2 Chronicles The Second Book of the Chronicles 2 Chronicles 2Ch The Second Book of the Chronicles Then Salomon the sonne of Dauid was confirmed in his kingdome: and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him highly.And Salomon spake vnto all Israel, to the captaines of thousandes, and of hundreths, and to the iudges, and to all the gouernours in all Israel, euen the chiefe fathers.So Salomon and all the Congregation with him went to the hie place that was at Gibeon: for there was the Tabernacle of the Congregation of God which Moses the seruant of the Lord had made in the wildernesse.But the Arke of God had Dauid brought vp from Kiriath-iearim, when Dauid had made preparation for it: for he had pitched a tent for it in Ierusalem.Moreouer the brasen altar that Bezaleel the sonne of Vri, the sonne of Hur had made, did hee set before the Tabernacle of the Lord: and Salomon and the Congregation sought it.And Salomon offred there before the Lord vpon the brasen altar that was in the Tabernacle of the Congregation: euen a thousand burnt offrings offred he vpon it.The same night did God appeare vnto Salomon, and sayde vnto him, Aske what I shall giue thee.And Salomon sayde vnto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy vnto Dauid my father and hast made me to reigne in his stead.Nowe therefore, O Lord God, let thy promise vnto Dauid my father be true: for thou hast made mee King ouer a great people, like to the dust of the earth.Giue me now wisdome and knowledge, that I may go out and go in before this people: for who can iudge this thy great people?And God sayde to Salomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, treasures nor honour, nor the liues of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life, but hast asked for thee wisdome and knowledge that thou mightest iudge my people, ouer whome I haue made thee King,Wisdome and knowledge is granted vnto thee, and I will giue thee riches and treasures and honour, so that there hath not bene the like among the Kings which were before thee, neither after thee shall there be the like.Then Salomon came from the hie place, that was at Gibeon, to Ierusalem from before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and reigned ouer Israel.And Salomon gathered the charets and horesemen: and he had a thousand and foure hundreth charets, and twelue thousande horsemen, whome he placed in the charet cities, and with the King at Ierusalem.And the King gaue siluer and gold at Ierusalem as stones, and gaue cedar trees as the wilde figge trees, that are abundantly in the playne.Also Salomon had horses brought out of Egypt and fine linen: the Kings marchants receiued the fine linen for a price.They came vp also and brought out of Egypt some charet, worth sixe hundreth shekels of siluer, that is an horse for an hundreth and fiftie: and thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites, and to the Kings of Aram by their meanes. Then Salomon determined to builde an house for the Name of the Lord, and an house for his kingdome.And Salomon tolde out seuentie thousand that bare burdens, and fourescore thousande men to hewe stones in the mountaine, and three thousand and sixe hundreth to ouersee them.And Salomon sent to Huram the king of Tyrus, saying, As thou hast done to Dauid my father, and didst sende him cedar trees to buylde him an house to dwell in, so do to me.Behold, I buylde an house vnto the Name of the Lord my God, to sanctifie it vnto him, and to burne sweete incense before him, and for the continuall shewbread, and for the burnt offrings of the morning and euening, on the Sabbath dayes, and in the new moneths, and in the solemne feastes of the Lord our God: this is a perpetuall thing for Israel.And the house which I buylde, is great: for great is our God aboue all gods.Who is he then that can be able to buylde him an house, when the heauen, and the heauen of heauens can not conteine him? who am I then that I should buylde him an house? but I do it to burne incense before him.Sende me nowe therefore a cunning man that can worke in golde, in siluer, and in brasse, and in yron, and in purple, and crimosin and blue silke, and that can graue in grauen worke with the cunning men that are with me in Iudah and in Ierusalem, whom Dauid my father hath prepared.Sende mee also cedar trees, firre trees and Algummim trees from Lebanon: for I knowe that thy seruants can skill to hewe timber in Lebanon: and beholde, my seruantes shalbe with thine,That they may prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I doe buylde, is great and wonderfull.And behold, I will giue to thy seruants the cutters and the hewers of timber twentie thousand measures of beaten wheate, and twentie thousand measures of barley, and twentie thousand baths of wine, and twentie thousand baths of oyle.Then Huram King of Tyrus answered in writing which he sent to Salomon, Because the Lord hath loued his people, he hath made thee King ouer them.Huram sayd moreouer, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which made the heauen and the earth, and that hath giuen vnto Dauid the King a wise sonne, that hath discretion, prudence and vnderstanding to buylde an house for the Lord, and a palace for his kingdome.Now therefore I haue sent a wise man, and of vnderstanding of my father Hurams,The sonne of a woman of the daughters of Dan: and his father was a man of Tyrus, and he can skill to worke in golde, in siluer, in brasse, in yron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue silke, and in fine linen, and in crimosin, and can graue in all grauen workes, and broyder in all broydered worke that shalbe giuen him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord Dauid thy father.Now therefore the wheate and the barley, the oyle and the wine, which my lorde hath spoken of, let him send vnto his seruants.And we wil cut wood in Lebanon as much as thou shalt neede, and will bring it to thee in raftes by the sea to Iapho, so thou mayest cary them to Ierusalem.And Salomon nombred al the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the nombring that his father Dauid had nombred them: and they were found an hundreth and three and fiftie thousand, and sixe hundreth.And he set seuentie thousande of them to the burden, and fourescore thousande to hewe stones in the mountaine, and three thousande and sixe hundreth ouerseers to cause the people to worke. So Salomon began to buyld the house of the Lord in Ierusalem, in mount Moriah which had bene declared vnto Dauid his father, in the place that Dauid prepared in the thresshing floore of Ornan the Iebusite.And he beganne to buylde in the seconde moneth and the second day, in the fourth yeere of his reigne.And these are the measures, whereon Salomon grounded to buylde the house of God: the length of cubites after the first measure was threescore cubites, and the breadth twenty cubites:And the porch, that was before the length in the front of the breadth was twentie cubits, and the height was an hundreth and twentie, and he ouerlayd it within with pure golde.And the greater house he sieled with firre tree which he ouerlayd with good golde, and graued thereon palme trees and chaines.And hee ouerlayde the house with precious stone for beautie: and the golde was gold of Paruaim.The house, I say, the beames, postes, and walles thereof and the doores thereof ouerlayde he with gold, and graued Cherubims vpon the walles.He made also the house of the most holy place: the length thereof was in the front of the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twentie cubites: and he ouerlayde it with the best golde, of sixe hundreth talents.And the weight of the nayles was fiftie shekels of golde, and hee ouerlayde the chambers with golde.And in the house of the most holy place he made two Cherubims wrought like children, and ouerlayd them with golde.And the winges of the Cherubims were twentie cubites long: the one wing was fiue cubites, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing fiue cubites, reaching to the wing of the other Cherub.Likewise the wing of ye other Cherub was fiue cubites, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing fiue cubites ioyning to the wing of the other Cherub.The wings of these Cherubims were spread abroade twentie cubites: they stoode on their feete, and their faces were toward the house.He made also the vaile of blew silke and purple, and crimosin, and fine linen, and wrought Cherubims thereon.And he made before the house two pillars of fiue and thirtie cubites hie: and the chapiter that was vpon the top of eche of them, was fiue cubites.He made also chaines for the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars, and made an hundreth pomegranates, and put them among the chaines.And he set vp the pillars before the Temple, one on the right hande and the other on the left, and called that on the right hand Iachin, and that on the left hand Boaz. And hee made an altar of brasse twentie cubites long, and twentie cubites broade, and ten cubites hie.And he made a molten Sea of ten cubites from brim to brim, rounde in compasse, and fiue cubites hie: and a line of thirtie cubites did compasse it about.And vnder it was ye facion of oxen, which did compasse it rounde about, tenne in a cubite compassing the Sea about: two rowes of oxen were cast when it was molten.It stoode vpon twelue oxen: three looked toward the North, and three looked towarde the West, and three looked towarde the South, and three looked towarde the East, and the Sea stoode about vpon them, and all their hinder parts were inwarde.And the thickenesse thereof was an hande breadth, and the brim thereof was like the worke of the brim of a cuppe with floures of lilies: it conteined three thousand baths.He made also ten caldrons, and put fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the left, to wash in them, and to clense in them that which apperteined to the burnt offrings: but the Sea was for the Priests to wash in.And he made ten candlestickes of golde (according to their forme) and put them in the Temple, fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the left.And he made ten tables, and put them in the Temple, fiue on the right hand, and fiue on the left: and he made an hundreth basens of golde.And he made the court of the Priests, and the great court and doores for the court, and ouerlayd the doores thereof with brasse.And he set the Sea on the right side Eastward toward the South.And Huram made pottes and besoms and basens, and Huram finished the worke that hee shoulde make for King Salomon for the house of God,To wit, two pillars, and the bowles and the chapiters on the top of ye two pillars, and two grates to couer the two bowles of the chapiters which were vpon the toppe of the pillars:And foure hundreth pomegranates for the two grates, two rowes of pomegranates for euery grate to couer the two bowles of the chapiters, that were vpon the pillars.He made also bases, and made caldrons vpon the bases:And a Sea, and twelue bulles vnder it:Pottes also and besomes, and fleshhookes, and all these vessels made Huram his father, to King Salomon for the house of the Lord, of shining brasse.In the playne of Iorden did the King cast them in clay betweene Succoth and Zeredathah.And Salomon made al these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of brasse could not be rekoned.And Salomon made al the vessels that were for the house of God: the golden altar also and the tables, whereon the shewbread stoode.Moreouer the candlestickes, with their lampes to burne them after the maner, before the oracle, of pure golde.And the floures and the lampes, and the snuffers of gold, which was fine golde.And the hookes, and the basens, and the spoones, and the ashpans of pure golde: the entrie also of the house and doores thereof within, euen of the most holy place: and the doores of the house, to wit, of the Temple were of golde. So was all the worke finished that Salomon made for the house of the Lord, and Salomon brought in the things that Dauid his father had dedicated, with the siluer and the golde, and all the vessels, and put them among the treasures of the house of God.Then Salomon assembled the Elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chiefe fathers of the children of Israel vnto Ierusalem to bring vp the Arke of the couenant of the Lord from the citie of Dauid, which is Zion.And all ye men of Israel assembled vnto the King at the feast: it was in ye seuenth moneth.And all the Elders of Israel came, and the Leuites tooke vp the Arke.And they caried vp the Arke and the Tabernacle of the Congregation: and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle, those did the Priests and Leuites bring vp.And King Salomon and all the Congregation of Israel that were assembled vnto him, were before ye Arke, offring sheepe and bullocks, which could not be told nor nobred for multitude.So the Priests brought the Arke of the couenant of the Lord vnto his place, into the Oracle of the house, into the most Holy place, euen vnder the wings of the Cherubims.For ye Cherubims stretched out their wings ouer the place of the Arke, and the Cherubims couered the Arke and the barres thereof aboue.And they drewe out the barres, that the endes of the barres might bee seene out of the Arke before the Oracle, but they were not seene without: and there they are vnto this day.Nothing was in the Arke, saue the two Tables, which Moses gaue at Horeb, where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.And when the Priestes were come out of the Sanctuarie (for all the Priests that were present, were sanctified and did not waite by course.And the Leuites the singers of all sortes, as of Asaph, of Heman, of Ieduthun, and of their sonnes and of their brethren, being clad in fine linen, stoode with cymbales, and with violes and harpes at the East ende of the altar, and with them an hundreth and twentie Priestes blowing with trumpets:And they were as one, blowing trumpets, and singing, and made one sounde to bee heard in praysing and thanking the Lord, and when they lift vp their voyce with trumpets and with cymbales, and with instruments of musicke, and when they praysed the Lord, singing, For he is good, because his mercie lasteth for euer) then the house, euen the house of the Lord was filled with a cloude,So that the Priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloude: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God. Then Salomon sayd, The Lord hath sayde that he would dwell in the darke cloude:And I haue built thee an house to dwell in, an habitation for thee to dwell in for euer.And the King turned his face, and blessed all the Congregation of Israel (for all the Congregation of Israel stoode there)And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no citie of al the tribes of Israel to buylde an house, that my Name might be there, neyther chose I any man to be a ruler ouer my people Israel:But I haue chosen Ierusalem, that my Name might be there, and haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israel.And it was in the heart of Dauid my father to builde an house vnto the Name of the Lord God of Israel,But the Lord sayde to Dauid my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to buylde an house vnto my Name, thou diddest well, that thou wast so minded.Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house, but thy sonne which shall come out of thy loynes, he shall buylde an house vnto my Name.And the Lord hath performed his worde that he spake: and I am risen vp in the roume of Dauid my father, and am set on the throne of Israel as the Lord promised, and haue built an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.And I haue set the Arke there, wherein is the couenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel.And the King stoode before the altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his hands,(For Salomon had made a brasen skaffold and set it in the middes of the court, of fiue cubites long, and fiue cubites broade, and three cubites of height, and vpon it he stoode, and kneeled downe vpon his knees before all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his hands toward heauen)And sayd, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heauen nor in earth, which keepest couenant, and mercie vnto thy seruants, that walke before thee with all their heart.Thou that hast kept with thy seruant Dauid my father, that thou hast promised him: for thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as appeareth this day.Therefore now Lord God of Israel, keepe with thy seruant Dauid my father, that thou hast promised him, saying, Thou shalt not want a man in my sight, that shall sit vpon the throne of Israel: so that thy sonnes take heede to their wayes, to walke in my Lawe, as thou hast walked before me.And now, O Lord God of Israel, let thy worde be verified, which thou spakest vnto thy seruant Dauid.