menu_book Chapter 40

second chronicles chapters fifteen through twenty-six of the bible dewey rames eighteen ninety nine american edition this librivox recording is in the public domain Chapter 15 And the Spirit of God came upon Azarias, the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. And many days shall pass in Israel without the true God,

and without a priest, a teacher, and without the law. And when in their distress they shall return to the Lord the God of Israel, and shall seek him, they shall find him. At that time there shall be no peace to him that goeth out and cometh in, but terrors on every side among all the inhabitants of the earth.

for nation shall fight against nation, and city against city, for the Lord will trouble them with all distress. Do you therefore take courage, and let not your hands be weakened, for there shall be a reward for your work. And when Asa had heard the words and the prophecy of Azarias the son of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and took away the idols out of all the land of Judah, and out of Benjamin, and out of the cities of Mount Ephraim, which he had taken,

and he dedicated the altar of the Lord, which was before the porch of the Lord. And he gathered together all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them of Ephraim and Manassas, and Simeon, for many were come over to him out of Israel, seeing that the Lord his God was with him. And when they were come to Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa, they sacrificed to the Lord in that day of the spoils, and of the prey, that they had

brought seven hundred oxen and seven thousand rams. And he went in to confirm as usual the covenant, that they should seek the Lord the God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul. And if anyone, said he, seek not the Lord the God of Israel, let him die, whether little or great, man or woman. And they swore to the Lord with a loud voice, with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet, and sound of cornets, all that were in Judah with a curse. For with all

their heart they swore, and with all their will they sought him, and they found him, and the Lord gave them rest round about. Moreover, Maacah, the mother of King Asa, he deposed from the royal authority, because she had made in a grove an idol of Priapus, and he entirely destroyed it, and breaking it into pieces, burnt it at the torrent Kedron. But high places were left in Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days, and the things which his father had

vowed, and he himself had vowed, he brought into the house of the Lord gold and silver, and vessels of divers uses. And there was no war unto the five-and-thirtieth year of the kingdom of Asa. End of chapter 15. Chapter 16. And in the sixth and thirtieth year of his kingdom, Baasa the king of Israel came up against Judah, and built a wall about Ramah, that no one might safely go out or come in of the kingdom of Asa. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the

treasures of the house of the Lord, and of the king's treasures, and sent to Benadad, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father. Wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou mayst break thy league with Baasa, king of Israel, and make him depart from me. And when Benadad heard this, he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they took Ahion,

and Dan, and Abomaim, and all the walled cities of Nephtali. And when Baasa heard of it, he left off the building of Ramah, and interrupted his work. Then king Asa took all Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building, and he built with them Gebeah and Maspha. At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria, and not in the Lord thy

God, therefore hath the army of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans much more numerous in chariots and horsemen, and an exceeding great multitude, yet because thou trustest in the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand. For the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, and give strength to those who with a perfect heart trust in him. Wherefore thou hast done foolishly, and for this cause from this time wars shall arise against thee.

And Asa was angry with the seer, and commanded him to be put in prison, for he was greatly enraged because of this thing, and he put to death many of the people at that time. But the works of Asa the first and last are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And Asa fell sick in the nine-and-thirtieth year of his reign of a most violent pain in his feet,

and yet in his illness he did not seek the Lord, but rather trusted in the skill of physicians. And he slept with his fathers, and he died in the one-and-fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchre, which he had made for himself in the city of David. And they laid him on his bed full of spices and odoriferous ointments, which were made by the art of the perfumers, and they burnt them over him with very great pomp. End of chapter 16

