\id 1KI - Christian Standard Bible® in English
\ide UTF-8
\rem Copyright © 2017-2020 by Holman Bible Publishers
\rem Language: English
\rem Text update February 2024
\toc3 1Kg
\toc2 1 Kings
\toc1 1 Kings
\mt 1 Kings
\c 1
\s1 David’s Last Days
\m
\v 1 Now King David was old and advanced in age.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:4; 1Kg 2:10–11; 1Ch 23:1\+xt*\f* Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:1 \ft \+xt Ec 4:11\+xt*\f*
\v 2 So his servants said to him, “Let us~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft Lit \fqa them\f* search for a young virgin for my lord the king.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:2 \ft \+xt Est 2:2\+xt*\f* She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.”
\v 3 They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:15; 2:17\+xt*\f* the Shunammite~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft Shunem was a town in the hill country of Issachar at the foot of Mt. Moreh; Jos 19:17–18.\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:3 \ft \+xt Jos 19:18; 1Sm 28:4\+xt*\f* and brought her to the king.
\v 4 The girl was of unsurpassed beauty,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:4 \ft \+xt Est 2:7\+xt*\f* and she became the king’s caregiver. She attended to him, but he was not intimate with~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:4 \ft Lit \fqa he did not know\f* her.
\s1 Adonijah’s Bid for Power
\m
\v 5 Adonijah son of Haggith~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:4\+xt*\f* kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!~” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him.~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft Heralds announcing his procession\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:1\+xt*\f*
\v 6 But his father had never once infuriated~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt 1Sm 3:13\+xt*\f* him by asking, “Why did you do that?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt 2Sm 13:21\+xt*\f* In addition, he was quite handsome~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt 2Sm 14:25\+xt*\f* and was born after Absalom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:6 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:3–4\+xt*\f*
\v 7 He conspired~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft Lit \fqa His words were\f* with Joab son of Zeruiah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft \+xt 1Ch 11:6\+xt*\f* and with the priest Abiathar.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft \+xt 1Sm 22:20–23; 2Sm 20:25\+xt*\f* They supported~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:22\+xt*\f* Adonijah,
\v 8 but the priest Zadok,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:25; 1Ch 16:39–40\+xt*\f* Benaiah son of Jehoiada,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:18\+xt*\f* the prophet Nathan,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:2; 2:1–25\+xt*\f* Shimei,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:18\+xt*\f* Rei, and David’s royal guard~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft Lit \fqa David’s warriors\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 23:8–39\+xt*\f* did not side with Adonijah.
\p
\v 9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt Jos 15:7; 18:16; 2Sm 17:17\+xt*\f* He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:9 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:11–12\+xt*\f*
\v 10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the royal guard, or his brother Solomon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:8,26\+xt*\f*
\s1 Nathan’s and Bathsheba’s Appeals
\m
\v 11 Then Nathan~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:11 \ft \+xt 2Sm 12:1,25; 1Kg 1:8,10\+xt*\f* said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:11 \ft \+xt 2Sm 12:24\+xt*\f* “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:11 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:10; 1Kg 1:25; 2:15\+xt*\f* and our lord David does not know it?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:11 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:26; 1Kg 1:18; 2:32\+xt*\f*
\v 12 Now please come and let me advise you.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:12 \ft \+xt Pr 15:22\+xt*\f* Save your life and the life of your son Solomon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:29; 2Kg 10:11\+xt*\f*
\v 13 Go, approach King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:17,30; 1Ch 22:9–13\+xt*\f* So why has Adonijah become king?~’
\v 14 At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:22–27\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:1–4\+xt*\f*
\v 16 Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want?~”
\p
\v 17 She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the \nd Lord\nd* your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’
\v 18 Now look, Adonijah has become king. And,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 1:18 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read \fqa And now\f* my lord the king, you didn’t know it.
\v 19 He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon.
\v 20 Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
\v 21 Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:21 \ft \+xt Dt 31:16; 2Sm 7:12; 1Kg 2:10\+xt*\f* I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:12\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 22 At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:14\+xt*\f*
\v 23 and it was announced to the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came into the king’s presence and paid homage to him with his face to the ground.
\p
\v 24 “My lord the king,” Nathan said, “did you say, ‘Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne’?
\v 25 For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and the priest Abiathar. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!~’
\v 26 But he did not invite me~#—~#me, your servant~#—~#or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon.
\v 27 I’m certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 1:27 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX; alt Hb tradition reads \fqa servants\f* know who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him.”
\s1 Solomon Confirmed King
\m
\v 28 King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.
\v 29 The king swore an oath and said, “As the \nd Lord\nd* lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:29 \ft \+xt 2Sm 4:9\+xt*\f*
\v 30 just as I swore to you by the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:13\+xt*\f* that is exactly what I will do this very day.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:33–35\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 31 Bathsheba knelt low with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:16\+xt*\f* and said, “May my lord King David live forever!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:31 \ft \+xt Neh 2:3; Dn 2:4; 3:9\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 32 King David then said, “Call in the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:8,10,26\+xt*\f* So they came into the king’s presence.
\v 33 The king said to them, “Take my servants~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:33 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:6\+xt*\f* with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:33 \ft \+xt 2Sm 18:9; Est 6:8; Zch 9:9; Jn 12:14–15\+xt*\f* and take him down to Gihon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:33 \ft \+xt 2Ch 32:30; 33:14\+xt*\f*
\v 34 There, the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan are to anoint him as king over Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:34 \ft \+xt 1Sm 10:1; 16:3,13\+xt*\f* You are to blow the ram’s horn~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:34 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:10\+xt*\f* and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!~’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:34 \ft \+xt 1Sm 10:24; 1Kg 1:25\+xt*\f*
\v 35 You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:35 \ft \+xt 1Sm 13:14\+xt*\f* over Israel and Judah.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:35 \ft \+xt 2Sm 2:4; 5:3\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 36 “Amen,” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. “May the \nd Lord\nd*, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:36 \ft \+xt Jr 28:6\+xt*\f*
\v 37 Just as the \nd Lord\nd* was with my lord the king,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:37 \ft \+xt 1Sm 20:13\+xt*\f* so may he~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 1:37 \ft Alt Hb tradition reads \fqa so he will\f* be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:37 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:47\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 38 Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:38 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:18\+xt*\f* went down, had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon.
\v 39 The priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:39 \ft \+xt 1Ch 29:22\+xt*\f* Then they blew the ram’s horn,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:39 \ft \+xt 2Kg 11:14\+xt*\f* and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:39 \ft \+xt 1Sm 10:24\+xt*\f*
\v 40 All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:40 \ft \+xt Ezr 6:16\+xt*\f* that the earth split open from the sound.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 1:40 \ft LXX reads \fqa the land resounded with their noise\f*
\s1 Adonijah Hears of Solomon’s Coronation
\m
\v 41 Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:41 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:5,7–10\+xt*\f* heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn and said, “Why is the town in such an uproar?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:41 \ft \+xt 2Kg 11:12–13\+xt*\f*
\v 42 He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:42 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:27,36\+xt*\f* suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an important man, and you must be bringing good news.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:42 \ft \+xt 2Sm 18:26–27\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 43 “Unfortunately not,” Jonathan answered him. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
\v 44 And with Solomon, the king has sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule.
\v 45 The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king in Gihon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:43–45 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:33–35\+xt*\f* They have gone up from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that’s the noise you heard.
\v 46 Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:46 \ft \+xt 1Ch 29:23\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 47 “The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may he make his throne greater than your throne.’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:47 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:37\+xt*\f* Then the king bowed in worship on his bed.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:47 \ft \+xt Gn 47:31\+xt*\f*
\v 48 And the king went on to say this: ‘Blessed be the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel! Today he has provided one to sit on my throne,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:48 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12; 1Kg 3:6\+xt*\f* and I am a witness.’~”~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 1:48 \ft Lit \fqa and my eyes are seeing\f*
\p
\v 49 Then all of Adonijah’s guests got up trembling and went their separate ways.
\v 50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:50 \ft \+xt Ex 21:12–14; 1Kg 2:28\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 51 It was reported to Solomon, “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 1:51 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read \fqa today\f* swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’~”
\p
\v 52 Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:52 \ft \+xt 1Sm 14:45; 2Sm 14:11; Ac 27:34\+xt*\f* but if evil is found in him, he dies.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 1:52 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:23–25\+xt*\f*
\v 53 So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”
\c 2
\s1 David’s Dying Instructions to Solomon
\m
\v 1 As the time approached for David to die,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:1 \ft \+xt Gn 47:29; Nm 27:13\+xt*\f* he ordered his son Solomon,
\v 2 “As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft \+xt Jos 23:14\+xt*\f* Be strong and be a man,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:2 \ft \+xt Jos 1:6–7,9; 1Sm 4:9\+xt*\f*
\v 3 and keep your obligation to the \nd Lord\nd* your God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:3 \ft \+xt Dt 29:9; 1Ch 22:12–13\+xt*\f* and wherever you turn,
\v 4 and so that the \nd Lord\nd* will fulfill his promise that he made to me: ‘If your sons take care to walk faithfully before me with all their heart and all their soul,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft \+xt Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37\+xt*\f* you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:4 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12–13; 1Kg 8:25; 9:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 5 “You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 18:5,12,14\+xt*\f* and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:27\+xt*\f* and Amasa son of Jether.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:10\+xt*\f* He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 2:5 \ft LXX, Old Lat read \fqa on my waistband and~.~.~. my feet\ft ; v. 31\f*
\v 6 Act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head descend to Sheol in peace.
\p
\v 7 “Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt 2Sm 9:7; 19:28\+xt*\f* because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:7 \ft \+xt 2Sm 19:31–39\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 8 “Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 16:5–13\+xt*\f* But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the \nd Lord\nd*, ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 19:16–23\+xt*\f*
\v 9 So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”
\p
\v 10 Then David rested with his ancestors~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:10 \ft \+xt Ac 2:29; 13:36\+xt*\f* and was buried in the city of David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:10 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:7\+xt*\f*
\v 11 The length of time David reigned over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:11 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:4–5; 1Ch 29:27\+xt*\f*
\v 12 Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:46; 1Ch 17:14\+xt*\f*
\s1 Adonijah’s Foolish Request
\m
\v 13 Now Adonijah son of Haggith~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:5,51–53\+xt*\f* came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peacefully?~”
\p “Peacefully,” he replied,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:13 \ft \+xt 1Sm 16:4–5\+xt*\f*
\v 14 and then asked, “May I talk with you?~”~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:14 \ft Lit \fqa then said, “I have a word for you.”\f*
\p “Go ahead,” she answered.
\p
\v 15 “You know the kingship was mine,”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:11\+xt*\f* he said. “All Israel expected me to be king, but then the kingship was turned over to my brother,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:38–46\+xt*\f* for the \nd Lord\nd* gave it to him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:15 \ft \+xt 1Ch 23:9–10; 28:5,7; Dn 2:21; 4:17; Jn 19:11; Rm 13:1\+xt*\f*
\v 16 So now I have just one request of you; don’t turn me down.”~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:16 \ft Lit \fqa don’t make me turn my face\f*
\p She said to him, “Go on.”
\p
\v 17 He replied, “Please speak to King Solomon since he won’t turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:3–4,15\+xt*\f* as a wife.”
\p
\v 18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
\p
\v 19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:19 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:16; 1Kg 15:13\+xt*\f* So she sat down at his right hand.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:19 \ft \+xt Ps 110:1; Mt 20:21\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 20 Then she said, “I have just one small request of you. Don’t turn me down.”
\p “Go ahead and ask, mother,” the king replied, “for I won’t turn you down.”
\p
\v 21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”
\p
\v 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:6; 1Ch 3:2,5\+xt*\f* you might as well ask the kingship for him,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:22 \ft \+xt 2Sm 16:20–22\+xt*\f* for the priest Abiathar, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 2:22 \ft LXX, Vg, Syr read \fqa kingship for him, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:7\+xt*\f*
\v 23 Then King Solomon took an oath by the \nd Lord\nd*: “May God punish me and do so severely~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:23 \ft \+xt Ru 1:17; 1Sm 3:17\+xt*\f* if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life.
\v 24 And now, as the \nd Lord\nd* lives~#—~#the one who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as he promised~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:24 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:11–13\+xt*\f*~#—~#I swear Adonijah will be put to death today!~”
\v 25 Then King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:8,26,38\+xt*\f* who struck down Adonijah, and he died.
\s1 Abiathar’s Banishment
\m
\v 26 The king said to the priest Abiathar,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:7,19\+xt*\f* “Go to your fields in Anathoth.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:26 \ft \+xt Jos 21:18; Jr 1:1\+xt*\f* Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord \nd God\nd* in the presence of my father David~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:26 \ft \+xt 2Sm 15:24–25,29\+xt*\f* and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:26 \ft \+xt 1Sm 22:20–23; 2Sm 19:11\+xt*\f*
\v 27 So Solomon banished Abiathar from being the \nd Lord\nd*’s priest, and it fulfilled the \nd Lord\nd*’s prophecy he had spoken at Shiloh against Eli’s family.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:27 \ft \+xt 1Sm 2:31–35\+xt*\f*
\s1 Joab’s Execution
\m
\v 28 The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:7\+xt*\f* but not Absalom,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:28 \ft \+xt 2Sm 18:1–5\+xt*\f* Joab fled to the \nd Lord\nd*’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:28 \ft \+xt Ex 21:12–14; 1Kg 1:50\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 29 It was reported to King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the \nd Lord\nd*’s tabernacle and is now beside the altar.”
\p Then Solomon sent~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 2:29 \ft LXX adds \fqa Joab a message: “What is the matter with you, that you have fled to the altar?~” And Joab replied, “Because I feared you, I have fled to the Lord.” And Solomon the king sent\f* Benaiah son of Jehoiada~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:8\+xt*\f* and told him, “Go and strike him down!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:29 \ft \+xt Ex 12:12,14; 2Sm 3:27; 18:14; 20:10\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 30 So Benaiah went to the tabernacle and said to Joab, “This is what the king says: ‘Come out!~’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:30 \ft \+xt Ex 21:14\+xt*\f*
\p But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”
\p So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”
\p
\v 31 The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab shed without just cause.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:31 \ft \+xt Nm 35:33; Dt 21:8–9\+xt*\f*
\v 32 The \nd Lord\nd* will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:32 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:26–27\+xt*\f* son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:32 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:8–10\+xt*\f* son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
\v 33 The responsibility for their deaths will come back to Joab and to his descendants~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 2:33 \ft Lit \fqa Their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his seed\f* forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the \nd Lord\nd* forever.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:33 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:28–29\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 34 Benaiah son of Jehoiada~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:34 \ft \+xt 2Kg 2:25\+xt*\f* went up, struck down Joab, and put him to death. He was buried at his house in the wilderness.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:34 \ft \+xt 2Sm 2:32\+xt*\f*
\v 35 Then the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:35 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:4\+xt*\f* and he appointed the priest Zadok in Abiathar’s place.
\s1 Shimei’s Banishment and Execution
\m
\v 36 Then the king summoned Shimei~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:36 \ft \+xt 2Sm 16:5–13; 1Kg 2:8–9\+xt*\f* and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but don’t leave there and go anywhere else.
\v 37 On the day you do leave and cross the Kidron Valley,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:37 \ft \+xt Jn 18:1\+xt*\f* know for sure that you will certainly die. Your blood will be on your own head.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:37 \ft \+xt Gn 2:17; 2Sm 1:16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 38 Shimei said to the king, “The sentence is fair; your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
\p
\v 39 But then, at the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:39 \ft \+xt 1Sm 27:2\+xt*\f* son of Maacah, king of Gath.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:39 \ft \+xt Jos 13:3; 1Sm 6:16–17; 21:10\+xt*\f* Shimei was informed, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
\v 40 So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath to search for his slaves. He went and brought them back from Gath.
\p
\v 41 It was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.
\v 42 So the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Didn’t I make you swear by the \nd Lord\nd* and warn you, saying, ‘On the day you leave and go anywhere else, know for sure that you will certainly die’? And you said to me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will obey.’
\v 43 So why have you not kept the \nd Lord\nd*’s oath and the command that I gave you?~”
\v 44 The king also said, “You yourself know all the evil that you did to my father David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:44 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:8–9\+xt*\f* Therefore, the \nd Lord\nd* has brought back your evil on your head,
\v 45 but King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain established before the \nd Lord\nd* forever.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:45 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in Solomon’s hand.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 2:46 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:12; 2Ch 1:1\+xt*\f*
\c 3
\s1 The \nd Lord\nd* Appears to Solomon
\m
\v 1 Solomon made an alliance~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft Lit \fqa Solomon made himself a son-in-law\f* with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt Dt 7:3; 1Kg 7:8; 9:24; Ezr 9:14\+xt*\f* Solomon brought her to the city of David~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:7; 7:8; 9:10\+xt*\f* until he finished building his palace,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:1–2\+xt*\f* the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 6:1,14; 1Kg 6:37; 7:51\+xt*\f* and the wall surrounding Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:15\+xt*\f*
\v 2 However, the people were sacrificing on the high places,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:2 \ft \+xt Dt 12:13–14\+xt*\f* because until that time a temple for the \nd Lord\nd*’s name~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:2 \ft \+xt Dt 14:23\+xt*\f* had not been built.
