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The 25th Chapter
Amaziah was twenty five years
old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty nine years in
Jerusalem. His mothers name was Jehoiadan of Jerusalem. And he did
that pleased the Lord: but not with the whole heart. And as soon as
he was settled in the kingdom, he slew them that killed the king his
father. But he slew not their children as it is written in the law,
even in the book of Moses to whom the Lord commanded saying: the
fathers shall not die for the childrens causes, nor the children for
the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. And Amaziah
gathered Juda together and made captains over thousands and over
hundreds in the houses of their fathers throughout all Juda and
Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years and above, and
found them three hundred thousand lusty men able to go to battle,
and that could handle spear and shield. And he hired thereto an
hundred thousand fighting men out of Israel, for an hundred talents
of silver.
But there came a man of God to him and said: king, let not the
army of Israel go with thee: for the Lord is not with Israel neither
with any of the house of Ephraim. Or else if thou needs wilt, then
go and do it, and make thyself strong to battle: and thou shalt see,
that God shall make thee fall before thine enemies. For God hath
power to help or to cast down. And Amaziah said again to the man of
God, what shall we do then, for the hundred talents which I have
given unto the host of Israel? And the man of God said: the Lord is
able to give thee much more than that.
And then Amaziah severed that army that was come to him out of
Ephraim, to go home again. Wherefore they were exceeding wroth with
Juda, and returned to their own home in great anger.
And Amaziah took heart and carried out his host and went to
Saltdale. Where he slew of the children of Seir ten thousand. And
other ten thousand the children of Juda took alive, and carried them
unto the top of a rock and cast them down from the top of the rock
that they all to burst: but the men of the army which Amaziah had
turned back and would not let go with his people to battle, ran upon
the cities of Juda from Samaria unto Bethhoron and slew three
thousand of them and won much spoil.
And it chanced, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter
of the Edomites, and had brought the Gods of the children of Seir,
he set them up to be his Gods, and bowed himself before them and
burned cense unto them. Wherefore the Lord was wroth with Amaziah
and sent to him a prophet, and said to him: why seekest thou the
Gods of the people which were not able to deliver their own people
out of thine hands? And as the prophet spake to him, he said to the
prophet: have men made thee of the kings counsel? cease, lest thou
be beaten. And the prophet ceased and said: I am sure that God hath
taken counsel to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and
obeyest not my counsel.
Then Amaziah king of Juda took advice and sent to Joas the son
of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu king of Israel and said: come, and let
us see each other. And Joas king of Israel sent again to Amaziah
king of Juda saying: a thistle in Libanon sent to a Cedar tree of
Libanon saying: give thy daughter to my son to wife. But there came
the wild beasts of Libanon and trod down the thistle. Thou thinkest:
see, I have beaten the Edomites, therefore thine heart ariseth to
glorify thyself. Now bide at home: what needeth thee to provoke to
evil, that thou perish and Juda with thee.
But Amaziah rested not: for it came of God, even to deliver
them into the hands of their enemies: and that because they had
sought the Gods of the Edomites. And Joas king of Israel came up:
and they saw either other, both he and Amaziah king of Juda at
Bethsames in Juda. And Juda was put to the worse before Israel, and
fled every man to his tent. And Joas king of Israel took Amaziah
king of Juda the son of Jehoas the son of Ohoziah at Bethsames: and
brought him to Jerusalem, and tare the wall of Jerusalem from the
gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits long. And
he took all the gold and silver and all the Jewels that were found
in the house of God with Obed Edom and the treasure of the kings
house and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
And Amaziah the son of Jehoas king of Juda lived after the
death of Joas son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. The rest
of the acts of Amaziah first and last are written in the book of the
kings of Juda and Israel. And after that time that Amaziah did turn
away from the Lord, they conspired treason against him in Jerusalem:
and he fled to Lachis. Whither they sent after him and slew him
there, and brought him up with horses and buried him with his
fathers in the city of Juda.
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The 26th Chapter
Then all the people of Juda took
Oziah which was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of
his father Amaziah. And he built Eloth and brought it again to Juda
after the king was laid to rest with his fathers. Sixteen years old
was Oziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty two years in
Jerusalem. His mothers name was Jecaliah of Jerusalem. And he did
that pleased the Lord, in all points as did his father Amaziah. And
he sought God while Zachariah the teacher to see God lived: and as
long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.
