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The 8th Chapter
And after twenty years when
Salomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house: he built
the cities that Hiram gave him, and put of the children of Israel in
them. And Salomon went to Hemath Zobah and strengthened it. And he
built Thadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities which he
built in Hemath. And he built Bethhoron the upper and Bethhoron the
nether, and made them strong cities with walls, gates and bars. And
Baalath and all the store cities that Salomon had, and all the
chariot cities and the cities of Horsemen, and all that Salomon had
*lust to build in Jerusalem and Libanon, and throughout all the land
of his dominion.
And all the people that were left of the Hethites, Amorites,
Pheresites, Hevites and Jebusites, which were not of the children of
Israel: even the children of them, which were left after them in the
land, and were not consumed of the children of Israel, them did
Salomon make tributaries unto this day. But of the children of
Israel did Salomon make no bondmen in his work: but they were men of
war and rulers and great Lords with him, and captains over his
chariots and Horsemen. And king Salomons officers that oversaw and
ruled the people, were two hundred and fifty.
And Salomon brought the daughter of Pharao out of the city of
David into the house that he had made for her. For he said: my wife
shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for it is
holy, because the Ark of the Lord came into it.
And from thenceforth Salomon offered burntofferings unto the
Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built before the porch to
offer day by day according to the commandment of Moses, and in the
sabbaths and new moons, and the three solemn feasts of the year, the
feast of sweetbread, the feast of weeks and the feast of booths.
And Salomon put the sorts of priests in companies as David his
father had ordered them, unto the offices, and the Levites unto
their wait, for to praise and minister before the priests day by
day, and the porters by course at every gate. For so had David the
man of God commanded. And the commandment of the king unto the
priests and the Levites concerning whatsoever cause it was, and
concerning the treasures, was not disobeyed.
And all the work of Salomon went lustily forward even unto the
day of the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid: and from
thence till he had finished it, that the house of the Lord was
perfect. And then went king Salomon to Azion Gaber and to Eloth and
to the seas side in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent him by the hand
of his servants, ships and servants that could skill of the sea:
Which went with the servants of Salomon to Ophir, and brought thence
four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought it to king
Salomon.
*lust
(earnest desire)
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The 9th Chapter
And the queen of Saba heard of
the fame of Salomon and came to prove him with riddles at Jerusalem,
with a very great company, and with camels that bare sweet odors and
plenty of gold and precious stone. And when she was come to Salomon,
she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Salomon
*soiled her all her questions, that there was nothing hid from
Salomon, which he told her not.
And when the queen of Saba had seen the wisdom of Salomon and
the house that he had built, and the meat of his table and the
sitting of his servants and the standing of his waiters, and their
apparel, and his butlers with their apparel, and his parlor out of
which he went into the house of the Lord, there was no more heart in
her.
And then she said to the king: the saying which I heard in
mine own land, of thine acts and of thy wisdom, is truth. But I
believed not the words of them, until I came and mine eyes had seen
it. And see, the one half of thy wisdom was not told me: thou
exceedest the same that I heard, happy are thy men, and happy are
these thy servants which stand before thee always and hear thy
wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God which had lust to thee, to make
thee king on his seat, unto the Lord thy God. Because thy God loved
Israel, to make them continue ever, therefore made he the king over
them to do right and equity.
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold,
and of sweet odors an exceeding great abundance with precious
stones, that there was no such sweet odors as the queen of Saba,
gave king Salomon. And thereto the servants of Hiram and the
servants of Salomon which brought gold from Ophir, brought also
Algume wood and precious stones. And the king made of the Algume
wood stairs for the house of the Lord and in the kings palace, and
harps and psalteries for singers. And there was no such wood seen
before in the land of Juda. And king Salomon gave to the queen of
Saba all her desire that she asked above that she brought unto the
king. And so she turned and went away unto her own land with her
servants.
The sum of gold that came to Salomon in one year, was six
hundred and sixty six talents of gold, besides that which chapmen
and merchants brought, and all the kings of Arabia and dukes of
countries brought gold and silver to Salomon. And king Salomon made
two hundred bucklers of gold, six hundred sickles of beaten gold to
a buckler: and three hundred shields of Beaten gold, three hundred
sickles of gold to a shield, and he put them in the house of the
forest of Libanon.
