3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, Ps.33.11. 18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse ; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachaho the daughter of Absalom, which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 2 But the word of the LORD ƒ Is.22.10,11. came to Shemaiah c the man of g ch.17.19. God, saying, presented 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah themselves. the daughter of Absalom above all Nu.35.2,&c he took eighteen wives, and threehis wives and his concubines: (for score concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) saying, 13.33. 4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall i ch.13.9. not go up, nor fight against your d brethren: return every man to his j 1Ki. 12.31. house fore this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5 T And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, À Le.17.7. De.32.17. / 1Ki. 12.28. m ch.15.9. 9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and n ch.12. 1. Azekah. 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortifiedƒ the strong holds, and put captains g in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side, o 1Ki. 15.2. She is called Mi- 2 a multitude 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel 1re-(CHAP. 12.) sorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left their h sub-a ch.11.17. urbs and their possession, and b 1 Ki. 14.22. came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cDe.32.15, 18. cast them offi from executing the d ch.16.8. priest's office unto the LORD: 15 And lie ordained him priests e ch.11.2. for the high places, and for the 22 And Rehoboam made p Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughont all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired 2 many wives. CHAPTER XII. Rehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished by Shishak. ND it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established a the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, heb forsook c the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, (because they had transgressed against the LORD.) 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, d the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 T Then came Shemaiah e the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem Rehoboam's death. 2 CHRONICLES, XIIL because of Shishak, and said unto B. C. 975. them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye ƒ have forsaken me, and therefore ƒ ch.15.2. have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. g Je. 13.15, 18. Ja.4.6,10. 6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled g them-h Ex.9.27. selves; and they said, The h LORD is righteous. IKI.21.28, 29. 7 And when the LORD saw that; Le.26.41,42. i they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves, therefore j I will not destroy them, but I will grant them 1 some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalemm ch.9. 15, 16. by the hand of Shishak. Is.26.13. De.28.47,48. 8 Nevertheless they shall be his kn 25a.8.18. servants; that they may know my o ch.33.12, 13. service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 2 Is.57.15. or, and yet in Judah there were good things, ch.19.3. Ge. 18.24. 1Ki. 14. 13. 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which m Solomon had made. 3 fixed. 10 Instead of which king Reho-p De.5.29. boam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief n of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house. 11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guardchamber. Eze.33.31. 4 words. q ver.5. r ch.9.29. 1Ki. 14.31, Abijam. (CHAP. 13.) a 1Ki.15.1, 12 And when o he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: 2 and also b ch.11.20. in Judah things went well. &c. 1 bound to 13 T So king Rehoboam strength- gether. ened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned for Rehoboam was one c Jos. 18.22. and forty years old when he began d 2Sa.7.12-16. to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which e Nu. 18. 19. the LORD had chosen out of all the ƒ 1Ki.11.26. tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name g Ju.9.4. was Naamah an Ammonitess. h ch.10.16. 14 And he did evil, because he 3 prepared not his heart p to seek i 1Ki.12.28. the LORD. 12.20. Ho.8.5,6. hand, 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, k ch.11.14, 15. first and last, are they not written 2 fill his in the 4 book of Shemaiah g the prophet, and of Iddor the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and 7 ch.2.4. Jeroboam continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David and Abijahs his son reigned in his stead. Ex.29.1. Le.8.2. m Le.24.5-9. n Ex.27.20, 21. Le.24.2,3. TOW a in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. (His mother's name also wasb Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.) And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah 1 set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour. 4 T And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, c which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons d by a covenant e of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled fagainst his lord. 7 And there are gathered unto him g vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboami was youngh and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them. 8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude and there are with you golden calves, which i Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have ye not cast k out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to 2 consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: 11 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt-sacrifices and sweet incense: the show-bread m also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn n every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. 12 And, behold, God o himself is Abijan's wives. 2 CHRONICLES, XIV, XV. Asa destroyeth idolatry. with us for our captain, p and his B. C. 957. priests with sounding trumpets q to cry alarm against you. O child- o Is.8.10. ren of Israel, r fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. 13 T But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them so they were before Judah, and the ambushiment was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God s smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. P Jos.5.14,15. q Nu. 10.8. Nu.10.8. Jos.6.13-20. Job.9.4. Je.50.24. s ch.14.12. t 1Ch.5.20. Ps.22.5. u Ps. 18.37,38. v 1Sa.25.38. 3 or, com- w ch. 12. 15. (CHAP. 14.) a 1Ki. 15.8, &c. b ch. 15. 17. 1Ki.11.7. 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, 1 statues. because t they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof. 20 Neither did Jeroboam u recover strength again in the days of Abijah and the LORD struck v him, and he died. 21 T But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. c Ex.34.13. sun images. d Jos.23.1. e rs. 105.3,4. Je.29.13. fch. 16.8. g Jos. 15.44. h ch.13.14. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abi-i jah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the 3 story of the prophet Iddo.w CHAPTER XIV. Asa destroyeth idolatry. O a Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: Ex.14.10. Ps. 18.6. 120.1. 1Sa. 14.6. 1Sa. 17.45. Pr. 18.10. or, mortal 3 3 For he took away the altars of (CHAP. 15.) the strange gods, and b the high places, and brake down the a ch.20.14. 