\v 3 Solomon loved the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:3 \ft \+xt Dt 6:5\+xt*\f* by walking in the statutes of his father David,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:14\+xt*\f* but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
\p
\v 4 The king went to Gibeon~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:4 \ft \+xt Jos 9:3–27; 21:17\+xt*\f* to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:4 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:3,6\+xt*\f*
\v 5 At Gibeon the \nd Lord\nd* appeared to Solomon~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:5–15 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:7–13\+xt*\f* in a dream at night.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:5 \ft \+xt Nm 12:6; 1Kg 9:2; 11:9\+xt*\f* God said, “Ask.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:5 \ft \+xt Mt 7:7; Jn 15:7\+xt*\f* What should I give you?~”
\p
\v 6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to your servant, my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:6 \ft Lit \fqa and uprightness of heart with you\f* You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:48\+xt*\f* as it is today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:4; 9:4; 2Ch 1:8\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 7 “\nd Lord\nd* my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:7 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:8\+xt*\f* Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:7 \ft Lit \fqa am a little youth and do not know to go out or come in\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:7 \ft \+xt 1Ch 29:1; Jr 1:6–7\+xt*\f*
\v 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:8 \ft \+xt Ex 19:5–6; Dt 7:6\+xt*\f* a people too many to be numbered or counted.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:8 \ft \+xt Gn 15:5; 22:17\+xt*\f*
\v 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to judge~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:9 \ft \+xt Dt 1:16–17\+xt*\f* your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:9 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:10\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this.
\v 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:11 \ft Lit \fqa for many days\f* or riches for yourself,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:11 \ft \+xt Jms 4:3\+xt*\f* or the death~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:11 \ft Lit \fqa life\f* of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:11 \ft \+xt 1Ch 22:12\+xt*\f*
\v 12 I will therefore do what you have asked.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:12 \ft \+xt 1Jn 5:14–15\+xt*\f* I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:29–31; 10:23–24\+xt*\f*
\v 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:13 \ft \+xt Mt 6:33; Lk 12:31\+xt*\f* so that no king will be your equal during your entire life.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:23\+xt*\f*
\v 14 If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:6; Pr 3:1–2\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 Then Solomon woke up~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:15 \ft \+xt Gn 41:7\+xt*\f* and realized it had been a dream.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:15 \ft \+xt Dn 2:3; 4:5\+xt*\f* He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:15 \ft \+xt 2Sm 6:12\+xt*\f* and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:15 \ft \+xt 1Sm 11:15\+xt*\f* Then he held a feast~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:65\+xt*\f* for all his servants.
\s1 Solomon’s Wisdom
\m
\v 16 Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:16 \ft \+xt Dt 16:18–19; 2Sm 15:2–4\+xt*\f*
\v 17 One woman said, “Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was in the house.
\v 18 On the third day after I gave birth, she also had a baby and we were alone. No one else~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:18 \ft Lit\fqa No stranger\f* was with us in the house; just the two of us were there.
\v 19 During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him.
\v 20 She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was asleep. She laid him in her arms, and she put her dead son in my arms.
\v 21 When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. That morning, when I looked closely at him I realized that he was not the son I gave birth to.”
\p
\v 22 “No,” the other woman said. “My son is the living one; your son is the dead one.”
\p The first woman said, “No, your son is the dead one; my son is the living one.” So they argued before the king.
\p
\v 23 The king replied, “This woman says, ‘This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,’ but that woman says, ‘No, your son is dead, and my son is alive.’~”
\v 24 The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought the sword to the king.
\v 25 And the king said, “Cut the living boy in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
\p
\v 26 The woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she felt great compassion~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 3:26 \ft Lit \fqa because her compassion grew hot\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:26 \ft \+xt Gn 43:30; Jr 31:20; Hs 11:8\+xt*\f* for her son. “My lord, give her the living baby,” she said, “but please don’t have him killed!~”
\p But the other one said, “He will not be mine or yours. Cut him in two!~”
\p
\v 27 The king responded, “Give the living baby to the first woman, and don’t kill him. She is his mother.”
\v 28 All Israel heard about the judgment the king had given, and they stood in awe of the king because they saw that God’s wisdom~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 3:28 \ft \+xt 2Sm 14:20; 1Kg 3:9,11–12\+xt*\f* was in him to carry out justice.
\c 4
\s1 Solomon’s Officials
\m
\v 1 King Solomon reigned over all Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:5; 8:15\+xt*\f*
\v 2 and these were his officials:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:6\+xt*\f*
\li1 Azariah son of Zadok, priest;
\li1
\v 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, secretaries;
\li1 Jehoshaphat son~of~Ahilud, court~historian;
\li1
\v 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, in charge of the army;
\li1 Zadok and Abiathar, priests;
\li1
\v 5 Azariah son of Nathan, in charge of the deputies;
\li1 Zabud son of Nathan, a priest and adviser to the king;
\li1
\v 6 Ahishar, in charge of the palace;
\li1 and Adoniram son of Abda, in charge of forced labor.
\b
\p
\v 7 Solomon had twelve deputies for all Israel. They provided food for the king and his household; each one made provision for one month out of the year.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:27\+xt*\f*
\v 8 These were their names:
\li1 Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;
\li1
\v 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan;
\li1
\v 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (he had Socoh and the whole land of Hepher);
\li1
\v 11 Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (Taphath daughter of Solomon was his wife);
\li1
\v 12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam;
\li1
\v 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);
\li1
\v 14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
\li1
\v 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also had married a daughter of Solomon~#—~#Basemath);
\li1
\v 16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;
\li1
\v 17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;
\li1
\v 18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin;
\li1
\v 19 Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of King Sihon of the Amorites and of King Og of Bashan.
\m There was one deputy in the land of Judah.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 4:19 \ft LXX; MT omits \fqa of Judah\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Provisions
\m
\v 20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:20 \ft \+xt Gn 22:17; 1Kg 3:8\+xt*\f* they were eating, drinking, and rejoicing.
\v 21 Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:21 \ft \+xt Gn 15:18; 2Ch 9:26\+xt*\f* They offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:21 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:2,6\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 22 Solomon’s provisions for one day were 180 bushels~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:22 \ft Lit \fqa 30 cors\f* of fine flour and 360 bushels~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:22 \ft Lit \fqa 60 cors\f* of meal,
\v 23 ten fattened cattle, twenty range cattle, and a hundred sheep and goats, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and pen-fed poultry,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:23 \ft Hb obscure\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:22–23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:5; Neh 5:18\+xt*\f*
\v 24 for he had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza and over all the kings west of the Euphrates. He had peace on all his surrounding borders.
\v 25 Throughout Solomon’s reign, Judah and Israel lived in safety from Dan to Beer-sheba,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:25 \ft \+xt Jdg 20:1; 1Sm 3:20\+xt*\f* each person under his own vine and his own fig tree.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:25 \ft \+xt Mc 4:3–4; Zch 3:10\+xt*\f*
\v 26 Solomon had forty thousand~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:26 \ft 2Ch 9:25 reads \fqa 4,000 stalls\f* stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:26 \ft \+xt Dt 17:16; 1Kg 10:26; 2Ch 1:14\+xt*\f*
\v 27 Each of those deputies for a month in turn provided food for King Solomon and for everyone who came to King Solomon’s table. They neglected nothing.
\v 28 Each man brought the barley and the straw for the chariot teams and the other horses~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:28 \ft \+xt Est 8:10,14\+xt*\f* to the required place according to his assignment.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 4:28 \ft Lit \fqa judgment\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Wisdom and Literary Gifts
\m
\v 29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:12\+xt*\f* as vast as the sand on the seashore.
\v 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:30 \ft \+xt Gn 29:1\+xt*\f* greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:30 \ft \+xt Is 19:11; Ac 7:22\+xt*\f*
\v 31 He was wiser than anyone~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:12\+xt*\f*~#—~#wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:31 \ft \+xt 1Ch 15:19\+xt*; \+xt Pss 88|PSA 88:0\+xt*, \+xt 89|PSA 89:0\+xt* titles\f* and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:31 \ft \+xt 1Ch 2:6\+xt*\f* His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:1,6\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 32 Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:32 \ft \+xt Pr 1:1; Ec 9:12\+xt*\f* and his songs numbered 1,005.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:32 \ft \+xt Sg 1:1\+xt*\f*
\v 33 He spoke about trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also spoke about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
\v 34 Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 4:34 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:1,6\+xt*\f*
\c 5
\s1 Hiram’s Building Materials
\m
\v 1 King Hiram of Tyre~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:1 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:3\+xt*\f* sent his emissaries to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in his father’s place,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 1:34,39\+xt*\f* for Hiram had always been friends with David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:11; 1Ch 14:1\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 2 Solomon sent this message to Hiram:
\v 3 “You know my father David was not able to build a temple for the name of the \nd Lord\nd* his God. This was because of the warfare all around him until the \nd Lord\nd* put his enemies under his feet.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:3 \ft \+xt 1Ch 28:2–3\+xt*\f*
\v 4 The \nd Lord\nd* my God has now given me rest on every side; there is no enemy or misfortune.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:24–25\+xt*\f*
\v 5 So I plan to build a temple for the name of the \nd Lord\nd* my God,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:5 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:4\+xt*\f* according to what the \nd Lord\nd* promised my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the temple for my name.’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12–13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 6 “Therefore, command that cedars from Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants’ wages according to whatever you say, for you know that not a man among us knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:6 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:8\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the \nd Lord\nd* today!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:9\+xt*\f* He has given David a wise son to be over this great people!~”
\v 8 Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying, “I have heard your message; I will do everything you want regarding the cedar and cypress timber.
\v 9 My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place you indicate. I will break them apart there, and you can take them away. You then can meet my needs by providing my household with food.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:9 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:16; Ezr 3:7\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 10 So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted,
\v 11 and Solomon provided Hiram with one hundred twenty thousand bushels~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 5:11 \ft Lit \fqa 20,000 cors\f* of wheat as food for his household and one hundred twenty thousand gallons~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 5:11 \ft LXX reads \fqa 20,000 baths\ft ; MT reads \fqa 20 cors\f* of oil from crushed olives.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:11 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:10\+xt*\f* Solomon did this for Hiram year after year.
\p
\v 12 The \nd Lord\nd* gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:12\+xt*\f* There was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:19\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Workforce
\m
\v 13 Then King Solomon drafted forced laborers from all Israel;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:6; 9:15\+xt*\f* the labor force numbered thirty thousand men.
\v 14 He sent ten thousand to Lebanon each month in shifts; one month they were in Lebanon, two months they were at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.
\v 15 Solomon had seventy thousand porters and eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:15 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:17–18\+xt*\f*
\v 16 not including his thirty-three hundred~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 5:16 \ft Some LXX mss read \fqa 3,600\ft ; \+xt 2Ch 2:2,18\+xt*\f* deputies~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:23\+xt*\f* in charge of the work. They supervised the people doing the work.
\v 17 The king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:7; 1Ch 22:2\+xt*\f*
\v 18 So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:6,9\+xt*\f* along with the Gebalites,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 5:18 \ft \+xt Jos 13:5\+xt*\f* quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the temple’s construction.
\c 6
\s1 Building the Temple
\m
\v 1 Solomon began to build the temple for the \nd Lord\nd* in the four hundred eightieth year~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:1 \ft \+xt Ac 13:20\+xt*\f* after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month.~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 6:1 \ft April–May\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:37; 2Ch 3:1–2; Ezr 3:8\+xt*\f*
\v 2 The temple that King Solomon built for the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:2 \ft \+xt Ezr 5:11\+xt*\f* was ninety feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:2 \ft Lit \fqa 60 cubits\f* long, thirty feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:2 \ft Lit \fqa 20 cubits\ft , also in vv.~3,16,20\f* wide, and forty-five feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:2 \ft Lit \fqa 30 cubits\f* high.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:2 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:3; Ezk 41:1\+xt*\f*
\v 3 The portico in front of the temple sanctuary was thirty feet long extending across the temple’s width, and fifteen feet deep~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:3 \ft Lit \fqa 10 cubits wide\f* in front of the temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:3 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:4; Ezk 40:49\+xt*\f*
\v 4 He also made windows with beveled frames~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:4 \ft Hb obscure\f* for the temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:4 \ft \+xt Ezk 41:16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 5 He then built a chambered structure~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:5 \ft Lit \fqa built the temple of chamber\f* along the temple wall, encircling the walls of the temple, that is, the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:16,19–21\+xt*\f* And he made side chambers~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:5 \ft Lit \fqa made ribs \ft or \fqa sides\f* all around.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:5 \ft \+xt Jr 35:2; Ezk 41:5–6\+xt*\f*
\v 6 The lowest chamber was 7~1/2 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:6 \ft Lit \fqa five cubits\ft , also in vv.~10,24\f* wide, the middle was 9 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:6 \ft Lit \fqa six cubits\f* wide, and the third was 10~1/2 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:6 \ft Lit \fqa seven cubits\f* wide. He also provided offset ledges for the temple all around the outside so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.
\v 7 The temple’s construction used finished stones cut at the quarry so that no hammer, chisel, or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:17\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 8 The door for the lowest~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 6:8 \ft LXX, Tg; MT reads \fqa middle\f* side chamber was on the right side of the temple. They~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 6:8 \ft = People\f* went up a stairway~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:8 \ft Hb obscure\f* to the middle chamber, and from the middle to the third.
\v 9 When he finished building the temple,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:1,14,38\+xt*\f* he paneled it with boards and planks of cedar.
\v 10 He built the chambers along the entire temple, joined to the temple with cedar beams;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:9–10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:6,8,10\+xt*\f* each story was 7~1/2 feet high.
\p
\v 11 The word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Solomon:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:5,11–15; 9:2\+xt*\f*
\v 12 “As for this temple you are building~#—~#if you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep all my commands by walking in them,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:10\+xt*\f* I will fulfill my promise to you, which I made to your father David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:12 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12–16; 1Kg 9:5\+xt*\f*
\v 13 I will dwell among the Israelites and not abandon my people Israel.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:13 \ft \+xt Lv 26:11; Jos 1:5–6; Heb 13:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 14 When Solomon finished building the temple,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 6:11–14 \ft LXX omits these vv.\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:1,38\+xt*\f*
\v 15 he paneled the interior temple walls with cedar boards; from the temple floor to the surface of the ceiling he overlaid the interior with wood. He also overlaid the floor with cypress boards.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:8,10; 7:7; Ezk 41:16\+xt*\f*
\v 16 Then he lined thirty feet of the rear of the temple with cedar boards from the floor to the surface of the ceiling,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 6:16 \ft LXX; MT omits \fqa of the ceiling\ft ; 1Kg 6:15\f* and he built the interior as an inner sanctuary, the most holy place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:16 \ft \+xt Ex 26:33–34; 1Kg 8:6; Heb 9:3\+xt*\f*
\v 17 The temple, that is, the sanctuary in front of the most holy place,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:17 \ft Lit \fqa front of me\ft ; Hb obscure\f* was sixty feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:17 \ft Lit \fqa 40 cubits\f* long.
\v 18 The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with ornamental gourds~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:24\+xt*\f* and flower blossoms. Everything was cedar;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:8,10\+xt*\f* not a stone could be seen.
\p
\v 19 He prepared the inner sanctuary~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:19 \ft \+xt Ezk 41:3–4\+xt*\f* inside the temple to put the ark of the \nd Lord\nd*’s covenant~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:19 \ft \+xt Dt 10:16; Jos 3:11\+xt*\f* there.
\v 20 The interior of the sanctuary was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high; he overlaid it with pure gold.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:20 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:8–9\+xt*\f* He also overlaid the cedar altar.
\v 21 Next, Solomon overlaid the interior of the temple with pure gold, and he hung~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:21 \ft Lit \fqa he caused to pass across\f* gold chains~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:21 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:14; Mt 27:51\+xt*\f* across the front of the inner sanctuary~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:21 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:16\+xt*\f* and overlaid it with gold.
\v 22 So he added the gold overlay to the entire temple until everything was completely finished, including the entire altar~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:48; Heb 9:3–4\+xt*\f* that belongs to the inner sanctuary.
\p
\v 23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:23–27 \ft \+xt Ex 25:18–22; 2Ch 3:10–13\+xt*\f* 15 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:23 \ft Lit \fqa 10 cubits\ft , also in vv.~24,25,26\f* high out of olive wood.
\v 24 One wing of the first cherub was 7~1/2 feet long, and the other wing was 7~1/2 feet long. The wingspan was 15 feet from tip to tip.
\v 25 The second cherub also was 15 feet; both cherubim had the same size and shape.
\v 26 The first cherub’s height was 15 feet and so was the second cherub’s.
\v 27 Then he put the cherubim inside the inner temple. Since their wings were spread out, the first one’s wing touched one wall while the second cherub’s wing touched the other~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:27 \ft Lit \fqa the second\f* wall, and in the middle of the temple their wings were touching wing to wing.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:27 \ft \+xt 2Ch 5:8\+xt*\f*
\v 28 He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.
\p
\v 29 He carved all the surrounding temple walls with carved engravings~#—~#cherubim,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:29 \ft \+xt Ezk 41:18,25\+xt*\f* palm trees, and flower blossoms~#—~#in the inner and outer sanctuaries.
\v 30 He overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and the outer sanctuaries.
\p
\v 31 For the entrance of the inner sanctuary, he made olive wood doors.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:31–32 \ft \+xt Ezk 41:23\+xt*\f* The pillars of the doorposts were five-sided.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:31 \ft Hb obscure\f*
\v 32 The two doors were made of olive wood. He carved cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on them and overlaid them with gold, hammering gold over the cherubim and palm trees.
\v 33 In the same way, he made four-sided~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 6:33 \ft Hb obscure\f* olive wood doorposts for the sanctuary entrance.
\v 34 The two doors~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:34–35 \ft \+xt Ezk 41:23–25\+xt*\f* were made of cypress wood; the first door had two folding sides, and the second door had two folding panels.
\v 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on them and overlaid them with gold applied evenly over the carving.
\v 36 He built the inner courtyard~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:36 \ft \+xt 2Ch 4:9; Jr 36:10\+xt*\f* with three rows of dressed stone~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:12; Ezr 6:4\+xt*\f* and a row of trimmed cedar beams.