And the king made a great seat of Ivory and overlaid it with
pure gold. And there were six steps to the seat with a footstool of
gold fastened to the seat: and pommels on each side of the sitting
place, and two lions standing by the pommels. And twelve lions stood
one side and on the other, upon six steps, and there was no such in
any kingdom.
And all the drinking vessels of king Salomon were gold, and
all the vessels of the house of the forest of Libanon, were pure
gold. And as for silver, it was counted nothing worth in the days of
Salomon. For the kings ships went to Tharsis with the servants of
Hiram every three years once. And the ships of Tharsis brought gold,
silver, the teeth of elephants, apes and peacocks.
And king Salomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches
and wisdom. And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of
Salomon, to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. And they
brought every man his present in vessels of silver and vessels of
gold, and raiment, harness, sweet odors, horses and mules year by
year.
And Salomon had four thousand mangers of horses and chariots
for them, and twelve thousand horsemen. And he bestowed them in the
chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. And he reigned over
all the kings from Euphrates unto the land of the Philistines and to
the borders of Egypt. And the king made silver in Jerusalem as
plenteous as stones, and Cedar trees as plenteous as the mulberry
trees that grow in the valleys. And Salomon had horses brought him
out of Egypt and out of all lands.
And the rest of the acts of king Salomon both first and last
are written in the book of Nathan the Prophet and in the prophecy of
Ahiah the Silonite and in the visions of Jadi the sear of visions
against Jeroboam the son of Nabat. And when Salomon had reigned in
Jerusalem upon all Israel forty years, he laid him to rest with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
*soiled:
to resolve; clear up ; explain ; may be that planting of the seed of
wisdom.
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The 10th Chapter
And Rehoboam went to Sichem: for
to Sichem were all Israel come to make him king. And when Jeroboam
the son of Nabat, being in Egypt heard it (for he was fled for fear
of Salomon the king) he returned out of Egypt. And they sent and
called him. And so Jeroboam and all Israel came and communed with
Rehoboam and said. Thy father made us a grievous yoke: but remit
thou somewhat of the grievous service of thy father and of his heavy
yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. And he said to
them: come again after three days to me. And the people departed.
And king Rehoboam counselled with elders that stood before
Salomon his father, while he lived, and said: what counsel give ye
me, to answer this people again? And they told him saying: if thou
shalt be kind to this people and please them and shalt speak loving
words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. But he left the
counsel which the elders gave him, and took counsel with the young
men that were nursed up with him and had stand in his presence, and
said to them: what advice give ye that I may answer this people
which have communed with me saying: *Abate somewhat of the yoke
which thy father did put upon us.
And the young men that were nursed up with him talked with him
saying: thus answer the people that spake to thee saying. Thy father
made our yoke heavy: But make thou our yoke somewhat lighter. Thus
wise answer them: my little finger shall be heavier than thy fathers
loins. For where my father put a heavy yoke upon you I will put more
thereto, and where my father chastised you with whips I will
chastise you with scorpions.
And when Jeroboam and all Israel were come the third day, as
the king bade saying: come again to me the third day. The king
answered them cruelly, for king Rehoboam left the counsel of the
aged men, and answered them after the advice of the young men
saying. If my father made your yoke grievous, I will add thereto,
and where my father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you
with scorpions. And so the king hearkened not unto the people, for
the turning away was of God, that the Lord might make good his
saying which he spake by the hand of Ahiah the Silonite to Jeroboam
the son of Nabat.
And when all Israel saw that the King would not hear them, the
people answered the king saying: what part have we with David or
inheritance with the son of Isai? let every man of Israel go to his
tent. And now David see to thine own house. And thereupon all Israel
gat them to their tents, so that Rehoboam reigned over no more of
the children of Israel than dwelt in the cities of Juda. Then king
Rehoboam sent to them Haburam that was over the tribute, and the
children of Israel stoned him with stones that he died. But king
Rehoboam made speed and gat him up in his chariot to fly to
Jerusalem. And so Israel departed from the house of David unto this
day.
