not their days like those of hired labourers? </t>


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<t>Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, </t><t>or a hired labourer waiting to be paid, </t>


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<t>so I have been allotted months of futility, </t><t>and nights of misery have been assigned to me. </t>


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<t>When I lie down I think, “How long before I get up?” </t><t>The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. </t>


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<t>Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; </t><t>my eyes will never see happiness again. </t>


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<t>The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; </t><t>you will look for me, but I will be no more. </t>


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<t>‘Therefore I will not keep silent; </t><t>I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, </t><t>I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. </t>


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<t>I despise my life; I would not live for ever. </t><t>Let me alone; my days have no meaning. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘What is mankind that you make so much of them, </t><t>that you give them so much attention, </t>


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<t>If I have sinned, what have I done to you, </t><t>you who see everything we do? </t><t>Why have you made me your target? </t><t>Have I become a burden to you? <f>[10]</f> </t>


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<t>Why do you not pardon my offences </t><t>and forgive my sins? </t><t>For I shall soon lie down in the dust; </t><t>you will search for me, but I shall be no more.’</t>


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<t>When your children sinned against him, </t><t>he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. </t>


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<t>if you are pure and upright, </t><t>even now he will rouse himself on your behalf </t><t>and restore you to your prosperous state. </t>


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<t>for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, </t><t>and our days on earth are but a shadow. </t>


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<t>Will they not instruct you and tell you? </t><t>Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? </t>


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<t>They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, </t><t>spreading its shoots over the garden; </t>


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<t>But when it is torn from its spot, </t><t>that place disowns it and says, “I never saw you.” </t>


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<t>‘Surely God does not reject one who is blameless </t><t>or strengthen the hands of evildoers. </t>


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<pb/><t>‘Indeed, I know that this is true. </t><t>But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? </t>


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<t>Though they wished to dispute with him, </t><t>they could not answer him once in a thousand times. </t>


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<t>His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. </t><t>Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? </t>


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<t>He is the Maker of the Bear <f>[13]</f> and Orion, </t><t>the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. </t>


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<t>God does not restrain his anger; </t><t>even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; </t><t>I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. </t>


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<t>Even if I summoned him and he responded, </t><t>I do not believe he would give me a hearing. </t>


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<t>If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! </t><t>And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him <f>[14]</f>? </t>


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<t>Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; </t><t>if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘Although I am blameless, </t><t>I have no concern for myself; </t><t>I despise my own life. </t>


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<t>It is all the same; that is why I say, </t><t>“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.” </t>


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<t>When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, </t><t>he blindfolds its judges. </t><t>If it is not he, then who is it? <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, </t><t>that we might confront each other in court. </t>


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<pb/><t>‘I loathe my very life; </t><t>therefore I will give free rein to my complaint </t><t>and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. </t>


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<t>I say to God: do not declare me guilty, </t><t>but tell me what charges you have against me. </t>


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<t>Does it please you to oppress me, </t><t>to spurn the work of your hands, </t><t>while you smile on the plans of the wicked? </t>


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<t>though you know that I am not guilty </t><t>and that no-one can rescue me from your hand? <pb/> </t>


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<t>You gave me life and showed me kindness, </t><t>and in your providence watched over my spirit. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘But this is what you concealed in your heart, </t><t>and I know that this was in your mind: </t>


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<t>If I am guilty — woe to me! </t><t>Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, </t><t>for I am full of shame </t><t>and drowned in <f>[15]</f> my affliction. </t>


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<t>If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion </t><t>and again display your awesome power against me. </t>


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<t>You bring new witnesses against me </t><t>and increase your anger towards me; </t><t>your forces come against me wave upon wave. <pb/> </t>


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<t>If only I had never come into being, </t><t>or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! </t>


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<t>to the land of deepest night, </t><t>of utter darkness and disorder, </t><t>where even the light is like darkness.’</t>


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<t>and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, </t><t>for true wisdom has two sides. </t><t>Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. <pb/> </t>


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<t>They are higher than the heavens above — what can you do? </t><t>They are deeper than the depths below — what can you know? </t>