\p
\v 37 The foundation of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple was laid in Solomon’s fourth year in the month of Ziv.
\v 38 In his eleventh year in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month,~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 6:38 \ft = October–November\f* the temple was completed in every detail and according to every specification.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:38 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:1,14\+xt*\f* So he built it in seven years.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 6:38 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:1\+xt*\f*
\c 7
\s1 Solomon’s Palace Complex
\m
\v 1 Solomon completed his entire palace complex after thirteen years of construction.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:10; 2Ch 8:1\+xt*\f*
\v 2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:21; 2Ch 9:16\+xt*\f* It was one hundred fifty feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:2 \ft Lit \fqa 100 cubits\f* long, seventy-five feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:2 \ft Lit \fqa 50 cubits\ft , also in v. 6\f* wide, and forty-five feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:2 \ft Lit \fqa 30 cubits\ft , also in vv.~6,23\f* high on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars.
\v 3 It was paneled above with cedar at the top of the chambers that rested on forty-five pillars, fifteen per row.
\v 4 There were three rows of window frames, facing each other~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:4 \ft Lit \fqa frames, window to window\f* in three tiers.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:4 \ft Lit \fqa three times\ft ; = at 3 different places, also in v.~5\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:3–4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:16–17\+xt*\f*
\v 5 All the doors and doorposts had rectangular frames, the openings facing each other~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:5 \ft Lit \fqa frames, opposing window to window\f* in three tiers.
\v 6 He made the hall of pillars seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide. A portico was in front of the pillars, and a canopy with pillars~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:6 \ft Hb obscure\f* was in front of them.
\v 7 He made the Hall of the Throne where he would judge~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:16–28\+xt*\f*~#—~#the Hall of Judgment. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 7:7 \ft Syr, Vg; MT reads \fqa floor\f*
\v 8 Solomon’s own palace where he would live, in the other courtyard behind the hall, was of similar construction. And he made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, his wife.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:8 \ft Lit \fqa daughter he had taken\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:1; 9:24; 2Ch 8:11\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 9 All of these buildings were of costly stones, cut to size and sawed with saws on the inner and outer surfaces, from foundation to coping and from the outside to the great courtyard.
\v 10 The foundation was made of large, costly stones twelve and fifteen feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:10 \ft Lit \fqa ten cubits and eight cubits\f* long.
\v 11 Above were also costly stones, cut to size, as well as cedar wood.
\v 12 Around the great courtyard, as well as the inner courtyard of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple and the portico of the temple, were three rows of dressed stone and a row of trimmed cedar beams.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:36\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 13 King Solomon had Hiram~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 7:13 \ft = Huram in 2Ch 4:11\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:1–11; 2Ch 2:13–14\+xt*\f* brought from Tyre.
\v 14 He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze craftsman. Hiram had great skill,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:14 \ft \+xt Ex 31:2–5\+xt*\f* understanding, and knowledge to do every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:14 \ft \+xt 2Ch 4:11\+xt*\f*
\s1 The Bronze Pillars
\m
\v 15 He cast two bronze pillars,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:15 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:16–17; 2Ch 3:15\+xt*\f* each 27 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:15 \ft Lit \fqa 18 cubits\f* high and 18 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:15 \ft Lit \fqa 12 cubits\f* in circumference.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 7:15 \ft LXX adds \fqa and the thickness of the pillar was four fingers hollowed and similarly the second pillar\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:41\+xt*\f*
\v 16 He also made two capitals~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:42; 2Kg 25:17\+xt*\f* of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars; 7~1/2 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:16 \ft Lit \fqa five cubits\ft , also in v.~23\f* was the height of the first capital, and 7~1/2 feet was also the height of the second capital.
\v 17 The capitals on top of the pillars had gratings of latticework, wreaths~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:17 \ft Lit \fqa tassels\f* made of chainwork~#—~#seven for the first capital and seven for the second.
\p
\v 18 He made the pillars with two encircling rows of pomegranates on the one grating to cover the capital on top; he did the same for the second capital.
\v 19 And the capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were shaped like lilies, six feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:19 \ft Lit \fqa four cubits\ft , also in vv.~27,38\f* high.
\v 20 The capitals on the two pillars were also immediately above the rounded surface next to the grating, and two hundred pomegranates~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:20 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:16; 4:13\+xt*\f* were in rows encircling each~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:20 \ft Lit\fqa encircling the second\f* capital.
\v 21 He set up the pillars at the portico~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:3\+xt*\f* of the sanctuary: he set up the right pillar and named it Jachin;~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 7:21 \ft = He Will Establish\f* then he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz.~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 7:21 \ft = In Him Is Strength\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:21 \ft \+xt 2Ch 3:17\+xt*\f*
\v 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. Then the work of the pillars was completed.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:22 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:17\+xt*\f*
\s1 The Basin
\m
\v 23 He made the cast metal basin,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:23 \ft Lit \fqa sea\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:23 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:13; 1Ch 18:8; 2Ch 4:6\+xt*\f* 15 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:23 \ft Lit \fqa 10 cubits\f* from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7~1/2 feet high and 45 feet in circumference.
\v 24 Ornamental gourds~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:18\+xt*\f* encircled it below the brim, ten every half yard,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:24 \ft Lit \fqa 10 per cubit\f* completely encircling the basin.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:24 \ft \+xt 2Ch 4:3\+xt*\f* The gourds were cast in two rows when the basin was cast.
\v 25 It stood on twelve oxen,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:25 \ft \+xt 2Kg 16:17; 2Ch 4:4–5; Jr 52:20\+xt*\f* three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The basin was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center.
\v 26 The basin was three inches~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:26 \ft Lit \fqa a handbreadth\f* thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. It held eleven thousand gallons.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:26 \ft Lit \fqa 2,000 baths\f*
\s1 The Bronze Water Carts
\m
\v 27 Then he made ten bronze water carts.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:27 \ft Lit \fqa bronze stands\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:27 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:13; 2Ch 4:14\+xt*\f* Each water cart was 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4~1/2 feet~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:27 \ft Lit \fqa three cubits\f* high.
\v 28 This was the design of the carts: They had frames; the frames were between the cross-pieces,
\v 29 and on the frames between the cross-pieces were lions, oxen, and cherubim.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:29,32\+xt*\f* On the cross-pieces there was a pedestal above, and below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:29 \ft Or \fqa hammered-down\f* work.
\v 30 Each cart~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:30 \ft \+xt 2Kg 16:17\+xt*\f* had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. Underneath the four corners of the basin were cast supports, each next to a wreath.
\v 31 And the water cart’s opening inside the crown on top was eighteen inches~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:31 \ft Lit \fqa a cubit\f* wide. The opening was round, made as a pedestal twenty-seven inches~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:31 \ft Lit \fqa one and a half cubits\f* wide. On it were carvings, but their frames were square, not round.
\v 32 There were four wheels under the frames, and the wheel axles were part of the water cart; each wheel was twenty-seven inches~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:32 \ft Lit \fqa was one and a half cubits\f* tall.
\v 33 The wheels’ design was similar to that of chariot wheels: their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal.
\v 34 Four supports were at the four corners of each water cart; each support was one piece with the water cart.
\v 35 At the top of the cart was a band nine inches~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:35 \ft Lit \fqa half a cubit\f* high encircling it; also, at the top of the cart, its braces and its frames were one piece with it.
\v 36 He engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:29\+xt*\f* on the plates of its braces and on its frames, wherever each had space, with encircling wreaths.
\v 37 In this way he made the ten water carts using the same casting, dimensions, and shape for all of them.
\s1 Bronze Basins and Other Utensils
\m
\v 38 Then he made ten bronze basins~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:38 \ft \+xt Ex 30:18; 2Ch 4:6\+xt*\f*~#—~#each basin held 220 gallons~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:38 \ft Lit \fqa 40 baths\f* and each was six feet wide~#—~#one basin for each of the ten water carts.
\v 39 He set five water carts on the right side of the temple and five on the left side. He put the basin near the right side of the temple toward the southeast.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:39 \ft \+xt 2Ch 4:10\+xt*\f*
\v 40 Then Hiram made~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:40–51 \ft \+xt 2Ch 4:11–5:1\+xt*\f* the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling basins.
\s1 Completion of the Bronze Works
\m So Hiram finished all the work that he was doing for King Solomon on the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple:
\v 41 two pillars;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:41 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:15\+xt*\f* bowls for the capitals that were on top of the two pillars; the two gratings for covering both bowls of the capitals that were on top of the pillars;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:41 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:17\+xt*\f*
\v 42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two gratings (two rows of pomegranates for each grating covering both capitals’ bowls on top of the pillars~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:42 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:20\+xt*\f*);
\v 43 the ten water carts;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:27\+xt*\f* the ten basins on the water carts;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:38\+xt*\f*
\v 44 the basin;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:44 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:23\+xt*\f* the twelve oxen underneath the basin;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:44 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:25\+xt*\f*
\v 45 and the pots, shovels, and sprinkling basins.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:45 \ft \+xt Ex 27:3\+xt*\f* All the utensils that Hiram made for King Solomon at the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple were made of burnished bronze.
\v 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:46 \ft \+xt Gn 33:17\+xt*\f* and Zarethan.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:46 \ft \+xt Jos 3:16; 1Kg 4:12\+xt*\f*
\v 47 Solomon left all the utensils unweighed because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not determined.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:47 \ft \+xt 1Ch 22:3,14\+xt*\f*
\s1 Completion of the Gold Furnishings
\m
\v 48 Solomon also made all the equipment in the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple: the gold altar; the gold table that the Bread of the Presence was placed on;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:48 \ft \+xt Ex 25:30; 30:1–3; 2Ch 29:18\+xt*\f*
\v 49 the pure gold lampstands in front of the inner sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:49 \ft \+xt Ex 25:31–36\+xt*\f* the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs;
\v 50 the pure gold ceremonial bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, ladles,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 7:50 \ft Or \fqa dishes\ft , or \fqa spoons\ft ; lit \fqa palms\f* and firepans;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:50 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:15\+xt*\f* and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner temple (that is, the most holy place) and for the doors of the temple sanctuary.
\p
\v 51 So all the work King Solomon did in the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple was completed.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:51 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:37–38\+xt*\f* Then Solomon brought in the consecrated things of his father David~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:51 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:9–12; 2Ch 5:1\+xt*\f*~#—~#the silver, the gold, and the utensils~#—~#and put them in the treasuries of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 7:51 \ft \+xt 2Ch 36:18\+xt*\f*
\c 8
\s1 Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple
\m
\v 1 At that time Solomon assembled the elders~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:1 \ft \+xt Ex 3:16; Nm 11:16\+xt*\f* of Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:1–11 \ft \+xt 2Ch 5:2–14\+xt*\f* all the tribal heads~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:1 \ft \+xt Nm 1:5–16; 7:2\+xt*\f* and the ancestral leaders of the Israelites before him at Jerusalem in order to bring the ark of the \nd Lord\nd*’s covenant from the city of David,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:7\+xt*\f* that is Zion.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 6:12–15,17\+xt*\f*
\v 2 So all the men of Israel were assembled in the presence of King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month,~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 8:2 \ft = September–October\f* at the festival.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:2 \ft \+xt Lv 23:34; Dt 16:13–15; 1Kg 8:65\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 3 All the elders~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:3 \ft \+xt Nm 11:16\+xt*\f* of Israel came, and the priests~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:3 \ft \+xt Dt 31:9; Jos 3:3,6\+xt*\f* picked up the ark.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:3 \ft \+xt 2Sm 6:12,17\+xt*\f*
\v 4 The priests and the Levites brought the ark of the \nd Lord\nd*, the tent of meeting,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:4 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:3\+xt*\f* and the holy utensils that were in the tent.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:4 \ft \+xt 2Ch 5:4–5\+xt*\f*
\v 5 King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel, who had gathered around him and were with him in front of the ark, were sacrificing sheep, goats, and cattle that could not be counted or numbered, because there were so many.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:5 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:6; 30:24\+xt*\f*
\v 6 The priests brought the ark of the \nd Lord\nd*’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:19\+xt*\f* beneath the wings of the cherubim.
\v 7 For the cherubim were spreading their wings over~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 8:7 \ft LXX; MT reads \fqa toward\f* the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:6–7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:23–28\+xt*\f*
\v 8 The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside the sanctuary; they are still there today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:8 \ft \+xt Ex 25:13–15; 37:4–5\+xt*\f*
\v 9 Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had put there at Horeb,~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 8:9 \ft = Sinai\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:9 \ft \+xt Ex 25:21; Dt 10:5\+xt*\f* where the \nd Lord\nd* made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:9 \ft \+xt Ex 24:7–8; Dt 4:13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 10 When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:10 \ft \+xt Ex 40:34–35; 2Ch 7:1\+xt*\f*
\v 11 and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:11 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:2; Ezk 10:4,18–19; 43:4–5\+xt*\f* of the \nd Lord\nd* filled the temple.
\p
\v 12 Then Solomon said:
\q The \nd Lord\nd* said that he~would~dwell in~total~darkness.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:12 \ft \+xt Ex 20:21; Lv 16:2; Dt 5:22\+xt*\f*
\q1
\v 13 I have indeed built an~exalted~temple~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:13 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:13\+xt*\f* for~you,
\q a place for~your~dwelling~forever.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:13 \ft \+xt Ps 132:14\+xt*\f*
\m
\v 14 The king turned around and blessed~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:14 \ft \+xt Ex 39:43; 2Sm 6:18; 1Kg 8:55\+xt*\f* the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.
\v 15 He said:
\qc Blessed be the \nd Lord\nd* God of~Israel!
\qc He spoke directly to~my~father~David,
\qc and he has fulfilled the~promise~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:15 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:15–16,25\+xt*\f* by~his~power.
\qc He said,
\qc
\v 16 “Since~the~day I~brought my~people~Israel out~of~Egypt,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:16 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:6; 1Ch 17:5\+xt*\f*
\qc I have not chosen a~city to~build a~temple~in
\qc among any of~the~tribes of~Israel,
\qc so that my~name~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:16 \ft \+xt Dt 12:5,11\+xt*\f* would~be~there.
\qc But I have chosen David to~rule my~people~Israel.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:16 \ft \+xt 1Sm 16:1; 2Sm 7:8\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 17 My~father~David had his heart~set
\qc on building a~temple for~the~name of~the~\nd Lord\nd*, the~God of~Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:17 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:2–3; 1Ch 22:7\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 18 But the \nd Lord\nd* said to~my~father~David,
\qc “Since your~heart was set on~building a~temple for~my~name,
\qc you have done well to~have this~desire.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:18 \ft Lit \fqa well because it was with your heart\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:18 \ft \+xt 2Ch 6:8\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 19 Yet you are not the~one to~build~it;
\qc instead, your~son, your~own~offspring,
\qc will~build~it for~my~name.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:19 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12–13; 1Kg 5:5; Ac 7:47\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 20 The \nd Lord\nd* has~fulfilled what~he~promised.
\qc I have taken the~place of~my~father~David,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:20 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12\+xt*\f*
\qc and I sit on the~throne of~Israel, as~the~\nd Lord\nd*~promised.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:20 \ft \+xt 1Ch 28:5–6\+xt*\f*
\qc I have built the~temple for~the~name of~the \nd Lord\nd*, the~God of~Israel.
\qc
\v 21 I have provided a~place there for~the~ark,
\qc where the \nd Lord\nd*’s covenant~is
\qc that he~made with~our~ancestors
\qc when he brought them out of~the~land of~Egypt.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:21 \ft \+xt Dt 31:26; 1Kg 8:9\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Prayer
\m
\v 22 Then Solomon stood~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:22–53 \ft \+xt 2Ch 6:12–42\+xt*\f* before the altar of the \nd Lord\nd* in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:54; 2Ch 6:12\+xt*\f*
\v 23 He said:
\qc \nd Lord\nd* God of~Israel,
\qc there is no~God like~you
\qc in heaven above or~on~earth below,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:23 \ft \+xt 1Sm 2:2; 2Sm 7:22\+xt*\f*
\qc who keeps the~gracious~covenant
\qc with your servants who~walk before~you
\qc with all their~heart.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:23 \ft \+xt Dt 7:16; Neh 1:5; Dn 9:4\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 24 You have kept what~you~promised
\qc to your servant, my~father~David.
\qc You spoke directly to~him
\qc and you fulfilled your~promise by~your~power
\qc as it is today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:24 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:15–16\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 25 Therefore, \nd Lord\nd* God of~Israel,
\qc keep what~you~promised
\qc to~your~servant, my~father~David:
\qc You will never fail to~have a~man
\qc to sit before me on the~throne of~Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 2:4; 9:5\+xt*\f*
\qc if only your sons take care to~walk before~me
\qc as you have walked before~me.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:4–9; 2Ch 7:17–22\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 26 Now \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 8:26 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Ch 6:16; other Hb mss omit \fqa \+nd Lord\+nd*\f* God of~Israel,
\qc please confirm what~you~promised
\qc to your servant, my~father~David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:26 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:25\+xt*\f*
\b
\qc
\v 27 But will God indeed live on~earth?
\qc Even heaven, the~highest~heaven, cannot~contain~you,
\qc much less this~temple I~have~built.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:27 \ft \+xt 2Ch 2:6; Ac 7:47; 17:24\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 28 Listen~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:28 \ft Lit \fqa Turn\f* to your servant’s prayer and~his~petition,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:28 \ft \+xt Php 4:6\+xt*\f*
\qc \nd Lord\nd* my~God,
\qc so that you~may~hear the~cry and~the~prayer
\qc that your servant prays before~you~today,
\qc
\v 29 so that your eyes may~watch~over this~temple night~and~day,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:29 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:15; Neh 1:6\+xt*\f*
\qc toward the place where~you~said,
\qc “My~name will~be~there,”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:29 \ft \+xt Dt 12:11\+xt*\f*
\qc and so that you~may~hear the~prayer
\qc that your servant prays toward~this~place.
