2 Tawarikh 1:1--31:1
Konteks1:1 Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, 1 for 2 the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly.
1:2 Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. 1:3 Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center 3 in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God 4 was located there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 1:4 (Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 5 1:5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. 6 Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him 7 there.) 1:6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up a thousand burnt sacrifices.
1:7 That night God appeared 8 to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me 9 what I should give you.” 1:8 Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated 10 great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. 1:9 Now, Lord God, may your promise 11 to my father David be realized, 12 for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. 1:10 Now give me wisdom and discernment so 13 I can effectively lead this nation. 14 Otherwise 15 no one is able 16 to make judicial decisions for 17 this great nation of yours.” 18
1:11 God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this, 19 and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, 20 and because you did not ask for long life, 21 but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, 1:12 you are granted wisdom and discernment. 22 Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you.” 23
1:13 Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel. 24
1:14 Solomon accumulated 25 chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 26 1:15 The king made silver and gold as plentiful 27 in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was 28 as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. 29 1:16 Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt 30 and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que. 1:17 They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria. 31
2:1 (1:18) 32 Solomon ordered a temple to be built to honor the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 33 2:2 (2:1) Solomon had 34 70,000 common laborers 35 and 80,000 stonecutters 36 in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors. 37
2:3 Solomon sent a message to King Huram 38 of Tyre: 39 “Help me 40 as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs 41 for the construction of his palace. 42 2:4 Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor 43 the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed, 44 and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis. 45 2:5 I will build a great temple, for our God is greater than all gods. 2:6 Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky 46 and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him. 47
2:7 “Now send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as purple, crimson, and violet colored fabrics, and who knows how to engrave. He will work with my skilled craftsmen here in Jerusalem 48 and Judah, whom my father David provided. 2:8 Send me cedars, evergreens, and algum 49 trees from Lebanon, for I know your servants are adept 50 at cutting down trees in Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants 2:9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple. 2:10 Look, I will pay your servants who cut the timber 20,000 kors 51 of ground wheat, 20,000 kors of barley, 120,000 gallons 52 of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
2:11 King Huram 53 of Tyre sent this letter to Solomon: “Because the Lord loves his people, he has made you their king.” 2:12 Huram also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord God of Israel, who made the sky and the earth! He has given David a wise son who has discernment and insight and will build a temple for the Lord, as well as a royal palace for himself. 54 2:13 Now I am sending you Huram Abi, 55 a skilled and capable man, 2:14 whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian. 56 He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, violet, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father. 2:15 Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he has promised; 2:16 we will get all the timber you need from Lebanon 57 and bring it 58 in raft-like bundles 59 by sea to Joppa. You can then haul it on up to Jerusalem.”
2:17 Solomon took a census 60 of all the male resident foreigners in the land of Israel, after the census his father David had taken. There were 153,600 in all. 2:18 He designated 61 70,000 as common laborers, 62 80,000 as stonecutters 63 in the hills, and 3,600 as supervisors to make sure the people completed the work. 64
3:1 Solomon began building the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem 65 on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan 66 the Jebusite. 3:2 He began building on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign. 67
3:3 Solomon laid the foundation for God’s temple; 68 its length (determined according to the old standard of measure) was 90 feet, and its width 30 feet. 69 3:4 The porch in front of the main hall was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple, 70 and its height was 30 feet. 71 He plated the inside with pure gold. 3:5 He paneled 72 the main hall 73 with boards made from evergreen trees 74 and plated it with fine gold, decorated with palm trees and chains. 75 3:6 He decorated the temple with precious stones; the gold he used came from Parvaim. 76 3:7 He overlaid the temple’s rafters, thresholds, walls and doors with gold; he carved decorative cherubim on the walls.