(Is it true in deede that God will dwell with man on earth? beholde, the heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine thee: how much more vnable is this house, which I haue buylt?)But haue thou respect to the prayer of thy seruant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to heare the crye and prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee,That thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, euen toward the place, whereof thou hast sayde, that thou wouldest put thy Name there, that thou mayest hearken vnto the prayer, which thy seruant prayeth in this place.Heare thou therefore the supplication of thy seruant, and of thy people Israel, which they pray in this place: and heare thou in the place of thine habitation, euen in heauen, and when thou hearest, be mercifull.When a man shall sinne against his neighbour, and he laye vpon him an othe to cause him to sweare, and the swearer shall come before thine altar in this house,Then heare thou in heauen, and doe, and iudge thy seruants, in recompensing the wicked to bring his way vpon his head, and in iustifying the righteous, to giue him according to his righteousnes.And when thy people Israel shalbe ouerthrowen before the enemie, because they haue sinned against thee, and turne againe, and confesse thy Name, and pray, and make supplication before thee in this house,Then heare thou in heauen, and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel, and bring them againe vnto the land which thou gauest to them and to their fathers.When heauen shall be shut vp, and there shalbe no rayne, because they haue sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them,Then heare thou in heauen, and pardon the sinne of thy seruants, and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught them the good way wherein they may walke) and giue rayne vpon thy lande, which thou hast giuen vnto thy people for an inheritance.When there shalbe famine in the land, when there shalbe pestilence, blasting, or mildew, when there shall be grashopper, or caterpiller, when their enemie shall besiege them in the cities of their land, or any plague or any sickenesse,Then what prayer and supplication so euer shalbe made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, whe euery one shall knowe his owne plague, and his owne disease, and shall stretch forth his hands toward this house,Heare thou then in heauen, thy dwelling place, and be merciful, and giue euery man according vnto all his wayes, as thou doest knowe his heart (for thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men)That they may feare thee, and walke in thy wayes as long as they liue in the land which thou gauest vnto our fathers.Moreouer, as touching ye stranger which is not of thy people Israel, who shall come out of a farre countrey for thy great Names sake, and thy mighty hande, and thy stretched out arme: when they shall come and pray in this house,Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place, and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee, that all the people of the earth may knowe thy Name, and feare thee like thy people Israel, and that they may knowe, that thy Name is called vpon in this house which I haue built.When thy people shall goe out to battell against their enemies, by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray to thee, in the way towarde this citie, which thou hast chosen, euen toward the house which I haue built to thy Name,Then heare thou in heauen their prayer and their supplication, and iudge their cause.If they sinne against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them and deliuer them vnto the enemies, and they take them and cary them away captiue vnto a land farre or neere,If they turne againe to their heart in the lande whither they be caryed in captiues, and turne and pray vnto thee in the lande of their captiuitie, saying, We haue sinned, we haue transgressed and haue done wickedly,If they turne againe to thee with all their heart, and with all their soule in the land of their captiuitie, whither they haue caryed them captiues, and pray toward their land, which thou gauest vnto their fathers, and toward the citie which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I haue built for thy Name,Then heare thou in heauen, in the place of thine habitation their prayer and their supplication, and iudge their cause, and be mercifull vnto thy people, which haue sinned against thee.Nowe my God, I beseech thee, let thine eyes be open, and thine eares attent vnto the prayer that is made in this place.Nowe therefore arise, O Lord God, to come into thy rest, thou, and the Arke of thy strength: O Lord God, let thy Priestes be clothed with saluation, and let thy Saints reioyce in goodnesse.O Lord God, refuse not the face of thine anoynted: remember the mercies promised to Dauid thy seruant. And when Salomon had made an ende of praying, fire came downe from heauen, and consumed the burnt offring and the sacrifices: and the glory of the Lord filled the house,So that the Priestes could not euter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lordes house.And when all the children of Israel saw the fire, and the glory of the Lord come downe vpon the house, they bowed themselues with their faces to the earth vpon the pauement, and worshipped and praysed the Lord, saying, For he is good, because his mercy lasteth for euer.Then the King and all the people offred sacrifices before the Lord.And King Salomon offered a sacrifice of two and twentie thousand bullockes, and an hundreth and twentie thousand sheepe. so the King and all the people dedicated the house of God.And the Priests waited on their offices, and the Leuites with the instruments of musicke of the Lord, which King Dauid had made to praise the Lord, Because his mercy lasteth for euer: whe Dauid praysed God by them, the Priestes also blewe trumpets ouer against them: and all they of Israel stoode by.Moreouer Salomon halowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there hee had prepared burnt offerings, and the fatte of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Salomon had made, was not able to receiue the burnt offering, and the meate offring, and the fat.And Salomon made a feast at that time of seuen dayes, and all Israel with him, a very great Congregation, from the entring in of Hamath, vnto the riuer of Egypt.And in the eight day they made a solemne assemblie: for they had made the dedication of the altar seuen daies, and the feast seuen dayes.And the three and twentieth day of the seuenth moneth, he sent the people away into their tentes, ioyous and with glad heart, because of the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid and for Salomon, and for Israel his people.So Salomon finished the house of the Lord, and the Kings house, and all that came into Salomons heart to make in the house of the Lord: and he prospered in his house.And the Lord appeared to Salomon by night and said to him, I haue heard thy prayer, and haue chosen this place for my selfe to be an house of sacrifice.If I shut the heauen that there be no raine, or if I commaund the grashopper to deuoure the lande, or if I sende pestilence among my people,If my people, among whome my Name is called vpon, doe humble them selues, and praye, and seeke my presence, and turne from their wicked wayes, then will I heare in heauen, and be mercifull to their sinne, and wil heale their land:Then mine eies shalbe open and mine eares attent vnto the prayer made in this place.For I haue nowe chosen and sanctified this house, that my Name may be there for euer: and mine eyes and mine heart shalbe there perpetually.And if thou wilt walke before me, as Dauid thy father walked, to doe according vnto all that I haue commanded thee, and shalt obserue my statutes and my iudgements,Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdome, according as I made the couenant with Dauid thy father, saying, Thou shalt not want a man to be ruler in Israel.But if ye turne away, and forsake my statutes and my commandements which I haue set before you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and worshippe them,Then will I plucke them vp out of my lande, which I haue giuen them, and this house which I haue sanctified for my Name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a prouerbe and a common talke among all people.And this house which is most hie, shall be an astonishment to euery one that passeth by it, so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus to this lande, and to this house?And they shall answere, Because they forsooke the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the lande of Egypt, and haue taken holde on other gods, and haue worshipped them, and serued them, therefore hath he brought all this euill vpon them. And after twentie yeere when Salomon had built the house of the Lord, and his owne house,Then Salomon built the cities that Huram gaue to Salomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.And Salomon went to Hamath Zobah, and ouercame it.And he built Tadmor in the wildernesse, and repayred all the cities of store which hee built in Hamath.And he built Beth-horon the vpper, and Beth-horon the nether, cities defensed with walles, gates and barres:Also Baalath, and al the cities of store that Salomon had, and all the charet cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and euery pleasant place that Salomon had a minde to builde in Ierusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the lande of his dominion.And all the people that were left to ye Hittites, and ye Amorites, and Perizzites, and the Hiuuites, and the Iebusites, which were not of Israel,But of their children which were left after them in the lande, whome the children of Israel had not consumed, euen them did Salomon make tributaries vntill this day.But of the children of Israel did Salomon make no seruantes for his worke: for they were men of warre, and his chiefe princes, and the captaines of his charets and of his horsemen.So these were the chiefe of the officers which Salomon had, euen two hundreth and fiftie that bare rule ouer the people.Then Salomon brought vp the daughter of Pharaoh out of the citie of Dauid, into the house that he had built for her: for he saide, My wife shall not dwel in the house of Dauid King of Israel: for it is holy, because that the Arke of the Lord came vnto it.Then Salomon offered burnt offrings vnto the Lord, on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porche,To offer according to the commandement of Moses euery day, in the Sabbaths, and in the newe moones, and in the solemne feastes, three times in the yeere, that is, in the feast of the Vnleauened bread, and in the feast of the Weekes, and in the feast of the Tabernacles.And he set the courses of the Priestes to their offices, according to the order of Dauid his father, and the Leuites in their watches, for to praise and minister before the Priestes euery day, and the porters by their courses, at euery gate: for so was the commandement of Dauid the man of God.And they declined not from the commandement of the King, concerning the Priests and the Leuites, touching al things, and touching the treasures.Nowe Salomon had made prouision for all the worke, from the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, vntill it was finished: so the house of the Lord was perfite.Then went Salomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth by the sea side in the lande of Edom.And Huram sent him by the handes of his seruants, shippes, and seruants that had knowledge of the sea: and they went with the seruants of Salomon to Ophir, and brought thence foure hundreth and fiftie talents of golde, and brought them to King Salomon. And when the Queene of Sheba heard of the fame of Salomon, she came to proue Salomon with hard questions at Ierusalem, with a very great traine, and camels that bare sweete odours and much golde, and precious stones: and when she came to Salomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.And Salomon declared her all her questions, and there was nothing hid from Salomon, which he declared not vnto her.Then the Queene of Sheba sawe the wisedome of Salomon, and the house that he had buylt,And the meate of his table, and the sitting of his seruants, and the order of his wayters, and their apparel, and his butlers, and their apparel, and his burnt offrings which he offred in the house of the Lord, and she was greatly astonied.And she saide to the King, It was a true worde which I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings, and of thy wisedome:Howbeit I beleeued not their report, vntil I came, and mine eyes had seene it: and beholde, the one halfe of thy great wisedom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.Happie are thy men, and happie are these thy seruants, which stande before thee alway, and heare thy wisedome.Blessed be the Lord thy God, which loued thee, to set thee on his throne as King, in the steade of the Lord thy God: because thy God loueth Israel, to establish it for euer, therefore hath he made thee King ouer them, to execute iudgement and iustice.Then she gaue the King sixe score talents of golde, and of sweete odours exceeding much and precious stones: neither was there such sweete odours since, as the Queene of Sheba gaue vnto King Salomon.And the seruants also of Huram, and the seruants of Salomon which brought golde from Ophir, brought Algummim wood and precious stones.And the King made of the Algummim wood staires in the house of the Lord, and in the Kings house, and harpes and violes for singers: and there was no such seene before in the lande of Iudah.And King Salomon gaue to the Queene of Sheba euery pleasant thing that she asked, besides for that which she had brought vnto the King: so she returned and went to her owne countrey, both she, and her seruants.Also the weight of golde that came to Salomon in one yeere, was sixe hundreth three score and sixe talents of golde,Besides that which chapmen and marchants brought: and all the Kings of Arabia, and the princes of the countrey brought golde and siluer to Salomon.And King Salomon made two hundreth targets of beaten golde, and sixe hundreth shekels of beaten golde went to one target,And three hundreth shieldes of beaten golde: three hundreth shekels of golde went to one shielde, and the King put them in the house of the wood of Lebanon.And the King made a great throne of yuorie and ouerlaid it with pure golde.And the throne had sixe steppes, with a footestoole of gold fastened to the throne, and stayes on either side on the place of the seate, and two lyons standing by the stayes.And twelue lyons stoode there on the sixe steps on either side: there was not the like made in any kingdome.And all King Salomons drinking vessels were of golde, and all the vessels of the house of the wood of Lebanon were of pure gold: for siluer was nothing esteemed in ye dayes of Salomon.For the Kings ships went to Tarshish with the seruants of Huram, euery three yeere once came the ships of Tarshish, and brought golde, and siluer, yuorie, and apes, and peacockes.So King Salomon excelled all the Kings of the earth in riches and wisedome.And all the Kings of the earth sought the presence of Salomon, to heare his wisedome that God had put in his heart.And they brought euery man his present, vessels of siluer, and vessels of golde, and raiment, armour, and sweet odours, horses, and mules, from yeere to yeere.And Salomon had foure thousand stalles of horses, and charets, and twelue thousand horsmen, whom he bestowed in the charet cities, and with the King at Ierusalem.And he reigned ouer all the Kings from the Riuer euen vnto the land of the Philistims, and to the border of Egypt.And the King gaue siluer in Ierusalem, as stones, and gaue cedar trees as the wilde fig trees, that are aboundant in the plaine.And they brought vnto Salomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all landes.Concerning the rest of the actes of Salomon first and last, are they not written in the booke of Nathan the Prophet, and in the prophecie of Ahiiah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Ieedo the Seer against Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat?And Salomon reigned in Ierusalem ouer all Israel fourtie yeeres.And Salomon slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne reigned in his steade. Then Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Sheche came all Israel to make him king.And when Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat heard it, (which was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Salomon the King) he returned out of Egypt.And they sent and called him: so came Ieroboam and all Israel, and communed with Rehoboam, saying,Thy father made our yoke grieuous: nowe therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy father, and his sore yoke, that he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee.And he sayde to them, Depart yet three dayes, then come againe vnto me. And the people departed.And King Rehoboam tooke counsel with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while hee yet liued, saying, What counsell giue ye that I may answere this people?And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be kinde to this people, and please them, and speake louing words to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.But hee left the counsel of the ancient men that they had giuen him, and tooke counsell of the yong men that were brought vp with him, and waited on him.And he sayd vnto them, What counsel giue ye, that we may answere this people, which haue spoken to mee, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put vpon vs, lighter?And the yong men that were brought vp with him, spake vnto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answere the people that spake to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heauie, but make thou it lighter for vs: thus shalt thou say vnto them, My least part shalbe bigger then my fathers loines.Now whereas my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke, I will yet increase your yoke: my father hath chastised you with roddes, but I will correct you with scourges.Then Ieroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the King had appointed saying, Come againe to me the third day.And the King answered them sharply: and King Rehoboam left the counsel of the ancient men,And spake to them after ye counsell of the yong men, saying, My father made your yoke grieuous, but I wil incease it: my father chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.So the king hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinance of God that the Lord might performe his saying, which hee had spoken by Ahiiah the Shilonite to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.So when all Isarael sawe that the King would not heare them, the people answered the King, saying, What portion haue we in Dauid? for we haue none inheritance in the sonue of Ishai. O Israel, euery man to your tents: now see to thine owne house, Dauid. So all Israel departed to their tents.Howbeit Rehoboam reigned ouer the children of Israel, that dwelt in the cities of Iudah.Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was ouer the tribute, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died: then King Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.And Israel rebelled against the house of Dauid vnto this day. And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathered of the house of Iudah and Beniamin nine score thousande chosen men of warre to fight against Israel, and to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam.But the worde of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,Speake vnto Rehoboam, the sonne of Salomon King of Iudah, and to all Israel that are in Iudah, and Beniamin, saying,Thus sayth the Lord, Ye shall not goe vp, nor fight against your brethren: returne euery man to his house: for this thing is done of me. They obeyed therfore the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Ieroboam.And Rehoboam dwelt in Ierusalem, and buylt strong cities in Iudah.Hee buylt also Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,And Gath, and Maresha, and Ziph,And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,And Zorah, and Aialon, and Hebron, which were in Iudah and Beniamin, strong cities.And he repaired the strong holdes and put captaines in them, and store of vitaile, and oyle and wine.And in all cities he put shieldes and speares, and made them exceeding strong: so Iudah and Beniamin were his.And the Priests and the Leuites that were in all Israel, resorted vnto him out of all their coastes.For the Leuites left their suburbes and their possession, and came to Iudah and to Ierusalem: for Ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them out from ministring in the Priestes office vnto the Lord.And he ordeyned him Priests for the hie places, and for the deuils and for the calues which he had made.And after the Leuites there came to Ierusalem of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heartes to seeke the Lord God of Israel, to offer vnto the Lord God of their fathers.So they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah, and made Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon mightie, three yeere long: for three yeere they walked in in the way of Dauid and Salomon.And Rehoboam tooke him Mahalath ye daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Ishai,Which bare him sonnes Ieush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.And after her he tooke Maakah ye daughter of Absalom which bare him Abiiah, and Atthai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.And Rehoboam loued Maakah ye daughter of Absalom aboue all his wiues and his concubines: for he tooke eighteene wiues, and three score concubines, and begate eyght and twentie sonnes, and three score daughters.And Rehoboam made Abiiah the sonne of Maakah the chiefe ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him King.And he taught him: and dispersed all his sonnes throughout all the countreis of Iudah and Beniamin vnto euery strong citie: and hee gaue them aboundance of vitaile, and desired many wiues. And when Rehoboam had established the kingdome and made it strong, hee forsooke the Lawe of the Lord, and all Israel with him.Therefore in the fift yeere of King Rehoboam, Shishak the King of Egypt came vp against Ierusalem (because they had transgressed against the Lord)With twelue hundreth charets, and three score thousande horsemen, and the people were without nomber, that came with him from Egypt, euen the Lubims, Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.And he tooke the strong cities which were of Iudah, and came vnto Ierusalem.Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Iudah, that were gathered together in Hierusalem, because of Shishak, and sayde vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord, Ye haue forsaken me, therefore haue I also left you in the handes of Shishak.Then the princes of Israel, and the King humbled themselues, and sayde, The Lord is iust.And when the Lord sawe that they humbled themselues, the worde of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They haue humbled theselues, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will sende them deliuerance shortly, and my wrath shall not bee powred out vpon Ierusalem by the hand of Shishak.Neuerthelesse they shalbe his sernants: so shall they knowe my seruice, and the seruice of the kingdomes of the earth.Then Shishak King of Egypt came vp against Ierusalem, and tooke the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the Kings house he tooke euen all, and hee caried away the shields of golde, which Salomon had made.In stead whereof King Rehoboam made shieldes of brasse, and committed them to the handes of the chiefe of the garde, that wayted at the doore of the Kings house.And when the King entred into the house of the Lord, the garde came and bare them and brought them againe vnto the garde chamber.And because hee humbled himselfe, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that hee woulde not destroy all together. And also in Iudah the things prospered.So King Rehoboam was strong in Ierusalem and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and fourtie yere olde, when he began to reigne, and reigned seuenteene yeres in Ierusalem, the citie which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his Name there. And his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonitesse.And he did euill: for hee prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord.The actes also of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the booke of Shemaiah the Prophet, and Iddo the Seer, in rehearsing the genealogie? and there was warre alway betweene Rehoboam and Ieroboam.And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid, and Abiiah his sonne reigned in his stead. In the eyghteenth yeere of King Ieroboam began Abiiah to reigne ouer Iudah.He reigned three yere in Ierusalem: (his mothers name also was Michaiah the daughter of Vriel of Gibea) and there was warre betweene Abiiah and Ieroboam.And Abiiah set the battel in aray with the armie of valiant men of warre, euen foure hundreth thousand chosen men. Ieroboam also set the battell in aray against him with eight hundreth thousande chosen men which were strong and valiant.And Abiiah stood vp vpon mount Zemeraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and sayde, O Ieroboam, and all Israel, heare you me,Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel hath giuen the kingdome ouer Israel to Dauid for euer, euen to him and to his sonnes by a couenant of salt?And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat the seruant of Salomon the sonne of Dauid is risen vp, and hath rebelled against his lord:And there are gathered to him vayne men and wicked, and made themselues strong against Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon: for Rehoboam was but a childe and tender hearted, and coulde not resist them.Now therefore ye thinke that yee be able to resist against the kingdome of the Lord, which is in the handes of the sonnes of Dauid, and ye bee a great multitude, and the golden calues are with you which Ieroboam made you for gods.Haue ye not driuen away the Priestes of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron and the Leuites, and haue made you Priests like the people of other countreis? whosoeuer commeth to consecrate with a yong bullocke and seuen rams, the same may be a Priest of them that are no gods.But wee belong vnto the Lord our God, and haue not forsaken him, and the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron minister vnto the Lord, and the Leuites in their office.And they burne vnto the Lord euery morning and euery euening burnt offerings and sweete incense, and the breade is set in order vpon the pure table, and the candlesticke of golde with the lampes thereof, to burne euery euening: for we keepe the watch of the Lord our God: but ye haue forsaken him.And behold, this God is with vs, as a captaine, and his Priests with the sounding trumpets, to crie an alarme against you. O yee children of Israel, fight not against the Lord God of your fathers: for ye shall not prosper.But Ieroboam caused an ambushment to compasse, and come behind them, when they were before Iudah, and the ambushment behinde them.Then Iudah looked, and beholde, the battel was before and behinde them, and they cried vnto the Lord, and the Priests blewe with the trumpets,And the men of Iudah gaue a shoute: and euen as the men of Iudah shouted, God smote Ieroboam and also Israel before Abiiah and Iudah.And the children of Israel fledde before Iudah, and God deliuered them into their hande.And Abiiah and his people slewe a great slaughter of them, so that there fel downe wounded of Israel fiue hundreth thousand chosen men.So the children of Israel were brought vnder at that time: and the children of Iudah preuailed, because they stayed vpon the Lord God of their fathers.And Abiiah pursued after Ieroboam, and tooke cities from him, euen Beth-el, and the villages thereof, and Ieshanah with her villages, and Ephron with her villages.And Ieroboam recouered no strength againe in the dayes of Abiiah, but the Lord plagued him, and he dyed.So Abiiah waxed mightie, and marryed foureteene wiues, and begate two and twentie sonnes, and sixteene daughters.The rest of the actes of Abiiah and his maners and his sayings are written in the storie of the Prophet Iddo. So Abiiah slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in the citie of Dauid, and Asa his sonne reigned in his steade: in whose dayes the lande was quiet ten yeere.And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.For he tooke away the altars of the strange gods and the hie places, and brake downe the images, and cut downe the groues,And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers, and to doe according to the Lawe and the comandement.And he tooke away out of all the cities of Iudah the hie places, and the images: therefore the kingdome was quiet before him.He built also strong cities in Iudah, because the lande was in rest, and he had no warre in those yeeres: for the Lord had giuen him rest.Therefore he saide to Iudah, Let vs builde these cities and make walles about, and towers, gates, and barres, whiles the lande is before vs: because we haue sought the Lord our God, we haue sought him, and he hath giuen vs rest on euery side: so they built and prospered.And Asa had an armie of Iudah that bare shieldes and speares, three hundreth thousande, and of Beniamin that bare shieldes and drewe bowes, two hundreth and foure score thousande: all these were valiant men.And there came out against them Zerah of Ethiopia with an hoste of ten hundreth thousande, and three hundreth charets, and came vnto Mareshah.Then Asa went out before him, and they set the battell in aray in the valley of Zephathah beside Mareshah.And Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God, and saide, Lord, it is nothing with thee to helpe with many, or with no power: helpe vs, O Lord our God: for we rest on thee, and in thy Name are we come against this multitude: O Lord, thou art our God, let not man preuaile against thee.So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah, and the Ethiopians fled.And Asa and the people that was with him, pursued them vnto Gerar. And the Ethiopians hoste was ouerthrowen, so that there was no life in them: for they were destroyed before the Lord and before his hoste: and they caryed away a mightie great spoyle.And they smote all the cities rounde about Gerar: for the feare of the Lord came vpon them, and they spoyled all the cities, for there was exceeding much spoyle in them.Yea, and they smote the tents of cattel, and carried away plentie of sheepe and camels, and returned to Ierusalem. Then the Spirite of God came vpon Azariah the sonne of Obed.And he went out to meete Asa, and said vnto him, O Asa, and all Iudah, and Beniamin, heare ye me. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seeke him, he wil be founde of you, but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.Nowe for a long season Israel hath bene without the true God, and without Priest to teach and without Lawe.But whosoeuer returned in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was founde of them.And in that time there was no peace to him, that did goe out and goe in: but great troubles were to all the inhabitants of the earth.For nation was destroyed of nation, and citie of citie: for God troubled them with all aduersitie.Be ye strong therefore, and let not your handes be weake: for your worke shall haue a rewarde.And when Asa heard these wordes, and the prophesie of Obed the Prophet, he was encouraged, and tooke away the abominations out of all the lande of Iudah, and Beniamin, and out of the cities which he had taken of mount Ephraim, and he renued the altar of the Lord, that was before the porche of the Lord.And he gathered all Iudah and Beniamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for there fell many to him out of Israel, when they sawe that the Lord his God was with him.So they assembled to Ierusalem in the third moneth, in the fifteenth yere of the reigne of Asa.And they offred vnto the Lord the same time of the spoyle, which they had brought, euen seuen hundreth bullockes, and seuen thousande sheepe.And they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soule.And whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel, shalbe slaine, whether he were small or great, man or woman.And they sware vnto the Lord with a loude voyce, and with shouting and with trumpets, and with cornets.And all Iudah reioyced at the othe: for they had sworne vnto the Lord with all their heart, and sought him with a whole desire, and he was founde of them. And the Lord gaue them rest rounde about.And King Asa deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie, because she had made an idole in a groue: and Asa brake downe her idole, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brooke Kidron.But the hie places were not taken away out of Israel: yet the heart of Asa was perfit all his dayes.Also he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicate, and that he had dedicate, siluer, and golde, and vessels.And there was no warre vnto the fiue and thirtieth yeere of the reigne of Asa. In the sixe and thirtieth yeere of the reigne of Asa came Baasha king of Israel vp against Iudah, and built Ramah to let none passe out or goe in to Asa king of Iudah.Then Asa brought out siluer and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the Kings house, and sent to Benhadad King of Aram that dwelt at Damascus, saying,There is a couenant betweene me and thee, and betweene my father and thy father: behold, I haue sent thee siluer and golde: come, breake thy league with Baasha King of Israel that hee may depart from me.And Benhadad hearkened vnto King Asa, and sent the captaines of the armies which hee had, against the cities of Israel. And they smote Iion, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.And when Baasha heard it, he left building of Ramah, and let his worke cease.Then Asa the King tooke all Iudah, and caryed away the stones of Ramah and the tymber thereof, wherewith Baasha did builde, and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.And at that same time Hanani the Seer came to Asa King of Iudah, and saide vnto him, Because thou hast rested vpon the king of Aram, and not rested in the Lord thy God, therefore is the hoste of the King of Aram escaped out of thine hande.The Ethiopians and the Lubims, were they not a great hoste with charets and horsemen, exceeding many? yet because thou diddest rest vpon the Lord, he deliuered them into thine had.For the eyes of the Lord beholde all the earth to shewe him selfe strong with them that are of perfite heart towarde him: thou hast then done foolishly in this: therefore from henceforth thou shalt haue warres.Then Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him into a prison: for he was displeased with him, because of this thing. And Asa oppressed certaine of the people at the same time.And behold, the actes of Asa first and last, loe, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Iudah and Israel.And Asa in the nine and thirtieth yeere of his reigne was diseased in his feete, and his disease was extreme: yet he sought not the Lord in his disease, but to the Phisicions.So Asa slept with his fathers, and dyed in the one and fourtieth yeere of his reigne.And they buryed him in one of his sepulchres, which he had made for him selfe in the citie of Dauid, and layed him in the bed, which they had filled with sweete odours and diuers kindes of spices made by the arte of the apoticarie: and they burnt odours for him with an exceeding great fire. And Iehosphat his sonne reigned in his steade, and preuailed against Israel.And he put garisons in all the strong cities of Iudah, and set bandes in the lande of Iudah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.And the Lord was with Iehoshaphat, because he walked in the first wayes of his father Dauid, and sought not Baalim,But sought the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandements, and not after the trade of Israel.Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdome in his hande, and all Iudah brought presents to Iehoshaphat, so that he had of riches and honour in abundance.And he lift vp his heart vnto the wayes of the Lord, and he tooke away moreouer the hie places and the groues out of Iudah.And in the thirde yere of his reigne he sent his princes, Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethaneel, and Michaiah, that they should teach in the cities of Iudah,And with them Leuites, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Iehonathan, and Adoniiah, and Tobiiah, and Tob-adoniiah, Leuites, and with the Elishama and Iehoram Priestes.And they taught in Iudah, and had the booke of the Lawe of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Iudah, and taught the people.And the feare of the Lord fell vpon all the kingdomes of ye lands that were round about Iudah, and they fought not against Iehoshaphat.Also some of the Philistims brought Iehoshaphat giftes and tribute siluer, and the Arabians brought him flockes, seuen thousande and seuen hundreth rammes, and seuen thousande and seuen hundreth hee goates.So Iehoshaphat prospered and grewe vp on hie: and he built in Iudah palaces and cities of store.And he had great workes in the cities of Iudah, and men of warre, and valiant men in Ierusalem.And these are the nombers of them after the house of their fathers, In Iudah were captaines of thousands, Adnah the captaine, and with him of valiant men three hundreth thousande.And at his hande Iehohanan a captaine, and with him two hundreth and fourescore thousande.And at his hande Amasiah the sonne of Zichri, which willingly offered him selfe vnto the Lord, and with him two hundreth thousand valiant men.And of Beniamin, Eliada a valiant man, and with him armed men with bowe and shielde two hundreth thousand.And at his hand Iehozabad, and with him an hundreth and fourescore thousand armed to the warre.These waited on the King, besides those which the King put in the strong cities thoroughout all Iudah. And Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, but he was ioyned in affinitie with Ahab.And after certaine yeeres he went downe to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab slew sheepe and oxen for him in great nomber, and for the people that he had with him, and entised him to goe vp vnto Ramoth Gilead.And Ahab King of Israel saide vnto Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, Wilt thou goe with mee to Ramoth Gilead? And hee answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and wee will ioyne with thee in the warre.And Iehoshaphat sayde vnto the King of Israel, Aske counsel, I pray thee, at the worde of the Lord this day.Therefore the King of Israel gathered of Prophets foure hundreth men, and sayde vnto them, Shall we goe to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I cease? And they sayd, Go vp: for God shall deliuer it into the Kings hand.But Iehoshaphat sayde, Is there heere neuer a Prophet more of the Lord that wee might inquire of him?And the King of Israel sayd vnto Iehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whome wee may aske counsell of the Lord, but I hate him: for he doeth not prophesie good vnto me, but alway euil: it is Michaiah the sonne of Imla. Then Iehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so.And the King of Israel called an eunuche, and said, Call quickly Michaiah the sonne of Imla.And the King of Israel, and Iehoshaphat King of Iudah sate either of them on his throne clothed in their apparel: they sate euen in the threshing floore at the entring in of the gate of Samaria: and all the Prophets prophesied before them.And Zidkiah ye sonne of Chenaanah made him hornes of yron, and sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Aramites vntill thou hast consumed them.And all the Prophets prophesied so, saying, Go vp to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the King.And the messenger that went to call Michaiah, spake to him, saying, Beholde, the wordes of the Prophets declare good to the King with one accord: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speake thou good.And Michaiah saide, As the Lord liueth, whatsoeuer my God saith, that will I speake.So he came to the King, and the King said vnto him, Michaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I leaue off? And he said, Goe yee vp, and prosper, and they shalbe deliuered into your hand.And the King sayd to him, Howe oft shall I charge thee, that thou tell mee nothing but the trueth in the Name of the Lord?Then he said, I saw al Israel scattered in the mountaines, as sheepe that haue no shepheard: and the Lord sayd, These haue no Master: let them returne euery man to his house in peace.And the King of Israel sayde to Iehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would not prophesie good vnto me, but euill?Againe hee saide, Therefore heare ye the worde of the Lord: I sawe the Lord sit vpon his throne, and all the hoste of heauen standing at his right hand, and at his left.And the Lord sayd, Who shall perswade Ahab King of Israel, that he may go vp, and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one spake and said thus, and another said that.Then there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will perswade him. And the Lord said vnto him, Wherein?And he saide, I will goe out, and bee a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And hee said, Thou shalt perswade, and shalt also preuaile: goe forth and do so.Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a false spirit in the mouth of these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath determined euill against thee.Then Zidkiah the sonne of Chenaanah came neere, and smote Michaiah vpon the cheeke, and sayde, By what way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speake with thee?And Michaiah saide, Behold, thou shalt see that day when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber to hide thee.And the King of Israel sayde, Take ye Michaiah, and cary him to Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioash the Kings sonne,And say, Thus saith the King, Put this man in the prison house, and feede him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vntil I returne in peace.And Michaiah said, If thou returne in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he saide, Heare, all ye people.So the King of Israel and Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah went vp to Ramoth Gilead.And the King of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, I will change my selfe, and enter into the battel: but put thou on thine apparel. So the King of Israel changed himselfe, and they went into the battel.And the King of Aram had commanded the captaines of the charets that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small, nor great, but against the King of Israel onely.And when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, they sayde, It is the King of Israel: and they compassed about him to fight. But Iehoshaphat cryed, and the Lord helped him and moued them to depart from him.For when the captaines of the charets saw that hee was not the King of Israel, they turned backe from him.Then a certaine man drewe a bowe mightily, and smote the King of Israel betweene the ioyntes of his brigandine: Therefore he saide to his charetman, Turne thine hand, and carie mee out of the host: for I am hurt.And the battel increased that day: and the King of Israel stood still in his charet against the Aramites vntil euen, and dyed at the time of the sunne going downe. And Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah returned safe to his house in Ierusalem.And Iehu the sonne of Hanani the Seer went out to meete him, and said to King Iehoshaphat, Wouldest thou helpe the wicked, and loue them that hate the Lord? therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is vpon thee.Neuertheles good things are found in thee, because thou hast taken away ye groues out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seeke God.So Iehoshaphat dwelt at Ierusalem, and returned and went through the people from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them againe vnto the Lord God of their fathers.And hee set iudges in the lande throughout all the strong cities of Iudah, citie by citie,And said to the iudges, Take heede what ye doe: for yee execute not the iudgements of man, but of the Lord, and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement.Wherefore nowe let the feare of the Lord be vpon you: take heede, and do it: for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God, neither respect of persons, nor receiuing of reward.Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehoshaphat set of the Leuites, and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israel, for the iudgement and cause of the Lord: and they returned to Ierusale.And he charged them, saying, Thus shall yee doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfite heart.And in euery cause that shall come to you of your brethren that dwel in their cities, betweene blood and blood, betweene law and precept, statutes and iudgements, ye shall iudge them, and admonish them that they trespasse not against the Lord, that wrath come not vpon you and vpon your brethren. This shall ye do and trespasse not.And behold, Amariah the Priest shalbe the chiefe ouer you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah ye sonne of Ishmael, a ruler of the house of Iudah, shalbe for al the Kings affaires, and the Leuites shalbe officers before you. Bee of courage, and doe it, and the Lord shalbe with the good. After this also came the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites against Iehoshaphat to battell.Then there came that tolde Iehoshaphat, saying, There commeth a great multitude against thee from beyonde the Sea, out of Aram: and beholde, they bee in Hazzon Tamar, which is En-gedi.And Iehoshaphat feared, and set him selfe to seeke the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah.And Iudah gathered them selues together to aske counsel of the Lord: they came euen out of all the cities of Iudah to inquire of the Lord,And Iehoshaphat stoode in the Congregation of Iudah and Ierusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court,And saide, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heauen? and reignest not thou on all the kingdomes of the heathen? and in thine hande is power and might, and none is able to withstand thee.Diddest not thou our God cast out ye inhabitants of this lande before thy people Israel, and gauest it to the seede of Abraham thy friende for euer?And they dwelt therein, and haue built thee a Sanctuarie therein for thy Name, saying,If euill come vpon vs, as the sworde of iudgement, or pestilence, or famine, we will stande before this house and in thy presence (for thy name is in this house) and will crie vnto thee in our tribulation, and thou wilt heare and helpe.And now beholde, the children of Ammon and Moab, and mount Seir, by whome thou wouldest not let Israel goe, when they came out of the land of Egypt: but they turned aside from them, and destroyed them not:Behold, I say, they reward vs, in comming to cast vs out of thine inheritance, which thou hast caused vs to inherit.O our God, wilt thou not iudge them? for there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vs, neither doe wee knowe what to doe: but our eyes are toward thee.And all Iudah stoode before the Lord with their yong ones, their wiues, and their children.And Iahaziel the sonne of Zechariah the sonne of Benaiah, the sonne of Ieiel, the sonne of Mattaniah, a Leuite of the sonnes of Asaph was there, vpon whome came the Spirite of ye Lord, in the middes of the Congregation.And he said, Hearken ye, all Iudah, and ye inhabitantes of Ierusalem, and thou, King Iehoshaphat: thus saith the Lord vnto you, Feare you not, neither be afraide for this great multitude: for the battel is not yours, but Gods.To morowe goe yee downe against them: beholde, they come vp by the cleft of Ziz, and ye shall finde them at the ende of the brooke before the wildernesse of Ieruel.Ye shall not neede to fight in this battell: stand still, moue not, and behold the saluation of the Lord towardes you: O Iudah, and Ierusalem, feare ye not, neither be afraid: to morow goe out against them, and the Lord wilbe with you.Then Iehoshaphat bowed downe with his face to the earth, and all Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem fell downe before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.And the Leuites of the children of the Kohathites and of the childre of the Corhites stood vp to prayse the Lord God of Israel with a loude voyce on hie.And when they arose early in the morning, they went forth to the wildernesse of Tekoa: and as they departed, Iehoshaphat stoode and sayde, Heare ye me, O Iudah, and ye inhabitants of Ierusalem: put your trust in the Lord your God, and ye shalbe assured: beleeue his Prophets, and ye shall prosper.And when he had consulted with the people, and appoynted singers vnto the Lord, and them that should prayse him that is in the beautifull Sanctuarie, in going forth before the men of armes, and saying, Prayse ye the Lord, for his mercy lasteth for euer,And when they began to shoute, and to prayse, the Lord layed ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Iudah, and they slewe one another.For the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to slay and to destroy them and when they had made an end of the inhabitantes of Seir, euery one helped to destroy another.And when Iudah came towarde Mizpah in the wildernes, they looked vnto the multitude: and behold, the carkeises were fallen to the earth, and none escaped.And when Iehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoyle of them, they founde among them in abundance both of substance and also of bodies laden with precious iewels, which they tooke for themselues, till they could cary no more: they were three dayes in gathering of the spoyle: for it was much.And in the fourth day they assembled themselues in the valley of Berachah: for there they blessed the Lord: therefore they called the name of that place, The valley of Berachah vnto this day.Then euery man of Iudah and Ierusalem returned with Iehoshaphat their head, to goe againe to Ierusalem with ioy: for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their enemies.And they came to Ierusalem with viols and with harpes, and with trumpets, euen vnto the house of the Lord.And the feare of God was vpon all the kingdomes of the earth, whe they had heard that the Lord had fought against ye enemies of Israel.So the kingdom of Iehoshaphat was quiet, and his God gaue him rest on euery side.And Iehoshaphat reigned ouer Iudah, and was fiue and thirtie yeere olde, when he began to reigne: and reigned fiue and twentie yeere in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not therefrom, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.Howbeit the hie places were not taken away: for the people had not yet prepared their hearts vnto the God of their fathers.Concerning the rest of the actes of Iehoshaphat first and last, beholde, they are written in the booke of Iehu the sonne of Hanani, which is mentioned in the booke of the kings of Israel.Yet after this did Iehoshaphat King of Iudah ioyne himselfe with Ahaziah King of Israel, who was giuen to do euill.And he ioyned with him, to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the shippes in Ezion Gaber.Then Eliezer ye sonne of Dodauah of Mareshah prophecied against Iehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast ioyned thy selfe with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy workes. and the shippes were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. Iehosphaphat then slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citie of Dauid: and Iehoram his sonne reigned in his steade.And he had brethren the sonnes of Iehoshaphat, Azariah, and Iehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sonnes of Iehoshaphat King of Israel.And their father gaue them great giftes of siluer and of golde, and of precious things, with strong cities in Iudah, but the kingdome gaue he to Iehoram: for he was the eldest.And Iehoram rose vp vpon the kingdom of his father, and made himselfe strong, and slew all his brethren with the sworde, and also of the princes of Israel.Iehoram was two and thirtie yeere olde, when he began to reigne, and he reigned eyght yeere in Ierusalem.And he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife, and he wrought euill in the eyes of the Lord.Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of Dauid, because of the couenant that he had made with Dauid, and because he had promised to giue a light to him, and to his sonnes for euer.In his dayes Edom rebelled from vnder the hand of Iudah, and made a King ouer them.And Iehoram went forth with his princes, and all his charets with him: and hee rose vp by night, and smote Edom, which had compassed him in, and the captaines of the charets.But Edom rebelled from vnder the hande of Iudah vnto this day. then did Libnah rebell at the same time from vnder his hand, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.Moreouer hee made hie places in the mountaines of Iudah, and caused the inhabitants of Ierusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Iudah thereto.And there came a writing to him from Elijah the Prophet, saying, Thus sayth the Lord God of Dauid thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iehoshaphat thy father, nor in the wayes of Asa King of Iudah,But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Iudah and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem to go a whoring, as the house of Ahab went a whoring, and hast also slaine thy brethre of thy fathers house, which were better then thou,Beholde, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wiues, and all thy substance,And thou shalt be in great diseases in the disease of thy bowels, vntill thy bowels fall out for the disease, day by day.So the Lord stirred vp against Iehoram the spirite of the Philistims, and the Arabians that were beside the Ethiopians.And they came vp into Iudah, and brake into it, and caryed away all the substance that was found in the Kings house, and his sonnes also, and his wiues, so that there was not a sonne left him, saue Iehoahaz, the yongest of his sonnes.And after all this, the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.And in processe of time, euen after the end of two yeeres, his guttes fell out with his disease: so he dyed of sore diseases: and his people made no burning for him like the burning of his fathers.When he began to reigne, he was two and thirtie yeere olde, and reigned in Ierusalem eight yeere, and liued without being desired: yet they buryed him in the citie of Dauid, but not among the sepulchres of the Kings. And the inhabitants of Ierusalem made Ahaziah his yongest sonne King in his steade: for the armie that came with the Arabians to the campe, had slayne all the eldest: therefore Ahaziah the sonne of Iehoram King of Iudah reigned.Two and fourtie yeere olde was Ahaziah when he began to reigne, and he reigned one yeere in Ierusalem. and his mothers name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.He walked also in the wayes of the house of Ahab: for his mother counselled him to doe wickedly.Wherefore he did euill in the sight of the Lord, like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father, to his destruction.And he walked after their counsel, and went with Iehoram the sonne of Ahab King of Israel to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead: and the Aramites smote Ioram.And he returned to be healed in Izreel, because of the woundes wherewith they had wounded him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael King of Aram. Nowe Azariah the sonne of Iehoram King of Iudah went downe to see Iehoram the sonne of Ahab at Izreel, because hee was diseased.And the destruction of Ahaziah came of God in that he went to Ioram: for when he was come, he went forth with Iehoram against Iehu the sonne of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.Therefore when Iehu executed iudgement vpon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Iudah and the sonnes of the brethren of Ahaziah that waited on Ahaziah, he slew them also.And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him where he was hid in Samaria, and brought him to Iehu, and slewe him, and buryed him, because, sayd they, he is the sonne of Iehoshaphat, which sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah was not able to reteine the kingdome.Therefore when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah sawe that her sonne was dead, shee arose and destroyed all the Kings seede of the house of Iudah.But Iehoshabeath the daughter of ye King, tooke Ioash the sonne of Ahaziah, and stale him from among the Kings sonnes, that shoulde be slayne, and put him and his nource in the bed chamber: so Iehoshabeath the daughter of King Iehoram the wife of Iehoiada the Priest (for shee was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah: so she slew him not.And hee was with them hid in the house of God sixe yeeres, whiles Athaliah reigned ouer the land. And in the seuenth yeere Iehoiada waxed bolde, and tooke the captaines of hundreths, to wit, Azariah the sonne of Ieroham, and Ishmael the sonne of Iehohanan, and Azariah the sonne of Obed, and Maasiah the sonne of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the sonne of Zichri in couenant with him.And they went about in Iudah, and gathered the Leuites out of all the cities of Iudah, and the chiefe fathers of Israel: and they came to Ierusale.And al the Congregation made a couenant with the King in the house of God: and he sayde vnto them, Behold, the Kings sonne must reigne, as the Lord hath sayd of the sonnes of Dauid.This is it that ye shall do, The third part of you that come on the Sabbath of the Priests, and the Leuites, shalbe porters of the doores.And another third part towarde the Kings house, and another thirde part at the gate of the foundation, and al the people shalbe in the courts of the house of the Lord.But let none come into the house of the Lord, saue the Priests, and the Leuites that minister: they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keepe the watch of the Lord.And the Leuites shall compasse the King rounde about, and euery man with his weapon in his hand, and he that entreth into the house, shall be slaine, and be you with the King, when he commeth in, and when he goeth out.So the Leuites and all Iudah did according to all things that Iehoiada the Priest had commanded, and tooke euery man his men that came on the Sabbath, with them that went out on the Sabbath: for Iehoiada the Priest did not discharge the courses.And Iehoiada the Priest deliuered to the captaines of hundreths speares, and shieldes, and bucklers which had bene King Dauids, and were in the house of God.And he caused all the people to stand (euery man with his weapon in his hande) from the right side of the house, to ye left side of the house by the altar and by the house round about ye king.Then they brought out the Kings sonne, and put vpon him the crowne and gaue him the testimonie, and made him King. And Iehoiada and his sonnes anoynted him, and sayd, God saue the King.But when Athaliah heard the noyse of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord.And when she looked, beholde, the King stoode by his pillar at the entring in, and the princes and the trumpets by the King, and all the people of the land reioyced, and blew the trumpets, and the singers were with instruments of musike, and they that could sing prayse: then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, treason.Then Iehoiada the Priest brought out the captaines of hundreths that were gouernours of the hoste, and said vnto them, Haue her foorth of the ranges, and he that followeth her, let him dye by the sword: for the Priest had said, Slay her not in the house of the Lord.So they layde hands on her: and when she was come to the entring of the horsegate by the Kings house, they slew her there.And Iehoiada made a couenant betweene him, and all the people, and the King, that they would be the Lords people.And all the people went to the house of Baal, and destroyed, and brake his altars and his images, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.And Iehoiada appointed officers for the house of the Lord, vnder the handes of the Priestes and Leuites, whome Dauid had distributed for the house of the Lord, to offer burnt offrings vnto the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with reioycing and singing by the appoyntment of Dauid.And he set porters by the gates of ye house of the Lord, that none that was vncleane in any thing, should enter in.And he tooke the captaines of hundreths, and the noble men, and the gouernours of the people, and all the people of the land, and he caused the King to come downe out of the house of the Lord, and they went thorowe the hie gate of the Kings house, and set the King vpon the throne of the kingdome.Then all the people of the land reioyced, and the citie was quiet, after that they had slaine Athaliah with the sword. Ioash was seuen yere olde, when he began to reigne, and he reigned fourty yeere in Ierusalem: and his mothers name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.And Ioash did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, all the dayes of Iehoiada the Priest.And Iehoiada tooke him two wiues, and he begate sonnes and daughters.And afterward it came into Ioash mind, to renew the house of the Lord.And he assembled the Priests and the Leuites, and said to them, Goe out vnto the cities of Iudah, and gather of all Israel money to repaire the house of your God, from yeere to yeere, and haste the thing: but the Leuites hasted not.Therefore the King called Iehoiada, the chiefe, and said vnto him, Why hast thou not required of the Leuites to bring in out of Iudah and Ierusalem the taxe of Moses the seruant of the Lord, and of the Congregation of Israel, for the Tabernacle of the testimonie?For wicked Athaliah, and her children brake vp the house of God: and all the things that were dedicate for the house of the Lord, did they bestowe vpon Baalim.Therefore the King commanded, and they made a chest, and set it at the gate of the house of the Lord without.And they made proclamation thorow Iudah and Ierusalem, to bring vnto the Lord the taxe of Moses the seruant of God, layde vpon Israel in the wildernesse.And all the princes and all the people reioyced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, vntill they had finished.And when it was time, they brought the chest vnto the Kings officer by the hand of the Leuites: and when they saw that there was much siluer, then the Kings Scribe (and one appoynted by the hie Priest) came and emptied the chest, and tooke it, and caried it to his place againe: thus they did day by day, and gathered siluer in abundance.And the King and Iehoiada gaue it to such as did the labour and worke in the house of the Lord, and hyred masons and carpenters to repayre the house of the Lord: they gaue it also to workers of yron and brasse, to repayre the house of the Lord.So the workemen wrought, and the worke amended through their hands: and they restored the house of God to his state, and strengthened it.And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the siluer before the King and Iehoiada, and he made thereof vessels for the house of the Lord, euen vessels to minister, both morters and incense cuppes, and vessels of golde, and of siluer: and they offred burnt offrings in the house of the Lord continually all the dayes of Iehoiada.But Iehoiada waxed olde, and was ful of dayes and dyed. An hundreth and thirtie yeere olde was he when he dyed.And they buried him in the citie of Dauid with the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.And after the death of Iehoiada, came the princes of Iudah, and did reuerence to the King, and the King hearkened vnto them.And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and serued groues and idoles: and wrath came vpon Iudah and Ierusalem, because of this their trespasse.And God sent Prophets amog the, to bring them againe vnto the Lord: and they made protestation among them, but they would not heare.And the Spirit of God came vpon Zechariah the sonne of Iehoiada the Priest, which stoode aboue the people, and sayde vnto them, Thus sayth God, Why transgresse ye the commandements of the Lord? surely ye shall not prosper: because ye haue forsaken the Lord, he also hath forsaken you.Then they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commandement of the King, in the court of the house of the Lord.Thus Ioash the King remembred not the kindnesse which Iehoiada his father had done to him, but slewe his sonne. And when he dyed, he sayd, The Lord looke vpon it, and require it.And when the yeere was out, the host of Aram came vp against him, and they came against Iudah and Ierusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoyle of them vnto the King of Damascus.Though the armie of Aram came with a small company of men, yet the Lord deliuered a very great armie into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers: and they gaue sentence against Ioash.And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases) his owne seruants conspired against him for the blood of the children of Iehoiada the Priest, and slewe him on his bed, and he dyed, and they buryed him in the citie of Dauid: but they buryed him not in the sepulchres of the Kings.And these are they that conspired against him, Zabad the sonne of Shimrath an Ammonitesse, and Iehozabad the sonne of Shimrith a Moabitesse.But his sonnes, and the summe of the taxe gathered by him, and the foundation of the house of God, behold, they are written in the storie of the booke of the Kings. And Amaziah his sonne reigned in his steade. Amaziah was fiue and twentie yere old when he began to reigne, and he reigned nine and twentie yeere in Ierusalem: and his mothers name was Iehoaddan, of Ierusalem.And he did vprightly in the eyes of the Lord, but not with a perfite heart.And when the kingdome was established vnto him, he slewe his seruants, that had slaine the King his father.But he slewe not their children, but did as it is written in the Lawe, and in the booke of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not dye for the children, neyther shall the children die for the fathers, but euery man shall dye for his owne sinne.And Amaziah assembled Iudah, and made them captaines ouer thousandes, and captaines ouer hundreths, according to the houses of their fathers, thorowout all Iudah and Beniamin: and he nombred them from twentie yeere olde and aboue, and founde among them three hundreth thousand chosen men, to goe foorth to the warre, and to handle speare and shield.He hyred also an hundreth thousand valiant men out of Israel for an hundreth talents of siluer.But a man of God came to him, saying, O King, let not the armie of Israel goe with thee: for the Lord is not with Israel, neither with all the house of Ephraim.If not, goe thou on, doe it, make thy selfe strong to the battel, but God shall make thee fall before the enemie: for God hath power to helpe, and to cast downe.And Amaziah sayde to the man of God, What shall we doe then for the hundreth talents, which I haue giuen to the hoste of Israel? Then the man of God answered, The Lord is able to giue thee more then this.So Amaziah separated them, to wit, the armie that was come to him out of Ephraim, to returne to their place: wherefore their wrath was kindled greatly against Iudah, and they returned to their places with great anger.Then Amaziah was encouraged, and led forth his people, and went to the salt valley, and smote of the children of Seir, ten thousand.And other ten thousand did the children of Iudah take aliue, and caryed them to the top of a rocke, and cast them downe from the top of the rocke, and they all burst to pieces.But the men of the armie, which Amaziah sent away, that they should not goe with his people to battell, fell vpon the cities of Iudah from Samaria vnto Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and tooke much spoyle.Now after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them vp to be his gods, and worshipped them, and burned incense vnto them.Wherefore the Lord was wroth with Amaziah, and sent vnto him a Prophet, which sayd vnto him, Why hast thou sought the gods of the people, which were not able to deliuer their owne people out of thine hand?And as he talked with him, he said vnto him, Haue they made thee the Kings counseler? cease thou: why should they smite thee? And the Prophet ceased, but said, I knowe that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not obeyed my counsell.Then Amaziah King of Iudah tooke counsell, and sent to Ioash the sonne of Iehoahaz, the sonne of Iehu King of Israel, saying, Come, let vs see one