And he went to battle against the Philistines and brake down
the walls of Geth, and the walls of Jabneh and the walls of Asdod,
and built cities about Asdod and among the Philistines. And God help
him against the Philistines and against the Arabians that dwelt in
Gurbaal, and against the Meunites. And the Ammonites gave tribute to
Oziah, and his name spread abroad even to Egypt: for he played the
man and exceeded. Moreover Oziah built towers in Jerusalem over the
corner gate, and over the valley gate, and over other corners, and
made them strong. And he built towers in the wilderness and digged
many wells. For he had much cattle, both in the valley and also in
the plain: and plowmen and vinedressers in the mountains and in
Carmel, for he loved husbandry.
And Oziah had an host of fighting men that went out to war in
the army and were told and numbered by Jeiel the scribe and Maasiah
an officer, under the hand of Hananiah one of the kings Lords. And
the whole number of the ancient heads of the men of might were two
thousand and six hundred and under the hands of them was the army of
the host, three hundred and seven thousand, and five hundred that
made war with might and strength, to help the king against his
enemies. And Oziah provided them throughout all the host, shields,
spears, helmets, habergeons, bows and slings for stones. And he made
engines in Jerusalem by the craft of artificers to be on the towers
and corners, to shoot arrows and great stones with all. And his name
spread far abroad, for he was wonderfully help, until he was become
mighty.
And in his greatness his heart arose, that he was marred: and
transgressed against the Lord his God. For he went into the temple
of the Lord to burn cense upon the altar of incense. But Asariah the
priest went in after him with four score priests of the Lord that
were bold men. And they stepped to Oziah the king and said to him:
it pertaineth not to thee Oziah to burn cense unto the Lord, but to
the priests the children of Aaron that are consecrate for to burn
incense. Come out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed, and it
shall be no worship to thee before the Lord God.
And Oziah was wroth and had cense in his hand to offer, and in
his indignation against the priest, the leprosy sprang in his
forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, even beside
the incense altar. And Asariah the chief priest with all the other
priests looked upon him: and behold he was a leper in his forehead,
and they vexed him thence. And thereto he was fain to go out,
because the Lord had plagued him. And Oziah the king continued a
leper unto the day of his death and dwelt in an house at liberty:
how be it, he was cast out of the house of the Lord. And Joatham his
son had the governance of the kings house and judged the people of
the land. The rest of the acts of Oziah both first and last, did
Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos write. And when Oziah was laid to
rest with his fathers, they buried him with his fathers in the field
of burial of the kings. For they said: he is a leper. And Joatham
his son reigned in his stead.
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The 27th Chapter
Joatham was
twenty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen
years in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Jerusah the daughter of
Zadoc. And he did that pleased the Lord in all points as did his
father Oziah: save, that he came not to the temple of the Lord, and
that the people did yet corrupt themselves. He built the high gate
of the temple of the Lord, and on the wall Ophel he built much.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Juda, and in the wood
country he built castles and towers.
And he fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and
prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same
year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand quarters of
wheat and as much barley. So much also did the children of Ammon
give him the second year and the third too. And Joatham became
mighty, because he directed his way before the Lord his God.
The rest of the acts of Joatham and all his wars and his ways
are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Juda. He was
twenty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen
years in Jerusalem. And when Joatham was laid to rest with his
fathers, they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son
reigned in his stead.
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The 28th Chapter
Ahaz was twenty years old when
he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he
did not that pleased the Lord, as did his father David: but walked
in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made thereto Baals of metal.
And he offered cense in the valley of the children of Hennon, and
burnt his children in fire after the abomination of the nations
which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And he
offered burnt cense in hillaltars and on mountains and under every
green tree.
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the
king of the Sirians: which beat him and carried away a great
multitude of his captive into Damasco. And thereto he was delivered
into the hand of the king of Israel which slew of his a mighty
slaughter. For Phakeh the son of Romeliah slew in Juda an hundred
and twenty thousand in one day, and all fighting men: and that
because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. And Zechri
a mighty man in mount Ephraim slew Maasiah the kings son and Asrican
the Lord steward of household, and Elcanah that was next to the
king. And the children of Israel took prisoners of their brethren
two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters, and thereto carried
away much spoil of them, and brought it to Samaria.
But there was a prophet of the Lords named Obed which went out
to the host which came to Samaria and said to them: see, because the
Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Juda, he delivered them into
your hands. And ye have slain them with cruelness that reacheth up
to heaven. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Juda and
Jerusalem and to make them bondmen and bondwomen. What other thing
do ye (ye unhappy) then offend the Lord your God. But now hear me,
and deliver the captives again which ye have taken of your brethren:
for the great wrath of the Lord is upon you?
And certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, as
Asariah the son of Johanan, Barachiah the son of Mesimeloth,
Jehezekiah the son of Selum and Amasa the son of Hadalai stood up
against them that came from war, and said unto them: ye shall not
bring in the captives hither. For where we have offended the Lord
already, ye intend to add more to our sins and trespass. For our
trespass is great already, and there is fierce wrath upon Israel:
And upon that the men of arms left the captives and the spoil before
the Lords and all the congregation.
And there arose certain appointed thereto by name, and took
the prisoners and clothed all that were naked among them, of the
spoil, and arrayed them and shoed them and gave them to eat and to
drink and anointed them, and carried all that were feeble of them
upon asses and brought them to Jericho the city of *Paulme trees
fast by their brethren: and then returned to Samaria again.
And at that same time king Ahaz sent unto the kings of Assur
to have help. And the Edomites came yet again and slew of Juda and
carried away some captives. And the Philistines invaded the cities
in the low country and the south of Juda: and took Bethsames, Aialon,
Gaderoth and Socoh with the towns longing thereto, and Thimna with
the towns of the same, and Gimso with her towns, and dwelt therein.
For the Lord brought Juda low, because of Ahaz king of Juda which
made Juda naked and transgressed against the Lord. And Thiglah
Palneser king of Assur came upon him and besieged him, but prevailed
not against him. For Ahaz took away out of the house of the Lord and
out of the kings house and out of the Lords houses, and gave unto
the king of Assur, though it help him not. And thereto in the very
time of his tribulation did king Ahaz trespass yet more against the
Lord. For he offered unto the Gods of them of Damasco which beat him
and said, because the Gods of the Sirians help them, therefore will
I offer to them, that they may help me also. But they were his
destruction and the destruction of all Israel. And Ahaz gathered
together the vessels of the house of God and brake them, and shut up
the doors of the house of the Lord, and made him altars in all
corners of Jerusalem. And in all the cities of Juda city by city he
made hillaltars to burn incense unto other Gods, and angered the
Lord God of his fathers. The rest of his acts and all his ways both
first and last are written in the book of the kings of Juda and
Israel. And when Ahaz was laid to rest with his fathers, they buried
him in the city of Jerusalem: but brought him not unto the
sepulchers of the kings of Juda. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his
stead.
*Paulme tree: is the exact spelling, refers palm trees.
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The 29th Chapter
Hezekiah began to reign when he
was twenty five years old, and reigned twenty nine years in
Jerusalem. And his mothers name was Abiah the daughter of Zachariah.
And he did that was right in the sight of the Lord in all points as
did David his father. He opened the doors of the house of the Lord
in the first year and first month of his reign, and he repaired
them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered
them together into the east street: and said unto them.
Hear me ye Levites: purify yourselves and hallow the house of
the Lord God of your fathers, and bring out the filthiness out of
the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed and done evil
favouredly in the eyes of the Lord our God: and have forsaken him,
and turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and
turned to their backs. And beside that they have shut up the doors
of the porch and quenched the lamps and have neither burned cense
nor offered burntofferings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
Wherefore the wrath of the Lord fell on Juda and Jerusalem:
and he scattered them and made them so thin that men hiss at it,
even as ye see with your eyes. For see, our fathers were overthrown
with the sword and our sons, our daughters and our wives were
carried away captive for the same cause. Now have I in my heart to
strike a covenant with the Lord God of Israel: that his wrath may
cease. Now therefore my sons be not negligent: for the Lord had
chosen you to stand before him, and for to minister and burn
offerings to him.
Then the Levites arose: Nahath the son of Amasai and Joel the
son of Asariah being of the children of the Cahathites: and the sons
of Merari, Kis the son of Abdi and Asariah the son of Jehaleleel:
and of the Gersonites, Joah the son of Simma and Eden the son of
Joah: and of the sons of Elizaphan, Simri and Jeiel: and of the sons
of Asaph, Zachariah and Mathaniah: and of the sons of Heman, Jehiel
and Semei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Semaiah and Oziel. And they
gathered their brethren and purified themselves, and then went at
the commandment of the king by the word of the Lord, for to cleanse
the house of the Lord. And the priests went into the house of the
Lord to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they
found in the temple of the Lord, and in the court of the house of
the Lord. And the Levites took it and carried it out into the brook
Cedron. They began the first day of the first month to purify, and
came the eighth day to the porch of the Lord: so that they had
purged the house of the Lord in eight days in the sixteenth day of
the first month they made an end.
And then they went into Hezekiah the king and said: we have
cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burntofferings
with all his vessels, and the showbread table with all his apparel:
and thereto all the vessels which king Ahaz did cast aside when he
reigned and transgressed, them we have repaired and sanctified: and
see, they are before the altar of the Lord. And Hezekiah the king
rose early and gathered the Lords of the city and went up to the
house of the Lord. And there were brought seven oxen, seven rams,
seven lambs and seven kids to be a sinoffering for the kingdom, for
the sanctuary and for Juda. And he commanded the priests the sons of
Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord.