\qc
\v 30 Hear the petition of~your~servant~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:30 \ft \+xt Neh 1:6; Dn 9:4\+xt*\f*
\qc and~your~people~Israel,
\qc which they pray toward~this~place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:30 \ft \+xt Dn 6:10\+xt*\f*
\qc May you hear in~your~dwelling~place in~heaven.
\qc May you hear and~forgive.
\b
\qc
\v 31 When a man sins against~his~neighbor
\qc and is forced to~take an~oath,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:31 \ft Lit \fqa and he lifts a curse against him to curse him\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:31 \ft \+xt Ex 22:11; Jos 7:19; Jn 9:24\+xt*\f*
\qc and he comes to~take an~oath
\qc before your altar in~this~temple,
\qc
\v 32 may you hear in~heaven and~act.
\qc May you judge your~servants,
\qc condemning the wicked man by~bringing
\qc what~he~has~done on~his~own~head
\qc and providing justice for~the~righteous
\qc by rewarding him according~to his~righteousness.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:32 \ft \+xt Dt 25:1\+xt*\f*
\b
\qc
\v 33 When your people Israel are~defeated before~an~enemy,
\qc because they have~sinned against~you,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:33 \ft \+xt Lv 26:17,25,39\+xt*\f*
\qc and they return to~you and~praise your~name,
\qc and they pray and~plead with~you
\qc for~mercy in~this~temple,
\qc
\v 34 may you hear in~heaven
\qc and forgive the~sin of~your~people~Israel.
\qc May you restore them to~the~land
\qc you~gave their~ancestors.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:33–34 \ft \+xt Lv 26:40–42\+xt*\f*
\b
\qc
\v 35 When the skies are~shut and~there~is no~rain,
\qc because they have~sinned against~you,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:35 \ft \+xt Dt 28:23–24\+xt*\f*
\qc and they pray toward~this~place
\qc and praise your~name,
\qc and they turn from~their~sins
\qc because you are~afflicting~them,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:35 \ft \+xt Dt 30:1–3; Am 4:7–8\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 36 may you hear in~heaven
\qc and forgive the sin of~your~servants
\qc and~your~people~Israel,
\qc so that you may teach them to~walk on the~good~way.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:36 \ft \+xt 1Sm 12:23\+xt*\f*
\qc May you send rain on~your~land
\qc that you gave your~people for~an~inheritance.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:36 \ft \+xt Dt 11:14; Jl 2:23\+xt*\f*
\b
\qc
\v 37 When there is famine in~the~land,
\qc when there is pestilence,
\qc when there is blight or mildew, locust or~grasshopper,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:37 \ft \+xt Lv 26:16,25–26\+xt*\f*
\qc when their enemy besieges~them
\qc in~the~land and~its~cities,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:37 \ft Lit \fqa land of its gates\f*
\qc when there is any~plague or~illness,
\qc
\v 38 every prayer or~petition
\qc that any person or that all your~people~Israel may~have~—
\qc they each know their~own~affliction~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:38 \ft Lit \fqa know in his heart of a plague\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:38 \ft \+xt 2Ch 6:29\+xt*\f*~—
\qc as they spread out their~hands toward~this~temple,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:38 \ft \+xt Ex 9:29; 2Ch 6:29\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 39 may you hear in~heaven, your~dwelling~place,
\qc and may you forgive, act, and~give to everyone
\qc according to all~their~ways, since~you~know each~heart,
\qc for you alone know every~human~heart,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:39 \ft \+xt 1Sm 16:7; 1Ch 28:9\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 40 so that they~may~fear~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:40 \ft \+xt Dt 6:13\+xt*\f*~you
\qc all the days they~live on~the~land~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:40 \ft \+xt Dt 12:1\+xt*\f*
\qc you gave our~ancestors.
\b
\qc
\v 41 Even for the foreigner who~is~not of~your~people~Israel
\qc but has come from~a~distant~land~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:41 \ft \+xt Lv 24:22; Dt 10:18–19\+xt*\f*
\qc because~of your~name~—
\qc
\v 42 for they will~hear of~your~great~name,
\qc strong hand,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:42 \ft \+xt Dt 3:24\+xt*\f* and~outstretched~arm,
\qc and will come~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:42 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:1\+xt*\f* and~pray toward~this~temple~—
\qc
\v 43 may you hear in~heaven, your~dwelling~place,
\qc and do according~to all the~foreigner~asks.
\qc Then all peoples of~earth will~know~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:43 \ft \+xt Jos 4:24; 1Sm 17:46\+xt*\f* your~name,
\qc to fear you as~your~people~Israel~do
\qc and to know that this~temple I~have~built
\qc bears~your~name.
\b
\qc
\v 44 When your people go~out to~fight against~their~enemies,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 8:44 \ft Some Hb mss, some ancient versions, 2Ch 6:34; other Hb mss read \fqa enemy\f*
\qc wherever you send them,
\qc and they pray to~the \nd Lord\nd*
\qc in~the~direction of~the~city you~have~chosen~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:44 \ft \+xt Dt 12:11; 1Ch 5:20; 2Ch 14:11\+xt*\f*
\qc and the temple I~have~built for~your~name,
\qc
\v 45 may you hear their~prayer and~petition in~heaven
\qc and uphold their~cause.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:45 \ft \+xt Ps 9:4; 140:12\+xt*\f*
\b
\qc
\v 46 When they sin against~you~—
\qc for there is no~one who~does~not~sin~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:46 \ft \+xt Rm 3:10,23; 1Jn 1:8\+xt*\f*~—
\qc and you are angry with~them
\qc and hand them over to~the~enemy,
\qc and their captors deport them to~the~enemy’s~country~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:46 \ft \+xt Lv 26:33–34\+xt*\f*~—
\qc whether distant or~nearby~—
\qc
\v 47 and when they come to~their~senses~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:47 \ft Lit \fqa they return to their heart\f*
\qc in the land where they~were~deported
\qc and repent and petition you in~their~captors’~land:
\qc “We have sinned and~done~wrong;
\qc we have been~wicked,”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:47 \ft \+xt Lv 26:40–42; Neh 1:6; Dn 9:5\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 48 and when they return to~you with~all~their~heart and all~their soul
\qc in the land of~their~enemies who~took~them~captive,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:48 \ft \+xt Jr 29:10–14\+xt*\f*
\qc and when they~pray to~you in~the~direction of~their~land
\qc that you gave their~ancestors,
\qc the city you~have~chosen,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:48 \ft \+xt Dn 6:10\+xt*\f*
\qc and the temple I~have~built for~your~name,
\qc
\v 49 may you hear in~heaven, your~dwelling~place,
\qc their prayer and~petition and~uphold their~cause.
\qc
\v 50 May you forgive your~people
\qc who~sinned against~you
\qc and all their rebellions~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:50 \ft Lit \fqa rebellions that they have rebelled\f* against~you,
\qc and may you grant them~compassion
\qc before~their~captors,
\qc so that they may~treat them compassionately.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:50 \ft \+xt 2Kg 25:28; 2Ch 30:9\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 51 For they are your~people and~your~inheritance;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:51 \ft \+xt Ex 32:11; Dt 9:26,29\+xt*\f*
\qc you brought them out~of~Egypt,
\qc out of the middle of~an~iron~furnace.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:51 \ft \+xt Dt 4:20\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 52 May your eyes be~open to~your~servant’s~petition
\qc and to the petition of~your~people~Israel,
\qc listening to them whenever they~call to~you.
\qc
\v 53 For you, Lord \nd God\nd*, have~set them apart as~your~inheritance
\qc from all peoples of~the~earth,
\qc as you spoke through~your~servant Moses
\qc when you brought our~ancestors out~of~Egypt.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:53 \ft \+xt Ex 19:5–6; Dt 9:26–29\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Blessing
\m
\v 54 When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the \nd Lord\nd*, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the \nd Lord\nd*, with his hands spread out toward heaven,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:54 \ft \+xt 2Ch 6:12–13\+xt*\f*
\v 55 and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:55 \ft \+xt Nm 6:23–26; 2Sm 6:18\+xt*\f* with a loud voice:
\v 56 “Blessed be the \nd Lord\nd*! He has given rest~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:56 \ft \+xt Dt 12:10; 1Ch 22:18; Heb 3:18–19\+xt*\f* to his people Israel according to all he has said. Not one of all the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:56 \ft \+xt Jos 21:45; 23:15\+xt*\f*
\v 57 May the \nd Lord\nd* our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:57 \ft \+xt Dt 31:6; Jos 1:5; Heb 13:5\+xt*\f*
\v 58 so that he causes us to be devoted~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:58 \ft Lit \fqa causes our hearts to be inclined\f* to him,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:58 \ft \+xt Jos 24:23; Jr 31:33; Php 2:13\+xt*\f* to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors.
\v 59 May my words with which I have made my petition before the \nd Lord\nd* be near the \nd Lord\nd* our God day and night. May he uphold his servant’s cause and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:59 \ft \+xt Pr 30:8; Mt 6:11\+xt*\f*
\v 60 May all the peoples of the earth know that the \nd Lord\nd* is God. There is no other!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:60 \ft \+xt Dt 6:4; Jos 4:24; Mk 12:32\+xt*\f*
\v 61 Be wholeheartedly devoted to the \nd Lord\nd* our God~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:61 \ft \+xt Dt 6:5; 1Kg 9:4; 11:4\+xt*\f* to walk in his statutes and to keep his commands, as it is today.”
\p
\v 62 The king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices in the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence.
\v 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the \nd Lord\nd*: twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep and goats.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:62–63 \ft \+xt 1Ch 29:21; 2Ch 7:4–5; Ezr 6:16–17\+xt*\f* In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicated~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:63 \ft \+xt Dt 20:5; Ezr 6:16; Neh 12:27\+xt*\f* the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:63 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 64 On the same day, the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple because that was where he offered the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the fellowship offerings,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:64 \ft \+xt Lv 6–7\+xt*\f* since the bronze altar before the \nd Lord\nd* was too small to accommodate the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:64 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:7\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 65 Solomon and all Israel with him~#—~#a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft Or \fqa from Lebo-hamath\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft \+xt Nm 13:21; 34:8\+xt*\f* to the Brook of Egypt~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft \+xt Gn 15:18\+xt*\f*~#—~#observed the festival at that time~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft \+xt Lv 23:36; 1Kg 8:2\+xt*\f* in the presence of the \nd Lord\nd* our God, seven days, and seven more days~#—~#fourteen days.~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft Temple dedication lasted seven days, and the Festival of Shelters lasted seven days.\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:65 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:9\+xt*\f*
\v 66 On the fifteenth day~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:66 \ft Lit \fqa the eighth day\f* he sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went to their homes~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 8:66 \ft Lit \fqa tents\f* rejoicing and with happy hearts for all the goodness that the \nd Lord\nd* had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 8:66 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:10\+xt*\f*
\c 9
\s1 The \nd Lord\nd*’s Response
\m
\v 1 When Solomon finished building the temple of the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:1–9 \ft \+xt 2Ch 7:11–22\+xt*\f* the royal palace, and all that Solomon desired to do,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:1–2; 2Ch 7:11\+xt*\f*
\v 2 the \nd Lord\nd* appeared to Solomon a second time just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:5; 11:9\+xt*\f*
\v 3 The \nd Lord\nd* said to him:
\pi I have heard your prayer and petition you have made before me. I have consecrated this temple you have built, to put~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 9:3 \ft Or \fqa by putting\f* my name there forever;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:29\+xt*\f* my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:3 \ft \+xt 2Ch 6:40\+xt*\f*
\b
\pi
\v 4 As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and ordinances,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:6,14; 11:4,6; 1Ch 28:9\+xt*\f*
\v 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David: You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12,15–16; 1Kg 2:4\+xt*\f*
\b
\pi
\v 6 If you or your sons turn away from following me and do not keep my commands~#—~#my statutes that I have set before you~#—~#and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:6 \ft \+xt Dt 28:15; 1Kg 11:10; 1Ch 28:9\+xt*\f*
\v 7 I will cut off Israel from the land I gave them,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:7 \ft \+xt Lv 26:33; Dt 28:63\+xt*\f* and I will reject~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 9:7 \ft Lit \fqa send from my presence\f* the temple I have sanctified for my name.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:7 \ft \+xt Dt 12:5; 1Kg 8:20\+xt*\f* Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:7 \ft \+xt Dt 28:37\+xt*\f*
\v 8 Though this temple is now exalted,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 9:8 \ft Some ancient versions read \fqa temple will become a ruin\f* everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 9:8 \ft Lit \fqa hiss\f* They will say, “Why did the \nd Lord\nd* do this to this land and this temple?”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:8 \ft \+xt Lv 26:32; Dt 29:24; Mt 23:38\+xt*\f*
\v 9 Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the \nd Lord\nd* their God who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt. They held on to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, the \nd Lord\nd* brought all this ruin on them.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:9 \ft \+xt Dt 29:25; 31:29\+xt*\f*
\s1 King Hiram’s Twenty Towns
\m
\v 10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the two houses, the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple and the royal palace~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:38; 7:1; 2Ch 8:1\+xt*\f*~#—~#
\v 11 King Hiram of Tyre~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:1\+xt*\f* having supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:11 \ft \+xt Dt 17:17\+xt*\f* for his every wish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:10\+xt*\f*~#—~#King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee.
\v 12 So Hiram went out from Tyre to look over the towns that Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased with them.
\v 13 So he said, “What are these towns you’ve given me, my brother?~” So he called them the Land of Cabul,~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 9:13 \ft = Like Nothing\f* as they are still called today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:11–13 \ft \+xt 2Ch 8:2\+xt*\f*
\v 14 Now Hiram had sent the king nine thousand pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 9:14 \ft Lit \fqa 120 talents\f* of gold.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:14 \ft \+xt Dt 17:17\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Forced Labor
\m
\v 15 This is the account of the forced labor~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:13–16\+xt*\f* that King Solomon had imposed to build the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple, his own palace, the supporting terraces,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:9\+xt*\f* the wall of Jerusalem,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:1\+xt*\f* and Hazor,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt Jos 11:1\+xt*\f* Megiddo,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt Jos 17:11\+xt*\f* and Gezer.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:15 \ft \+xt Jdg 1:29\+xt*\f*
\v 16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He then burned it, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:1; 7:8\+xt*\f*
\v 17 Then Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth-horon,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:17 \ft \+xt Jos 16:3; 2Ch 8:5\+xt*\f*
\v 18 Baalath,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:18 \ft \+xt Jos 19:44\+xt*\f* Tamar~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 9:18 \ft Alt Hb traditions, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read \fqa Tadmor\ft ; 2Ch 8:4\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 9:18 \ft Tamar was a city in southern Judah; Ezk 47:19; 48:28.\f* in the Wilderness of Judah,
\v 19 all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, the chariot cities,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:26\+xt*\f* the cavalry cities,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:26\+xt*\f* and whatever Solomon desired to build~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:1\+xt*\f* in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion.
\p
\v 20 As for all the peoples who remained of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not Israelites~#—~#
\v 21 their descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:20–21 \ft \+xt Jdg 1:21–36; 3:1; 2Ch 8:7–8\+xt*\f*~#—~#Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is still this way today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:21 \ft \+xt Jdg 1:28,35; Ezr 2:55,58\+xt*\f*
\v 22 But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:22 \ft \+xt Lv 25:39\+xt*\f* they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry.
\v 23 These were the deputies~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:16\+xt*\f* who were over Solomon’s work: 550 who supervised the people doing the work.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:22–23 \ft \+xt 2Ch 8:9–10\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Other Activities
\m
\v 24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved from the city of David~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:24 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:7\+xt*\f* to the house that Solomon had built for her;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:8; 2Ch 8:11\+xt*\f* he then built the terraces.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:15; 11:27; 2Ch 32:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the \nd Lord\nd*, and he burned incense with them in the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:25 \ft \+xt Dt 16:16\+xt*\f* So he completed the temple.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:25 \ft \+xt 2Ch 8:16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 26 King Solomon put together a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:26 \ft \+xt Nm 33:48; 1Kg 22:48\+xt*\f* which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom.
\v 27 With the fleet, Hiram sent his servants, experienced seamen, along with Solomon’s servants.
\v 28 They went to Ophir~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:27–28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:11; 22:48–49\+xt*\f* and acquired gold there~#—~#sixteen tons~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 9:28 \ft Lit \fqa 420 talents\f*~#—~#and delivered it to Solomon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 9:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:11,14\+xt*\f*
\c 10
\s1 The Queen of Sheba
\m
\v 1 The queen of Sheba~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:1 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:1; Mt 12:42\+xt*\f* heard about Solomon’s fame~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:1–10 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:1–12\+xt*\f* connected with the name of the \nd Lord\nd* and came to test him with difficult questions.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:1 \ft \+xt Jdg 14:12–14\+xt*\f*
\v 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:2 \ft \+xt Gn 24:10\+xt*\f* spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:10\+xt*\f* She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind.
\v 3 So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her.
\v 4 When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:1\+xt*\f*
\v 5 the food at his table,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:22–23\+xt*\f* his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple, it took her breath away.
\p
\v 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true.
\v 7 But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:7 \ft \+xt 1Ch 29:25\+xt*\f*
\v 8 How happy are your men.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 10:8 \ft LXX, Syr read \fqa your wives\f* How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:8 \ft \+xt Pr 8:34\+xt*\f*
\v 9 Blessed be the \nd Lord\nd* your God! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:9 \ft \+xt 2Sm 22:20; 1Kg 5:7\+xt*\f* because of the \nd Lord\nd*’s eternal love for Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:9 \ft \+xt 1Ch 17:22; 2Ch 2:11\+xt*\f* He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:9 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:15\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 10 Then she gave the king four and a half tons~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:10 \ft Lit \fqa 120 talents\f* of gold,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:28\+xt*\f* a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
\p
\v 11 In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 10:11 \ft = algum in 2Ch 2:8; 9:10–11\f* wood and precious stones.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:27–28\+xt*\f*
\v 12 The king made the almug wood into steps for the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before did such almug wood arrive, and the like has not been seen again.
