I Kings

Old Testament · 22 chapters · 817 verses.

Chapter 1

1:1Now King David was old and advanced in days. They covered him with garments, but he could not keep warm.
1:2So his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for my lord the king. Let her stand before the king and attend him, and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”
1:3And they sought a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
1:4The young woman was exceedingly beautiful, and she attended the king and served him; but the king did not know her.
1:5Then Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will reign.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run before him.
1:6His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why have you done this?” He also was very handsome, and his mother had borne him after Absalom.
1:7And he conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported Adonijah.
1:8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah.
1:9Then Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle beside the stone of Zoheleth, which was by En-rogel. And he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah who were the king’s servants.
1:10But he did not call Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.
1:11Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?
1:12And now, come, please let me counsel you, that you may save your life and the life of your son Solomon.
1:13Go in to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your maidservant, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
1:14Behold, while you are still speaking there with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”
1:15So Bathsheba went in to the king in the inner chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.
1:16And Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king. And the king said, “What is your request?”
1:17And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
1:18And now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.
1:19He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab commander of the army; but he has not called Solomon your servant.
1:20And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you may tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after you.
1:21Otherwise, when my lord the king lies down with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted as offenders.”
1:22And behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
1:23And they told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet.” And he came before the king and bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth.
1:24Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
1:25For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance. He has called all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, ‘Let King Adonijah live!’
1:26But he has not called me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or Solomon your servant.
1:27Has this thing come from my lord the king without making your servant know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
1:28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came before the king and stood before the king.
1:29And the king swore and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,
1:30surely as I swore to you by the LORD, God of Israel, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I will do this day.”
1:31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and paid homage to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever.”
1:32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” And they came before the king.
1:33Then the king said to them, “Take your lord’s servants with you, cause my son Solomon to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
1:34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the horn and say, ‘Let King Solomon live!’
1:35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne and reign in my place; for I have appointed him ruler over Israel and over Judah.”
1:36Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “So be it! May the LORD, God of my lord the king, confirm it.
1:37As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
1:38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down. They caused Solomon to ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.
1:39And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Let King Solomon live!”
1:40And all the people came up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth split with their sound.
1:41And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such an uproar?”
1:42While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.”
1:43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
1:44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule.
1:45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the sound you have heard.
1:46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat upon the throne of the kingdom.
1:47And the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon greater than your name and his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
1:48And the king also said, ‘Blessed is the LORD, God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne today and has allowed my eyes to see it.’”
1:49Then all Adonijah’s guests trembled, rose, and each went his own way.
1:50And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he arose, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
1:51And Solomon was told, saying, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”
1:52Then Solomon said, “If he proves to be a worthy man, not one hair of his shall fall to the earth; but if evil is found in him, he shall die.”
1:53Then King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

Chapter 2

2:1Now the days of David drew near for him to die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2:2“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man.
2:3Keep the charge of the LORD your God: walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may act wisely in all that you do and wherever you turn,
2:4that the LORD may establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons guard their way, walking before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
2:5Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them and shed the blood of war in peacetime, and he put the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.
2:6Therefore act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to the realm of the dead in peace.
2:7But show steadfast love to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for they came near to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
2:8And behold, Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, is with you. He cursed me with a grievous curse on the day I went to Mahanaim, but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
2:9Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you should do to him. Bring his gray head down to the realm of the dead with blood.”
2:10Then David lay down with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
2:11And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
2:12And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
2:13Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.”
2:14Then he said, “I have a word for you.” And she said, “Speak.”
2:15And he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their faces toward me, that I should reign. But the kingdom turned and became my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD.
2:16And now I ask one petition of you; do not refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.”
2:17And he said, “Please speak to King Solomon—for he will not refuse you—that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.”
2:18And Bathsheba said, “Good; I will speak to the king for you.”
2:19So Bathsheba came to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, bowed himself to her, and sat on his throne. Then he placed a throne for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand.
2:20Then she said, “I ask one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”
2:21And she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.”
2:22Then King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my elder brother—for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”
2:23Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “Thus may God do to me, and thus may He add, if Adonijah has not spoken this word at the cost of his own life.
2:24And now, as the LORD lives, who has established me, set me on the throne of David my father, and made me a house as He spoke, Adonijah shall be put to death today.”
2:25Then King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck Adonijah down, and he died.
2:26And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death. But I will not put you to death this day, because you carried the Ark of Lord, the LORD, before David my father and because you were afflicted in all that my father was afflicted.”
2:27So Solomon expelled Abiathar from serving as priest of the LORD, fulfilling the word of the LORD which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
2:28And the report came to Joab, for Joab had turned aside after Adonijah, though he had not turned aside after Absalom. And Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
2:29And King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.”
2:30So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, “Thus says the king: Come out.” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” And Benaiah brought word back to the king, saying, “Thus Joab spoke, and thus he answered me.”
2:31And the king said to him, “Do as he has spoken: strike him down and bury him. Thus remove from me and from my father’s house the innocent blood that Joab shed.
2:32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword, though my father David did not know it: Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
2:33Their blood shall return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed forever; but for David, his seed, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”
2:34Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck him down, and put him to death. And he was buried at his own house in the wilderness.
2:35And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
2:36Then the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place.
2:37For on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood shall be upon your own head.”
2:38And Shimei said to the king, “The word is good. As my lord the king has spoken, so your servant will do.” And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
2:39And it came to pass at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants fled to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.”
2:40Then Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants back from Gath.
2:41And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.
2:42Then the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘On the day you go out and go anywhere, know for certain that you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’
2:43Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the command that I laid upon you?”
2:44The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the evil that you did to David my father, and the LORD has returned your evil upon your own head.
2:45But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.”
2:46Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out, struck Shimei down, and he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Chapter 3