*Abate
(make less)
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The 11th Chapter
And when Rehobam was come to
Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of David and Benjamin to the
number of nine score thousand choice men of war to fight with
Israel, for to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. But the word of
the Lord came to Semeiah the man of God saying: speak unto Rehoboam
the son of Salomon king of Juda and to all Israel that are in Juda,
and to Benjamin and say: thus saith the Lord. Go not nor fight with
your brethren: But return every man to his house, for this thing is
done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord and returned from
going against Jeroboam.
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built strong cities in
Juda: as Bethlehem, Etam and Thekuah: Bethzur, Socho and Odollam:
Geth, Maresah and Ziph: Adurahim, Lachis and Asecah: Zarah Aialon
and Hebron. Which were the strong cities of Juda and Benjamin. And
when he had repaired such strong cities, he put captains in them and
store of victuals, and of oil and wine. And he ordained in all
cities shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And so
Juda and Benjamin were under him.
And the priests and Levites that were in all Israel resorted
to him, out of all their coasts. In so much that the Levites left
their Suburbs and possessions and came to Juda and Jerusalem: for
Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering unto the
Lord. And he ordained him priests of hillaltars both to field devils
and also to the calves which he had made. And after them there came
of all the tribes of Israel ( such as their hearts moved them to
seek the Lord God of Israel ) to Jerusalem to offer unto the Lord
God of their fathers. And so they strengthened the kingdom of Juda
and made Rehoboam the son of Salomon mighty three years long, for
three years they walked in the way of David and Salomon.
And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the
son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of
Isai, which bare him children: Jeus, Samariah and Zaham. And after
her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom which bare him Abiah,
Ethai, Ziza and Salumith. But Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of
Absalom above all his wives and concubines for he took eighteen
wives and three score concubines, and begat three score daughters
and twenty eight sons. And Rehoboam made Abiah the son of Maacah the
chief ruler among his brethren, for to make him king. And he played
wisely and scattered of all his children throughout all the
countries of Judah and Benjamin in every strong city. And he gave
them abundance of victuals, and asked many wives.
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The 12th Chapter
And when Rehoboam had stablished
the kingdom, and made it strong, he forsook the law of the Lord, and
all Israel with him, wherefore the fifth year of king Rehoboam,
Sesak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because they had
transgressed against the Lord with twelve hundred chariots and three
score thousand horsemen. And the people were without number that
came with him out of Egypt, with them of Libia, and the Succhites
and the blackmoors. And they took the strong cities that were in
Juda and came to Jerusalem.
Then came Semeiah the Prophet to Rehoboam and to the Lords of
Juda that were gathered to Jerusalem for fear of Sesak, and said to
them: thus saith the Lord, ye have left me, and therefore will I
leave you also in the hands of Sesak. Whereupon the Lords of Israel
and the king humbled themselves and said: the Lord is righteous. And
when the Lord saw that they submitted themselves, the word of the
Lord came to Semeiah saying: they meek themselves, and therefore I
will not destroy them. But I will deliver them somewhat, and my
wrath shall not fall upon Jerusalem. Neverthelater they shall be his
servants, to know what difference is between my service and the
service of the kingdoms of other lands.
And Sesak king of Egypt came to Jerusalem and took away the
treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the kings
house, and shortly he took all. And he took also the shields of gold
which Salomon made. Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of
brass, and put them in the keeping of the captains of his guard
which waited in the gate of the kings house. And as oft as the king
went to the house of the Lord, the guard went and fetched them, and
brought them again unto the guard chamber. And so because he humbled
himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, and destroyed not
all together. And thereto there were many good things yet in Juda.
And king Rehoboam waxed mighty in Jerusalem and reigned. And
Rehoboam was forty one years old when he was made king, and he
reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem the city which the Lord had
chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. And
his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonite. And he did evil: for he
prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.
The acts of Rehoboam first and last are written in the sayings
of Semeiah the Prophet and of Ado the sear of visions, so much as
his genealogy and the perpetual war that was between Rehoboam and
Jeroboam during their life. And Rehoboam laid him to sleep with his
fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abiah his son
reigned in his stead.
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The 13th Chapter
The eighteenth year of king
Jeroboam began Abiah to reign over Juda, and he reigned three years
in Jerusalem. His mothers name was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of
Gabaah. And there was war between Abiah and Jeroboam. And Abiah made
a battle with an Host of fighting men of four hundred thousand
chosen men. And Jeroboam put in array to fight against him, with
eight hundred thousand picked men and strong.