\p
\v 13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire~#—~#whatever she asked~#—~#besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:12–13 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:11–12\+xt*\f*
\s1 Solomon’s Wealth
\m
\v 14 The weight~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:14–25 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:13–24\+xt*\f* of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:14 \ft Lit \fqa 666 talents\f*
\v 15 besides what came from merchants,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:15 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:16\+xt*\f* traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:14–15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:28; 10:2\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; fifteen pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:16 \ft Lit \fqa 600 \ft (shekels)\f* of gold went into each shield.
\v 17 He made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; nearly four pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:17 \ft Lit \fqa three minas\f* of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:2–5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 18 The king also made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold.
\v 19 The throne had six steps; there was a rounded top at the back of the throne, armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
\v 20 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps, one at each end. Nothing like it had ever been made in any other kingdom.
\p
\v 21 All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:2–5\+xt*\f* were pure gold.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:28\+xt*\f* There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time,
\v 22 for the king had ships of Tarshish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:22 \ft \+xt Jnh 1:3\+xt*\f* at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:22 \ft Or \fqa baboons\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:26–28; 22:48\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 23 King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the world in riches and in wisdom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:13\+xt*\f*
\v 24 The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:28; 10:1\+xt*\f*
\v 25 Every man would bring his annual tribute: items~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:25 \ft Or \fqa vessels\ft , or \fqa weapons\f* of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:25 \ft Or \fqa fragrant balsam\f* spices, and horses and mules.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:23–25 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:22–24\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 26 Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:26\+xt*\f* and stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:19\+xt*\f*
\v 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:27 \ft \+xt Dt 17:17\+xt*\f* and he made cedar~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:27 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:10; 2Ch 1:15\+xt*\f* as abundant as sycamore in the Judean foothills.
\v 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue.~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 10:28 \ft = Cilicia\f* The king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:28 \ft \+xt Dt 17:16; 2Ch 9:28\+xt*\f*
\v 29 A chariot was imported from Egypt for fifteen pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:29 \ft Lit \fqa 600 shekels\f* of silver, and a horse for four pounds.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 10:29 \ft Lit \fqa 150 shekels\f* In the same way, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram through their agents.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 10:29 \ft \+xt 2Ch 1:17\+xt*\f*
\c 11
\s1 Solomon’s Unfaithfulness to God
\m
\v 1 King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:1; 7:8\+xt*\f* Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:1 \ft \+xt Neh 13:23–27\+xt*\f*
\v 2 from the nations about which the \nd Lord\nd* had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn your heart away to follow their gods.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:2 \ft \+xt Dt 7:3–4\+xt*\f* To these women Solomon was deeply attached~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 11:2 \ft Lit \fqa Solomon clung\f* in love.
\v 3 He had seven hundred wives who were princesses and three hundred who were concubines,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:3 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:13; Est 2:14–15; Sg 6:8\+xt*\f* and they turned his heart away.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:3 \ft \+xt Dt 17:17\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the \nd Lord\nd* his God, as his father David had been.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:61; 9:4; 15:3,14; 1Ch 29:19\+xt*\f*
\v 5 Solomon followed Ashtoreth,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:5 \ft \+xt Jdg 2:13; 10:6; 1Kg 11:33\+xt*\f* the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:5 \ft \+xt Lv 18:21\+xt*\f* the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:5 \ft \+xt Jdg 2:13; 1Sm 7:3–4\+xt*\f*
\v 6 Solomon did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight, and unlike his father David, he did not remain loyal to the \nd Lord\nd*.
\p
\v 7 At that time, Solomon built a high place~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:7 \ft \+xt Nm 33:52; 1Kg 3:2–3\+xt*\f* for Chemosh,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:7 \ft \+xt Nm 21:29\+xt*\f* the abhorrent idol of Moab, and for Milcom,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 11:7 \ft Lit \fqa Molech\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:33\+xt*\f* the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites, on the hill across from Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:7 \ft \+xt 2Kg 23:13\+xt*\f*
\v 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who were burning incense and offering sacrifices to their gods.
\p
\v 9 The \nd Lord\nd* was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the \nd Lord\nd*, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:5; 9:2\+xt*\f*
\v 10 He had commanded him about this, so that he would not follow other gods, but Solomon did not do what the \nd Lord\nd* had commanded.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 6:12; 9:6–7\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 11 Then the \nd Lord\nd* said to Solomon, “Since you have done this~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 11:11 \ft Lit \fqa “Since this was with you\f* and did not keep my covenant and my statutes, which I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:29–31\+xt*\f*
\v 12 However, I will not do it during your lifetime for the sake of your father David;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:12 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:12–16; 2Kg 19:34; 20:6\+xt*\f* I will tear it out of your son’s hand.
\v 13 Yet I will not tear the entire kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:12–13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:31–32\+xt*\f* for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem that I chose.”
\s1 Solomon’s Enemies
\m
\v 14 So the \nd Lord\nd* raised up~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:4; 1Ch 5:26\+xt*\f* Hadad the Edomite as an enemy against Solomon. He was of the royal family in Edom.
\v 15 Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom.
\v 16 For Joab and all Israel had remained there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:15–16 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:13–14; 1Ch 18:12–13\+xt*\f*
\v 17 Hadad fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites from his father’s servants. At the time Hadad was a small boy.
\v 18 Hadad and his men set out from Midian and went to Paran.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:18 \ft \+xt Nm 10:12; Dt 1:1\+xt*\f* They took men with them from Paran and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:1\+xt*\f* who gave Hadad a house, ordered that he be given food, and gave him land.
\v 19 Pharaoh liked Hadad so much~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 11:19 \ft Lit \fqa Hadad found much favor in Pharaoh’s eyes\f* that he gave him a wife, the sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes.
\v 20 Tahpenes’s sister gave birth to Hadad’s son Genubath. Tahpenes herself weaned him in Pharaoh’s palace, and Genubath lived there along with Pharaoh’s sons.
\p
\v 21 When Hadad heard in Egypt that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me leave, so I may go to my own country.”
\p
\v 22 But Pharaoh asked him, “What do you lack here with me for you to want to go back to your own country?~”
\p “Nothing,” he replied, “but please let me leave.”
\p
\v 23 God raised up Rezon son of Eliada as an enemy~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:4\+xt*\f* against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master King Hadadezer of Zobah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:23 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:3\+xt*\f*
\v 24 and gathered men to himself. He became leader of a raiding party when David killed the Zobaites. He~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 11:24 \ft LXX; Hb reads \fqa They\f* went to Damascus,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:24 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:5\+xt*\f* lived there, and became king in Damascus.
\v 25 Rezon was Israel’s enemy throughout Solomon’s reign, adding to the trouble Hadad had caused. He reigned over Aram~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 11:25 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read \fqa Edom\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:25 \ft \+xt Gn 10:22; 2Sm 10:19\+xt*\f* and loathed Israel.
\p
\v 26 Now Solomon’s servant,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:11\+xt*\f* Jeroboam son of Nebat, was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother’s name was Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:40; 2Ch 13:6\+xt*\f* against Solomon,
\v 27 and this is the reason he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the supporting terraces~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:27 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:15,24\+xt*\f* and repaired the opening in the wall of the city of his father David.
\v 28 Now the man Jeroboam was capable, and Solomon noticed the young man because he was getting things done. So he appointed him over the entire labor force of the house of Joseph.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:13–16; 12:4\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 29 During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:15; 14:2\+xt*\f* met Jeroboam on the road as Jeroboam came out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself with a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.
\v 30 Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he had on, tore it into twelve pieces,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:30 \ft \+xt 1Sm 15:27–28; 1Kg 11:11–13\+xt*\f*
\v 31 and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand. I will give you ten tribes,
\v 32 but one tribe will remain his for the sake of my servant David~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:32 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:15–16\+xt*\f* and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I chose out of all the tribes of Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:30–32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:11–13\+xt*\f*
\v 33 For they have abandoned me; they have bowed down to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh, the god of Moab, and to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:5,7\+xt*\f* They have not walked in my ways to do what is right in my sight and to carry out my statutes and my judgments as his father David did.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:14; 11:9–11\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 34 “~‘However, I will not take the whole kingdom from him but will let him be ruler all the days of his life for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who kept my commands and my statutes.
\v 35 I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from his son and give them to you.
\v 36 I will give one tribe~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:16–17\+xt*\f* to his son,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:34–36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:14; 11:12–13\+xt*\f* so that my servant David will always have a lamp~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 11:36 \ft Or \fqa dominion\f* before me~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:36 \ft \+xt 2Sm 21:17; 1Kg 15:4; 2Kg 8:19\+xt*\f* in Jerusalem, the city I chose for myself to put my name there.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:29; 11:13\+xt*\f*
\v 37 I will appoint you,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:37 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:11\+xt*\f* and you will reign as king~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:37 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:7\+xt*\f* over all you want,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:37 \ft \+xt 2Sm 3:21\+xt*\f* and you will be king over Israel.
\p
\v 38 “~‘After that, if you obey all I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight in order to keep my statutes and my commands as my servant David did, I will be with you.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:38 \ft \+xt Jos 1:5; 1Kg 3:14; 11:11\+xt*\f* I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:38 \ft \+xt 2Sm 7:11,27\+xt*\f* and I will give you Israel.
\v 39 I will humble David’s descendants, because of their unfaithfulness, but not forever.’~”~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 11:38–39 \ft LXX omits \fqa and I will give~.~.~. but not forever\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:39 \ft \+xt Ezk 37:15–28; Am 9:11–12\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 40 Therefore, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:40 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:26–28\+xt*\f* but he fled to Egypt,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:40 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:2\+xt*\f* to King Shishak of Egypt,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:40 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:25–26; 2Ch 12:2–9\+xt*\f* where he remained until Solomon’s death.
\s1 Solomon’s Death
\m
\v 41 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and his wisdom, are written in the Book of Solomon’s Events.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:41 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:7,23; 2Ch 9:29\+xt*\f*
\v 42 The length of Solomon’s reign in Jerusalem over all Israel totaled forty years.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:42 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:5\+xt*\f*
\v 43 Solomon rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:1\+xt*\f* became king in his place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 11:42–43 \ft \+xt 2Ch 9:30–31\+xt*\f*
\c 12
\s1 The Kingdom Divided
\m
\v 1 Then Rehoboam~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:1–19 \ft \+xt 2Ch 10:1–19\+xt*\f* went to Shechem,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:1 \ft \+xt Jos 12:1; 1Kg 12:25\+xt*\f* for all Israel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:1 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:1–2; 1Kg 12:16–17\+xt*\f* had gone to Shechem to make him king.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:1 \ft \+xt Jdg 9:6\+xt*\f*
\v 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it, he stayed in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon’s presence.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:40\+xt*\f* Jeroboam stayed in Egypt.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 12:2 \ft LXX, Vg read \fqa Jeroboam returned from Egypt\ft ; 2Ch 10:2\f*
\v 3 But they summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam:
\v 4 “Your father made our yoke harsh.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:4 \ft \+xt 1Sm 8:11–18\+xt*\f* You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:20\+xt*\f* and we will serve you.”
\p
\v 5 Rehoboam replied, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people left.
\v 6 Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:2–19\+xt*\f* who had served his father Solomon when he was alive, asking, “How do you advise me to respond to this people?~”
\p
\v 7 They replied, “Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:7 \ft \+xt 2Ch 10:7; Pr 15:1\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 8 But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:8 \ft \+xt Lv 19:32\+xt*\f* and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and attended him.
\v 9 He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to this people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?~”
\p
\v 10 The young men who had grown up with him told him, “This is what you should say to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us!~’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
\v 11 Although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with barbed whips.’~”~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 12:11 \ft Lit \fqa with scorpions\ft , also in v.~14\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:10–11 \ft \+xt Ex 1:13–14; 5:6–9; 2Ch 10:10–11\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had ordered: “Return to me on the third day.”
\v 13 Then the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice the elders had given him
\v 14 and spoke to them according to the young men’s advice: “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with barbed whips.”
\p
\v 15 The king did not listen to the people, because this turn of events came from the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:15 \ft \+xt Dt 2:30; 1Kg 12:24\+xt*\f* to carry out his word, which the \nd Lord\nd* had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:29–39\+xt*\f*
\v 16 When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him:
\qc What portion do~we~have in~David?
\qc We have no~inheritance in~the~son of~Jesse.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:16 \ft \+xt 2Sm 5:3,5\+xt*\f*
\qc Israel, return to~your~tents;
\qc David, now look after~your~own~house!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:16 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:1\+xt*\f*
\m So Israel went to their tents,
\v 17 but Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:13,36\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 12:18 \ft LXX reads \fqa Adoniram\ft ; 1Kg 4:6; 5:14\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:18 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:24; 1Kg 4:6; 5:14\+xt*\f* who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into the chariot and flee to Jerusalem.
\v 19 Israel is still in rebellion against the house of David today.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:19 \ft \+xt 2Kg 21:17\+xt*\f*
\s1 Rehoboam in Jerusalem
\m
\v 20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:3\+xt*\f* they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:11\+xt*\f* No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:13,36\+xt*\f*
\v 21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:21–24 \ft \+xt 2Ch 11:1–4\+xt*\f* he mobilized one hundred eighty thousand fit young soldiers from the entire house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:21 \ft \+xt 2Sm 19:17\+xt*\f* to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
\v 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:22 \ft \+xt 2Ch 12:5,7\+xt*\f* the man of God:
\v 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to the whole house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
\v 24 ‘This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you return home, for this situation is from me.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:15\+xt*\f*
\p So they listened to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* and went back according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd*.
\s1 Jeroboam’s Idolatry
\m
\v 25 Jeroboam built Shechem~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:25 \ft \+xt Gn 12:6; Jdg 9:6; 1Kg 12:1\+xt*\f* in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:25 \ft \+xt Jdg 8:8–9,17\+xt*\f*
\v 26 Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:38\+xt*\f*
\v 27 If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple in Jerusalem,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:27 \ft \+xt Dt 12:5–7,14\+xt*\f* the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.”
\v 28 So the king sought advice.
\p Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 12:28 \ft Or \fqa here is your God\ft , or \fqa here is your god\f* who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:28 \ft \+xt Ex 32:4,8\+xt*\f*
\v 29 He set up one in Bethel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:29 \ft \+xt Gn 12:8; 28:19\+xt*\f* and put the other in Dan.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:29 \ft \+xt Jdg 18:29\+xt*\f*
\v 30 This led to sin;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:34; 2Kg 17:21\+xt*\f* the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 12:30 \ft Some LXX mss read \fqa calves to Bethel and the other to Dan\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:30 \ft \+xt Ex 20:4–6; Dt 5:8–10\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 31 Jeroboam also made shrines~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 12:31 \ft Lit \fqa a house\f* on the high places~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:3; 11:7\+xt*\f* and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:31 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:32\+xt*\f*
\v 32 Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:32 \ft \+xt Lv 23:33–34; Nm 29:12\+xt*\f* He offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He also stationed the priests in Bethel for the high places he had made.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:32 \ft \+xt 2Ch 11:15\+xt*\f*
\v 33 He offered sacrifices on~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 12:33 \ft Or \fqa He went up to\f* the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:33 \ft \+xt Nm 15:39\+xt*\f* He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 12:33 \ft \+xt 2Kg 23:15\+xt*\f*
\c 13
\s1 Judgment on Jeroboam
\m
\v 1 A man of God~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:22; 2Kg 23:17\+xt*\f* came, however, from Judah to Bethel by the word of the \nd Lord\nd* while Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:32–33\+xt*\f*
\v 2 The man of God cried out against the altar by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*: “Altar, altar, this is what the \nd Lord\nd* says, ‘A son will be born to the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:2 \ft \+xt 2Kg 23:15–16\+xt*\f*
\v 3 He gave a sign~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:3 \ft \+xt Is 7:14\+xt*\f* that day. He said, “This is the sign that the \nd Lord\nd* has spoken: ‘The altar will now be ripped apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:3 \ft \+xt Jn 2:11,18\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 4 When the king heard the message that the man of God had cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Arrest him!~” But the hand he stretched out against him withered, and he could not pull it back to himself.
\v 5 The altar was ripped apart, and the ashes poured from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*.
\p
\v 6 Then the king responded to the man of God, “Plead for the favor of the \nd Lord\nd* your God and pray for me~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:6 \ft \+xt Jms 5:16\+xt*\f* so that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God pleaded for the favor of the \nd Lord\nd*, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it had been at first.
\p
\v 7 Then the king declared to the man of God, “Come home with me, refresh yourself, and I’ll give you a reward.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:7 \ft \+xt 1Sm 9:7; 2Kg 5:15\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 8 But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your house,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:8 \ft \+xt Nm 22:18; Est 5:3; Mk 6:23\+xt*\f* I still wouldn’t go with you, and I wouldn’t eat food or drink water in this place,
\v 9 for this is what I was commanded by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:1\+xt*\f* ‘You must not eat food or drink water or go back the way you came.’~”
\v 10 So he went another way; he did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel.
\s1 The Old Prophet and the Man of God
\m
\v 11 Now a certain old prophet was living in Bethel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:32; 13:1\+xt*\f* His son~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 13:11 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read \fqa sons\f* came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. His sons also told their father the words that he had spoken to the king.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:2–6\+xt*\f*
\v 12 Then their father asked them, “Which way did he go?~” His sons had seen~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 13:12 \ft LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read \fqa sons showed him\f* the way taken by the man of God who had come from Judah.