3:1Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the City of David until he had finished building his own house, the house of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.
3:2The people, however, were sacrificing at the high places, because no house had yet been built for the Name of the LORD in those days.
3:3And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
3:4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered one thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
3:5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
3:6And Solomon said, “You have shown great steadfast love to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You. And You have kept this great steadfast love for him and have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
3:7And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of David my father, though I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
3:8And Your servant is among Your people whom You have chosen, a numerous people, too many to be numbered or counted.
3:9Therefore give Your servant a discerning heart to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
3:10And the Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked this thing.
3:11And God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for long life for yourself, nor riches for yourself, nor the lives of your enemies, but have asked for discernment to understand justice,
3:12behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been none like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.
3:13And I have also given you what you did not ask, both riches and honor, so that no king shall be like you all your days.
3:14And if you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as David your father walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
3:15Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD. He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
3:16Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
3:17And the first woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I live in one house, and I gave birth while she was there in the house.
3:18And on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were together; no stranger was with us in the house—only the two of us were in the house.
3:19And this woman’s son died in the night because she lay upon him.
3:20So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept. She laid him in her arms and laid her dead son in my arms.
3:21And when I arose in the morning to nurse my son, behold, he was dead. But when I looked closely at him in the morning, behold, he was not the son whom I had borne.”
3:22Then the other woman said, “No! My son is the living one, and your son is the dead one.” But the first said, “No! Your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.” Thus they spoke before the king.
3:23Then the king said, “This one says, ‘This is my son, the living one, and your son is the dead one’; and that one says, ‘No! Your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”
3:24And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” And they brought a sword before the king.
3:25Then the king said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other.”
3:26Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king—for her heart yearned for her son—“O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; cut him in two.”
3:27Then the king answered, “Give her the living child, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.”
3:28And all Israel heard of the judgment the king had rendered, and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.

Chapter 4

4:1And King Solomon reigned over all Israel.
4:2And these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;
4:3Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, were scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
4:4Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
4:5Azariah son of Nathan was over the district officers; and Zabud son of Nathan was a minister and the king’s friend;
4:6Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram son of Abda was over the forced labor.
4:7And Solomon had twelve district officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household. Each one was responsible for providing food one month of the year.
4:8And these were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;
4:9Ben-Dekar, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan;
4:10Ben-Hesed, in Aruboth; Socoh and all the land of Hepher were his;
4:11Ben-Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; Taphath daughter of Solomon was his wife;
4:12Baanah son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokneam;
4:13Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; the villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were his, and the region of Argob in Bashan was his—sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars;
4:14Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;
4:15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali; he had also taken Basemath daughter of Solomon as his wife;
4:16Baanah son of Hushai, in Asher and Aloth;
4:17Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar;
4:18Shimei son of Elah, in Benjamin;
4:19Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan; and one governor was over all the land.
4:20Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea, eating and drinking and rejoicing.

Chapter 5

5:1And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
5:2And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal,
5:3ten fattened oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, and one hundred sheep, besides gazelles, deer, fallow deer, and fattened fowl.
5:4For he ruled over all the region west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates; and he had peace on every side.
5:5And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, each under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
5:6And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen.
5:7And those district officers supplied provisions for King Solomon and for everyone who came to King Solomon’s table, each in his month; they allowed nothing to be lacking.
5:8They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift horses to the place where each was stationed, according to his duty.
5:9And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding, and breadth of heart like the sand on the seashore.
5:10And Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
5:11For he was wiser than all men—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his name was known among all the surrounding nations.
5:12And he spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five.
5:13And he spoke concerning trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He also spoke concerning beasts, birds, creeping things, and fish.
5:14And people came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, sent by all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
5:15Then Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father; and Hiram had always loved David.
5:16And Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying,
5:17“You know that David my father was not able to build a house for the Name of the LORD his God because of the wars that surrounded him, until the LORD put his enemies under the soles of his feet.
5:18But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.
5:19And behold, I intend to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for My Name.’
5:20Now therefore command that cedars be cut for me from Lebanon. My servants shall be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you say; for you know that none among us knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
5:21And when Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given David a wise son over this numerous people.”
5:22And Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message you sent me. I will do all that you desire concerning cedar and cypress timber.
5:23My servants shall bring it down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make it into rafts and float it by sea to the place you appoint. There I will break the rafts apart, and you shall take the timber away. And you shall fulfill my desire by providing food for my household.”
5:24So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and cypress timber he desired.
5:25And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty cors of beaten oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.
5:26And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had spoken to him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.
5:27And King Solomon raised a force of forced laborers from all Israel; the forced labor numbered thirty thousand men.
5:28And he sent them to Lebanon in shifts, ten thousand a month. They were in Lebanon one month and at home two months. And Adoniram was over the forced labor.
5:29And Solomon had seventy thousand burden bearers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the mountains,
5:30besides Solomon’s three thousand three hundred chief officers who were over the work, supervising the people who did the work.
5:31And at the king’s command they quarried large and costly stones—hewn stones—to lay the foundation of the house.
5:32So Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders, and the Giblites cut and prepared the timber and stones to build the house.