3:8 He made the most holy place; 77 its length was 30 feet, 78 corresponding to the width of the temple, and its width 30 feet. 79 He plated it with 600 talents 80 of fine gold. 3:9 The gold nails weighed 50 shekels; he also plated the upper areas with gold. 3:10 In the most holy place he made two images of cherubim and plated them with gold. 3:11 The combined wing span of the cherubs was 30 feet. 81 One of the first cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched one wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the second cherub’s wings. 82 3:12 Likewise one of the second cherub’s wings was seven and one-half feet long and touched the other wall of the temple; its other wing was also seven and one-half feet long and touched one of the first cherub’s wings. 83 3:13 The combined wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. 84 They stood upright, facing inward. 85 3:14 He made the curtain out of violet, purple, crimson, and white fabrics, and embroidered on it decorative cherubim.
3:15 In front of the temple he made two pillars which had a combined length 86 of 52½ feet, 87 with each having a plated capital seven and one-half feet high. 88 3:16 He made ornamental chains 89 and put them on top of the pillars. He also made one hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments and arranged them within the chains. 3:17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right side and the other on the left. 90 He named the one on the right Jachin, 91 and the one on the left Boaz. 92
4:1 He made a bronze altar, 30 feet 93 long, 30 feet 94 wide, and 15 feet 95 high. 4:2 He also made the big bronze basin called “The Sea.” 96 It measured 15 feet 97 from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood seven and one-half feet 98 high. Its circumference was 45 feet. 99 4:3 Images of bulls were under it all the way around, ten every eighteen inches 100 all the way around. The bulls were in two rows and had been cast with “The Sea.” 4:4 “The Sea” stood on top of twelve bulls. Three faced northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward. “The Sea” was placed on top of them, and they all faced outward. 101 4:5 It was four fingers thick and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold 18,000 gallons. 102 4:6 He made ten washing basins; he put five on the south side and five on the north side. In them they rinsed the items used for burnt sacrifices; the priests washed in “The Sea.”
4:7 He made ten gold lampstands according to specifications and put them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. 4:8 He made ten tables and set them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. He also made one hundred gold bowls. 4:9 He made the courtyard of the priests and the large enclosure and its doors; 103 he plated their doors with bronze. 4:10 He put “The Sea” on the south side, in the southeast corner.
4:11 Huram Abi 104 made the pots, shovels, and bowls. He finished all the work on God’s temple he had been assigned by King Solomon. 105 4:12 He made 106 the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars, the latticework for the bowl-shaped tops of the two pillars, 4:13 the four hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments for the latticework of the two pillars (each latticework had two rows of these ornaments at the bowl-shaped top of the pillar), 4:14 the ten 107 movable stands with their ten 108 basins, 4:15 the big bronze basin called “The Sea” with its twelve bulls underneath, 4:16 and the pots, shovels, and meat forks. 109 All the items King Solomon assigned Huram Abi to make for the Lord’s temple 110 were made from polished bronze. 4:17 The king had them cast in earthen foundries 111 in the region of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan. 4:18 Solomon made so many of these items they did not weigh the bronze. 112
4:19 Solomon also made these items for God’s temple: the gold altar, the tables on which the Bread of the Presence 113 was kept, 4:20 the pure gold lampstands and their lamps which burned as specified at the entrance to the inner sanctuary, 4:21 the pure gold flower-shaped ornaments, lamps, and tongs, 4:22 the pure gold trimming shears, basins, pans, and censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (the most holy place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple. 5:1 When Solomon had finished constructing the Lord’s temple, he put the holy items that belonged to his father David (the silver, gold, and all the other articles) in the treasuries of God’s temple.
5:2 Then Solomon convened Israel’s elders – all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families – in Jerusalem, 114 so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David 115 (that is, Zion). 116 5:3 All the men of Israel assembled before the king during the festival 117 in the seventh month. 118 5:4 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the Levites lifted the ark. 5:5 The priests and Levites carried the ark, the tent where God appeared to his people, 119 and all the holy items in the tent. 120 5:6 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered. 121
5:7 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its assigned 122 place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the most holy place under the wings of the cherubs. 5:8 The cherubs’ wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubs overshadowed the ark and its poles. 123 5:9 The poles were so long their ends extending out from the ark were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point. 124 They have remained there to this very day. 5:10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb. 125 (It was there that 126 the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt.)