\v 13 Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him, and he got on it.
\v 14 He followed the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?~”
\p “I am,” he said.
\p
\v 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat some food.”
\p
\v 16 But he answered, “I cannot go back with you or accompany you; I will not eat food or drink water with you in this place.
\v 17 For a message came to me by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*: ‘You must not eat food or drink water there~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:16–17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:8–9\+xt*\f* or go back by the way you came.’~”
\p
\v 18 He said to him, “I am also a prophet~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:18 \ft \+xt 1Jn 4:1\+xt*\f* like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat food and drink water.’~” The old prophet deceived him,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:18 \ft \+xt Dt 13:1–3\+xt*\f*
\v 19 and the man of God went back with him, ate food in his house, and drank water.
\p
\v 20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to the prophet who had brought him back,
\v 21 and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘Because you rebelled against the \nd Lord\nd*’s command and did not keep the command that the \nd Lord\nd* your God commanded you~#—~#
\v 22 but you went back and ate food and drank water in the place that he said to you, “Do not eat food and do not drink water”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:21–22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:8–9\+xt*\f*~— your corpse will never reach the grave of your ancestors.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:30\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 23 So after he had eaten food and after he had drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet he had brought back.
\v 24 When he left,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 13:23–24 \ft LXX reads \fqa donkey, and he turned \fv 24\fv*\fqa and left, and\f* a lion attacked~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 13:24 \ft Lit \fqa met\f* him along the way and killed him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:36\+xt*\f* His corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it; the lion was standing beside the corpse too.
\p
\v 25 There were men passing by who saw the corpse thrown on the road and the lion standing beside it, and they went and spoke about it in the city where the old prophet lived.
\v 26 When the prophet who had brought him back from his way heard about it, he said, “He is the man of God who disobeyed the \nd Lord\nd*’s command. The \nd Lord\nd* has given him to the lion, and it has mauled and killed him, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* that he spoke to him.”
\p
\v 27 Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” They saddled it,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:27 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:13\+xt*\f*
\v 28 and he went and found the corpse thrown on the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse or mauled the donkey.
\v 29 So the prophet lifted the corpse of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back. The old prophet came into the city to mourn and to bury him.
\v 30 Then he laid the corpse in his own grave,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:22,24\+xt*\f* and they mourned over him, “Oh, my brother!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:30 \ft \+xt Jr 22:18\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 31 After he had buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones,
\v 32 for the message that he cried out by the word of the \nd Lord\nd* against the altar in Bethel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:1–3\+xt*\f* and against all the shrines of the high places~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:31–32; 2Kg 17:29\+xt*\f* in the cities of Samaria~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:28–29,32\+xt*\f* is certain to happen.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:32 \ft \+xt 2Kg 23:16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 33 Even after this,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:1–6,24\+xt*\f* Jeroboam did not repent~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:28–33; 13:1; Ac 26:20\+xt*\f* of his evil way but again made priests for the high places from the ranks of the people.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:31\+xt*\f* He ordained whoever so desired it, and they became priests of the high places.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:33 \ft \+xt Jdg 17:5; 2Ch 13:9\+xt*\f*
\v 34 This was the sin that caused the house of Jeroboam to be cut off and obliterated from the face of the earth.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 13:34 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:28–33; 2Kg 17:21–23\+xt*\f*
\c 14
\s1 Disaster on the House of Jeroboam
\m
\v 1 At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:12,17–18\+xt*\f*
\v 2 Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go disguise yourself,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:2 \ft \+xt 1Sm 28:8; 2Sm 14:2–3\+xt*\f* so they won’t know that you’re Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:2 \ft \+xt Jos 18:1\+xt*\f* The prophet Ahijah is there; it was he who told about me becoming king over this people.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:29–39\+xt*\f*
\v 3 Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:3 \ft \+xt 1Sm 9:7–8\+xt*\f* and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
\p
\v 4 Jeroboam’s wife did that: she went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Ahijah could not see; he was blind~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:4 \ft Lit \fqa see, for his eyes stood\ft ; 1Sm 4:15\f* due to his age.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:4 \ft \+xt 1Sm 3:2; 4:15\+xt*\f*
\v 5 But the \nd Lord\nd* had said to Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming soon to ask you about her son, for he is sick. You are to say such and such to her. When she arrives, she will be disguised.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 14:1–2\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:6 \ft \+xt 1Sm 28:12\+xt*\f* I have bad news for you.
\v 7 Go tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel says: I raised you up from among the people, appointed you ruler over my people Israel,
\v 8 tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:7–8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:28–31; 16:2\+xt*\f* But you were not like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what is right in my sight.
\v 9 You behaved more wickedly than all who were before you.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:25,30\+xt*\f* In order to anger me, you have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and cast images,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:33; 12:28–33\+xt*\f* but you have flung me behind your back.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:9 \ft \+xt Neh 9:26; Ps 50:17\+xt*\f*
\v 10 Because of all this, I am about to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam:
\qc I will wipe out all~of Jeroboam’s~males,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:10 \ft Lit \fqa eliminate Jeroboam’s one who urinates against the wall\f*
\qc both slave and~free,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:10 \ft Or \fqa males, even the weak and impaired\ft ; Hb obscure\f* in~Israel;
\qc I will sweep away the~house of~Jeroboam
\qc as one sweeps away dung until~it~is all~gone!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:29; 21:21–22\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 11 Anyone who belongs to~Jeroboam and~dies in~the~city,
\qc the dogs will~eat,
\qc and anyone who~dies in~the~field,
\qc the birds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:11 \ft Lit \fqa birds of the sky\f* will~eat,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:4; 21:24\+xt*\f*
\qc for the \nd Lord\nd* has~spoken!~’
\b
\p
\v 12 “As for you, get up and go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the boy will die.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:17\+xt*\f*
\v 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He alone out of Jeroboam’s house will be given a proper burial because out of the house of Jeroboam something favorable to the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel was found in him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:13 \ft \+xt 2Ch 12:12; 19:3\+xt*\f*
\v 14 The \nd Lord\nd* will raise up for himself a king over Israel, who will wipe out the house of Jeroboam.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:27–29\+xt*\f* This is the day, yes,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:14 \ft Hb obscure\f* even today!
\v 15 For the \nd Lord\nd* will strike Israel so that they will~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 14:15 \fq so that they will \ft supplied for clarity\f* shake as a reed shakes in water. He will uproot Israel from this good soil that he gave to their ancestors.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:15 \ft \+xt Dt 29:28\+xt*\f* He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:15 \ft \+xt 2Kg 15:29; 17:6\+xt*\f* because they made their Asherah poles, angering the \nd Lord\nd*.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:15 \ft \+xt Ex 34:14–15; Dt 12:3–4\+xt*\f*
\v 16 He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins that he committed and caused Israel to commit.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:28–33; 13:34; 15:30\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 17 Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:33; Sg 6:4\+xt*\f* As she was crossing the threshold of the house, the boy died.
\v 18 He was buried, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* he had spoken through his servant the prophet Ahijah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:12–13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 19 As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, how he waged war~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:30; 2Ch 13:2–20\+xt*\f* and how he reigned, note that they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
\v 20 The length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years. He rested with his ancestors, and his son Nadab became king in his place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:25–26\+xt*\f*
\s1 Judah’s King Rehoboam
\m
\v 21 Now Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, reigned in Judah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:1–24\+xt*\f* Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city where the \nd Lord\nd* had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put his name.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:21 \ft \+xt Dt 12:5; 1Kg 9:3; 11:32,36\+xt*\f* Rehoboam’s mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:21 \ft \+xt 2Ch 12:13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 22 Judah did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:22 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:19; 2Ch 12:1,14\+xt*\f* They provoked him to jealous anger~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:22 \ft \+xt Dt 32:21\+xt*\f* more than all that their ancestors had done with the sins they committed.
\v 23 They also built for themselves high places,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 3:2; 12:31\+xt*\f* sacred pillars,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:23 \ft \+xt Ex 23:24; Dt 16:21–22\+xt*\f* and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree;
\v 24 there were even male cult prostitutes in the land.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:24 \ft \+xt Dt 23:17\+xt*\f* They imitated all the detestable practices of the nations the \nd Lord\nd* had dispossessed before the Israelites.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:24 \ft \+xt Ex 23:24; Dt 18:9; 2Kg 16:3; 17:15; 21:2; 3Jn 11\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:40\+xt*\f* went to war against Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:25–28 \ft \+xt 2Ch 12:2–11\+xt*\f*
\v 26 He seized the treasuries of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple and the treasuries of the royal palace. He took everything. He took all the gold shields that Solomon had made.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:16–17\+xt*\f*
\v 27 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and committed them into the care of the captains of the guards~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:27 \ft Lit \fqa the runners\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:27 \ft \+xt 1Sm 22:17; 2Sm 15:1\+xt*\f* who protected the entrance to the king’s palace.
\v 28 Whenever the king entered the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple, the guards would carry the shields, then they would take them back to the armory.~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 14:28 \ft Lit \fqa the chamber of the runners\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:17\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 29 The rest of the events of Rehoboam’s reign,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:29–31 \ft \+xt 2Ch 12:15–16\+xt*\f* along with all his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.
\v 30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their reigns.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:21–24; 15:6\+xt*\f*
\v 31 Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:21\+xt*\f* His son Abijam~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 14:31 \ft = Abijah in 2Ch 13\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 14:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:1–8; 2Ch 11:20; 13:1–14:1\+xt*\f* became king in his place.
\c 15
\s1 Judah’s King Abijam
\m
\v 1 In the eighteenth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah,
\v 2 and he reigned three years in Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:1–2 \ft \+xt 2Ch 13:1–2\+xt*\f* His mother’s name was Maacah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:10,13; 2Ch 13:2\+xt*\f* daughter~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 15:2 \ft Possibly granddaughter, also in v.~10; 2Ch 13:2\f* of Abishalom.
\p
\v 3 Abijam walked in all the sins his father before him had committed,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:21–22\+xt*\f* and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the \nd Lord\nd* his God as his ancestor David had been.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:4; 11:4\+xt*\f*
\v 4 But for the sake of David, the \nd Lord\nd* his God gave him a lamp~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 15:4 \ft Or \fqa dominion\f* in Jerusalem by raising up his son after him and by preserving Jerusalem.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:4 \ft \+xt 2Sm 21:17; 1Kg 11:36; 2Ch 21:7\+xt*\f*
\v 5 For David did what was right in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight, and he did not turn aside from anything he had commanded him all the days of his life,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:4; 14:8\+xt*\f* except in the matter of Uriah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:5 \ft \+xt 2Sm 11:3,15–17; 12:9–10\+xt*\f* the Hethite.
\p
\v 6 There had been war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Rehoboam’s life.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:30; 2Ch 12:15\+xt*\f*
\v 7 The rest of the events of Abijam’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:29\+xt*\f* There was also war between Abijam and Jeroboam.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:7 \ft \+xt 2Ch 13:4–20\+xt*\f*
\v 8 Abijam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:31; 2Ch 14:1\+xt*\f* His son Asa became king in his place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:31; 2Ch 14–16\+xt*\f*
\s1 Judah’s King Asa
\m
\v 9 In the twentieth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:1\+xt*\f* Asa became king of Judah,
\v 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 15:10 \ft Lit \fqa mother’s\f* name was Maacah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:2\+xt*\f* daughter of Abishalom.
\p
\v 11 Asa did what was right in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight, as his ancestor David had done.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:4–5; 2Ch 14:2\+xt*\f*
\v 12 He banished the male cult prostitutes~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:12 \ft \+xt Dt 23:17; 1Kg 14:24\+xt*\f* from the land and removed all of the idols that his ancestors had made.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:11–12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:7; 14:23; 2Ch 14:3,5\+xt*\f*
\v 13 He also~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:13–15 \ft \+xt 2Ch 15:16–18\+xt*\f* removed his grandmother~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 15:13 \ft Lit \fqa mother\f* Maacah from being queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. Asa chopped down her obscene image and burned it~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:13 \ft \+xt Ex 32:20\+xt*\f* in the Kidron Valley.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:13 \ft \+xt 2Kg 23:6\+xt*\f*
\v 14 The high places were not taken away,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:43\+xt*\f* but Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the \nd Lord\nd* his entire life.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 8:61; 15:3\+xt*\f*
\v 15 He brought his father’s consecrated gifts and his own consecrated gifts into the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple: silver, gold, and utensils.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 7:51\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 16 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:32\+xt*\f*
\v 17 Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:17–22 \ft \+xt 2Ch 16:1–6\+xt*\f* He built Ramah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:17 \ft \+xt Jos 18:25\+xt*\f* in order to keep anyone from leaving or coming to King Asa of Judah.
\v 18 So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the \nd Lord\nd*’s temple~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:26\+xt*\f* and the treasuries of the royal palace and gave it to his servants. Then King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:1\+xt*\f* son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion king of Aram who lived in Damascus,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:23–24\+xt*\f* saying,
\v 19 “There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 5:12; 2Ch 16:7\+xt*\f* Look, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Go and break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:27–28\+xt*\f* so that he will withdraw from me.”
\p
\v 20 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:20 \ft \+xt 2Kg 15:29\+xt*\f* Dan,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:20 \ft \+xt Jdg 18:29; 1Kg 12:29\+xt*\f* Abel-beth-maacah,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:20 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:15; 2Kg 15:29\+xt*\f* all Chinnereth,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:20 \ft \+xt Jos 11:2; 12:3\+xt*\f* and the whole land of Naphtali.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:20 \ft \+xt Jos 19:32–39; 1Kg 20:34\+xt*\f*
\v 21 When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stayed in Tirzah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:21 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:17; 15:33; 16:8,15–18\+xt*\f*
\v 22 Then King Asa gave a command to everyone without exception in Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then King Asa built Geba~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:22 \ft \+xt Jos 18:24; 21:17\+xt*\f* of Benjamin and Mizpah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:22 \ft \+xt Jos 11:3; 2Ch 16:6\+xt*\f* with them.
\p
\v 23 The rest of all the events of Asa’s reign,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:23–24 \ft \+xt 2Ch 16:11–14\+xt*\f* along with all his might, all his accomplishments, and the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:29; 15:7\+xt*\f* But in his old age he developed a disease in his feet.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:23 \ft \+xt 2Ch 16:12\+xt*\f*
\v 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his ancestor David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:31; 15:8\+xt*\f* His son Jehoshaphat~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:41–50\+xt*\f* became king in his place.
\s1 Israel’s King Nadab
\m
\v 25 Nadab son of Jeroboam~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:20\+xt*\f* became king over Israel in the second year of Judah’s King Asa; he reigned over Israel two years.
\v 26 Nadab did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight and walked in the ways of his father and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:16; 15:30,34\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 27 Then Baasha~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:27 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:14; 15:16\+xt*\f* son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against Nadab, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:27 \ft \+xt Jos 19:44; 1Kg 16:15\+xt*\f* of the Philistines while Nadab and all Israel were besieging Gibbethon.
\v 28 In the third year of Judah’s King Asa,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:8–24; 2Ch 14–16\+xt*\f* Baasha killed Nadab~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:8–10\+xt*\f* and reigned in his place.
\p
\v 29 When Baasha became king, he struck down the entire house of Jeroboam.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:34\+xt*\f* He did not leave Jeroboam any survivors but~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 15:29 \ft Lit \fqa Jeroboam anyone breathing until he\f* destroyed his family according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* he had spoken through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:10\+xt*\f*
\v 30 This was because Jeroboam had angered~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 15:30 \ft Lit \fqa provoked in the provocation of\f* the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel by the sins he had committed and had caused Israel to commit.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:7–9\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 31 The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:19; 16:5\+xt*\f*
\v 32 There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel throughout their reigns.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:32 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:16\+xt*\f*
\s1 Israel’s King Baasha
\m
\v 33 In the third year of Judah’s King Asa, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:21\+xt*\f* twenty-four years.
\v 34 He did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight and walked in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 15:34 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:16\+xt*\f*
\c 16
\m
\v 1 Now the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Jehu~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:7; 2Ch 19:2\+xt*\f* son of Hanani~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:1 \ft \+xt 2Ch 16:7–10\+xt*\f* against Baasha:
\v 2 “Because I raised you up from the dust~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:2 \ft \+xt 1Sm 2:8\+xt*\f* and made you ruler over my people Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:7\+xt*\f* but you have walked in the ways of Jeroboam and have caused my people Israel to sin,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:26,34\+xt*\f* angering me with their sins,
\v 3 take note: I will eradicate Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:10; 15:29\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 4 Anyone who belongs to~Baasha and~dies in~the~city,
\qc the dogs will~eat,
\qc and anyone who~is~his and~dies in~the~field,
\qc the birds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 16:4 \ft Lit \fqa birds of the sky\f* will~eat.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:11; 21:24\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:5 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:19; 15:31\+xt*\f*
\v 6 Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place.
\v 7 But through the prophet Jehu~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:1; 2Ch 19:2\+xt*\f* son of Hanani the word of the \nd Lord\nd* also had come against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight. His actions angered the \nd Lord\nd*, and Baasha’s house became like the house of Jeroboam, because he had struck it down.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:7 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:27,29\+xt*\f*
\s1 Israel’s King Elah
\m
\v 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:21\+xt*\f* two years.
\p
\v 9 His servant Zimri,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:9 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:30–33\+xt*\f* commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:9 \ft \+xt 1Sm 25:36; 1Kg 20:12,16; Pr 31:4–5; Eph 5:18\+xt*\f* in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:3\+xt*\f* at Tirzah.