Chapter 17 And Josaphat his son reigned in his stead, and grew strong against Israel, and he placed numbers of soldiers in all the fortified cities of Judah. And he put garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father, and trusted not in Baalim,

but in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel. And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought presents to Josaphat, and he acquired immense riches and much glory. And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Judah. And in the third year of his reign he sent of his princes Ben-Hael, and Abdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael,

and Micchaeus, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them the Levites, Semaias, and Nathanias, and Zebedias, and Asael, and Semiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonaias, and Tobias, and Thobodonaias, Levites, and with them Elisima, and Joram, priests. And they taught the people in Judah, having with them the book of the law of the Lord, and they went about all the cities of Judah, and instructed the people. And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands

that were round about Judah, and they durst not make war against Josaphat. The Philistines also brought presents to Josaphat, and tribute in silver, and the Arabians brought him cattle, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and as many he goats. And Josaphat grew, and became exceeding great, and he built in Judah houses like towers, and walled cities. And he prepared many works in the cities of Judah, and he had warriors and valiant men in Jerusalem, of whom this is the

number of the houses and families of every one. In Judah captains of the army Ednes the chief, and with him three hundred thousand most valiant men. After him Johanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand. And after him was Amasias the son of Zechari, consecrated to the Lord, and with him were two hundred thousand valiant men. After him was Eliade, valiant in battle, and with him two hundred thousand,

armed with bow and shield. After him also was Josabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready for war. All these were at the hand of the king, beside others whom he had put in the walled cities in all Judah. End of chapter 17. Chapter 18 Now Josaphat was rich and very glorious, and was joined by affinity to Achab. And he went down to him after some years to Samaria,

And Aqab at his coming killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people that came with him, and he persuaded him to go up to Ramoth-Galead. And Aqab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Judah, Come with me to Ramoth-Galead. And he answered him, Thou art as I am, and my people as thy people, and we will be with thee in the war. And Josaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire, I beseech thee, at present the word of the Lord. So the king of

Israel gathered together of the prophets four hundred men, and he said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Galiad to fight, or shall we forbear? But they said, Go up, and God will deliver it into the king's hand. And Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire also of him? And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, There is one man of whom we may ask the will of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never

prophesieth good to me, but always evil, and it is Micchaeus, the son of Jemla. And Josaphat said, Speak not thus, O king. And the king of Israel called one of the eunuchs, and said to him, Call quickly Micchaeus, the son of Jemla. Now the king of Israel and Josaphat, king of Judah, both sat on their thrones, clothed

in royal robes, and they sat in the open court by the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them. And Sidduchias, the son of Canaanah, made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push Syria, till thou destroy it. And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, and said, Go up to Ramoth-Galead, and thou shalt prosper, and the Lord will deliver them into the king's hand. And the messenger that went to call Micchaeus

said to him, Behold the words of all the prophets with one mouth declare good to the king. I beseech thee therefore, let not thy word disagree with them, and speak thou also good success. And Micchaeus answered him, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever my God shall say to me, that will I speak. So he came to the king, and the king said to him, Micchaeus, Shall we go to Ramoth-Galead to fight or forbear? And he answered him, Go up, for all shall succeed

prosperously, and the enemies shall be delivered into your hands. And the king said, I adjure thee again and again to say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord. Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, These have no masters. Let every man return to his own house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Did I not tell thee that this man would not prophesy

me any good but evil? Then he said, Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on the right hand and on the left. And the Lord said, Who shall deceive Achab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall in Ramoth Galead. And when one spoke in this manner, and another otherwise, there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him,

By what means wilt thou deceive him? And he answered, I will go out, and be a lying spirit, in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt deceive, and shalt prevail. Go out, and do so. Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a spirit of lying in the mouth of all thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee. And Sedechius, the son of Canaanah, came, and struck Micchaeus on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me

to speak to thee? And Micchaeus said, Thou thyself shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go in from chamber to chamber to hide thyself. And the king of Israel commanded, saying, Take Micchaeus, and carry him to Amen, the governor of the city, and to Joaz, the son of Amalek, and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in prison, and give him bread and water in a small quantity, till I return in peace. And Micchaeus said, If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken

by me. And he said, Hear, all ye people. So the king of Israel and Josaphat, king of Judah, went up to Remoth-Galead. And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, I will change my dress, and so I will go to the battle, but put thou on thy own garments. And the king of Israel, having changed his dress, went to the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his cavalry, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, but with the king of Israel only.