5:11 The priests left the holy place. 127 All the priests who participated had consecrated themselves, no matter which division they represented. 128 5:12 All the Levites who were musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, wore linen. They played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. They were accompanied by 120 priests who blew trumpets. 5:13 The trumpeters and musicians played together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they loudly praised the Lord, singing: 129 “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!” Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple. 130 5:14 The priests could not carry out their duties 131 because of the cloud; the Lord’s splendor filled God’s temple.
6:1 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 6:2 O Lord, 132 I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 6:3 Then the king turned around 133 and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there. 134 6:4 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled 135 what he promised 136 my father David. 6:5 He told David, 137 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. 138 Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel. 6:6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live, 139 and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 6:7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel. 140 6:8 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me. 141 6:9 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’ 142 6:10 The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel 6:11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites.”
6:12 He stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 6:13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was seven and one-half feet 143 long, seven and one-half feet 144 wide, and four and one-half feet 145 high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky, 6:14 and prayed: 146 “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty 147 to your servants who obey you with sincerity. 148 6:15 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; 149 this very day you have fulfilled what you promised. 150 6:16 Now, O Lord God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, 151 provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.’ 152 6:17 Now, O Lord God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant David be realized. 153
6:18 “God does not really live with humankind on the earth! 154 Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 6:19 But respond favorably to 155 your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer 156 the desperate prayer 157 your servant is presenting to you. 158 6:20 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. 159 May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place. 160 6:21 Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place. 161 Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive. 162
6:22 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, 163 6:23 listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve. 164
6:24 “If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy 165 because they sinned against you, then if they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, 166 and pray for your help 167 before you in this temple, 6:25 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors. 168
6:26 “The time will come when 169 the skies 170 are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people 171 sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, 172 and turn away from their sin because you punish 173 them, 6:27 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly 174 you will then teach them the right way to live 175 and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess. 176
6:28 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight, and disease, or a locust 177 invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, 178 or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 6:29 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help, 179 as they acknowledge their intense pain 180 and spread out their hands toward this temple, 6:30 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, 181 and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of their motives. 182 (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.) 183 6:31 Then they will honor 184 you by obeying you 185 throughout their lifetimes as 186 they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
6:32 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your great reputation 187 and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds; 188 they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 6:33 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. 189 Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, 190 obey 191 you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you. 192
6:34 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies, 193 and they direct their prayers to you toward this chosen city and this temple I built for your honor, 194 6:35 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help 195 and vindicate them. 196
6:36 “The time will come when your people 197 will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry at them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their land, whether far away or close by. 6:37 When your people 198 come to their senses 199 in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray 200 , we have done evil!’ 6:38 When they return to you with all their heart and being 201 in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor, 202 6:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help, 203 vindicate them, 204 and forgive your sinful people.
6:40 “Now, my God, may you be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place. 205 6:41 Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance! 206 May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give! 207 6:42 O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones! 208 Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!”
7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven 209 and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple. 7:2 The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple. 7:3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, 210 “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”
7:4 The king and all the people were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 7:5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple. 7:6 The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord. 211 (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”) 212 Opposite the Levites, 213 the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there. 7:7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, 214 and the fat from the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to hold all these offerings. 215 7:8 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south. 216 7:9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days. 7:10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon 217 sent the people home. They left 218 happy and contented 219 because of the good the Lord had done for David, Solomon, and his people Israel.
7:11 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, and accomplished all his plans for the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 220 7:12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered 221 your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made. 222 7:13 When 223 I close up the sky 224 so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, 225 or send a plague among my people, 7:14 if my people, who belong to me, 226 humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, 227 and repudiate their sinful practices, 228 then I will respond 229 from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 230 7:15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place. 231 7:16 Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home; 232 I will be constantly present there. 233 7:17 You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. 234 7:18 Then I will establish your dynasty, 235 just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’ 236
7:19 “But if you people 237 ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep, 238 and decide to serve and worship other gods, 239 7:20 then I will remove you 240 from my land I have given you, 241 I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence, 242 and I will make you 243 an object of mockery and ridicule 244 among all the nations. 7:21 As for this temple, which was once majestic, 245 everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 7:22 Others will then answer, 246 ‘Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, 247 who led them out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served. 248 That is why he brought all this disaster down on them.’”