1 images, and cut c down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, 1 24.20. Nu.24.2. Ju.3.10. and to do the law and the com- before. mandment. 5 Also he took away, out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the 2 images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 T And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; becaused the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls and towers, gates and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought e the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest or every side. So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour. 9 And ƒ there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian, with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and canie unto Mereshah.g 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried ħ unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee, to help, whether i with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name k we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not 3 man prevail against thee. 12 So the LORD Smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar m and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were 4 destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear n of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned A covenant with God. 2 CHRONICLES, XVI. 941. c ver.4, 15. and said unto him, Hear ye me, 4 But when g they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times h there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was 2 destroyed of nation, i and city of city: for God did k vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye strong I therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 13. 1Ch.28.9. Je.29.12,13. Mat.7.7,8. d ch.24.20. He.10.38. e Ho.3.4. f Le. 10.11. g De.4.29. Ps. 106.44. h Ju.5.6. 1Sa. 13.6. 2 beaten in i Mat.24.7. k Am.3.6. 1Ch.28.20. tions. m ch.13.19. 8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the 3 abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benja-n min, and out of the cities which he had taken m from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the P ch.34.31. LORD. o ch. 14. 13, 15. 2Ki.23.3. 9 Ac.24.14. 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers n with them out of Ephraim and Manas-r Ex.22.20. seh, and out of Simeon: (for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.) De.13.5-15. ver. 12. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third t 1Ki,15.13, month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered unto the LORD 4 the same time, of the spoil o which they had brought, seven hundred oxen, and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant p to seek the LORD God of their q fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That r whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 11 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 5 &c. Hanani reproveth Asa. 16 T And t also concerning Maachah the 5 mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an 8 idol in a grove and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places u were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. 18 T And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. CHAPTER XVI. Asa diverteth Baasha from building of Ramah. IN Na the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent b that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at 1 Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of 2 his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and i. e. grand-Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the mother, store-cities of Naphtali. 1Ki. 15.2,10. 6 horror. u ch. 14:3,5. (CHAP. 16.) a 1Ki. 15.17. b ch.15.5. 5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. 7 T And at that time Hananic the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because d thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians e and the Lubims 3 a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen ? yet, because thou didst rely on the Death of Asa. 2 CHRONICLES, XVII, XVIII. LORD, he delivered them into thine | B. C. 941. hand. Pr.5.21. 9 Forf the eyes of the LORD run ƒ Job 34.21. to and fro throughout the whole earth, 4 to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.g 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prisonhouse; h for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa 5 oppressed some of the people the same time. 15.3. Je. 16. 17. 32.19. Zec.4.10. or, strongly to hold 1Ki.15.32. Je.20.2. 3 crushed. 11 T And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written 6 digged. in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And Asa, in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. 13 T And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. Jehoshaphat's reign. [to Michaiah, to ƒ teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, g even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.h 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them. and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 10 T And the fear i of the LORD 4 fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that k they made no war against Jehoshaphat. (CHAP. 17.)| 11 Also some of the Philistines 1 b ch.15.8. c IKI.12.30. 2 gave. 29.33. 14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had 6 made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and diverse kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art and they made a very great burning for him. CHAPTER XVII. Jehoshaphat succeeding Asa, reigneth g ch.35.3. and prospereth. ed himself against Israel. f ch.15.3. Ne.8.7. ND a Jehoshaphat his son reign-h Mal.2.7. ed in his stead, and strengtheni ch.14.14. 2 And he placed forces in all the 4 was. 'fenced cities of Judah, and set k Ex.34.24. garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which b Asa his father had taken. 3 And the LORD was with Jehosha phat, because he walked in the first ways 1 of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings c of Israel. Pr. 16.7. 1 ver.5. 2Sa.8.2. 5 or, palaces. m ch.26.10, 15. 1Ch.27.25 31. at his hand. 5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah 2 brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches "and | (CHAP. 18.) honour in abundance. 6 And his heart 3 was lifted up in the d ways of the LORD: moreover he e took away the high places and groves out of Judah. a ch.17.5. b 2Ki.8.18. 12 T And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah 5 castles, and cities of store. 13 And m he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. 14 And these are the numbers of them, according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. 15 And 6 next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand. 16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who n willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour. 17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand. 18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced citieso throughout all Judah. CHAPTER XVIII. Jehoshaphat goeth with Ahab against Ramoth-gilead. 2Co.6.14. Nand 1 at the end 7 T Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to c Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and &c. a Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined b affinity with Ahab. 2 And 1 after certain years c he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the |