So when the captains of the cavalry saw Josaphat, they said, This is the king of Israel, and they surrounded him to attack him. But he cried to the Lord, and he helped him, and turned them away from him. For when the captains of the cavalry saw that he was not the king of Israel, they left him. And it happened that one of the people shot an arrow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the neck and the shoulders, and he said to his chariot man,

Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded. And the fight was ended that day. But the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and died at the sunset. End of chapter 18 Chapter 19 And Josaphat king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him, and said to him, thou helpest the ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord. But good works are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land of Judah, and hast prepared thy heart to seek the Lord the God of thy fathers. And Josaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and he went out

again to the people from Bersabe to Mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord the God of their fathers. And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Judah in every place. And charging the judges, he said, Take heed what you do, for you exercise not the judgment of man, but of the Lord, and whatsoever you judge, it shall redound to you. Let the fear of the Lord be with you, and do all things with diligence, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor desire of gifts. In Jerusalem also Josaphat

appointed Levites and priests and chiefs of the families of Israel to judge the judgment and the cause of the Lord for the inhabitants thereof. And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart. Every cause that shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities between kindred and kindred, wheresoever there is question concerning the law, the commandment, the ceremonies, the justifications,

show it them that they may not sin against the Lord, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brethren, and so doing you shall not sin. And Amorias the priest, your high priest, shall be chief in the things which regard God. And Zebedias the son of Ishmael, who is ruler in the house of Judah shall be over those matters which belong to the king's office, and you have before you the Levites for masters. Take courage, and do diligently,

and the Lord will be with you in good things. End of chapter 19 Chapter 20 After this the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat. And there came messengers, and told Josaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and out of Syria, and behold, they are in Asasanthamar,

which is Engadi. And Josaphat being seized with fear, betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord, and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him. And Josaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, and said, O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms

and nations. In thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee. Didst not thou, our God, kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying, If evils fall upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon, and we will cry to thee in

our afflictions, and thou wilt hear and save us. Now therefore behold the children of Ammon and of Moab and Mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not, do the contrary, and endeavor to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us. O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? As for us we have not strength enough to be able to resist this multitude,

which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee. And all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children. And Jehaziel, the son of Zacharias, the son of Benias, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathanias, a Levite of the sons of Asaph was there, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude, and he said, Attend ye all Judah and you that dwell in Jerusalem,

and thou King Josaphat. Thus saith the Lord to you, Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow you shall go down against them, for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel. It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Judah and Jerusalem.

Fear ye not, nor be you dismayed. Tomorrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you. Then Josaphat and Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell flat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him. And the Levites of the sons of Caiath, and of the sons of Cori, praised the Lord the God of Israel, with a loud voice on high. And they rose early in the morning, and went out through the desert of Thichua. And as they were marching, Josaphat, standing in the

midst of them, said, Hear me, ye men of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be secure. Believe his prophets, and all things shall succeed well. And he gave counsel to the people, and appointed the singing men of the Lord to praise him by their companies, and to go before the army, and with one voice to say, Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.

And when they began to sing praises, the Lord turned their ambushments upon themselves, that is to say, of the children of Ammon and of Moab and of Mount Seir, who were come out to fight against Judah, and they were slain. For the children of Ammon and of Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to kill

and destroy them. And when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another, and destroyed one another. And when Judah came to the watch-tower that looketh toward the desert, They saw afar off all the country for a great space, full of dead bodies, and that no one was left that could escape death. Then Josaphat came, and all the people with him to take away the spoils of the dead, and they found among the dead bodies stuff of various kinds, and garments, and most precious vessels,

and they took them for themselves, insomuch that they could not carry all, nor in three days take away the spoils, the booty was so great. And on the fourth day they were assembled in the valley of blessing, for there they blessed the Lord, and therefore they called that place the valley of blessing until this day. And every man of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat at their head into Jerusalem with great joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice

over their enemies. And they came into Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets into the house of the Lord. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands, when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet, and God gave him peace round about. And Josaphat reigned over Judah, and he was five and thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem.