Chapter 6

6:1And in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv—that is, the second month—he began to build the house of the LORD.
6:2The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
6:3The porch in front of the temple of the house was twenty cubits long, across the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house.
6:4And he made windows with recessed frames for the house.
6:5Against the wall of the house he built a structure of side chambers all around, against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary.
6:6The lowest level was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide. For he made offsets around the outside of the house, so that the beams would not be inserted into the walls of the house.
6:7And when the house was being built, it was built of finished stone prepared at the quarry; neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool was heard in the house while it was being built.
6:8The entrance to the middle level was on the right side of the house, and they went up by winding stairs to the middle level, and from the middle to the third.
6:9So he built the house and finished it, and roofed the house with beams and planks of cedar.
6:10And he built the structure of side chambers against the whole house, each five cubits high, and joined it to the house with cedar beams.
6:11Then the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
6:12“Concerning this house that you are building: if you walk in My statutes, carry out My judgments, and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My word with you, which I spoke to David your father.
6:13And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will not forsake My people Israel.”
6:14So Solomon built the house and finished it.
6:15And he lined the walls inside the house with cedar panels, from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling. He covered the interior with wood and covered the floor of the house with cypress boards.
6:16And he built the twenty cubits at the rear of the house with cedar panels, from the floor to the walls, and built it within as the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
6:17And the house—that is, the main hall before the inner sanctuary—was forty cubits long.
6:18The cedar within the house was carved with gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen.
6:19And he prepared the inner sanctuary within the house, to set there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD.
6:20The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it with refined gold and overlaid the cedar altar.
6:21And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with refined gold, and stretched chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, which he overlaid with gold.
6:22And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. He also overlaid with gold the entire altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.
6:23And within the inner sanctuary he made two winged guardians of olivewood, each ten cubits high.
6:24One wing of the first winged guardian was five cubits, and its other wing was five cubits—ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other.
6:25The second winged guardian was also ten cubits; the two winged guardians had the same measure and the same form.
6:26The height of the first winged guardian was ten cubits, and so was the second.
6:27And he set the winged guardians within the inner house. Their wings were spread out, so that one wing of the first touched one wall, and one wing of the second touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the middle of the house.
6:28And he overlaid the winged guardians with gold.
6:29And he carved all the walls of the house all around, inside and outside, with carved figures of winged guardians, palm trees, and open flowers.
6:30And he overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and outside.
6:31And for the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood with a five-sided frame.
6:32The two doors were of olivewood, and he carved upon them winged guardians, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. He hammered the gold over the winged guardians and the palm trees.
6:33In the same way he made for the entrance of the main hall doorposts of olivewood with a four-sided frame.
6:34And the two doors were of cypress wood. The two leaves of one door folded, and the two leaves of the other door folded.
6:35And he carved winged guardians, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid the carved work evenly with gold.
6:36Then he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and one row of cedar beams.
6:37In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv.
6:38And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul—that is, the eighth month—the house was finished in all its parts and according to all its specifications. He built it in seven years.

Chapter 7

7:1And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
7:2And he built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. It was one hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high, with four rows of cedar pillars and cedar beams upon the pillars.
7:3It was roofed with cedar above the chambers that rested on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row.
7:4There were three rows of window frames, with window facing window in three tiers.
7:5And all the doorways and doorposts had square frames, with window facing window in three tiers.
7:6And he made the Hall of Pillars. It was fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a porch in front and pillars and a canopy before them.
7:7And he made the Hall of the Throne, where he judged—the Hall of Judgment—and it was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.
7:8His own house, where he lived, was in another court behind the hall and was made in the same manner. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken as his wife.
7:9All these were built of costly stones, cut to measure and sawed with saws on their inner and outer faces, from the foundation to the coping and from the outside to the great court.
7:10And the foundation was laid with costly stones, great stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits.
7:11And above were costly stones, cut to measure, and cedar.
7:12And the great court all around had three rows of hewn stone and one row of cedar beams; so also did the inner court of the house of the LORD and the porch of the house.
7:13Then King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre.
7:14He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. He was filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to do every kind of work in bronze. And he came to King Solomon and did all his work.
7:15And he cast the two bronze pillars. The height of each pillar was eighteen cubits, and a cord of twelve cubits encircled each one.
7:16And he made two capitals, cast in bronze, to set upon the tops of the pillars. The first capital was five cubits high, and the second capital was five cubits high.
7:17There were lattices of latticework and wreaths of chainwork for the capitals on the tops of the pillars—seven for the first capital and seven for the second.
7:18And he made two rows of pomegranates around each latticework to cover the capitals on the tops of the pillars; and he did the same for the second capital.
7:19And the capitals on the tops of the pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies, four cubits high.
7:20And the capitals on the two pillars had pomegranates above, beside the rounded projection next to the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in rows around the second capital.
7:21And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and called its name Boaz.
7:22And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. So the work of the pillars was finished.
7:23Then he made the cast bronze Sea, ten cubits from rim to rim, round in shape and five cubits high; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it.
7:24Beneath its rim were gourds all around it, ten to a cubit, encircling the Sea. The gourds were in two rows, cast in one piece with it.
7:25It stood upon twelve oxen: three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The Sea rested upon them, and all their hindquarters were inward.
7:26Its thickness was a handbreadth, and its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.
7:27Then he made the ten bronze bases. Each base was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high.
7:28And this was the construction of the bases: they had panels, and the panels were set between frames.
7:29On the panels between the frames were lions, oxen, and winged guardians; and upon the frames was a pedestal above. Beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths in relief.
7:30Each base had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four corners had supports. The cast supports were beneath the basin, with a wreath beside each.
7:31Its opening within the capital and above was one cubit high. The opening was round, made like a pedestal, a cubit and a half across. There were carvings also on its opening, and its panels were square, not round.
7:32The four wheels were beneath the panels, and the axles of the wheels were in the base. The height of each wheel was a cubit and a half.
7:33The wheels were made like chariot wheels; their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all cast.
7:34There were four supports at the four corners of each base; the supports were of one piece with the base.
7:35At the top of the base was a round band half a cubit high all around, and the supports and panels at the top of the base were of one piece with it.
7:36And he engraved winged guardians, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its supports and on its panels, wherever there was space, with wreaths all around.
7:37Thus he made the ten bases; all had one casting, one measure, and one form.
7:38Then he made ten bronze basins. Each basin held forty baths and was four cubits across. One basin was set upon each of the ten bases.
7:39And he set five bases on the right side of the house and five on the left side. He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.
7:40And Hiram made the basins, the shovels, and the bowls. So Hiram finished all the work that he made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD:
7:41the two pillars; the two bowls of the capitals on the tops of the pillars; the two latticeworks covering the two bowls of the capitals on the tops of the pillars;
7:42the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals on the pillars;
7:43the ten bases and the ten basins on the bases;
7:44the one Sea and the twelve oxen under the Sea;
7:45the pots, the shovels, and the bowls. And all these vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of burnished bronze.
7:46The king cast them in the Jordan Valley, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan.
7:47And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not determined.
7:48Then Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold upon which was the bread of the Presence;
7:49the lampstands of refined gold, five on the right and five on the left before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;
7:50the basins, wick trimmers, bowls, spoons, and firepans, of refined gold; and the gold hinges for the doors of the inner house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the main hall.
7:51And all the work that King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD was finished. Then Solomon brought in the things David his father had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the vessels—and put them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