And Abiah stood up upon Zemaraim an hill in mount Ephraim and
said: hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel. Becometh it not you to
know how the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom of Israel to David
for ever, even to him and to his sons, with a salted covenant. But
Jeroboam the son of Nabat the servant of Salomon the son of David,
rebelled against the Lord. And there gathered to him lewd men and
unthrifties, and prevailed against Rehoboam the son of Salomon: for
Rehoboam was young and tender hearted and not strong enough for
them.
And now ye think to prevail against the kingdom of the Lord in
the hand of the sons of David, because ye be a great multitude and
have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for Gods.
And have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron,
and the Levites, and have made you priests like the nations of other
lands: even whosoever cometh and filleth his hand with an ox and
seven rams, the same is made priest to them that are no Gods.
But with us is the Lord our God whom we have not forsaken, and
the priests of the sons of Aaron ministering unto the Lord, and the
Levites in office, burning unto the Lord every morning and every
evening burntofferings and sweet cense: and the showbread put in
order upon a pure table: and the candlestick of gold with the lamps
of the same, to be lighted every evening. For we keep the watch of
the Lord our God: but ye have forsaken him. Moreover see, God is
with us in the forward, and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to
cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel fight not with the Lord
God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you.
But for all that Jeroboam sent men privily above to come
behind upon them: and so they were before Juda, and the layers in
wait were behind them. And when Juda turned and saw the battle
behind and before, they cried unto the Lord, and the priests blew
the trumpets and the men of Juda gave a shout. And as the men of
Juda shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abiah and
Juda. And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord
delivered them into the hands of Juda. And Abiah and his people slew
a great slaughter of them: so that there were stricken down dead of
Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. And so the children of
Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Juda
prevailed: because they leaned unto the Lord God of their fathers.
And Abiah followed after Jeroboam and won certain cities from him:
Bethel with the towns belonging thereto, and Jesanah with the towns
that longed thereto, and Ephron with her towns. And Jeroboam
recovered not strength again in the days of Abiah. And at the last
the Lord plagued him, that he died.
And Abiah waxed mighty, and took him fourteen wives, and begat
twenty two sons and sixteen daughters. The rest of the acts of Abiah
and his ways and his doings are written in the story of the Prophet
Ado. And when Abiah was laid to sleep with his fathers, they buried
him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In
whose days the land was quiet ten years.
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The 14th Chapter
And Asa did that was good and
right in the eyes of the Lord his God, and took away the altars of
strangers and the hillaltars, and brake the Images and cut down the
groves, and commanded Juda to seek the Lord God of their fathers,
and to do according to the law and commandment. And he put away out
of all the cities of Juda, the hillaltars and the idols: for the
kingdom was quiet before him. And he built strong cities in Juda:
because the land was in rest, and he had no war in those years. For
the Lord had given him rest.
And therefore he said to Juda: let us build these cities and
compass them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while we have
the land quiet. For we have fought the Lord our God: and because we
have fought him, he hath given us rest on every side. And so they
built and prospered. And Asa had an Army that bare shield and spear,
out of Juda three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin that bare
shield and drew bows two hundred and eighty thousand, and were all
strong men.
And there came out against them Zarah the Morian with an Host
of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred chariots, and came as far
of Maresa. And Asa went out to him, and they put in array to battle
in the valley of Zephatah beside Maresa. And Asa cried unto the Lord
his God and said: Lord, it is all one with thee to help them that
have no power, with few or with many: help us O' Lord our God, for
we trust to thee, and in thine name be come against this multitude.
Thou art the Lord our God. let not man prevail against thee.
And the Lord smote the black Moors before Asa and Juda, that
they fled. And Asa and the people that was with him, followed after
them as far as Gerar. And the black Moors were overthrown, that
there bode none alive of them, but were destroyed of the Lord and of
his Host. And they carried away a mighty great prey. And they smote
all the cities round about Gerar. For the fear of the Lord came upon
them. And they robbed all the cities for there was exceeding much to
be robbed in them. And thereto they smote the tents of cattle and
carried away plenty of sheep and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.