8:1 After twenty years, during which Solomon built the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 8:2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram 249 had given him and settled Israelites there. 8:3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it. 8:4 He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath. 8:5 He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, 250 8:6 and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him, 251 and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept. 252 He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, 253 Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom. 254
8:7 Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 255 8:8 Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews and they continue in that role to this very day. 256 8:9 Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; 257 the Israelites served as his soldiers, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces. 258 8:10 These men worked for Solomon as supervisors; there were a total of 250 of them who were in charge of the people. 259
8:11 Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David 260 to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of King David of Israel, for the places where the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the temple’s porch. 261 8:13 He observed the daily requirements for sacrifices that Moses had specified for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual celebrations – the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Temporary Shelters. 262 8:14 As his father David had decreed, Solomon 263 appointed the divisions of the priests to do their assigned tasks, the Levitical orders to lead worship and help the priests with their daily tasks, 264 and the divisions of the gatekeepers to serve at their assigned gates. 265 This was what David the man of God had ordered. 266 8:15 They did not neglect any detail of the king’s orders pertaining to the priests, Levites, and treasuries. 267
8:16 All the work ordered by Solomon was completed, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid until it was finished; the Lord’s temple was completed.
8:17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Elat on the coast in the land of Edom. 8:18 Huram sent him ships and some of his sailors, men who were well acquainted with the sea. They sailed with Solomon’s men to Ophir, 268 and took from there 450 talents 269 of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.
9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, 270 she came to challenge 271 him 272 with difficult questions. 273 She arrived in Jerusalem 274 with a great display of pomp, 275 bringing with her camels carrying spices, 276 a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 9:2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. 277 9:3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, 278 the palace 279 he had built, 9:4 the food in his banquet hall, 280 his servants and attendants 281 in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple, 282 she was amazed. 283 9:5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight 284 was true! 9:6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! 285 Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 9:7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! 286 9:8 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored 287 you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! 288 Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, 289 he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.” 290 9:9 She gave the king 120 talents 291 of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. 292 9:10 (Huram’s 293 servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as 294 fine 295 timber and precious gems. 9:11 With the timber the king made steps 296 for the Lord’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments 297 for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that. 298 ) 9:12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. 299 Then she left and returned 300 to her homeland with her attendants.
9:13 Solomon received 666 talents 301 of gold per year, 302 9:14 besides what he collected from the merchants 303 and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 9:15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures 304 of hammered gold were used for each shield. 9:16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures 305 of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest. 306
9:17 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 9:18 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. 307 The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. 308 9:19 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom. 309
9:20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time. 310 9:21 The king had a fleet of large merchant ships 311 manned by Huram’s men 312 that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet 313 came into port with cargoes of 314 gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 315
9:22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. 316 9:23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. 317 9:24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules. 318
9:25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses 319 and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 320 9:26 He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River 321 to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 9:27 The king made silver as plentiful 322 in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was 323 as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands 324 . 9:28 Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.
9:29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded 325 in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 9:30 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem 326 for forty years. 9:31 Then Solomon passed away 327 and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.
10:1 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in 328 Shechem to make Rehoboam 329 king. 10:2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 10:3 They sent for him 330 and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 10:4 “Your father made us work too hard! 331 Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” 332 10:5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.
10:6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served 333 his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, 334 “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 10:7 They said to him, “If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.” 335 10:8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. 336 10:9 He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” 337 10:10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam 338 had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden’ 339 – say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father! 340 10:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. 341 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’” 342
10:12 Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 10:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He 343 rejected the advice of the older men 10:14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; 344 I will make them even heavier. 345 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 346 10:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events 347 so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made 348 through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
10:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David – no share in the son of Jesse! 349 Return to your homes, O Israel! 350 Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” 351 So all Israel returned to their homes. 352 10:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 10:18 King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, 353 the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 354 10:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.