Chapter 8

8:1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the ancestral houses of the sons of Israel before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion.
8:2And all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the festival in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
8:3Then all the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted up the Ark.
8:4And they brought up the Ark of the LORD, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up.
8:5And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel who had gathered to him were with him before the Ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
8:6And the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the winged guardians.
8:7For the winged guardians spread their wings over the place of the Ark, and the winged guardians covered the Ark and its poles from above.
8:8And the poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; and they are there to this day.
8:9There was nothing in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.
8:10And when the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
8:11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
8:12Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that He would dwell in thick darkness.
8:13I have surely built a house for You to dwell in, a fixed place for You to abide forever.”
8:14And the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.
8:15And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to David my father and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,
8:16‘From the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city from all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house for My Name to be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’
8:17And it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the Name of the LORD, God of Israel.
8:18But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you did well that it was in your heart.
8:19Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who comes from your own body shall build the house for My Name.’
8:20And the LORD has established the word that He spoke. I have risen in place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD spoke, and I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, God of Israel.
8:21And there I have set a place for the Ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
8:22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD, in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread his hands toward the heavens.
8:23And he said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in the heavens above or on the earth below, keeping covenant and steadfast love with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart,
8:24who have kept what You spoke to Your servant David my father. You spoke with Your mouth, and with Your hand You have fulfilled it this day.
8:25And now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep what You spoke to Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man before Me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons guard their way and walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’
8:26And now, O God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You spoke to Your servant David my father.
8:27But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain You—how much less this house that I have built.
8:28Yet turn to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer that Your servant prays before You today,
8:29that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
8:30And listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear in the heavens, Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
8:31When a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and swears the oath before Your altar in this house,
8:32then hear in the heavens and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way upon his own head, and vindicating the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
8:33When Your people Israel are struck down before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You, confess Your Name, and pray and make supplication to You in this house,
8:34then hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land that You gave to their fathers.
8:35When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place, confess Your Name, and turn from their sin because You have afflicted them,
8:36then hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel. Teach them the good way in which they should walk, and give rain upon Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
8:37When there is famine in the land, when there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, or devouring locust; when their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates; whatever plague, whatever sickness there may be—
8:38whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man among all Your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and spreading his hands toward this house,
8:39then hear in the heavens, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act, and give to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know—for You alone know the hearts of all mankind—
8:40so that they may fear You all the days they live upon the face of the land that You gave to our fathers.
8:41And also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, but comes from a far-off land for Your Name’s sake—
8:42for they shall hear of Your great Name, Your strong hand, and Your outstretched arm—and he comes and prays toward this house,
8:43hear in the heavens, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your Name and fear You, as Your people Israel do, and may know that this house that I have built bears Your Name.
8:44When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city that You have chosen and the house that I have built for Your Name,
8:45then hear in the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
8:46When they sin against You—for there is no man who does not sin—and You are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, and their captors carry them away captive to the enemy’s land, far or near,
8:47and they take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and acted perversely; we have done wickedly,’
8:48and they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to You toward their land that You gave to their fathers, toward the city that You have chosen and the house that I have built for Your Name,
8:49then hear in the heavens, Your dwelling place, their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
8:50And forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions that they have committed against You. Grant them compassion before their captors, so that their captors may have compassion on them—
8:51for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace—
8:52that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You.
8:53For You separated them from all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Moses Your servant when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord, the LORD.”
8:54And when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with his hands spread toward the heavens.
8:55And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
8:56“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He spoke. Not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He spoke by Moses His servant.
8:57May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not forsake us or abandon us,
8:58but incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments, which He commanded our fathers.
8:59And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires,
8:60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.
8:61And let your heart be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as it is this day.”
8:62And the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD.
8:63And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. Thus the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
8:64On that day the king consecrated the middle of the court before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.
8:65And at that time Solomon held the festival, and all Israel with him—a great assembly from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days, fourteen days in all.
8:66On the eighth day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and went to their tents, rejoicing and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for David His servant and for Israel His people.

Chapter 9

9:1And when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all that Solomon desired to do,
9:2the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.
9:3And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you made before Me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, to put My Name there forever; and My eyes and My heart shall be there all the days.
9:4And as for you, if you walk before Me as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing all that I have commanded you, and keeping My statutes and My judgments,
9:5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall never lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
9:6But if you or your sons turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and bow yourselves to them,
9:7then I will cut Israel off from the face of the land that I have given them; and the house that I have consecrated for My Name I will cast out of My sight. And Israel shall become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
9:8And as for this exalted house, everyone who passes by it shall be appalled and hiss; and they shall say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?’
9:9And they shall say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and took hold of other gods, bowed themselves to them, and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity upon them.’”
9:10And at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses—the house of the LORD and the king’s house—
9:11Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, according to all his desire; then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
9:12But Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, and they were not pleasing in his sight.
9:13And he said, “What are these cities that you have given me, my brother?” And he called them the land of Cabul, as it is to this day.
9:14And Hiram sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.
9:15And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon raised to build the house of the LORD, his own house, Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
9:16Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer, burned it with fire, slain the Canaanites who dwelt in the city, and given it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.
9:17And Solomon rebuilt Gezer, lower Beth-horon,
9:18Ba‘alath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, within the land,
9:19and all the storage cities that Solomon had, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
9:20As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the sons of Israel—
9:21their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel had been unable to devote to destruction—Solomon subjected them to forced labor, as it is to this day.
9:22But Solomon made no slaves of the sons of Israel; for they were warriors, his servants, his officials, his captains, commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen.
9:23These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work: five hundred and fifty who had charge of the people laboring in the work.
9:24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the City of David to her house that Solomon had built for her; then he built Millo.
9:25And three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he had built for the LORD, and he burned incense on the altar before the LORD. So he completed the house.
9:26And King Solomon built a fleet at Ezion-geber, which is near Elath, on the shore of the Sea of Reeds, in the land of Edom.
9:27And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet—sailors who knew the sea—together with Solomon’s servants.
9:28And they came to Ophir, took from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold, and brought it to King Solomon.