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The 15th Chapter
And the spirit of God came upon
Azariah the son of Obed. And he went out against Asa and said to
him: hear me Asa and all Juda and Benjamin. The Lord is with you,
while ye be with him, and if ye shall seek him, he will be found of
you: but and if ye shall forsake him, he will forsake you. There
will come many days in Israel, in which there shall be no true God
nor priest that teacheth, nor any law. And in their tribulation they
shall turn unto the Lord God of Israel and shall seek him, and he
shall be found of them. And in those days there shall be no peace to
them that go out and in. But great vexation upon the inhabitors of
all lands. For one nation shall destroy another, and one city
another: for God will trounce them with all adversity. But pluck you
up your hearts and let not your hands faint, for your works shall be
rewarded.
When Asa heard those words and the prophecy of Azariah the son
of Obed the Prophet, he took courage and put away the abominations
out of all the land of Juda and Benjamin, and out of the cities
which he won in mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord
that was before the porch of the Lord. And he gathered all Juda and
Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasse and
Simeon. For there fell many to him out of Israel, when they saw that
God was with him. And they assembled at Jerusalem the third month of
the fifteen year of the reign of Asa. And they offered unto the Lord
that same time of the spoil which they had brought seven hundred
oxen and seven thousand sheep.
And they made a covenant to seek the Lord God of their
fathers, with all their hearts and all their souls: so that all that
sought not the Lord God of Israel, should die for it, whether he
were small or great, man or woman. And they sware unto the Lord with
a loud voice and shouting and with trumpets and horns. And all Juda
rejoiced in the oath, for they had sworn with all their hearts, and
sought him with all their lust, and he was found of them. And the
Lord gave them rest round about.
And thereto king Asa put Maacah his mother out of authority,
because she had made an idol in a grove: and brake down her idol and
stamped it and burnt it by the brook Cedron. But they put not the
hillaltars out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was pure all
his life. And he brought into the house of God the dedicate gifts
which he and his father had dedicated in gold, silver and other
Jewels. And there was no more war unto the thirty fifth year of the
reign of Asa.
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The 16th Chapter
In the thirty sixth year of the
reign of Asa, came Baasa king of Israel against Juda and built
Ramah, to the intent that he would let none that pertained to Asa
king of Juda, have passage in and out. Whereupon Asa fetched out
silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of
the kings house, and sent it to Benhadad king of Siria, that dwelt
at Damasco, and said. There is a confederation between me and thee,
and so was between my father and thine, wherefore I have sent thee
silver and gold, that thou go and break thine appointment with Baasa
king of Israel, that he may depart from me. And Benhadad granted
unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his army against the cities
of Israel. And they beat Aion, Dan, Abelmaim and all the store
cities of Nephthali. And when Baasa heard that, he left building of
Ramah and let his work cease. And then Asa the king took all Juda
and carried away and stones and timber of Ramah wherewith Baasa was
abuilding: and he built therewith Gabaa and Mazphah.
At that same time Hanani the sear, came to Asa king of Juda
and said to him: because thou trustedest in the king of Siria, and
trustest not in the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king
of Siria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the black moors and
they of Libia a great host with exceeding many chariots and
horsemen? And yet because thou trustedest in the Lord, he delivered
them into thine hands. For the eyes of the Lord behold all the
earth, to strength the hearts of them that are whole with him.
Herein thou hast done foolishly, and therefore from henceforth thou
shalt have war. Whereupon Asa was wroth with the sear and put him in
the converting house, for he was displeased with him because of
that. Moreover Asa oppressed certain of the people the same season.
The deeds of Asa both first and last, are written in the book
of the kings of Juda and Israel. And the thirty ninth year of his
reign Asa fell sick of his feet, and that his disease exceeded. And
thereto in his sickness he asked no counsel of the Lord, but of
Physicians. And at the last Asa fell on sleep with his fathers and
died when he had reigned fifty one years. And they buried him in his
own sepulcher which he had made in the city of David, and laid him
in the bed which he had filled with sweet odors of diverse kinds,
made by the craft of the apothecaries. And they did exceeding great
cost about burying of him.
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Chapters 1-7
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8-16 |
17-24 |
25-31 |
32-end |
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