11:1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from Judah and Benjamin 355 to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 11:2 But the Lord told Shemaiah the prophet, 356 11:3 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, 11:4 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’” 357 They obeyed the Lord and called off the attack against Jeroboam. 358
11:5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; 359 he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: 11:6 Bethlehem, 360 Etam, Tekoa, 11:7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 11:8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 11:9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 11:10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11:11 He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine. 11:12 In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them. 361 Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
11:13 The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided. 362 11:14 The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests. 11:15 Jeroboam 363 appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers 364 and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made. 365 11:16 Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the Lord God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem 366 to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors. 367 11:17 They supported 368 the kingdom of Judah and were loyal to 369 Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; they followed the edicts of 370 David and Solomon for three years.
11:18 Rehoboam married 371 Mahalath the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of 372 Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 11:19 She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 11:20 He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 11:21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines. 373 He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
11:22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor. 374 11:23 He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities. 375 He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them. 376
12:1 After Rehoboam’s rule was established and solidified, he and all Israel rejected the law of the Lord. 12:2 Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 12:3 He had 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and an innumerable number of soldiers who accompanied him from Egypt, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. 12:4 He captured the fortified cities of Judah and marched against Jerusalem.
12:5 Shemaiah the prophet visited Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who were assembled in Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have rejected me, so I have rejected you and will hand you over to Shishak.’” 377 12:6 The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.” 378 12:7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, he gave this message to Shemaiah: 379 “They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them. I will deliver them soon. 380 My anger will not be unleashed against 381 Jerusalem through 382 Shishak. 12:8 Yet they will become his subjects, so they can experience how serving me differs from serving the surrounding nations.” 383
12:9 King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. 12:10 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard 384 who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 12:11 Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guards carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom. 385
12:12 So when Rehoboam 386 humbled himself, the Lord relented from his anger and did not annihilate him; 387 Judah experienced some good things. 388 12:13 King Rehoboam solidified his rule in Jerusalem; 389 he 390 was forty-one years old when he became king and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home. 391 Rehoboam’s 392 mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. 12:14 He did evil because he was not determined to follow the Lord. 393
12:15 The events of Rehoboam’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded 394 in the Annals of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that include genealogical records. 12:16 Then Rehoboam passed away 395 and was buried in the City of David. 396 His son Abijah replaced him as king.
13:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 13:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. 397 His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. 398
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 13:3 Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors, 399 while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors. 400
13:4 Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 13:5 Don’t you realize that the Lord God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement? 401 13:6 Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. 13:7 Lawless good-for-nothing men 402 gathered around him and conspired 403 against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man 404 and could not resist them. 13:8 Now you are declaring that you will resist the Lord’s rule through the Davidic dynasty. 405 You have a huge army, 406 and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 13:9 But you banished 407 the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods! 408 13:10 But as for us, the Lord is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work. 409 13:11 They offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly 410 we are observing the Lord our God’s regulations, but you have rejected him. 13:12 Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you. 411 You Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, 412 for you will not win!”
13:13 Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind. 413 The main army was in front of the Judahite army; 414 the ambushers were behind it. 13:14 The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear. 415 So they cried out for help to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets, 13:15 and the men of Judah gave 416 the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the Lord struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 13:16 The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army, 417 and God handed them over to the men of Judah. 418 13:17 Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; 419 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead. 420 13:18 That day 421 the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord God of their ancestors.
13:19 Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel 422 and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns. 13:20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah. 423 The Lord struck him down and he died. 13:21 Abijah’s power grew; he had 424 fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
13:22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his deeds and sayings, 425 are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo.
14:1 (13:23) 426 Abijah passed away 427 and was buried in the City of David. 428 His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign 429 the land had rest for ten years.
14:2 (14:1) Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved. 430 14:3 He removed the pagan altars 431 and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. 432 14:4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors 433 and to observe his law and commands. 434 14:5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule. 435
14:6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace. 14:7 He said to the people of Judah: 436 “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. 437 The land remains ours because we have followed 438 the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” 439 So they built the cities 440 and prospered.