another in the face.But Ioash King of Israel sent to Amaziah King of Iudah, saying, The thistle that is in Lebanon, sent to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife: and the wilde beast that was in Lebanon went and trode downe the thistle.Thou thinkest: lo, thou hast smitten Edom, and thine heart lifteth thee vp to bragge: abide now at home: why doest thou prouoke to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, and Iudah with thee?But Amaziah would not heare: for it was of God, that he might deliuer them into his had, because they had sought the gods of Edom.So Ioash the King of Israel went vp: and he, and Amaziah King of Iudah saw one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which is in Iudah.And Iudah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled euery man to his tents.But Ioash the King of Israel tooke Amaziah King of Iudah, the sonne of Ioash, the sonne of Iehoahaz in Bethshemesh, and brought him to Ierusalem, and brake downe the wall of Ierusalem, from the gate of Ephraim vnto the corner gate, foure hundreth cubites.And he tooke all the gold and the siluer, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed Edom, and in the treasures of the Kings house, and the children that were in hostage, and returned to Samaria.And Amaziah the sonne of Ioash King of Iudah liued after the death of Ioash sonne of Iehoahaz King of Israel, fifteene yeere.Concerning the rest of the actes of Amaziah first and last, are they not written in the booke of the Kings of Iudah and Israel?Nowe after the time that Amaziah did turne away from ye Lord, they wrought treason against him in Ierusalem: and when he was fled to Lachish, they sent to Lachish after him, and slewe him there.And they brought him vpon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the citie of Iudah. Then all the people of Iudah tooke Vzziah, which was sixteene yeere olde, and made him King in the steade of his father Amaziah.He buylt Eloth, and restored it to Iudah after that the King slept with his fathers.Sixteene yeere olde was Vzziah, when he began to reigne, and he reigned two and fiftie yere in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Iecoliah of Ierusalem.And hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, according to al that his father Amaziah did.And he sought God in the dayes of Zechariah (which vnderstoode the visions of God) and when as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.For he went forth and fought against the Philistims and brake downe the wall of Gath, and the wall of Iabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities in Ashdod, and among the Philistims.And God helped him against ye Philistims, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal and Hammeunim.And the Ammonites gaue gifts to Vzziah, and his name spred to the entring in of Egypt: for he did most valiantly.Moreouer Uzziah buylt towres in Ierusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning, and made them strong.And he built towres in the wildernesse, and digged many cisternes: for he had much cattell both in the valleyes and playnes, plowmen, and dressers of vines in the mountaines, and in Carmel: for he loued husbandrie.Vzziah had also an hoste of fighting men that went out to warre by bandes, according to the count of their nomber vnder the hande of Ieiel the Scribe, and Maaseiah the ruler, and vnder the hand of Hananiah, one of the Kings captaines.The whole nomber of the chiefe of the families of the valiant men were two thousande and sixe hundreth.And vnder their hande was the armie for warre, three hundreth and seuen thousand, and fiue hundreth that fought valiantly to helpe the King against the enemie.And Vzziah prepared them throughout all the hoste, shieldes, and speares, and helmets, and brigandines, and bowes, and stones to sling.He made also very artificial engins in Ierusalem, to be vpon the towres and vpon the corners, to shoote arrowes and great stones: and his name spred farre abroade, because God did helpe him marueilously, till he was mightie.But when he was strong, his heart was lift vp to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense vpon the altar of incense.And Azariah the Priest went in after him, and with him foure score Priests of the Lord, valiant men.And they withstoode Vzziah the King, and said vnto him, It perteineth not to thee, Vzziah, to burne incense vnto the Lord, but to the Priests the sonnes of Aaron, that are consecrated for to offer incense: goe forth of the Sanctuarie: for thou hast transgressed, and thou shalt haue none honour of the Lord God.Then Vzziah was wroth, and had incense in his hand to burne it: and while he was wroth with the Priestes, the leprosie rose vp in his forehead before the Priestes in the house of the Lord beside the incense altar.And when Azariah the chiefe Priest with al the Priestes looked vpon him, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they caused him hastily to depart thence: and he was euen compelled to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.And Vzziah the king was a leper vnto the day of his death, and dwelt as a leper in an house apart, because he was cut off from the house of ye Lord: and Iotham his sonne ruled ouer the Kings house, and iudged the people of the land.Concerning the rest of the acts of Vzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the Prophet the sonne of Amoz write.So Vzziah slept with his fathers, and they buryed him with his fathers in the fielde of the burial, which perteined to the kings: for they said, He is a leper. And Iotham his sonne reigned in his steade. Iotham was fiue and twentie yere olde when he began to reigne, and reigned sixteene yeere in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Ierushah the daughter of Zadok.And hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Vzziah did, saue that hee entred not into the Temple of the Lord, and the people did yet corrupt their wayes.He buylt the hie gate of the house of the Lord, and he buylt very much on the wall of the castle.Moreouer hee buylt cities in the mountaines of Iudah, and in the forests he buylt palaces and towres.And he fought with the King of the children of Ammon, and preuailed against them. And the children of Ammon gaue him the same yere an hundreth talents of siluer, and ten thousande measures of wheate, and ten thousand of barley: this did the children of Ammon giue him both in the second yeere and the third.So Iotham became mightie because hee directed his way before the Lord his God.Concerning the rest of the acts of Iotham, and all his warres and his wayes, loe, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Israel, and Iudah.He was fiue and twentie yeere olde when he began to reigne, and reigned sixteene yeere in Ierusalem.And Iotham slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in the citie of Dauid: and Ahaz his sonne reigned in his stead. Ahaz was twentie yeere old when he began to reigne, and reigned sixteene yeere in Ierusalem, and did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord, like Dauid his father.But he walked in the wayes of ye Kings of Israel, and made euen molten images for Baalim.Moreouer he burnt incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and burnt his sonnes with fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the hie places, and on hilles, and vnder euery greene tree.Wherefore the Lord his God deliuered him into the hand of the King of the Aramites, and they smote him, and tooke of his, many prisoners, and brought them to Damascus: and he was also deliuered into the hande of the King of Israel, which smote him with a great slaughter.For Pekah the sonne of Remaliah slewe in Iudah sixe score thousand in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.And Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim slew Maaseiah the Kings sonne, and Azrikam the gouernour of the house, and Elkanah the second after the King.And the children of Israel tooke prisoners of their brethren, two hudreth thousand of women, sonnes and daughters, and caried away much spoyle of them, and brought the spoyle to Samaria.But there was a Prophet of the Lordes, (whose name was Oded) and he went out before the hoste that came to Samaria, and said vnto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers is wroth with Iudah, he hath deliuered them into your hand, and ye haue slaine them in a rage, that reacheth vp to heauen.And nowe ye purpose to keepe vnder the children of Iudah and Ierusalem, as seruants and handmaides vnto you: but are not you such, that sinnes are with you before the Lord your God?Nowe therefore heare me, and deliuer the captiues againe, which ye haue taken prisoners of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is toward you.Wherefore certaine of the chiefe of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the sonne of Iehohanan, Berechiah the sonne of Meshillemoth, and Iehizkiah the sonne of Shallum, and Amasa the sonne of Hadlai, stood vp against them that came from the warre,And said vnto them, Bring not in the captiues hither: for this shalbe a sinne vpon vs against the Lord: ye entende to adde more to our sinnes and to our trespasse, though our trespasse be great, and the fierce wrath of God is against Israel.So the armie left the captiues and the spoyle before the princes and all the Congregation.And the men that were named by name, rose vp and tooke the prisoners, and with the spoyle clothed all that were naked among them, and arayed them, and shod them, and gaue them meate, and gaue them drinke, and anoynted them, and caryed all that were feeble of them vpon asses, and brought them to Iericho the citie of Palme trees to their brethren: so they returned to Samaria.At that time did King Ahaz sende vnto the Kings of Asshur, to helpe him.(For the Edomites came moreouer, and slew of Iudah, and caryed away captiues.The Philistims also inuaded the cities in the low countrey, and toward the South of Iudah, and tooke Bethshemesh, and Aialon, and Gederoth and Shocho, with the villages thereof, and Timnah, with her villages, and Gimzo, with her villages, and they dwelt there.For the Lord had humbled Iudah, because of Ahaz King of Israel: for he had brought vengeance vpon Iudah, and had grieuously transgressed against the Lord)And Tilgath Pilneeser king of Asshur came vnto him, who troubled him and did not strengthen him.For Ahaz tooke a portion out of the house of the Lord and out of the Kings house and of the Princes, and gaue vnto the king of Asshur: yet it helped him not.And in ye time of his tribulation did he yet trespasse more against ye Lord, (this is King Ahaz)For he sacrificed vnto the gods of Damascus, which plagued him, and he sayd, Because the gods of the Kings of Aram helped them, I wil sacrifice vnto them, and they will helpe me: yet they were his ruine, and of all Israel.And Ahaz gathered the vessels of ye house of God, and brake the vessels of the house of God, and shut vp the doores of the house of the Lord, and made him altars in euery corner of Ierusalem.And in euery citie of Iudah hee made hie places, to burne incense vnto other gods, and prouoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.Concerning the rest of his actes, and all his wayes first and last, beholde, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Iudah, and Israel.And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the citie of Ierusalem, but brought him not vnto the sepulchres of the Kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his sonne reigned in his stead. Hezekiah began to reigne, when he was fiue and twentie yeere olde, and reigned nine and twentie yeres in Ierusalem: and his mothers name was Abiiah the daughter of Zechariah.And hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Dauid his father had done.He opened the doores of the house of the Lord in the first yeere, and in the first moneth of his reigne, and repared them.And he brought in the Priests and the Leuites, and gathered them into the East streete,And said vnto them, Heare me, ye Leuites: sanctifie nowe your selues, and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and cary forth the filthinesse out of the Sanctuarie.For our fathers haue trespassed, and done euill in the eyes of the Lord our God, and haue forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the Tabernacle of the Lord, and turned their backes.They haue also shut the doores of ye porch, and quenched the lampes, and haue neither burnt incense, nor offred burnt offrings in the Sanctuarie vnto the God of Israel.Wherfore the wrath of the Lord hath bin on Iudah and Ierusalem: and he hath made them a scattering, a desolation, and an hissing, as ye see with your eyes.For lo, our fathers are fallen by the sword, and our sonnes, and our daughters, and our wiues are in captiuitie for the same cause.Now I purpose to make a couenant with the Lord God of Israel, that he may turne away his fierce wrath from vs.Now my sonnes, be not deceiued: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serue him, and to be his ministers, and to burne incense.Then the Leuites arose, Mahath ye sonne of Amashai, and Ioel the sonne of Azariah of the sonnes of the Kohathites: and of the sonnes of Merari, Kish the sonne of Abdi, and Azariah the sonne of Iehalelel: and of the Gershonites, Ioah the sonne of Zimmah, and Eden the sonne of Ioah:And of the sonnes of Elizaphan, Shimri, and Iehiel: and of the sonnes of Asaph, Zechariah, and Mattaniah:And of the sonnes of Heman, Iehiel, and Shimei: and of the sonnes of Ieduthun, Shemaiah and Vzziel.And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselues and came according to the commandement of the King, and by the words of the Lord, for to clense the house of the Lord.And the Priests went into the inner partes of the house of the Lord, to clense it, and brought out all the vncleannesse that they founde in the Temple of the Lord, into the court of the house of the Lord: and the Leuites tooke it, to cary it out vnto the brooke Kidron.They began the first day of the first moneth to sanctifie it, and the eight day of the moneth came they to the porche of the Lord: so they sanctified the house of the Lord in eight dayes, and in the sixeteenth day of the first moneth they made an ende.Then they went in to Hezekiah ye King, and sayde, We haue clensed all the house of the Lord and the altar of burnt offring, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof:And all the vessels which King Ahaz had cast aside when he reigned, and transgressed, haue we prepared and sanctified: and beholde, they are before the altar of the Lord.And Hezekiah the King rose early, and gathered the princes of the citie, and went vp to the house of the Lord.And they brought seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes, and seuen lambes, and seuen hee goates, for a sinne offring for the kingdome, and for the sanctuarie, and for Iudah. And he commanded the Priests the sonnes of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord.So they slewe the bullockes, and the Priests receiued the blood, and sprinkled it vpon the altar: they slew also the rammes and sprinkled the blood vpon the altar, and they slew the lambes, and they sprinkled the blood vpon the altar.Then they brought the hee goates for the sinne offring before the King and the Congregation, and they layde their hands vpon them.And the Priests slewe them, and with the blood of them they clensed the altar to reconcile all Israel: for the King had commanded for all Israel the burnt offring and the sinne offring.He appointed also the Leuites in the house of the Lord with cymbales, with violes, and with harpes, according to the commandement of Dauid, and Gad the Kings Seer, and Nathan the Prophet: for the commandement was by the hande of the Lord, and by the hande of his Prophets.And the Leuites stood with the instruments of Dauid, and the Priests with the trumpets.And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offring vpon the altar: and when the burnt offring began, the song of the Lord beganne with the trumpets, and the instruments of Dauid King of Israel.And al the Congregation worshipped, singing a song, and they blew the trumpets: all this continued vntill the burnt offring was finished.And when they had made an ende of offring, the King and all that were present with him, bowed themselues, and worshipped.Then Hezekiah the King and the princes commanded the Leuites to prayse the Lord with the wordes of Dauid, and of Asaph the Seer. so they praysed with ioy, and they bowed themselues, and worshipped.And Hezekiah spake, and sayde, Now ye haue consecrate your selues to the Lord: come neere and bring the sacrifices and offerings of prayse into the house of the Lord. And the Congregation brought sacrifices; and offrings of prayses, and euery man that was willing in heart, offred burnt offrings.And the nomber of the burnt offrings, which the Congregation brought, was seuentie bullockes, an hundreth rammes, and two hundreth lambes: all these were for a burnt offring to the Lord:And for sanctification sixe hundreth bullockes, and three thousand sheepe.But the Priests were too few, and were not able to flay all the burnt offrings: therefore their brethren the Leuites did helpe them, til they had ended the worke, and