And the name of his mother was Azuba, the daughter of Selahe. And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and departed not from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord. But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers. But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Anani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel. After these

things, Josaphat king of Judah made friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, whose works were very wicked. And he was partner with him in making ships to go to Tharsis, and they made the ships in Asian Geber. And Eliezer, the son of Dodeu of Marissa, prophesied to Josaphat, saying, Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.

End of chapter 20 Chapter 21 And Josaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David. And Joram his son reigned in his stead. And he had brethren the sons of Josaphat, Azarias and Jehiah, and Zacharias, and Azariah, and Michael, and Sapphatiahs.

All these were the sons of Josaphat, king of Judah. And their father gave them great gifts of silver and of gold and pensions, with strong cities in Judah. but the kingdom he gave to Joram, because he was the eldest. So Joram rose up over the kingdom of his father, and when he had established himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and some of the princes of Israel. Joram was two and thirty years old when he began to reign,

and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Aqab had done. For his wife was a daughter of Aqab, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. But the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant which he had made with him, and because he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons for ever. In those days Edom revolted from being subject to Judah, and made themselves a king. And Joram

went over with his princes and all his cavalry with him, and rose in the night, and defeated the Edomites who had surrounded him, and all the captains of his cavalry. However, Edom revolted from being under the dominion of Judah unto this day. At that time, Lobna also revolted from being under his hand, for he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers. Moreover, he built also high places in the cities of Judah, and he made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication,

and Judah to transgress. And there was a letter brought him from Elias the prophet, in which it was written, Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Josaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah, but hast walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, imitating the fornication of the house of Echab.

Moreover also thou hast killed thy brethren, the house of thy father, better men than thyself. Behold, the Lord will strike thee with a great plague, With all thy people, and thy children, And thy wives, and all thy substance. And thou shalt be sick of a very grievous disease of thy bowels,

Till thy vital parts come out by little and little every day. And the Lord stirred up against Joram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who border on the Ethiopians. And they came up into the land of Judah, and wasted it, and they carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, his sons also, and his wives, so that there was no son left him, but Joachaz, who was the youngest.

And besides all this, the Lord struck him with an incurable disease in his bowels. And as day came after day, and time rolled on, two whole years passed. Then, after being wasted with a long consumption, so as to void his very bowels, his disease ended with his life, and he died of a most wretched illness, and the people did not make a funeral for him according to the manner of burning as they had done for his ancestors.

He was two and thirty years old when he began his reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem, and he walked not rightly, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. End of chapter 21 Chapter 22

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ochozius his youngest son king in his place. For the rovers of the Arabians who had broke in upon the camp had killed all that were his elder brothers. So Okazias the son of Joram king of Judah reigned. Okazias was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Amri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Echab, for his mother

pushed him on to do wickedly. So he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Echab did, for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction. And he walked after their counsels, and he went with Joram the son of Achab king of Israel, to fight against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-Galead, and the Syrians wounded Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel, for he received many wounds in the foresaid battle. And Ochazias the son of

Joram king of Judah, went down to visit Joram the son of Achab in Jezreel where he lay sick. For it was the will of God against Okozaias that he should come to Joram, and when he was come should go out also against Jehu the son of Namsi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Echab. So when Jehu was rooting out the house of Echab, he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ochozias, who served him, and he slew them. And he sought for

Ochozias himself, and took him lying hid in Samaria. And when he was brought to him, he killed him, and they buried him because he was the son of Josaphat, who had sought the Lord with all his heart. And there was no more hope that any one should reign of the race of Ochosias. For Athaliah his mother, seeing that her son was dead, rose up and killed all the royal family of the house of Joram. But Jozebeth, the king's daughter, took Joas, the son of Ochozias,

and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and she hid him with his nurse in a bedchamber. Now Jozebeth that hid him was daughter of king Joram, wife of Joiada, the high priest, and sister of Ochozius, and therefore Athaliah did not kill him. And he was with them hid in the house of God six years, during which Athaliah reigned over the land. End of chapter 22