Chapter 10

10:1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the Name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.
10:2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels carrying spices, very much gold, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
10:3And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.
10:4And when the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,
10:5the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offering that he offered in the house of the LORD, there was no breath left in her.
10:6Then she said to the king, “The report that I heard in my own land concerning your deeds and your wisdom was true.
10:7But I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes saw it. And behold, not even half was told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.
10:8Happy are your men! Happy are these your servants, who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom!
10:9Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, He made you king, to administer justice and righteousness.”
10:10Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, a very great abundance of spices, and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10:11And Hiram’s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a great quantity of sandalwood and precious stones.
10:12And the king made supports from the sandalwood for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, and lyres and harps for the singers. No such sandalwood has come or been seen to this day.
10:13And King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all that she desired and asked, besides what he gave her from his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants.
10:14And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,
10:15besides what came from the traders, the traffic of the merchants, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land.
10:16And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
10:17And he made three hundred smaller shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
10:18And the king made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with refined gold.
10:19The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was rounded at the back. There were armrests on either side of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.
10:20And twelve lions stood there on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had been made for any kingdom.
10:21And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of refined gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon.
10:22For the king had a fleet of Tarshish ships at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish ships came carrying gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
10:23Thus King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
10:24And all the earth sought an audience with Solomon, to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
10:25And each man brought his gift: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, year by year.
10:26And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.
10:27And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as the sycamore trees in the lowland.
10:28And Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue; the king’s merchants bought them from Kue at the market price.
10:29A chariot was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; and through their agents they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Chapter 11

11:1And King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women—
11:2from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not go among them, nor shall they come among you, for they will surely turn your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to them in love.
11:3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned his heart aside.
11:4And when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
11:5And Solomon went after Ashtoreth, goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites.
11:6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done.
11:7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, on the hill east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the Ammonites.
11:8And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
11:9And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice
11:10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded.
11:11Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes that I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.
11:12Yet I will not do it in your days, for the sake of David your father; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
11:13But I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David My servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
11:14And the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal line in Edom.
11:15For when David was in Edom, and Joab commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom—
11:16for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom—
11:17Hadad fled to Egypt, he and certain Edomites from among his father’s servants with him. Hadad was then a little child.
11:18And they arose from Midian and came to Paran; and taking men with them from Paran, they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Pharaoh gave Hadad a house, assigned him food, and gave him land.
11:19And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that Pharaoh gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes.
11:20And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him in Pharaoh’s house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh.
11:21And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David had lain with his fathers, and that Joab commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Send me away, that I may go to my own land.”
11:22And Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own land?” And he said, “Nothing; nevertheless, please send me away.”
11:23And God raised up another adversary against Solomon: Rezon son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah.
11:24And he gathered men around him and became leader of a raiding band after David slew those of Zobah. And they went to Damascus, dwelt there, and reigned in Damascus.
11:25And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the harm that Hadad did. He loathed Israel and reigned over Aram.
11:26And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon—whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow—also lifted up his hand against the king.
11:27And this was the reason he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo and closed the breach of the City of David his father.
11:28Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw that the young man was industrious and appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
11:29And at that time, when Jeroboam went out from Jerusalem, Ahijah the Shilonite prophet met him on the way. Ahijah was wearing a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the field.
11:30And Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him and tore it into twelve pieces.
11:31And he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel: Behold, I am tearing the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and will give ten tribes to you.
11:32But he shall have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,
11:33because they have forsaken Me and bowed themselves to Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh god of Moab, and to Milcom god of the Ammonites; and they have not walked in My ways, to do what is right in My sight and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as David his father did.
11:34Yet I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David My servant whom I chose, who kept My commandments and My statutes.
11:35But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and give it to you—the ten tribes.
11:36And to his son I will give one tribe, so that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for Myself, to put My Name there.
11:37And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
11:38And it shall be, if you listen to all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, keeping My statutes and My commandments as David My servant did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
11:39And I will humble the descendants of David for this, but not forever.”
11:40And Solomon sought to put Jeroboam to death. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and he remained in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
11:41And the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
11:42And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
11:43And Solomon lay with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 12

12:1Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
12:2And when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, and Jeroboam remained in Egypt—
12:3they sent and called for him. And Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
12:4“Your father made our yoke hard. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you.”
12:5And he said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” And the people went away.
12:6And King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”
12:7And they spoke to him, saying, “If today you will be a servant to this people, serve them, answer them, and speak good words to them, then they shall be your servants all their days.”
12:8But he forsook the counsel that the elders had given him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
12:9And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us’?”
12:10And the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus shall you say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us’—thus shall you speak to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
12:11And now, my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12:12Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”
12:13And the king answered the people harshly, forsaking the counsel that the elders had given him.
12:14And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “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 scorpions.”
12:15And the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from the LORD, in order to establish His word that the LORD had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
12:16And when all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? There is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now look to your own house, O David.” And Israel went to their tents.
12:17But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
12:18Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor; and all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.
12:19So Israel rebelled against the house of David, as it is to this day.
12:20And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.
12:21Then Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
12:22But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
12:23“Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,
12:24Thus says the LORD: You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the sons of Israel. Return, each man to his house, for this thing is from Me.” And they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back, according to the word of the LORD.
12:25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and dwelt in it; and he went out from there and built Penuel.
12:26And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.
12:27If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
12:28So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
12:29And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
12:30And this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to worship before the one.
12:31And he made a house for the high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
12:32And Jeroboam instituted a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that was in Judah; and he went up to the altar. Thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made; and in Bethel he appointed priests of the high places that he had made.
12:33And he went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he had devised in his own heart. And he instituted a festival for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.