\v 10 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in and struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:28\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 11 When he became king, as soon as he was seated on his throne, Zimri struck down the entire house of Baasha. He did not leave a single male,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 16:11 \ft Lit \fqa leave him one who urinates against the wall\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:11 \ft \+xt 1Sm 25:22; 1Kg 15:29\+xt*\f* including his kinsmen and his friends.
\v 12 So Zimri destroyed the entire house of Baasha, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* he had spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:1–4\+xt*\f*
\v 13 This happened because of all the sins of Baasha and those of his son Elah, which they committed and caused Israel to commit, angering the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:26,30\+xt*\f* with their worthless idols.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:13 \ft \+xt Dt 32:21; 1Kg 12:28–33\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:31\+xt*\f*
\s1 Israel’s King Zimri
\m
\v 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri became king for seven days in Tirzah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:21\+xt*\f* Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon of the Philistines.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:27\+xt*\f*
\v 16 When these troops heard that Zimri had not only conspired but had also struck down the king, then all Israel made Omri, the army commander, king over Israel that very day in the camp.
\v 17 Omri along with all Israel marched up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:17\+xt*\f*
\v 18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died
\v 19 because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight and by walking in the ways of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:28–33\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, along with the conspiracy that he instigated, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
\v 21 At that time the people of Israel were divided: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
\v 22 However, the people who followed Omri proved stronger than those who followed Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.
\s1 Israel’s King Omri
\m
\v 23 In the thirty-first year of Judah’s King Asa, Omri became king over Israel, and he reigned twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:21\+xt*\f*
\v 24 then he bought the hill of Samaria~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:32\+xt*\f* from Shemer for 150 pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 16:24 \ft Lit \fqa for two talents\f* of silver, and he built up the hill. He named the city he built Samaria~\f + \cat (III)\cat* \fr 16:24 \ft = Belonging to Shemer’s Clan\f* based on the name Shemer, the owner of the hill.
\p
\v 25 Omri did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:9; 16:30\+xt*\f*
\v 26 He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat in every respect and continued in his sins that he caused Israel to commit, angering the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel with their worthless idols.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:25–26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:13,19\+xt*\f*
\v 27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, along with his accomplishments and the might he exercised, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
\v 28 Omri rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab became king in his place.
\s1 Israel’s King Ahab
\m
\v 29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
\v 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight more than all who were before him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:9; 16:25\+xt*\f*
\v 31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:31 \ft \+xt Dt 7:3–4; 1Kg 18:4,13; Rv 2:20\+xt*\f* the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 11:5\+xt*\f* and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:31 \ft \+xt Jdg 2:11\+xt*\f*
\v 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:32 \ft \+xt 2Kg 10:21,26–27\+xt*\f* that he had built in Samaria.
\v 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:33 \ft \+xt 2Kg 13:6\+xt*\f* Ahab did more to anger the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:33 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:30\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 34 During his reign, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest, he finished its gates, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 16:34 \ft \+xt Jos 6:26\+xt*\f*
\c 17
\s1 Elijah Announces Famine
\m
\v 1 Now Elijah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17–19; 2Kg 1–2; Mal 4:5; Mt 11:14\+xt*\f* the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 17:1 \ft LXX reads \fqa from Tishbe of Gilead\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:1 \ft \+xt Jdg 12:4\+xt*\f* said to Ahab, “As the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel lives,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:10; 22:14\+xt*\f* in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:1 \ft \+xt Dt 11:16–17; Jms 5:17; Rv 11:6\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 2 Then the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to him:
\v 3 “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:4\+xt*\f* at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.
\v 4 You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:9; Jb 38:41; Lk 12:24\+xt*\f* to provide for you there.”
\p
\v 5 So he proceeded to do what the \nd Lord\nd* commanded. Elijah left and lived at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.
\v 6 The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:6 \ft \+xt Ex 16:8\+xt*\f* and he would drink from the wadi.
\v 7 After a while, the wadi dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
\s1 Elijah and the Widow
\m
\v 8 Then the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to him:
\v 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:9 \ft \+xt Ob 20; Lk 4:26\+xt*\f* that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.”
\v 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:10 \ft \+xt Gn 24:17; Jn 4:7\+xt*\f*
\v 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”
\p
\v 12 But she said, “As the \nd Lord\nd* your God lives,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:1\+xt*\f* I don’t have anything baked~#—~#only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:12 \ft \+xt 2Kg 4:2–7\+xt*\f* in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:12 \ft \+xt Gn 21:14,16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son,
\v 14 for this is what the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the \nd Lord\nd* sends rain on the surface of the land.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:1; Php 4:19\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:15 \ft \+xt Mt 6:11\+xt*\f*
\v 16 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* he had spoken through~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 17:16 \ft Lit \fqa by the hand of\f* Elijah.
\s1 The Widow’s Son Raised
\m
\v 17 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:17 \ft \+xt Ac 9:37\+xt*\f*
\v 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:22\+xt*\f* what do you have against me?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:18 \ft \+xt 2Sm 16:10; 2Kg 3:13\+xt*\f* Have you come to call attention to my iniquity~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:18 \ft \+xt Lk 5:8\+xt*\f* so that my son is put to death?~”
\p
\v 19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:19 \ft \+xt Ac 9:37,39\+xt*\f* where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
\v 20 Then he cried out to the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:20 \ft \+xt 2Kg 4:33\+xt*\f* and said, “\nd Lord\nd* my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?~”
\v 21 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:21 \ft \+xt 2Kg 4:34; Ac 20:10\+xt*\f* He cried out to the \nd Lord\nd* and said, “\nd Lord\nd* my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!~”
\p
\v 22 So the \nd Lord\nd* listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:22 \ft \+xt Lk 7:14\+xt*\f*
\v 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:23 \ft \+xt Lk 7:15; Heb 11:35\+xt*\f* Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.”
\p
\v 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:24 \ft \+xt Jn 3:2\+xt*\f* and the \nd Lord\nd*’s word from your mouth is true.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 17:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:16; Jn 17:17\+xt*\f*
\c 18
\s1 Elijah’s Message to Ahab
\m
\v 1 After a long time, the word of the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:8\+xt*\f* came to Elijah in the third year:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:1; Jms 5:17\+xt*\f* “Go and present yourself to Ahab.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:29–33\+xt*\f* I will send rain on the surface of the land.”
\v 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
\p The famine was severe in Samaria.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:24,29\+xt*\f*
\v 3 Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:3 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:9\+xt*\f* Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:3 \ft \+xt Neh 7:2; Pr 3:5–6\+xt*\f*
\v 4 and took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:31; Rv 2:20\+xt*\f* slaughtered the \nd Lord\nd*’s prophets.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:13\+xt*\f*
\v 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and to every wadi. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:5 \ft \+xt Gn 47:4\+xt*\f*
\v 6 They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
\p
\v 7 While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:7 \ft \+xt 2Kg 1:6–8\+xt*\f* When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?~”
\p
\v 8 “It is I,” he replied. “Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here!~’~”~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 18:8 \ft The Hb words translated \fqa ‘Elijah is here’\ft also mean \fqa ‘Look, my God is the \+nd Lord\+nd*’\f*
\p
\v 9 But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:9 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:18\+xt*\f* that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
\v 10 As the \nd Lord\nd* your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you.
\p
\v 11 “Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!~”~’
\v 12 But when I leave you, the Spirit of the \nd Lord\nd* may carry you off~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:12 \ft \+xt 2Kg 2:16; Ac 8:39\+xt*\f* to some place I don’t know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the \nd Lord\nd* from my youth.
\v 13 Wasn’t it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the \nd Lord\nd*’s prophets? I hid a hundred of the prophets of the \nd Lord\nd*, fifty men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water.
\v 14 Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!~”~’ He will kill me!~”
\p
\v 15 Then Elijah said, “As the \nd Lord\nd* of Armies lives,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:1\+xt*\f* in whose presence I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab.”
\p
\v 16 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.
\v 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one ruining Israel?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:17 \ft \+xt Jos 7:25; 1Kg 21:20\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 18 He replied, “I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the \nd Lord\nd*’s commands~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:9; 16:25–26\+xt*\f* and followed the Baals.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:31–32\+xt*\f*
\v 19 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:19 \ft \+xt Jos 19:26; 2Kg 2:25\+xt*\f* along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:33; 22:6\+xt*\f* who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
\s1 Elijah at Mount Carmel
\m
\v 20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel.
\v 21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions?~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 18:21 \ft Lit \fqa you hobble on two crutches?\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:21 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:41\+xt*\f* If the \nd Lord\nd* is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:21 \ft \+xt Jos 24:15; Mt 6:24\+xt*\f* But the people didn’t answer him a word.
\p
\v 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the \nd Lord\nd*,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:10,14\+xt*\f* but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.
\v 23 Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
\v 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the \nd Lord\nd*.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:24 \ft \+xt Gn 4:26; Rm 10:13\+xt*\f* The God who answers with fire, he is God.”
\p All the people answered, “That’s fine.”
\p
\v 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.”
\p
\v 26 So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!~” But there was no sound;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:26 \ft \+xt Jr 10:5; 1Co 8:4\+xt*\f* no one answered. Then they danced~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 18:26 \ft Or \fqa hobbled\f* around the altar they had made.
\p
\v 27 At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away;~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 18:27 \ft Or \fqa has turned aside\ft ; possibly to relieve himself\f* or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:27 \ft \+xt Hab 2:19\+xt*\f*
\v 28 They shouted loudly, and cut themselves~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:28 \ft \+xt Lv 19:28; Dt 14:1\+xt*\f* with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them.
\v 29 All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:29 \ft \+xt Ex 29:39,41\+xt*\f* but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:29 \ft \+xt 1Sm 4:20; 2Kg 19:16; Ps 115:4–8; Is 16:12\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the \nd Lord\nd*’s altar that had been torn down:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:10\+xt*\f*
\v 31 Elijah took twelve stones~#—~#according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the \nd Lord\nd* had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:31 \ft \+xt Gn 32:28; 35:10; 2Kg 17:34\+xt*\f*~#—~#
\v 32 and he built an altar~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:32 \ft \+xt Gn 12:7,8; 22:9\+xt*\f* with the stones in the name of the \nd Lord\nd*. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 18:32 \ft LXX reads \fqa trench containing two measures of seed\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 18:32 \ft Lit \fqa altar corresponding to a house of two seahs of seed\f*
\v 33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.”
\v 34 Then he said, “A second time!~” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!~” and they did it a third time.
\v 35 So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.
\p
\v 36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:29\+xt*\f* the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, “\nd Lord\nd*, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:36 \ft \+xt Ex 3:6; 4:5\+xt*\f* today let it be known~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:36 \ft \+xt Nm 16:28\+xt*\f* that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things.
\v 37 Answer me, \nd Lord\nd*! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the \nd Lord\nd*, are God~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:37 \ft \+xt Jos 4:24; Jn 11:42\+xt*\f* and that you have turned their hearts back.”
\p
\v 38 Then the \nd Lord\nd*’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
\v 39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:39 \ft \+xt Lv 9:24; Mt 17:6\+xt*\f* and said, “The \nd Lord\nd*, he is God! The \nd Lord\nd*, he is God!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:39 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:21,24\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:40 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:19,22\+xt*\f* Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:40 \ft \+xt Jdg 4:7; 5:21\+xt*\f* and slaughtered them there.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:40 \ft \+xt Dt 13:5; 2Kg 10:24–25\+xt*\f*
\v 41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:41 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:1; 18:1\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 42 So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:42 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:19\+xt*\f* He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:42 \ft \+xt 1Sm 12:17; Jms 5:18\+xt*\f*
\v 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.”
\p So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.”
\p Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
\p
\v 44 On the seventh~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:44 \ft \+xt Jos 6:15; Lk 12:54\+xt*\f* time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming up from the sea.”
\p Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’~”
\p
\v 45 In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:45 \ft \+xt Jos 17:16; Jdg 6:33\+xt*\f*
\v 46 The power of the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:46 \ft \+xt 2Kg 3:15\+xt*\f* was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 18:46 \ft \+xt Ex 12:11; 2Kg 4:29; 9:1; Jr 1:17; 1Pt 1:13\+xt*\f* and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
\c 19
\s1 Elijah’s Journey to Horeb
\m
\v 1 Ahab told Jezebel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:31; 18:4,14\+xt*\f* everything that Elijah had done~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:30–38\+xt*\f* and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:40\+xt*\f*
\v 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:2 \ft \+xt 1Sm 3:17; 1Kg 20:10; 2Kg 6:31\+xt*\f* if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!~”
\p
\v 3 Then Elijah became afraid~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 19:3 \ft Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read \fqa He saw\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:3 \ft \+xt Pr 29:25\+xt*\f* and immediately ran for his life.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:3 \ft \+xt Gn 31:21\+xt*\f* When he came to Beer-sheba~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:3 \ft \+xt Gn 21:31; Jdg 20:1\+xt*\f* that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:3 \ft \+xt Gn 22:5; Mt 14:23; 26:36\+xt*\f*
\v 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:4 \ft \+xt Jb 30:4\+xt*\f* and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! \nd Lord\nd*, take my life,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:4 \ft \+xt Nm 11:15; Jnh 4:3,8\+xt*\f* for I’m no better than my ancestors.”
\v 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
\p Suddenly, an angel touched him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:5 \ft \+xt Gn 28:11–16\+xt*\f* The angel told him, “Get up and eat.”
\v 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:10–11\+xt*\f* So he ate and drank and lay down again.
\v 7 Then the angel of the \nd Lord\nd*~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:7 \ft \+xt Gn 16:7,9,11\+xt*\f* returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
\v 8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:8 \ft \+xt Ex 24:18; Mt 4:2\+xt*\f* to Horeb, the mountain of God.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:8 \ft \+xt Ex 3:1; 4:27\+xt*\f*
\v 9 He entered a cave~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:9 \ft \+xt Ex 33:22\+xt*\f* there and spent the night.
\s1 Elijah’s Encounter with the \nd Lord\nd*
\m Suddenly, the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:9 \ft \+xt Gn 3:9\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt Nm 25:13; Ac 22:3\+xt*\f* for the \nd Lord\nd* God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt Dt 31:16\+xt*\f* torn down your altars,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:30\+xt*\f* and killed your prophets~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:4,13; Ac 7:52\+xt*\f* with the sword. I alone am left,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:22\+xt*\f* and they are looking for me to take my life.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:2,14; Rm 11:3\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 11 Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:11 \ft \+xt Ex 19:20\+xt*\f*
\p At that moment, the \nd Lord\nd* passed by.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:11 \ft \+xt Ex 33:21–22\+xt*\f* A great and mighty wind~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:11 \ft \+xt Ezk 1:4; Ac 2:2\+xt*\f* was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the \nd Lord\nd*, but the \nd Lord\nd* was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:11 \ft \+xt Am 1:1; Rv 6:12; 16:18\+xt*\f* but the \nd Lord\nd* was not in the earthquake.
\v 12 After the earthquake there was a fire,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:12 \ft \+xt Ex 3:2\+xt*\f* but the \nd Lord\nd* was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:12 \ft \+xt Zch 4:6,10\+xt*\f*
\v 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:13 \ft \+xt Ex 3:6\+xt*\f* and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
\p Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?~”
\p
\v 14 “I have been very zealous for the \nd Lord\nd* God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:10; Rm 11:3\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 Then the \nd Lord\nd* said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:15 \ft \+xt 2Kg 8:8–15\+xt*\f* as king over Aram.
\v 16 You are to anoint Jehu~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:16 \ft \+xt 2Kg 19:1–10\+xt*\f* son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:19\+xt*\f* son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
\v 17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:17 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:14–10:25\+xt*\f* and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:17 \ft \+xt 2Kg 2:24; 8:1\+xt*\f*
\v 18 But I will leave seven thousand in Israel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:18 \ft \+xt Rm 11:4\+xt*\f*~#—~#every knee that has not bowed to Baal~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:31\+xt*\f* and every mouth that has not kissed him.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:18 \ft \+xt Hs 13:2\+xt*\f*
\s1 Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Successor
\m
\v 19 Elijah left there and found Elisha~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:16–17\+xt*\f* son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:19 \ft \+xt 2Kg 2:8,13–14\+xt*\f*
\v 20 Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:20 \ft \+xt Mt 8:21–22\+xt*\f*
\p “Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?~”
\p
\v 21 So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 19:21 \ft Or \fqa sacrificed\f* them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:21 \ft \+xt 1Sm 6:14; 2Sm 24:22\+xt*\f* he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 19:21 \ft \+xt Lk 14:26,33\+xt*\f*
\c 20
\s1 Victory over Ben-hadad
\m
\v 1 Now King Ben-hadad~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:18,20\+xt*\f* of Aram assembled his entire army. Thirty-two kings,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:31\+xt*\f* along with horses and chariots, were with him. He marched up, besieged Samaria,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:24,29\+xt*\f* and fought against it.
\v 2 He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel and said to him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:
\v 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine! And your best wives and children are mine as well!~’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:3 \ft \+xt 2Kg 24:14–16; Dn 1:3–4\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 4 Then the king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”
\p
\v 5 The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying, “You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.”
\v 6 But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 20:6 \ft Lit \fqa take all the delight of your eyes\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:6 \ft \+xt Lm 2:4; Ezk 24:16,21,25\+xt*\f* and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.’~”
\p
\v 7 Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, “Recognize~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 20:7 \ft Lit \fqa “Know and see\f* that this one is only looking for trouble,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:7 \ft \+xt 2Kg 5:7\+xt*\f* for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”
\p
\v 8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen or agree.”
\p
\v 9 So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Say to my lord the king, ‘Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’~” So the messengers left and took word back to him.
\p
\v 10 Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said, “May the gods punish me and do so severely~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:10 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:2; 2Kg 6:31\+xt*\f* if Samaria’s dust~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:10 \ft \+xt 2Sm 22:43\+xt*\f* amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
\p
\v 11 The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:11 \ft \+xt Pr 27:1\+xt*\f* like the one who takes it off.’~”
\p
\v 12 When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:9\+xt*\f* in their quarters,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 20:12 \ft Lit \fqa booths\ft , also in v.~16\f* he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.