Chapter 23 And in the seventh year, Joyada, being encouraged, took the captains of hundreds to wit, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Johanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maesaias the son of Edias, and Elisaphat the son of Zechari, and made a covenant with them. And they went about Judah, and gathered together the Levites out of all the cities of Judah,

and the chiefs of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the multitude made a covenant with the king in the house of God, and Joiada said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David, and this is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you that come to the Sabbath of the priests and of the Levites, and of the porters, shall be at the gates, and a third part at the king's house, and a third at

the gate that is called the foundation. But let all the rest of the people be in the courts of the house of the Lord. And let no one come into the house of the Lord but the priests, and they that minister of the Levites. Let them only come in, because they are sanctified, and let all the rest of the people keep the watches of the Lord. And let the Levites be round about the king, every man with his arms, and if any other come into the temple, let him be slain,

and let them be with the king both coming in and going out. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Joyadah the high priest had commanded, and they took every one his men that were under him, and that came in by the course of the Sabbath, with those who had fulfilled the Sabbath, and were to go out. For Joyada the high priest permitted not the companies to depart, which were accustomed to succeed one another every week. And Joyada the priest gave to the

captains the spears and the shields, and targets of King David, which he had dedicated in the house of the Lord. And he set all the people with swords in their hands, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, before the altar, and the temple round about the king. And they brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and the testimony, and gave him the law to hold in his hand, and they made him king. And Joyadah the high priest and his sons

anointed him, and they prayed for him, and said, God save the king. Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came in to the people into the temple of the Lord. And when she saw the king standing upon the step in the entrance, and the princes and the companies about him, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and sounding with trumpets, and playing on instruments of divers kinds, and the voice of those that praised, she rent her

garments, and said, Treason, treason. And Joyad the high priest, going out to the captains and the chiefs of the army, said to them, Take her forth without the precinct of the temple, and when she is without, let her be killed with the sword. For the priest commanded that she should not be killed in the house of the Lord. And they laid hold on her by the neck, and when she was come within the horse gate of the palace, they killed her there.

And Joyada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the people of the Lord. And all the people went into the house of Baal, and destroyed it, and they broke down his altars and his idols, and they slew Mathan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.

And Joyada appointed overseers in the house of the Lord, under the hands of the priests and the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer holocausts to the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses,

with joy and singing according to the disposition of David. He appointed also porters in the gates of the house of the Lord, that none who was unclean in any thing should enter in. And he took the captains of hundreds, and the most valiant men, and the chiefs of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought down the king from the house of the lord, and brought him through the upper gate into the king's house, and set him on the royal throne. And all the people of the land rejoiced,

and the city was quiet. But Athaliah was slain with the sword. End of chapter 23 Chapter 24 Joas was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem.

The name of his mother was Sebiah of Berzebe. And he did that which is good before the Lord all the days of Joyada the priest. And Joyada took for him two wives, by whom he had sons and daughters. After this Joas had a mind to repair the house of the Lord.

And he assembled the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the temple of your God from year to year, and do this with speed. But the Levites were negligent. And the king called Joyad the chief, and said to him, Why hast thou not taken care to oblige the Levites to bring in out of Judah and Jerusalem the money that was appointed by Moses, the servant of the Lord, for all the multitude

of Israel to bring into the tabernacle of the testimony. For that wicked woman, Athaliah, and her children, have destroyed the house of God, and adorned the temple of Baal with all the things that had been dedicated in the temple of the Lord. And the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it by the gate of the house of the Lord on the outside, and they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem, that every man should bring to the Lord the money which