Chapter 13

13:1And behold, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
13:2And he cried against the altar by the word of the LORD and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the LORD: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David—Josiah is his name—and he shall sacrifice upon you the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones shall be burned upon you.”
13:3And he gave a sign that day, saying, “This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: Behold, the altar shall split apart, and the ashes upon it shall be poured out.”
13:4And when the king heard the word that the man of God cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” And the hand that he stretched out against him withered, so that he could not draw it back to himself.
13:5And the altar split apart, and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
13:6Then the king answered and said to the man of God, “Please plead with the LORD your God and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God pleaded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
13:7And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a gift.”
13:8But the man of God said to the king, “Though you give me half your house, I will not go in with you; nor will I eat bread or drink water in this place.
13:9For so I was commanded by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water, nor return by the way that you came.’”
13:10So he went another way and did not return by the way that he had come to Bethel.
13:11Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words that he had spoken to the king.
13:12And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” For his sons had seen the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone.
13:13Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled the donkey for him, and he rode on it.
13:14And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under the oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.”
13:15Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”
13:16And he said, “I cannot return with you or go in with you; nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
13:17For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’”
13:18And he said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.
13:19So he returned with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
13:20And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back.
13:21And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Because you have rebelled against the word of the LORD and have not kept the commandment that the LORD your God commanded you,
13:22but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water,’ your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.”
13:23And after he had eaten bread and drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back.
13:24And he went away, and a lion met him on the way and killed him. And his body was cast on the road, with the donkey standing beside it and the lion standing beside the body.
13:25And behold, men passed by and saw the body cast on the road and the lion standing beside the body; and they came and spoke of it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
13:26And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God who rebelled against the word of the LORD; therefore the LORD gave him over to the lion, which tore him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD that He spoke to him.”
13:27And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it.
13:28And he went and found his body cast on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey.
13:29And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. And the old prophet came into the city to mourn and bury him.
13:30And he laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”
13:31And after he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
13:32For the word that he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.”
13:33After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again appointed priests of the high places from among all the people. Whoever desired it, he ordained, and that man became one of the priests of the high places.
13:34And by this thing the house of Jeroboam fell into sin, so that it was cut off and destroyed from the surface of the ground.

Chapter 14

14:1At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick.
14:2And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Rise now and disguise yourself, so that they will not know that you are Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me, that I would be king over this people.
14:3And take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall become of the child.”
14:4And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh and entered Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes had grown dim because of his age.
14:5And the LORD said to Ahijah, “Behold, Jeroboam’s wife is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you speak to her. And when she comes in, she will pretend to be another woman.”
14:6And when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came through the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message.
14:7Go, say to Jeroboam, Thus says the LORD, God of Israel: Because I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel,
14:8and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and walked after Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My sight,
14:9but you have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and cast-metal images, provoking Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back—
14:10therefore, behold, I am bringing calamity upon the house of Jeroboam, and I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, whether slave or free, in Israel; and I will sweep away the house of Jeroboam as one sweeps away dung, until it is all gone.
14:11Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat; for the LORD has spoken.
14:12And you, arise and go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die.
14:13And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him; for he alone of Jeroboam’s house shall come to the grave, because in him something good toward the LORD, God of Israel, has been found in the house of Jeroboam.
14:14And the LORD shall raise up for Himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam this day. And what more? Even now.
14:15And the LORD shall strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He shall uproot Israel from this good land that He gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they made their sacred poles, provoking the LORD to anger.
14:16And He shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and by which he caused Israel to sin.”
14:17Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.
14:18And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD that He spoke by His servant Ahijah the prophet.
14:19And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
14:20And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years. And he lay with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
14:21And Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put His Name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.
14:22And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and by the sins that they committed they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done.
14:23For they also built for themselves high places, standing-pillars, and sacred poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
14:24And there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They acted according to all the abominations of the nations that the LORD had dispossessed before the sons of Israel.
14:25And in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.
14:26And he took the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also took all the gold shields that Solomon had made.
14:27And King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them to the hands of the commanders of the guard who kept the doorway of the king’s house.
14:28And whenever the king went into the house of the LORD, the guards carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.
14:29And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
14:30And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
14:31And Rehoboam lay with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 15

15:1And in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah began to reign over Judah.
15:2He reigned three years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Absalom.
15:3And he walked in all the sins that his father had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
15:4Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, raising up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem,
15:5because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
15:6And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
15:7And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
15:8And Abijah lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.
15:9And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah.
15:10And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Absalom.
15:11And Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, as David his father had done.
15:12And he removed the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
15:13He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her abominable image and burned it by the Brook of Kidron.
15:14But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless, Asa’s heart was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days.
15:15And he brought into the house of the LORD the things that his father had consecrated and the things that he himself had consecrated: silver, gold, and vessels.
15:16And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
15:17And Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.
15:18Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, king of Aram, who dwelt in Damascus, saying,
15:19“There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he may withdraw from me.”
15:20And Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. And he struck Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, all Chinneroth, and all the land of Naphtali.
15:21And when Baasha heard of it, he ceased building Ramah and dwelt in Tirzah.
15:22Then King Asa summoned all Judah—none was exempt—and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building; and with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.
15:23And the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he became diseased in his feet.
15:24And Asa lay with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
15:25And Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years.
15:26And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin.
15:27And Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.
15:28And Baasha put him to death in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place.
15:29And as soon as he reigned, he struck down the whole house of Jeroboam. He left to Jeroboam no one who breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD that He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,
15:30because of the sins that Jeroboam committed and by which he caused Israel to sin, and because of the provocation with which he provoked the LORD, God of Israel, to anger.
15:31And the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
15:32And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
15:33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.
15:34And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin.

Chapter 16

16:1And the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
16:2“Because I raised you up from the dust and made you leader over My people Israel, yet you walked in the way of Jeroboam and caused My people Israel to sin, provoking Me to anger with their sins,
16:3behold, I am sweeping away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16:4Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone belonging to him who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”
16:5And the rest of the acts of Baasha, what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
16:6And Baasha lay with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah his son reigned in his place.
16:7Moreover, the word of the LORD came by Jehu son of Hanani the prophet concerning Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands, becoming like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck it down.
16:8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.
16:9And his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now Elah was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was steward of the palace in Tirzah.
16:10And Zimri came in, struck him, and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.
16:11And when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, he struck down the whole house of Baasha. He did not leave him any male, neither kinsman nor friend.
16:12Thus Zimri destroyed the whole house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke concerning Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
16:13because of all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they committed and by which they caused Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, God of Israel, with their worthless idols.
16:14And the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
16:15In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
16:16And the people who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king.” So all Israel made Omri, commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
16:17Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah.
16:18And when Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over himself with fire, and died,
16:19because of the sins he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin he committed, causing Israel to sin.
16:20And the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy he made, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
16:21Then the people of Israel were divided into two factions: half the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri.
16:22But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni son of Ginath. And Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
16:23In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah.
16:24And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver and built on the hill. He called the name of the city he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill.
16:25And Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD and did more evil than all who were before him.
16:26And he walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in the sin by which he caused Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, God of Israel, with their worthless idols.
16:27And the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and the might he displayed, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
16:28And Omri lay with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Ahab his son reigned in his place.
16:29And Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah; and Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
16:30And Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.
16:31And as though it were a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took Jezebel daughter of Ethba‘al, king of the Sidonians, as his wife; and he went and served Baal and bowed himself to him.
16:32And he raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.
16:33And Ahab made a sacred pole; and Ahab did yet more to provoke the LORD, God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
16:34In his days Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Joshua son of Nun.