And they slew the oxen: and the priests received the blood and
sprinkled it on the altar: and they slew the rams and sprinkled the
blood upon the altar: and they slew the lambs and sprinkled the
blood upon the altar. And then they brought forth the kids of the
sin offering before the king and the congregation which put their
hands upon them. And the priests slew them and offered the blood of
them upon the altar, to make satisfaction for all Israel: for the
king said: that the burntoffering and the sinoffering should serve
for all Israel. And they set the Levites in the house of the Lord
with cymbals, psalteries and harps according to the commandments of
David and of Gad the kings sear of visions and of Nathan the
prophet. For so was the commandment of the Lord through the hand of
his prophets. And so the Levites stood with the instruments of
David, and the priests with trumpets. And Hezekaih commanded to
offer the burntoffering upon the altar. And when the burntoffering
began, the song of the Lord began, and the trumpets with the
instruments of David king of Israel. And all the congregation bowed
themselves, and the singers sang, and the trumpets blew, and
continued until the burntoffering was finished.
And when they had made an end of the burntoffering, the king
and all that were with him kneeled down and bowed themselves and
gave praise and thanks. And Hezekiah the king and the lords bade the
Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the
sear of visions. And the Levites praised that they rejoiced again,
and the other stooped and bowed themselves.
And Hezekiah answered and said: now that ye have filled your
hands to the Lord, go to and bring in the sacrifices and
thankofferings into the house of the Lord. And the congregation
brought in the sacrifices and thankofferings, and all that were
willing brought burntofferings. And the number of the burntofferings
which the congregation brought in was seventy oxen and an hundred
rams and two hundred lambs: and all for burntofferings to the Lord.
And beside that they dedicated six hundred oxen and three thousand
sheep.
But the priests were too few, and were not able to slay all
the burntofferings. Wherefore their brethren the Levites help them
till the work was ended, and until the priests were sanctified. For
the Levites were purer hearted to sanctify themselves then the
priests. And thereto the burntofferings were many with the fat of
the peaceofferings and the drinkofferings that belonged to the
burntofferings. And so the service pertaining to the house of the
Lord went forward. And Hezekiah rejoiced and all the people, that
God had made the folk so ready: for the thing was suddenly done.
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The 30th Chapter
And Hezekiah
sent to all Israel and Juda: and thereto wrote letters to Ephraim
and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at
Jerusalem, to offer passover unto the Lord God of Israel. And the
king held a counsel with his Lords and all the congregation at
Jerusalem to keep the feast of passover in the second month. For
they could not keep it at that time: for there were not priests
enough sanctified, neither was the people gathered together to
Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
And they decreed that it should be proclaimed throughout all Israel
from Bersabe to Dan, that they should come and hold the feast of the
passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not
often done it, as it is written how they should.
And the messengers went with letters of the hand of the king
and of his Lords throughout all Israel and Juda, at the commandment
of the king which said: children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord
God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and so will he turn to the remnant
of you that are escaped out of the hands of the king of Assur. And
be ye not like your fathers and your brethren which trespassed
against the Lord of your fathers, which therefore gave them up that
they are wasted as ye see. Wherefore be not stiff necked like unto
your fathers, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and come to his
holy place which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve the Lord
your God, that his wrath may turn from you. For if ye turn unto the
Lord, then your brethren and your children shall find compassion in
the presence of them that hold them captive, that they may come
again unto this land: for the Lord your God is full of mercy and
compassion, and will not turn his face from you, if ye turn again to
him.
And the posts went from city to city throughout the land of
Ephraim and Manasseh and even unto Zabulon. But they laughed them to
scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless yet diverse of Asser, Manasseh
and of Zabulon meekened themselves and came to Jerusalem. And
thereto the hand of God was in Juda, to make them of one accord to
do the commandment of the king and the captains, which was according
to the word of the Lord. And so there assembled to Jerusalem much
people and a mighty great congregation, to hold the feast of sweet
bread in the second month.
And they arose and put away the altars that were in Jerusalem.
And thereto all the incense they did away and cast them into the
brook Cedron. And they slew passover the fourteenth day of the
second month. And the priests and Levites sanctified themselves for
shame, and brought in the burntofferings into the house of the Lord.
And they stood in their standing after their manner according to the
law of Moses the man of God. And the priests sprinkled the blood
receiving it of the hands of the Levites. And because there were
many in the congregation that were not sanctified: and therefore did
the Levites slay passover for all that were not clean to sanctify
them to the Lord.