\p
\v 13 A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the \nd Lord\nd*.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:13 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:28\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 14 Ahab asked, “By whom?~”
\p And the prophet said, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘By the young men of the provincial leaders.’~”
\p Then he asked, “Who is to start the battle?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:14 \ft \+xt Jdg 1:1; 20:18\+xt*\f*
\p He said, “You.”
\p
\v 15 So Ahab mobilized the young men of the provincial leaders, and there were 232. After them he mobilized all the Israelite troops: 7,000.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:15 \ft \+xt Jdg 7:2\+xt*\f*
\v 16 They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:16 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:1\+xt*\f* who were helping him were getting drunk in their quarters.
\v 17 The young men of the provincial leaders marched out first. Then Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:24\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 18 So he said, “If they have marched out in peace,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:18 \ft \+xt 2Kg 14:8\+xt*\f* take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”
\p
\v 19 The young men of the provincial leaders and the army behind them marched out from the city,
\v 20 and each one struck down his opponent.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:20 \ft \+xt 2Sm 2:15–16\+xt*\f* So the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:20 \ft \+xt 1Sm 14:13–14,22\+xt*\f* but King Ben-hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry.
\v 21 Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a severe slaughter on Aram.
\p
\v 22 The prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go and strengthen yourself, then consider carefully~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 20:22 \ft Lit \fqa then know and see\f* what you should do, for in the spring~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:22 \ft \+xt 2Sm 11:1\+xt*\f* the king of Aram will attack you.”
\p
\v 23 Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:23 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:23; Ps 139:7–12\+xt*\f* That’s why they were stronger than we were. Instead, we should fight with them on the plain; then we will certainly be stronger than they are.
\v 24 Also do this: remove each king from his position and appoint captains in their place.
\v 25 Raise another army for yourself like the army you lost~#—~#horse for horse, chariot for chariot~#—~#and let’s fight with them on the plain; and we will certainly be stronger than they are.” The king listened to them and did it.
\p
\v 26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:26 \ft \+xt 2Kg 13:17\+xt*\f* to battle Israel.
\v 27 The Israelites mobilized, gathered supplies, and went to fight them. The Israelites camped in front of them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the landscape.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:27 \ft \+xt Jdg 6:5; 1Sm 13:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 28 Then the man of God~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:18\+xt*\f* approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The \nd Lord\nd* is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:23\+xt*\f* I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am the \nd Lord\nd*.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:28 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 29 They camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:29 \ft \+xt Jos 6:15\+xt*\f* the battle took place, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans~#—~#one hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.
\v 30 The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men.
\p Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner room~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:30 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:25\+xt*\f* in the city.
\v 31 His servants said to him, “Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So let’s put sackcloth around our waists~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:31 \ft \+xt Gn 37:34\+xt*\f* and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
\p
\v 32 So they dressed with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’~”
\p So he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
\p
\v 33 Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, so they quickly picked up on this~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 20:33 \ft Some Hb mss, alt Hb tradition, LXX; other Hb mss read \fqa they hastened and caught hold; “Is this it?~”\f* and responded, “Yes, it is your brother Ben-hadad.”
\p Then he said, “Go and bring him.”
\p So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him come up into the chariot.
\v 34 Then Ben-hadad said to him, “I restore to you the cities that my father took from your father,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:34 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:20\+xt*\f* and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, like my father set up in Samaria.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:34 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:6\+xt*\f*
\p Ahab responded, “On the basis of this treaty, I release you.” So he made a treaty with him and released him.
\s1 Ahab Rebuked by the \nd Lord\nd*
\m
\v 35 One of the sons of the prophets~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:35 \ft \+xt 2Kg 2:3,5,7\+xt*\f* said to his fellow prophet by the word of the \nd Lord\nd*, “Strike me!~” But the man refused to strike him.
\p
\v 36 He told him, “Because you did not listen to the \nd Lord\nd*, mark my words: When you leave me, a lion will kill you.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:36 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:24\+xt*\f* When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.
\p
\v 37 The prophet found another man and said to him, “Strike me!~” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.
\v 38 Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguised~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:38 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:2\+xt*\f* himself with a bandage over his eyes.
\v 39 As the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your life in place of his life,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:39 \ft \+xt Jos 2:14; 2Kg 10:24\+xt*\f* or you will weigh out seventy-five pounds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 20:39 \ft Lit \fqa a talent\f* of silver.’
\v 40 But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.”
\p The king of Israel said to him, “That will be your sentence; you yourself have decided it.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:40 \ft \+xt 2Sm 12:5\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 41 He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
\v 42 The prophet said to him, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘Because you released from your hand the man I had set apart for destruction,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:42 \ft \+xt 1Kg 19:16\+xt*\f* it will be your life in place of his life and your people in place of his people.’~”
\v 43 The king of Israel left for home resentful and angry,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 20:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:4\+xt*\f* and he entered Samaria.
\c 21
\s1 Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard
\m
\v 1 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:1 \ft \+xt Jdg 6:33; 1Kg 18:45\+xt*\f* next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:1\+xt*\f*
\v 2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:2 \ft \+xt 1Sm 8:14\+xt*\f* so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”
\p
\v 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “As the \nd Lord\nd* is my witness, I will never give my ancestors’ inheritance~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:3 \ft \+xt Lv 25:23; Nm 36:7\+xt*\f* to you.”
\p
\v 4 So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:4 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:43\+xt*\f* because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my ancestors’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:4 \ft \+xt 2Kg 20:2\+xt*\f* and didn’t eat any food.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:4 \ft \+xt 1Sm 28:23\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat?~”
\p
\v 6 “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard!~’~”
\p
\v 7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:7 \ft \+xt 1Sm 8:14\+xt*\f*
\v 8 So she wrote letters~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:8 \ft \+xt 2Sm 11:14\+xt*\f* in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:8 \ft \+xt Est 3:12; 8:8,10\+xt*\f* She sent the letters to the elders~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:7\+xt*\f* and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
\v 9 In the letters, she wrote:
\pi Proclaim a fast~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:9 \ft \+xt 1Sm 7:5–6; 2Ch 20:2–4\+xt*\f* and seat Naboth at the head of the people.
\v 10 Then seat two wicked men~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:10 \ft \+xt Dt 13:13\+xt*\f* opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:10 \ft \+xt Ex 20:16; 23:1; Dt 5:20; Ac 6:11\+xt*\f* Then take him out and stone him to death.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:10 \ft \+xt Lv 24:15–16\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 11 The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them.
\v 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.
\v 13 The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!~” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.
\v 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:14 \ft \+xt Lv 24:16\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:15 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:2–3\+xt*\f* since Naboth isn’t alive, but dead.”
\v 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.
\s1 The \nd Lord\nd*’s Judgment on Ahab
\m
\v 17 Then the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Elijah the Tishbite:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 17:2,8\+xt*\f*
\v 18 “Get up and go to meet King Ahab of Israel,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:1\+xt*\f* who is in Samaria.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:18 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:29; 2Ch 22:9\+xt*\f* He’s in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.
\v 19 Tell him, ‘This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: Have you murdered~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:19 \ft \+xt Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17\+xt*\f* and also taken possession?~’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:19 \ft \+xt Lv 25:23\+xt*\f* Then tell him, ‘This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood!~’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:19 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:38\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:17\+xt*\f*
\p He replied, “I have found you because you devoted~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:20 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:17; Rm 7:14\+xt*\f* yourself to do what is evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight.
\v 21 This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says:~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 21:21 \ft LXX; MT omits \fqa This is what the \+nd Lord\+nd* says\f* ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants:
\qc I will wipe out all~of Ahab’s~males,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 21:21 \ft Lit \fqa eliminate Ahab’s one who urinates against the wall\f*
\qc both slave and~free,~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 21:21 \ft Or \fqa males, even the weak and impaired\ft ; Hb obscure\f* in~Israel;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:21 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:8\+xt*\f*
\m
\v 22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:10–11\+xt*\f* son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:3–4\+xt*\f* son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:22 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:30\+xt*\f*
\v 23 The \nd Lord\nd* also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 21:23 \ft Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Kg 9:36; other Hb mss, LXX read \fqa the rampart\f* at Jezreel:~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:23 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:10,30–37\+xt*\f*
\qc
\v 24 Anyone who belongs to~Ahab and~dies in~the~city, the~dogs will~eat,
\qc and anyone who dies in~the~field, the~birds~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 21:24 \ft Lit \fqa birds of the sky\f* will~eat.’~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 14:11; 16:4\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:30–33\+xt*\f*
\v 26 He committed the most detestable acts by following idols~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:26 \ft \+xt 2Kg 17:12\+xt*\f* as the Amorites~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:26 \ft \+xt Gn 15:16; 2Kg 21:11\+xt*\f* had, whom the \nd Lord\nd* had dispossessed before the Israelites.
\p
\v 27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:27 \ft \+xt Gn 37:34; 2Sm 3:31; 2Kg 6:30\+xt*\f* and walked around subdued.
\v 28 Then the word of the \nd Lord\nd* came to Elijah the Tishbite:
\v 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:29 \ft \+xt 2Kg 20:19; 2Ch 32:26\+xt*\f* because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 21:29 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:25–37; 10:6–11\+xt*\f*
\c 22
\s1 Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab
\m
\v 1 There was~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:1–9 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:1–8\+xt*\f* a lull of three years~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:1 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:1,26\+xt*\f* without war between Aram and Israel.
\v 2 However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:2 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:24\+xt*\f* of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:2 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:2\+xt*\f*
\v 3 The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:3 \ft \+xt Dt 4:43; Jos 20:8; 1Kg 4:13\+xt*\f* is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?~”
\v 4 So~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:4–6 \ft \+xt 2Kg 3:7–8\+xt*\f* he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:4 \ft \+xt 2Kg 8:18,27\+xt*\f*
\p Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:4 \ft \+xt 2Kg 3:7\+xt*\f*
\v 5 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the \nd Lord\nd*’s will is.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:5 \ft \+xt 1Sm 23:1–5; Jms 4:15\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 6 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:19\+xt*\f* and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?~”
\p They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:6 \ft \+xt 1Kg 13:18\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the \nd Lord\nd* here anymore?~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:7 \ft \+xt 2Kg 1:3; 3:11; 5:8\+xt*\f* Let’s ask him.”
\p
\v 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the \nd Lord\nd*, but I hate him~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:8 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:17; 21:20\+xt*\f* because he never prophesies good about me,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:8 \ft \+xt Am 5:10\+xt*\f* but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
\p “The king shouldn’t say that!~” Jehoshaphat replied.
\p
\v 9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!~”
\p
\v 10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:10–12 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:9–11\+xt*\f* clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:10 \ft \+xt Jdg 6:37\+xt*\f* at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
\v 11 Then Zedekiah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:11 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:24\+xt*\f* son of Chenaanah made iron horns~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:11 \ft \+xt Dt 33:17; Zch 1:18–21\+xt*\f* and said, “This is what the \nd Lord\nd* says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’~”
\v 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:12 \ft \+xt 1Kg 4:13\+xt*\f* and succeed, for the \nd Lord\nd* will hand it over to the king.”
\s1 Micaiah’s Message of Defeat
\m
\v 13 The messenger~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:13–28 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:12–27\+xt*\f* who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
\p
\v 14 But Micaiah said, “As the \nd Lord\nd* lives,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:14 \ft \+xt 1Kg 18:10,15\+xt*\f* I will say whatever the \nd Lord\nd* says to me.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:14 \ft \+xt Nm 22:28; 24:13\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?~”
\p Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. The \nd Lord\nd* will hand it over to the king.”
\p
\v 16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the \nd Lord\nd*?~”
\p
\v 17 So Micaiah said:
\qc I saw all Israel scattered on~the~hills
\qc like sheep without~a~shepherd.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:17 \ft \+xt Nm 27:16–17; Mt 9:36; Mk 6:34\+xt*\f*
\qc And the \nd Lord\nd* said,
\qc “They have no~master;
\qc let everyone return~home in~peace.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:17 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:35–36\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?~”
\p
\v 19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the \nd Lord\nd*: I saw the \nd Lord\nd* sitting on his throne,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:19 \ft \+xt Is 6:1; Dn 7:9\+xt*\f* and the whole heavenly army~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:19 \ft \+xt Jb 1:6; Dn 7:10; Heb 1:7\+xt*\f* was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand.
\v 20 And the \nd Lord\nd* said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?~’~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:20 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:4\+xt*\f* So one was saying this and another was saying that.
\p
\v 21 “Then a spirit came forward, stood in the \nd Lord\nd*’s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
\p
\v 22 “The \nd Lord\nd* asked him, ‘How?~’
\p “He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:22 \ft \+xt Jdg 9:23; 1Sm 16:14; Jr 20:7; Ezk 14:9\+xt*\f* in the mouth of all his prophets.’
\p “Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:22 \ft \+xt 2Th 2:11\+xt*\f* Go and do that.’
\p
\v 23 “You see, the \nd Lord\nd* has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the \nd Lord\nd* has pronounced disaster against you.”
\p
\v 24 Then Zedekiah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:24 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:11\+xt*\f* son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 22:24 \ft Lit \fqa “Which way did\f* the Spirit of the \nd Lord\nd* leave me to speak to you?~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:24 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:23\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:25 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:30\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:26 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:40\+xt*\f*
\v 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:27 \ft \+xt 2Ch 16:10; Heb 11:36\+xt*\f* and feed him only a little bread and water~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 22:27 \ft Lit \fqa him on bread of oppression and water of oppression\f* until I come back safely.’~”
\p
\v 28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the \nd Lord\nd* has not spoken through me.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:28 \ft \+xt Dt 18:22\+xt*\f* Then he said, “Listen, all you people!~”~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 22:28 \ft LXX omits \fqa Then he said, “Listen, all you people!~”\f*\sup ,\sup*\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:28 \ft \+xt Mc 1:2\+xt*\f*
\s1 Ahab’s Death
\m
\v 29 Then~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:29–33 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:28–32\+xt*\f* the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:29 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:4\+xt*\f*
\v 30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:30 \ft \+xt 1Sm 28:8\+xt*\f* myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:30 \ft \+xt 2Ch 35:22\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:31 \ft \+xt 1Kg 20:1,16\+xt*\f* “Do not fight with anyone at all~\f + \cat (II)\cat* \fr 22:31 \ft Lit \fqa with small or with great\f* except the king of Israel.”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:31 \ft \+xt 2Ch 18:30\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!~” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
\v 33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
\p
\v 34 But a man drew his bow~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:34 \ft \+xt 2Kg 9:24\+xt*\f* without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 22:34 \ft LXX; MT reads \fqa camp\f* for I am badly wounded!~”~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:34 \ft \+xt 2Ch 35:23\+xt*\f*
\v 35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:34–35 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:17,28; 2Ch 18:33–34\+xt*\f* and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.
\v 36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:
\qc Each man to~his~own~city,
\qc and each man to~his~own~land!~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:36 \ft \+xt 2Sm 20:1; 1Kg 12:16; 22:17; 2Kg 14:12\+xt*\f*
\b
\p
\v 37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:37 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:28\+xt*\f*
\v 38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the \nd Lord\nd* that he had spoken.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:38 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:19\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:39 \ft \+xt Am 3:15\+xt*\f* he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:39 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:27\+xt*\f*
\v 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:40 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:28\+xt*\f* and his son Ahaziah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:40 \ft \+xt 2Kg 1:2\+xt*\f* became king in his place.
\s1 Judah’s King Jehoshaphat
\m
\v 41 Jehoshaphat~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:41 \ft \+xt 2Ch 20:31\+xt*\f* son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab.
\v 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
\v 43 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:11\+xt*\f* he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away;~\f + \cat (I)\cat* \fr 22:43 \ft LXX, Syr, Vg read \fqa he did not remove the high places\f* the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:43 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:14\+xt*\f*
\v 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:44 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:2,4\+xt*\f*
\p
\v 45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:45 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:23; 2Ch 20:34\+xt*\f*
\v 46 He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:46 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:12\+xt*\f*
\v 47 There was no king in Edom;~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:47 \ft \+xt 2Sm 8:14; 2Kg 3:9\+xt*\f* a deputy served as king.
\v 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:48 \ft \+xt 1Kg 10:22\+xt*\f* to go to Ophir~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:48 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:28\+xt*\f* for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:48 \ft \+xt 1Kg 9:26\+xt*\f*
\v 49 At that time, Ahaziah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:49 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:40,51\+xt*\f* son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing.
\v 50 Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:50 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:24; 2Ch 21:1\+xt*\f* His son Jehoram~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:50 \ft \+xt 2Kg 1:17\+xt*\f* became king in his place.
\s1 Israel’s King Ahaziah
\m
\v 51 Ahaziah~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:51 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:40\+xt*\f* son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:51 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:24\+xt*\f* in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:51 \ft \+xt 1Kg 22:41–50\+xt*\f* and he reigned over Israel two years.
\v 52 He did what was evil in the \nd Lord\nd*’s sight.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:52 \ft \+xt 1Kg 15:26\+xt*\f* He walked in the ways of his father,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:52 \ft \+xt 1Kg 21:25–26\+xt*\f* in the ways of his mother,~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:52 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:31; 18:4; 21:25\+xt*\f* and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:52 \ft \+xt 1Kg 12:28–33\+xt*\f*
\v 53 He served Baal and bowed in worship to him.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:53 \ft \+xt Jdg 2:11; 1Kg 16:32\+xt*\f* He angered the \nd Lord\nd* God of Israel just as his father had done.~\f + \cat (IV)\cat* \fr 22:53 \ft \+xt 1Kg 16:33; 21:25\+xt*\f*