Chapter 17

17:1And Elijah the Tishbite, of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except by my word.”
17:2And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
17:3“Go from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Brook of Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
17:4You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to sustain you there.”
17:5So he went and did according to the word of the LORD; he went and dwelt by the Brook of Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
17:6And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
17:7And after some time the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
17:8And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
17:9“Rise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.”
17:10So he rose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
17:11And as she went to bring it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
17:12And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no loaf, but only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
17:13And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear. Go and do as you have said; only make me a little loaf from it first and bring it to me, and afterward make some for yourself and your son.
17:14For thus says the LORD, God of Israel: The jar of flour shall not be exhausted, and the jug of oil shall not fail, until the day the LORD gives rain upon the face of the ground.”
17:15And she went and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
17:16The jar of flour was not exhausted, and the jug of oil did not fail, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
17:17And after these things, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness became so severe that no breath was left in him.
17:18And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death.”
17:19And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her bosom, carried him up to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
17:20And he called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, have You also brought calamity upon the widow with whom I am sojourning, by putting her son to death?”
17:21Then he stretched himself upon the boy three times and called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return within him.”
17:22And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah, and the boy’s life returned within him, and he lived.
17:23And Elijah took the boy and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”
17:24And the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

Chapter 18

18:1And after many days, the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, appear to Ahab, and I will give rain upon the face of the ground.”
18:2So Elijah went to appear to Ahab. And the famine was severe in Samaria.
18:3And Ahab called Obadiah, who was steward of the palace. Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.
18:4For when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another, and sustained them with bread and water.
18:5And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and keep horse and mule alive, so that we do not lose any of the livestock.”
18:6So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
18:7And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, fell on his face, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
18:8And he said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’”
18:9And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?
18:10As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.
18:11And now you say, ‘Go, say to your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.’
18:12And when I go from you, the Spirit of the LORD may carry you away where I do not know. Then I will go and tell Ahab, and he will not find you, and he will kill me. Yet your servant has feared the LORD from my youth.
18:13Has it not been told to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred of the LORD’s prophets, fifty in one cave and fifty in another, and sustained them with bread and water?
18:14And now you say, ‘Go, say to my lord, Behold, Elijah is here’—and he will kill me.”
18:15And Elijah said, “As the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely I will appear to him today.”
18:16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
18:17And when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, troubler of Israel?”
18:18And he said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.
18:19And now, send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, together with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
18:20So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel.
18:21And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you limp between two divided loyalties? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
18:22Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left as a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
18:23Let them give us two bulls. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood, but put no fire beneath it. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood, but put no fire beneath it.
18:24Then you shall call on the name of your god, and I will call on the Name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire—He is God.” And all the people answered and said, “The word is good.”
18:25And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire beneath it.”
18:26And they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar they had made.
18:27And at noon Elijah mocked them and said, “Call with a loud voice, for he is a god. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or has withdrawn, or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
18:28And they called with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and spears, until the blood flowed over them.
18:29And when noon had passed, they raved like prophets until the time of the evening grain offering; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.
18:30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
18:31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
18:32And with the stones he built an altar in the Name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar, wide enough to contain two measures of seed.
18:33And he arranged the wood, cut the bull in pieces, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
18:34And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.
18:35And the water ran around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water.
18:36And at the time of the evening grain offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things by Your word.
18:37Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”
18:38Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
18:39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
18:40And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Brook of Kishon and slaughtered them there.
18:41Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of rushing rain.”
18:42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees.
18:43And he said to his servant, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Return,” seven times.
18:44And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a small cloud like the palm of a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”
18:45And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
18:46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Chapter 19

19:1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “Thus may the gods do, and thus may they add, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them.”
19:3And he was afraid, and rose and fled for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
19:4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is enough now, O LORD; take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
19:5And he lay down and slept under the broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Rise and eat.”
19:6And he looked, and behold, at his head was a loaf baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.
19:7And the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and said, “Rise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”
19:8So he rose and ate and drank, and in the strength of that food he went forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
19:9And he came there to the cave and lodged there. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him and said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
19:10And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, God of Hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left, and they seek my life, to take it.”
19:11And He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind came an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
19:12And after the earthquake came a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a sound of gentle stillness.
19:13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
19:14And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, God of Hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left, and they seek my life, to take it.”
19:15And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
19:16And you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, as prophet in your place.
19:17And it shall be that Jehu shall put to death whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, and Elisha shall put to death whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu.
19:18Yet I have left seven thousand in Israel—all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
19:19So he went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.
19:20And he left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back, for what have I done to you?”
19:21And he returned from following him, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them, and boiled their flesh with the wooden yokes of the oxen. Then he gave it to the people, and they ate. And he rose, followed Elijah, and served him.