There was very much people out of Ephraim, Manasseh, Jsakar
and Zabulon that were not clean, and therefore did eat passover
otherwise than writing specifieth. But Hezekiah prayed for them and
said: the good Lord be merciful to all that set their hearts to seek
the God that is the Lord God of their fathers, though they do it not
according to the cleanness of the holy place. And the Lord heard
Hezekiah and healed the people. And so the children of Israel that
were found at Jerusalem, held the feast of sweet bread seven days
with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the
Lord day by day with loud instruments.
And Hezekiah spake heartily unto the Levites that had good
understanding of the Lord. And they did eat that feast seven days
long and offered peaceofferings and thanked the Lord God of their
fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep seven days
more: and they held those seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah
king of Juda gave for heaveofferings to the congregation a thousand
oxen and seven thousand sheep. And the Lords gave to the
congregation for heaveofferings a thousand oxen and ten thousand
sheep. And the priests sanctified themselves, that they were enough.
And all the congregation of Juda with the priests and Levites,
and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers,
both that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Juda,
rejoiced: and there was great joy in Jerusalem. For since the time
of Salomon the son of David king of Israel it happened not so in
Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the
people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer went up unto his
holy dwelling place heaven.
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The 31st Chapter
And when
they had finished all this: then all Israel that were found in
cities of Juda, went out and brake the Images and cut down the
groves, and all to brake the hillaltars and the other altars
throughout all Juda and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, until they
had made an end of them. And afterward all the children of Israel
returned every man to his possession in their own cities.
And Hezekiah set the priests and the Levites in their order to
wait by course, every man according to his office whether priest or
Levite: for the burntofferings and peaceofferings, and to minister
and to thank and to pray in the gates of the lodge of the Lord. And
the king gave a portion of his substance for burntofferings at
morning and even, and for burntofferings on the Sabbath days and new
moons and other solemn feasts, according as it is written in the law
of the Lord. And he bade the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give
the part of the priests and Levites, that they might be maintained
in the law of the Lord. And as soon as the word came abroad the
children of Israel brought abundance of first fruits of corn, wine,
oil and honey, and of all manner of fruits of the field: and the
tithes of all manner of things brought they in plenteously. And the
children of Israel and Juda that dwelt in the cities of Juda, they
also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheep, and tithes of dedicate
things which were dedicated to the Lord their God, and put them on
heaps. In the third month they began to lay the heaps and finished
them the seventh.
And when Hezekiah and the Lords came and saw the heaps, they
blessed the Lord and his people Israel. And Hezekiah questioned with
the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the
chief priest of the house of Zadock answered him and said since they
began to bring the heaveofferings into the house of the Lord, we
have eaten and had enough, and yet left abundance, for the Lord hath
blessed his people and thereof is this heap left. And Hezekiah bade
dress up the store houses about the house of the Lord. And so they
did, and carried in the heaveofferings and the tithes and the
dedicate gifts even of fidelity.
Over which Chonaniah the Levite had the rule with Semei his
brother next to him. And Jehiel, Asariah, Nahath, Asael, Jerimoth,
Josabad, Eliel, Jesmachiah, Mahath and Bananiah were overseers
ordained by Chonaniah and Semei his brother, at the appointment of
Hezekiah the king, and Asariah the ruler of the house of God. And
Chore the son of Jemma the Levite porter of the East door had the
oversight of the freewill offerings of God, to give heaveofferings
unto the Lord, and was over things most holy. And under him were
Eden, Miniamin, Jesua, Semeiah, Amariah and Secheniah, in the cities
of the priests of their fidelity, to give to their brethren their
portions, as well to the small as to the great.
And to the males also that were reckoned from three year and
above among all that went into the house of the Lord day by day, to
do service and to wait by course. And to the priests that were
reckoned in the households of their fathers from twenty years and
above, to wait when their courses came. And to them that were
reckoned throughout all their babes, wives, sons and daughters
throughout all the congregation. For to the fidelity of them did men
commit their sanctified gifts. And thereto among the children of
Aaron the priests were men named by name in the fields of the
suburbs of all their cities, city by city, for to give portions to
all the males of the priests and to all that were reckoned among the
Levites.
And of this manner did Hezekiah throughout all Juda, and did
that was good, right and truth, before the Lord his God. And in all
the works that he began in the service of the house of God, to seek
his God after the law and commandment, that did he with all his
heart, and prospered. |
Chapters 1-7
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8-16 |
17-24 |
25-31 |
32-end |
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