Moses the servant of God appointed for all Israel in the desert. And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and going in they contributed and cast so much into the chest of the Lord that it was filled. And when it was time to bring the chest before the king by the hands of the Levites, for they saw there was much money, the king's scribe and he whom the high priest had appointed went in, and they poured out the money that was in the chest, and they carried back the

chest to its place. And thus they did from day to day, and there was gathered an immense sum of money. And the king and Joyada gave it to those who were over the works of the house of the Lord, but they hired with it stone-cutters and artificers of every kind of work to repair the house of the Lord, and such as wrought in iron and brass to uphold what began to be falling. And the workmen were diligent, and the breach of the walls was closed up by their hands,

and they set up the house of the Lord in its former state, and made it stand firm. And when they had finished all the works, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Joyada, and with it were made vessels for the temple, for the ministry, and for holocausts, and bowls, and other vessels of gold and silver, and holocausts were offered in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Joyada. But Joyada grew old, and was full of days, and died

when he was a hundred and thirty years old. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good to Israel and to his house. And after the death of Joyada, the princes of Judah went in and worshipped the king, and he was soothed by their services, and hearkened to them. And they forsook the temple of the Lord the God of their fathers, and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this sin.

And he sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord, and they would not give ear when they testified against them. The Spirit of God then came upon Zacharias, the son of Joyad the priest, and he stood in the sight of the people and said to them, Thus saith the Lord God, Why transgress you the commandment of the Lord, which will not be for your good, and have forsaken the Lord, to make him forsake you? And they gathered themselves together against

him, and stoned him at the king's commandment in the court of the house of the Lord. And King Joas did not remember the kindness that Joiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord see and require it. And when a year was come about, the army of Syria came up against him, and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and killed all the princes of the people, and they sent all the spoils to the king of Damascus.

And whereas there came a very small number of the Syrians, the Lord delivered into their hands an infinite multitude, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers, and on Joas they executed shameful judgments. And departing they left him in diseases, and his servants rose up against him for revenge of the blood of the son of Joiada the priest. And they slew him in his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

Now the men that conspired against him were Zabad the son of Samaeth, an Ammonitess, and Josabad the son of Samarith, a Moabitess. And concerning his sons, and the sum of money which was gathered under him, and the repairing of the house of God, they are written more diligently in the book of Kings, and Amasias his son reigned in his stead. End of chapter 24

Chapter 25 Amasias was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Joadan of Jerusalem, And he did what was good in the sight of the Lord, but yet not with a perfect heart. And when he saw himself strengthened in his kingdom, he put to death the servants that had slain the king his father. But he slew not their children, as it is written in the book of the law

of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be slain for the children, nor the children for their fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. Amesias therefore gathered Judah together, and appointed them by families and captains of thousands and of hundreds in all Judah and Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years old and upwards, and found three hundred thousand young men that could go out to battle,

and could hold the spear and shield. He hired also of Israel a hundred thousand valiant men for a hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, O king, let not the army of Israel go out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and all the children of Ephraim. And if thou think that battles consist in the strength of the army, God will make thee to be overcome by the enemies, for it belongeth to God both to help

and to put to flight and amesias said to the man of god what will then become of the hundred talents which i have given to the soldiers of israel and the man of god answered him the lord is rich enough to be able to give thee much more than this then amesias separated the army that came to him out of ephraim to go home again but they being much enraged against judah returned to their own country And Amessias, taking courage, led forth his people, and went to the vale of salt pits, and slew of the children of Seir ten thousand, and other ten thousand men the sons of Judah took, and brought to the steep of a certain rock, and cast them down headlong from the top,

and they all were broken to pieces. But that army which Amessias had sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, spread themselves among the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and having killed three thousand, took away much spoil. But Amasias, after he had slain the Edomites, set up the gods of the children of Seir, which he had brought thence, to be his gods, and adored them, and burnt incense to them.

Wherefore the Lord, being angry against Amasias, sent a prophet to him to say to him, Why hast thou adored gods that have not delivered their own people out of thy hand? And when he spoke these things, he answered him, Art thou the king's counselor? Be quiet, lest I kill thee. And the prophet, departing, said, I know that God is minded to kill thee, because thou hast done this evil, and moreover hast not hearkened to my counsel.