Chapter 20

20:1And Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army; and thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up, laid siege to Samaria, and fought against it.
20:2And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
20:3and said to him, “Thus says Ben-Hadad: Your silver and your gold are mine, and your finest wives and sons are mine.”
20:4And the king of Israel answered and said, “According to your word, my lord the king, I am yours, and all that I have.”
20:5And the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-Hadad: I sent to you, saying, ‘You shall give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your sons.’
20:6But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is precious in your eyes they shall take in their hands and carry away.”
20:7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please know and see that this man seeks trouble; for he sent to me for my wives, my sons, my silver, and my gold, and I did not withhold them from him.”
20:8And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen, and do not consent.”
20:9So he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Say to my lord the king, ‘All that you first sent for your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers went and brought him word again.
20:10And Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, “Thus may the gods do to me, and thus may they add, if the dust of Samaria is enough for a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
20:11And the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who straps on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’”
20:12And when Ben-Hadad heard this word, he and the kings were drinking in the pavilions. And he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.
20:13And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I am giving it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
20:14And Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the LORD: By the young men of the provincial governors.” And he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he said, “You.”
20:15Then he mustered the young men of the provincial governors, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel—seven thousand.
20:16And they went out at noon, while Ben-Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the thirty-two kings who were helping him.
20:17And the young men of the provincial governors went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent men, and they reported to him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.”
20:18And he said, “If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come out for battle, seize them alive.”
20:19So these went out from the city—the young men of the provincial governors, and the army that followed them.
20:20And each struck down his man; and the Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them. And Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with the horsemen.
20:21And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Arameans with a great slaughter.
20:22Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and know and consider what you shall do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”
20:23And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
20:24And do this: remove each of the kings from his place and appoint commanders in their place.
20:25And muster an army like the army you lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot; and let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.
20:26And at the turn of the year, Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
20:27And the sons of Israel were mustered and provisioned, and went to meet them. And the sons of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the land.
20:28And a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD: Because the Arameans have said, ‘The LORD is God of the mountains, but He is not God of the valleys,’ therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
20:29And they encamped opposite one another for seven days. And on the seventh day the battle began, and the sons of Israel struck down one hundred thousand Aramean foot soldiers in one day.
20:30And those who remained fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who remained. And Ben-Hadad fled and came into the city, into an innermost chamber.
20:31And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.”
20:32So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
20:33And the men took this as a favorable sign and quickly seized on his word, and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” And he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him, and he brought him up into the chariot.
20:34And he said to him, “The cities my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish markets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will send you away under this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and sent him away.
20:35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him.
20:36Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, when you leave me, a lion shall strike you.” And when he left him, a lion found him and struck him down.
20:37Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, striking and wounding him.
20:38Then the prophet went and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
20:39And as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing at all, your life shall be for his life, or you shall weigh out a talent of silver.’
20:40And while your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
20:41And he quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
20:42And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: Because you have sent away from your hand the man I devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.”
20:43And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.

Chapter 21

21:1And after these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
21:2And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, for it is near my house; and I will give you a better vineyard in its place. Or, if it is good in your sight, I will give you its price in silver.”
21:3But Naboth said to Ahab, “Far be it from me before the LORD that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
21:4And Ahab came to his house sullen and angry because of the word Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, when he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
21:5And Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no bread?”
21:6And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver; or, if you desire, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
21:7And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now reign over Israel? Rise, eat bread, and let your heart be glad. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
21:8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
21:9And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.
21:10And seat two worthless men opposite him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then bring him out and stone him, that he may die.”
21:11And the men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, as it was written in the letters she sent them.
21:12They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.
21:13And two worthless men came in and sat opposite him; and the worthless men testified against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” Then they brought him outside the city and stoned him with stones, and he died.
21:14And they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
21:15And when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Rise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for silver; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.”
21:16And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
21:17And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:18“Rise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it.
21:19And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: Have you murdered and also taken possession?’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs shall lick your blood—yes, yours.’”
21:20And Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he said, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
21:21Behold, I am bringing calamity upon you. I will sweep away your descendants and cut off from Ahab every male, whether slave or free, in Israel.
21:22And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me and caused Israel to sin.
21:23And the LORD has also spoken concerning Jezebel, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
21:24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”
21:25Surely there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
21:26And he acted most abominably, following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD dispossessed from before the sons of Israel.
21:27And when Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments, put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted; and he lay in sackcloth and went about softly.
21:28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:29“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days; in the days of his son I will bring the calamity upon his house.”

Chapter 22

22:1And they remained at peace for three years; there was no war between Aram and Israel.
22:2And in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
22:3And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours? Yet we remain silent instead of taking it from the hand of the king of Aram.”
22:4And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses.”
22:5And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please seek the word of the LORD today.”
22:6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, and the Lord shall give it into the hand of the king.”
22:7But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may seek Him through him?”
22:8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we may seek the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil—Micaiah son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”
22:9Then the king of Israel called a court official and said, “Hurry and bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
22:10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, clothed in their royal robes, at a threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
22:11And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.”
22:12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD shall give it into the hand of the king.”
22:13And the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are with one mouth favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”
22:14But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, surely whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”
22:15And he came to the king, and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he said to him, “Go up and prosper, for the LORD shall give it into the hand of the king.”
22:16And the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you speak nothing to me but the truth in the Name of the LORD?”
22:17And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his house in peace.’”
22:18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not say to you, ‘He does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil’?”
22:19And he said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the heavenly host standing by Him, on His right and on His left.
22:20And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another.
22:21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘How?’
22:22And he said, ‘I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You shall entice him, and you shall prevail. Go out and do so.’
22:23And now, behold, the LORD has put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has spoken calamity concerning you.”
22:24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak with you?”
22:25And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an innermost chamber to hide yourself.”
22:26And the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, ruler of the city, and to Joash son of the king.
22:27And say, ‘Thus says the king: Put this man in prison and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace.’”
22:28And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace at all, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, O peoples, all of you.”
22:29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
22:30And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you put on your royal robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and entered the battle.
22:31Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two commanders of his chariots, saying, “Fight with neither small nor great, but with the king of Israel alone.”
22:32And when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely he is the king of Israel.” And they turned aside to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out.
22:33And when the commanders of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
22:34But a man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. And he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”
22:35And the battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in the chariot facing the Arameans, and died in the evening. And the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot.
22:36And as the sun was setting, a cry passed through the camp, saying, “Each man to his city, and each man to his land.”
22:37So the king died and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
22:38And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked his blood where the armor was washed, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke.
22:39And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house he built, and all the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
22:40And Ahab lay with his fathers. And Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
22:41And Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
22:42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
22:43And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, but did what was right in the sight of the LORD.
22:44Only, the high places were not removed; the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
22:45And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
22:46And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might he displayed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
22:47And he removed from the land the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of Asa his father.
22:48And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
22:49Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold; but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
22:50Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat was not willing.
22:51And Jehoshaphat lay with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
22:52Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years.
22:53And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.
22:54And he served Baal and bowed himself to him, and provoked the LORD, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.