14:8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors. 14:9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 441 men and 300 chariots. He arrived at Mareshah, 14:10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
14:11 Asa prayed 442 to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. 443 Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. 444 O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!” 445 14:12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 14:13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out; 446 they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah 447 carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14:14 They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic. 448 The men of Judah 449 looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods. 450 14:15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock. 451 They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem. 452
15:1 God’s Spirit came upon Azariah son of Oded. 15:2 He met 453 Asa and told him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. 454 If you seek him, he will respond to you, 455 but if you reject him, he will reject you. 15:3 For a long time 456 Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law. 15:4 Because of their distress, they turned back to the Lord God of Israel. They sought him and he responded to them. 457 15:5 In those days 458 no one could travel safely, 459 for total chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands. 460 15:6 One nation was crushed by another, and one city by another, for God caused them to be in great turmoil. 461 15:7 But as for you, be strong and don’t get discouraged, 462 for your work will be rewarded.” 463
15:8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he was encouraged. 464 He removed the detestable idols from the entire land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had seized in the Ephraimite hill country. He repaired the altar of the Lord in front of the porch of the Lord’s temple. 465
15:9 He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers 466 from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live 467 when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 15:10 They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 15:11 At that time 468 they sacrificed to the Lord some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep. 469 15:12 They solemnly agreed 470 to seek the Lord God of their ancestors 471 with their whole heart and being. 15:13 Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, 472 male or female. 15:14 They swore their allegiance to the Lord, shouting their approval loudly and sounding trumpets and horns. 473 15:15 All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the Lord and he responded to them. 474 He made them secure on every side. 475
15:16 King Asa also removed Maacah his grandmother 476 from her position as queen mother 477 because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and crushed and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 15:17 The high places were not eliminated from Israel, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. 478 15:18 He brought the holy items that his father and he had made into God’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles. 479
15:19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign. 16:1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah, and he established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 480 16:2 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and sent it to King Ben Hadad of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 16:3 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. 481 See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” 482 16:4 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. 483 They conquered 484 Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, 485 and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 16:5 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying 486 Ramah and abandoned the project. 487 16:6 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. 488 He used the materials to build up 489 Geba and Mizpah.
16:7 At that time Hanani the prophet 490 visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 16:8 Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you! 16:9 Certainly 491 the Lord watches the whole earth carefully 492 and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. 493 You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war. 16:10 Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail. 494 Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time.
16:11 The events of Asa’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 495 16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease. 496 Though his disease was severe, he did not seek the Lord, but only the doctors. 497 16:13 Asa passed away 498 in the forty-first year of his reign. 16:14 He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. 499 They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him. 500
17:1 His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel. 501 17:2 He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons 502 throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.
17:3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor 503 David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign. 504 He did not seek the Baals, 17:4 but instead sought the God of his ancestors 505 and obeyed 506 his commands, unlike the Israelites. 507 17:5 The Lord made his kingdom secure; 508 all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected. 509 17:6 He was committed to following the Lord; 510 he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
17:7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 17:8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 17:9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
17:10 The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah; 511 they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. 17:11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
17:12 Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. 17:13 He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem. 512 17:14 These were their divisions by families:
There were a thousand officers from Judah. 513 Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors, 17:15 Jehochanan the commander led 280,000, 17:16 and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.
17:17 From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, 17:18 and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.
17:19 These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years 514 went down to visit 515 Ahab in Samaria. 516 Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. 517 He persuaded him to join in an attack 518 against Ramoth Gilead. 18:3 King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.” 519 18:4 Then Jehoshaphat added, 520 “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” 521 18:5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” 522 They said, “Attack! God 523 will hand it over to the king.” 18:6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 18:7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. 524 But I despise 525 him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always 526 disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. 527 Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!” 18:8 The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
18:9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at 528 the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. 18:10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!’” 18:11 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king!” 18:12 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. 529 Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!” 530 18:13 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!”