Then Amazias, king of Judah, taking very bad counsel, sent to Joas, the son of Joachaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another. But he sent back the messengers, saying, The thistle that is in Libanus sent to the cedar in Libanus, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife, and behold the beasts that were in the wood of Libanus passed by, and trod down the thistle. Thou hast said, I have overthrown Edom,

and therefore thy heart is lifted up with pride. Stay at home, why dost thou provoke evil against thee, that both thou shouldst fall, and Judah with thee. Amesias would not hearken to him, because it was the Lord's will that he should be delivered into the hands of enemies, because of the gods of Edom. So Joas king of Israel went up, and they presented themselves to be seen by one another. And Amazias king of Judah was in Bethsimas of Judah. And Judah fell

before Israel, and they fled to their dwellings. And Joas king of Israel took Amazias king of Judah, the son of Joas, the son of Joachaz, in Bethsimas, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the walls thereof from the gate of Ephraim to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that he found in the house of God, and with Obedidim, and in the treasures of the king's house.

Moreover also the sons of the hostages he brought back to Samaria. And Amessias the son of Joas, king of Judah, lived, after the death of Joas, the son of Joachaz, king of Israel, fifteen years. Now the rest of the acts of Amasias, the first and last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And after he revolted from the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. And he fled into Lachis, and they sent and killed him there.

And they brought him back upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David. End of chapter 25 Chapter 26 And all the people of Judah took his son, Osias, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of Amasias his father. He built Eolaph, and restored it to the dominion of Judah, after that the king slept with his

fathers. Osias was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Jechaliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Amessias his father had done. And he sought the Lord in the days of Zacharias, that understood and saw God. And as long as he sought the Lord, he directed him in all things. Moreover he went forth and fought against the Philistines,

and broke down the wall of Geth, and the wall of Jebniah, and the wall of Ezotus, and he built towns in Ezotus, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gerbao, and against the Ammonites. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Osias, and his name was spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt for his frequent victories. And Osias built towers in Jerusalem over the gate of the corner, and over the gate

of the valley and the rest, in the same side of the wall, and fortified them. And he built towers in the wilderness, and dug many cisterns, for he had much cattle both in the plains and in the waste of the desert. He had also vineyards and dressers of vines in the mountains, and in Carmel, for he was a man that loved husbandry. And the army of his fighting men that went out to war was under the hand of Jehiel, the scribe, and Maesias, the doctor, and under the hand of

Hinenias, who was one of the king's captains. And the whole number of the chiefs by the families of valiant men were two thousand six hundred, and the whole army under them three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, who were fit for war, and fought for the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them, that is, for the whole army, shields and spears and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and slings, to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem

engines of diverse kinds, which he placed in the towers, and in the corners of the walls, to shoot arrows, and great stones. And his name went forth far abroad, for the Lord helped him, and had strengthened him. But when he was made strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, and he neglected the Lord his God, and going into the temple of the Lord, he had a mind to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And immediately Azarias the priest going in after him, and with

him fourscore priests of the Lord, most valiant men, withstood the king, and said, It doth not belong to thee, O Zias, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests, that is, to the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated for this ministry. Go out of the sanctuary, do not despise, for this thing shall not be accounted to thy glory by the Lord God. And Osias was angry, and holding in his hand the censer to burn incense, threatened the priests. And presently there rose a leprosy in

his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord at the altar of incense. And Azarias the high priest, and all the rest of the priests looked upon him, and saw the leprosy in his forehead, and they made haste to thrust him out. Yea, himself also being frightened, hasted to go out, because he had quickly felt the stroke of the Lord. And Osias the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelt in a house apart being full of the leprosy, for which he had been

cast out of the house of the Lord. And Joatham his son governed the king's house, and judged the people of the land. But the rest of the acts of Osias, first and last, were written by Isaias, the son of Amos the prophet. And Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the field of the royal sepulchres, because he was a leper. And Joatham his son reigned in his stead. End of chapter 26