vntill other Priests were sanctified: for the Leuites were more vpright in heart to sanctifie themselues, then the Priests.And also the burnt offerings were many with the fat of the peace offrings and the drinke offrings for the burnt offring. so the seruice of the house of the Lord was set in order.Then Hezekiah reioyced and all the people, that God had made the people so ready: for the thing was done suddenly. And Hezekiah sent to all Israel, and Iudah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, to keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord God of Israel.And the King and his princes and all the Congregation had taken counsel in Ierusalem to keepe the Passeouer in the second moneth.For they could not keepe it at this time, because there were not Priests enow sanctified, neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem.And the thing pleased the King, and all the Congregation.And they decreed to make proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan, that they should come to keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord God of Israel at Ierusalem: for they had not done it of a great time, as it was written.So the postes went with letters by the commission of the King, and his princes, thorowout all Israel and Iudah, and with the commandement of the King, saying, Ye children of Israel, turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham, Izhak, and Israel, and he will returne to the remnant that are escaped of you, out of ye hands of the Kings of Asshur.And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers: and therfore he made them desolate, as ye see.Be not ye now stiffenecked like your fathers, but giue the hand to the Lord, and come into his sanctuarie, which he hath sanctified for euer, and serue the Lord your God, and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turne away from you.For if ye returne vnto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall finde mercy before them that led them captiues, and they shall returne vnto this lande: for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull, and will not turne away his face from you, if ye conuert vnto him.So the postes went from citie to citie thorow the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, euen vnto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorne, and mocked them.Neuerthelesse diuers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun submitted themselues, and came to Ierusalem.And the hand of God was in Iudah, so that he gaue them one heart to doe the commandement of the King, and of the rulers, according to the worde of the Lord.And there assembled to Ierusalem much people, to keepe the feast of ye vnleauened bread in the second moneth, a very great assemblie.And they arose, and tooke away the altars that were in Ierusalem: and all those for incense tooke they away, and cast them into the brooke Kidron.Afterwarde they slewe the Passeouer the fourteenth day of the seconde moneth: and the Priestes and Leuites were ashamed, and sanctified themselues, and brought the burnt offrings into the house of the Lord.And they stoode in their place after their maner, according to the Lawe of Moses the man of God: and the Priestes sprinkled the blood, receiued of the handes of the Leuites.Because there were many in the Congregation that were not sanctified, therefore the Leuites had the charge of the killing of ye Passeouer for all that were not cleane, to sanctifie it to the Lord.For a multitude of the people, euen a multitude of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselues, yet did eate the Passeouer, but not as it was written: wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord be mercifull toward him,That prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed, according to the purification of the Sanctuarie.And the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people.And the children of Israel that were present at Ierusalem, kept the feast of the vnleauened bread seuen dayes with great ioye, and the Leuites, and the Priestes praysed the Lord, day by day, singing with loude instruments vnto the Lord.And Hezekiah spake comfortably vnto all the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord: and they did eate in that feast seuen dayes, and offred peace offrings, and praysed the Lord God of their fathers.And the whole assembly tooke counsel to keepe it other seuen dayes. So they kept it seuen dayes with ioy.For Hezekiah King of Iudah had giuen to the Congregation a thousande bullockes, and seuen thousand sheepe. And the princes had giuen to the Congregation a thousand bullocks, and ten thousand sheepe: and many Priests were sanctified.And all the Congregation of Iudah reioyced with the Priestes and the Leuites, and all the Congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Iudah.So there was great ioye in Ierusalem: for since the time of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel there was not the like thing in Ierusalem.Then the Priests and the Leuites arose, and blessed the people, and their voyce was heard, and their prayer came vp vnto heauen, to his holy habitation. And when all these thinges were finished, all Israel that were found in the cities of Iudah, went out and brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and brake downe the hie places, and the altars thorowout all Iudah and Beniamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, vntil they had made an ende: afterwarde all the children of Israel returned euery man to his possession, into their owne cities.And Hezekiah appoynted the courses of the Priests and Leuites by their turnes, euery man according to his office, both Priestes and Leuites, for the burnt offring and peace offrings, to minister and to giue thankes, and to prayse in the gates of the tentes of the Lord.(And the Kings portion was of his owne substance for the burnt offrings, euen for ye burnt offrings of the morning and of the euening, and the burnt offrings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moones, and for the solemne feastes, as it is written in the Law of the Lord)He commanded also the people that dwelt in Ierusalem, to giue a part to the Priestes, and Leuites, that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord.And when the commandement was spread, the children of Israel brought abundance of first fruites, of corne, wine, and oyle, and honie, and of all the increase of the fielde, and the tithes of all things brought they abundantly.And the children of Israel and Iudah that dwelt in ye cities of Iudah, they also brought the tithes of bullockes and sheepe, and the holy tithes which were consecrate vnto the Lord their God, and laide them on many heapes.In the thirde moneth they beganne to lay the foundation of the heapes, and finished them in the seuenth moneth.And when Hezekiah and the princes came, and saw the heapes, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel.And Hezekiah questioned with the Priests and the Leuites concerning the heapes.And Azariah the chiefe Priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and sayde, Since the people beganne to bring the offrings into the house of the Lord, we haue eaten and haue bene satisfied, and there is left in abundance: for the Lord hath blessed his people, and this abundance that is left.And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord: and they prepared them,And caryed in the first fruites, and the tithes, and the dedicate things faithfully: and ouer them was Conaniah the Leuite, the chiefe, and Shimei his brother the seconde.And Iehiel, and Azariah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Ierimoth, and Iozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were ouerseers by the appointment of Conaniah, and Shimei his brother, and by the commandement of Hezekiah the King, and of Azariah the chiefe of the house of God.And Kore the sonne of Imnah the Leuite porter towarde the East, was ouer the things that were willingly offred vnto God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the holy things that were consecrate.And at his hande were Eden, and Miniamin, and Ieshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shechaniah, in the cities of the Priestes, to distribute with fidelitie to their brethren by courses, both to the great and small,Their daily portion: beside their generation being males from three yeere olde and aboue, euen to all that entred into the house of the Lord to their office in their charge, according to their courses:Both to the generation of the Priestes after the house of their fathers, and to the Leuites from twentie yeere olde and aboue, according to their charge in their courses:And to the generation of all their children, their wiues, and their sonnes and their daughters throughout all ye Congregation: for by their fidelitie are they partakers of the holy things.Also to the sonnes of Aaron, the Priestes, which were in the fieldes and suburbes of their cities, in euery citie the men that were appointed by names, shoulde giue portions to all the males of the Priestes, and to all the generation of the Leuites.And thus did Hezekiah throughout al Iudah, and did well, and vprightly, and truely before the Lord his God.And in all the workes that he began for the seruice of the house of God, both in the Law and in the commandements, to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. After these things faithfully described, Saneherib King of Asshur came and entred into Iudah, and besieged the strong cities, and thought to winne them for him selfe.When Hezekiah sawe that Saneherib was come, and that his purpose was to fight against Ierusalem,Then he tooke counsell with his princes and his nobles, to stoppe the water of the fountaines without the citie: and they did helpe him.So many of the people assembled themselues, and stopt all the fountaines, and the riuer that ranne through the middes of the countrey, saying, Why should the Kings of Asshur come, and finde much water?And he tooke courage, and built all the broken wall, and made vp the towers, and another wall without, and repayred Millo in the citie of Dauid, and made many dartes and shields.And he set captaines of warre ouer the people, and assembled them to him in the broade place of the gate of the citie, and spake comfortably vnto them, saying,Be strong and couragious: feare not, neither be afraide for the King of Asshur, neither for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with vs, then is with him.With him is an arme of flesh, but with vs is the Lord our God for to helpe vs, and to fight our battels. Then the people were confirmed by the wordes of Hezekiah King of Iudah.After this, did Saneherib King of Asshur send his seruants to Ierusalem (while he was against Lachish, and all his dominion with him) vnto Hezekiah King of Iudah and vnto all Iudah that were at Ierusalem, saying,Thus saith Saneherib the King of Asshur, Wherein doe ye trust, that ye will remaine in Ierusalem, during the siege?Doeth not Hezekiah entice you to giue ouer your selues vnto death by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliuer vs out of the hande of the King of Asshur?Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his hie places and his altars, and commanded Iudah and Ierusalem, saying, Ye shall worshippe before one altar, and burne incense vpon it?Knowe ye not what I and my fathers haue done vnto all the people of other countreyes? were the gods of the nations of other landes able to deliuer their land out of mine hande?Who is he of al the gods of those natios (that my fathers haue destroied) that could deliuer his people out of mine hande? that your God should be able to deliuer you out of mine hand?Nowe therefore let not Hezekiah deceiue you, nor seduce you after this sort, neither beleeue ye him: for none of all the gods of any nation or kingdome was able to deliuer his people out of mine hande and out of the hande of my fathers: howe much lesse shall your gods deliuer you out of mine hande?And his seruants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his seruant Hezekiah.He wrote also letters, blaspheming the Lord God of Israel and speaking against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other countreies could not deliuer their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliuer his people out of mine hande.Then they cryed with a loude voyce in the Iewes speach vnto the people of Ierusalem that were on the wall, to feare them and to astonish them, that they might take the citie.Thus they spake against the God of Ierusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, euen the workes of mans hands,But Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amoz prayed against this and cryed to heauen.And the Lord sent an Angel which destroyed all the valiant men, and the princes and captaines of the hoste of the King of Asshur: so he returned with shame to his owne lande. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came foorth of his owne bowels, slewe him there with the sworde.So the Lord saued Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem from the hande of Saneherib King of Asshur, and from the hande of all other, and maintained them on euery side.And many brought offrings vnto the Lord to Ierusalem, and presents to Hezekiah King of Iudah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thencefoorth.In those dayes Hezekiah was sicke vnto the death, and prayed vnto the Lord, who spake vnto him, and gaue him a signe.But Hezekiah did not render according to the rewarde bestowed vpon him: for his heart was lift vp, and wrath came vpon him, and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem.Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled him selfe (after that his heart was lifted vp) he and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and the wrath of the Lord came not vpon them in the dayes of Hezekiah.Hezekiah also had exceeding much riches and honour, and he gate him treasures of siluer, and of golde, and of precious stones, and of sweete odours, and of shieldes, and of all pleasant vessels:And of store houses for the increase of wheat and wine and oyle, and stalles for all beasts, and rowes for the stables.And he made him cities, and had possession of sheepe and oxen in abundance: for God had giuen him substance exceeding much.This same Hezekiah also stopped the vpper water springs of Gihon, and led them streight vnderneath towarde the citie of Dauid Westwarde. so Hezekiah prospered in all his workes.But because of the ambassadours of the princes of Babel, which sent vnto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the lande, God left him to trie him, and to knowe all that was in his heart.Concerning the rest of the actes of Hezekiah, and his goodnesse, beholde, they are written in the vision of Ishiah the Prophet, the sonne of Amoz, in the booke of the Kings of Iudah and Israel.So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buryed him in the highest sepulchre of the sonnes of Dauid: and all Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did him honour at his death: and Manasseh his sonne reigned in his stead. Manasseh was twelue yeere olde, when he beganne to reigne, and he reigned fiue and fiftie yeere in Ierusalem:And he did euill in the sight of the Lord, like the abominations of the heathen, who the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.For he went backe and built the hie places, which Hezekiah his father had broken downe: and he set vp altars for Baalim, and made groues, and worshipped all the hoste of the heauen, and serued them.Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had saide, In Ierusalem shall my Name be for euer.And he built altars for all the hoste of the heauen in the two courtes of the house of the Lord.And he caused his sonnes to passe through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom: he gaue him selfe to witchcraft and to charming and to sorcerie, and he vsed them that had familiar spirits, and soothsayers: hee did very much euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him.He put also the carued image, which he had made, in the house of God: whereof God had said to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne, In this house and in Ierusalem, which I haue chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my Name for euer,Neither will I make the foote of Israel to remooue any more out of the lande which I haue appointed for your fathers, so that they take heede, and do all that I haue commanded them, according to the Lawe and statutes and iudgements by the hande of Moses.So Manasseh made Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem to erre, and to doe worse then the heathen, whome the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.And the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not regarde.Wherefore the Lord brought vpon them the captaines of the hoste of the King of Asshur, which tooke Manasseh and put him in fetters, and bound him in chaines, and caryed him to Babel.And when he was in tribulation, he prayed to the Lord his God, and humbled him selfe greatly before the God of his fathers,And prayed vnto him: and God was entreated of him, and heard his prayer, and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome: then Manasseh knewe that the Lord was God.Nowe after this he built a wall without the citie of Dauid, on the Westside of Gihon in the valley, euen at the entrie of the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it very hie, and put captaines of warre in all the strong cities of Iudah.And he tooke away the strange gods and the image out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Ierusalem, and cast them out of the citie.Also he prepared the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings, and of thankes, and commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel.Neuerthelesse the people did sacrifice stil in the hie places, but vnto the Lord their God.Concerning the rest of the actes of Manasseh, and his prayer vnto his God, and the words of the Seers, that spake to him in ye Name of the Lord God of Israel, beholde, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Israel.And his prayer and how God was intreated of him, and all his sinne, and his trespasse, and the places wherein he built hie places, and set groues and images (before he was humbled) behold, they are written in the booke of the Seers.So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his owne house: and Amon his sonne reigned in his stead.Amon was two and twentie yeere olde, when he began to reigne, and reigned two yeere in Ierusalem.But he did euill in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed to all the images, which Manasseh his father had made, and serued them,And he humbled not him selfe before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himselfe: but this Amon trespassed more and more.And his seruants conspired against him, and slewe him in his owne house.But the people of the land slewe all them that had conspired against King Amon: and the people of the land made Iosiah his sonne King in his steade. Iosiah was eight yeere olde when hee began to reigne, and he reigned in Ierusalem one and thirtie yeere.And he did vprightly in the sight of ye Lord, and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left.And in the eight yeere of his reigne (when he was yet a childe) he began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father: and in the twelft yeere he began to purge Iudah, and Ierusalem from the hie places, and the groues, and the carued images, and molten images:And they brake downe in his sight the altars of Baalim, and hee caused to cut downe the images that were on hie vpon them: he brake also the groues, and the carued images, and the molten images, and stampt them to pouder, and strowed it vpon the graues of them that had sacrificed vnto them.Also he burnt the bones of the Priests vpon their altars, and purged Iudah and Ierusalem.And in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, euen vnto Naphtali, with their maules they brake all round about.And when he had destroyed the altars and the groues, and had broken and stamped to pouder the images, and had cut downe all the idoles throughout all the land of Israel, hee returned to Ierusalem.Then in the eightenth yere of his reigne, when hee had purged the lande and the Temple, he sent Shaphan the sonne of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the gouernour of the citie, and Ioah the sonne of Ioahaz the recorder, to repaire the house of the Lord his God.And when they came to Hilkiah the hie Priest, they deliuered ye money that was brought into the house of God, which the Leuites that kept the doore, had gathered at the hand of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and of all the residue of Israel, and of all Iudah and Beniamin, and of the inhabitantes of Ierusalem.And they put it in the hands of them that should doe the worke and had the ouersight in the house of the Lord: and they gaue it to the workemen that wrought in the house of ye Lord, to repaire and amend the house.Euen to the workemen and to the builders gaue they it, to bye hewed stone and timber for couples and for beames of the houses, which the Kings of Iudah had destroyed.And the men did the worke faithfully, and the ouerseers of them were Iahath and Obadiah the Leuites, of the children of Merari, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, of the children of the Kohathites to set it forward: and of the Leuites all that could skill of instruments of musike.And they were ouer the bearers of burdens, and them that set forwarde all the workemen in euery worke: and of the Leuites were scribes, and officers and porters.And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the Priest found the booke of the Lawe of the Lord giuen by the hand of Moses.Therefore Hilkiah answered and sayde to Shaphan the chaceler, I haue found the booke of the Law in the house of the Lord: and Hilkiah gaue the booke to Shaphan.And Shaphan caried the booke to the King, and brought the King worde againe, saying, All that is committed to the hand of thy seruants, that do they.For they haue gathered the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and haue deliuered it into the handes of the ouerseers, and to the handes of the workemen.Also Shaphan ye chanceler declared to the King, saying, Hilkiah the Priest hath giuen mee a booke, and Shaphan read it before the King.And when the King had heard the wordes of the Lawe, he tare his clothes.And the King commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan, and Abdon the sonne of Micah, and Shaphan the chanceler, and Asaiah the Kings seruant, saying,Goe and enquire of the Lord for me, and for the rest in Israel and Iudah, concerning the wordes of this booke that is founde: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is fallen vpon vs, because our fathers haue not kept the worde of the Lord, to doe after all that is written in this booke.Then Hilkiah and they that the King had appoynted, went to Huldah the Prophetesse ye wife of Shallum, the sonne of Tokhath, the sonne of Hasrah keeper of the wardrobe (and she dwelt in Ierusalem within the colledge) and they communed hereof with her.And shee answered them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Tell yee the man that sent you to me,Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I will bring euill vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitantes thereof, euen all the curses, that are written in the booke which they haue read before the King of Iudah:Because they haue forsaken me, and burnt incense vnto other gods, to anger mee with al the workes of their hands, therefore shall my wrath fall vpon this place, and shall not be quenched.But to the King of Iudah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say vnto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The words which thou hast heard, shall come to passe.But because thine heart did melt, and thou didest humble thy selfe before God, when thou heardest his wordes against this place and against the inhabitantes thereof, and humbledst thy selfe before mee and tarest thy clothes, and weptest before mee, I haue also heard it, sayth the Lord.Beholde, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill, which I will bring vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitants of the same. Thus they brought ye King word againe.Then the King sent and gathered all the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem.And the King went vp into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, and the Priests and the Leuites, and all the people from the greatest to the smallest, and hee read in their eares all the wordes of the booke of the couenant that was found in the house of the Lord.And the King stood by his pillar, and made a couenant before the Lord, to walke after the Lord, and to keepe his commandements, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soule, and that he would accomplish the wordes of the couenant written in the same booke.And he caused all that were found in Ierusalem, and Beniamin to stande to it: and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did according to the couenant of God, euen the God of their fathers.So Iosiah tooke away al the abominations out of all the countreis that perteined to the children of Israel, and compelled all that were found in Israel, to serue the Lord their God: so all his dayes they turned not backe from the Lord God of their fathers. Moreouer Iosiah kept a Passeouer vnto the Lord in Ierusalem, and they slewe the Passeouer in the fourtenth day of the first moneth.And he appointed the Priestes to their charges, and incouraged them to the seruice of the house of the Lord,And he sayd vnto the Leuites that taught all Israel and were sanctified vnto the Lord, Put the holy Arke in the house which Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel did build: it shalbe no more a burden vpon your shoulders: serue now the Lord your God and his people Israel,And prepare your selues by the houses of your fathers according to your courses, as Dauid the King of Israel hath written, and according to the writing of Salomon his sonne,And stande in the Sanctuarie according to the deuision of the families of your brethren the children of the people, and after the deuision of the familie of the Leuites:So kill the Passeouer and sanctifie your selues, and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the worde of the Lord by the hand of Moses.Iosiah also gaue to the people sheepe, lambs and kiddes, all for the Passeouer, euen to all that were present, to the nomber of thirtie thousand, and three thousande bullocks: these were of the Kings substance.And his princes offred willingly vnto the people, to the Priests and to the Leuites: Hilkiah, and Zechariah, and Iehiel, rulers of the house of God, gaue vnto the Priests for the Passeouer, euen two thousand and sixe hundreth sheepe, and three hundreth bullockes.Conaniah also and Shemaiah and Nethaneel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Ieiel, and Iozabad, chiefe of the Leuites gaue vnto the Leuites for the Passeouer, fiue thousand sheepe, and fiue hundreth bullockes.Thus the seruice was prepared, and the Priests stoode in their places, also the Leuites in their orders, according to the Kings commandement:And they slewe the Passeouer, and the Priests sprinkled the blood with their handes, and the Leuites flayed them.And they tooke away from the burnt offering to giue it according to the deuisions of the families of the children of the people, to offer vnto the Lord, as it is written in the booke of Moses, and so of the bullockes.And they rosted the Passeouer with fire, according to ye custome, but the sanctified things they sod in pots, pannes, and cauldrons, and distributed them quickely to all the people.Afterwarde also they prepared for them selues and for the Priestes: for the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron were occupied in offering of burnt offrings, and the fat vntill night: therefore the Leuites prepared for them selues, and for the Priests the sonnes of Aaron.And the singers the sonnes of Asaph stoode in their standing according to the commandement of Dauid, and Asaph, and Heman, and Ieduthun the Kings Seer: and the porters at euery gate, who might not depart from their seruice: therefore their brethren the Leuites prepared for them.So all the seruice of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keepe the Passeouer, and to offer burnt offerings vpon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandement of King Iosiah.And the children of Israel that were present, kept the Passeouer the same time, and the feast of the vnleauened bread seuen dayes.And there was no Passeouer kept like that, in Israel, from the dayes of Samuel the Prophet: neyther did all the Kings of Israel keepe such a Passeouer as Iosiah kept, and the Priestes and the Leuites, and all Iudah, and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem.This Passeouer was kept in the eighteenth yeere of the reigne of Iosiah.After all this, when Iosiah had prepared the Temple, Necho King of Egypt came vp to fight against Carchemish by Perath, and Iosiah went out against him.But he sent messengers to him, saying, What haue I to doe with thee, thou King of Iudah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house of mine enemie, and God commanded me to make haste: leaue of to come against God, which is with me, least he destroy thee.But Iosiah would not turne his face from him, but changed his apparel to fight with him, and hearkened not vnto the wordes of Necho, which were of the mouth of God, but came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.And the shooters shot at king Iosiah: then the King saide to his seruants, Cary me away, for I am very sicke.So his seruants tooke him out of that charet, and put him in the seconde charet which he had, and when they had brought him to Ierusalem, he dyed, and was buryed in the sepulchres of his fathers: and all Iudah and Ierusalem mourned for Iosiah.And Ieremiah lamented Iosiah, and al singing men and singing women mourned for Iosiah in their lamentations to this day, and made the same for an ordinance vnto Israel: and beholde, they be written in the lamentations.Concerning the rest of the actes of Iosiah and his goodnesse, doing as it was written in the Lawe of the Lord,And his deedes, first and last, behold, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Israel and Iudah. Then the people of the lande tooke Iehoahaz the sonne of Iosiah, and made him king in his fathers steade in Ierusalem.Iehoahaz was three and twentie yeere old when he began to reigne, and he reigned three moneths in Ierusalem.And the King of Egypt tooke him away at Ierusalem, and condemned the lande in an hundreth talents of siluer, and a talent of gold.And the King of Egypt made Eliakim his brother King ouer Iudah and Ierusalem, and turned his name to Iehoiakim: and Necho tooke Iehoahaz his brother, and caryed him to Egypt.Iehoiakim was fiue and twentie yeere old, when he began to reigne, and he reigned eleuen yeere in Ierusalem, and did euill in the sight of the Lord his God.Against him came vp Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and bounde him with chaines to cary him to Babel.Nebuchadnezzar also caryed of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babel, and put them in his temple at Babel.Concerning the rest of the actes of Iehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was founde vpon him, behold, they are written in the booke of the Kings of Israel and Iudah, and Iehoiachin his sonne reigned in his stead.Iehoiachin was eight yeere olde when he beganne to reigne, and he reigned three moneths and ten dayes in Ierusalem, and did euill in the sight of the Lord.And when the yeere was out, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babel with the precious vessels of the house of the Lord, and he made Zedekiah his brother King ouer Iudah and Ierusalem.Zedekiah was one and twentie yeere olde, when he beganne to reigne, and reigned eleuen yeere in Ierusalem.And he did euill in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himselfe before Ieremiah the Prophet at the commandement of the Lord,But he rebelled moreouer against Nebuchadnezzar, which had caused him to sweare by God: and he hardened his necke and made his heart obstinate that he might not returne to the Lord God of Israel.All the chiefe of the Priestes also and of the people trespassed wonderfully, according to all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord which he had sanctified in Ierusalem.Therefore the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising earely and sending: for he had compassion on his people, and on his habitation.But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his wordes, and misused his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and till there was no remedie.For he brought vpon them the King of the Caldeans, who slewe their yong men with the sworde in the house of their Sanctuarie, and spared neither yong man, nor virgin, ancient, nor aged. God gaue all into his hande,And all the vessels of the house of God great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the King, and of his princes: all these caryed he to Babel.And they burnt the house of God, and brake downe the wall of Ierusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and all the precious vessels thereof, to destroy all.And they that were left by the sworde, caryed he away to Babel, and they were seruants to him and to his sonnes, vntill the kingdome of the Persians had rule,To fulfill the worde of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremiah, vntill the lande had her fill of her Sabbaths: for all the dayes that she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seuentie yeeres.But in the first yeere of Cyrus King of Persia (when the worde of the Lord, spoken by the mouth of Ieremiah, was finished) the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia, and he made a proclamation through all his kingdome, and also by writing, saying,Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, All the kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord God of heauen giuen me, and hath commanded me to build him an house in Ierusalem, that is in Iudah. Who is among you of all his people, with whom the Lord his God is? let him goe vp.