18:14 Micaiah 531 came before the king and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you.” 532 18:15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in 533 the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 18:16 Micaiah 534 replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 18:17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 18:18 Micaiah 535 said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. 18:19 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that. 18:20 Then a spirit 536 stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 18:21 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord 537 said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. 538 Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 18:22 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 18:23 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 18:24 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 18:25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 18:26 Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water 539 until I return safely.”’” 18:27 Micaiah said, “If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Take note, 540 all you people.”
18:28 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 18:29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter 541 the battle; but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. 18:30 Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers; 542 fight only the king of Israel!” 18:31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him. 18:32 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 18:33 Now an archer shot an arrow at random 543 and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king 544 ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, 545 for I am wounded.” 18:34 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.
19:1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, 546 19:2 the prophet 547 Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; 548 he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? 549 Because you have done this the Lord is angry with you! 550 19:3 Nevertheless you have done some good things; 551 you removed 552 the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.” 553
19:4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. 554 He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow 555 the Lord God of their ancestors. 556 19:5 He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 557 19:6 He told the judges, “Be careful what you do, 558 for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 19:7 Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.” 559
19:8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord 560 and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem. 561 19:9 He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives. 562 19:10 Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you 563 (whether it involves a violent crime 564 or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues; but if you obey, you will be free of guilt. 565 19:11 You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king. 566 The Levites will serve as officials before you. Confidently carry out your duties! 567 May the Lord be with those who do well!”
20:1 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, 568 attacked Jehoshaphat. 20:2 Messengers 569 arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea, 570 from the direction of Edom. 571 Look, they are in Hazezon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” 20:3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. 572 He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 20:4 The people of Judah 573 assembled to ask for the Lord’s help; 574 they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help. 575
20:5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem 576 at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. 20:6 He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors, 577 you are the God who lives in heaven 578 and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. 20:7 Our God, you drove out 579 the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession 580 to the descendants of your friend 581 Abraham. 20:8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple 582 to honor you, 583 saying, 20:9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack, 584 judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple. 585 We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will 586 hear and deliver us.’ 20:10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming! 587 When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands. 588 They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 20:11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 20:12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.” 589
20:13 All the men of Judah 590 were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. 20:14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. 20:15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah, 591 residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic 592 because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 20:16 Tomorrow march down against them as 593 they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the Desert of Jeruel. 20:17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you, 594 O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! 595 Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”
20:18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah 596 and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him. 597 20:19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel. 598
20:20 Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah 599 and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! 600 Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 20:21 He met 601 with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.” 602
20:22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked 603 the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir 604 who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 20:23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir 605 and annihilated them. 606 When they had finished off the men 607 of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another. 608 20:24 When the men of Judah 609 arrived at the observation post overlooking the desert and looked at 610 the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors! 20:25 Jehoshaphat and his men 611 went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing 612 and valuable items. They carried away everything they could. 613 There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off. 614
20:26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where 615 they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah 616 to this very day. 20:27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 20:28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. 20:29 All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God 617 when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 20:30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side. 618
20:31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. 619 His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 20:32 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. 620 20:33 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors. 621
20:34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani which are included in Scroll of the Kings of Israel. 622
20:35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who 623 did evil. 20:36 They agreed 624 to make large seagoing merchant ships; 625 they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 20:37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because 626 you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea. 627
21:1 Jehoshaphat passed away 628 and was buried with his ancestors 629 in the City of David. 630 His son Jehoram 631 replaced him as king.
21:2 His brothers, Jehoshaphat’s sons, were Azariah, Jechiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All of these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. 632 21:3 Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
21:4 Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful. 633 Then he killed all his brothers, 634 as well as some of the officials of Israel. 21:5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 635 21:6 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. 636 He did evil in the sight of 637 the Lord. 21:7 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David’s dynasty 638 because of the promise 639 he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty. 640
21:8 During Jehoram’s 641 reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king. 642 21:9 Jehoram crossed over to Zair with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. 643 21:10 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. 644 At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah’s control 645 because Jehoram 646 rejected the Lord God of his ancestors. 21:11 He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord 647 and led Judah away from the Lord. 648
21:12 Jehoram 649 received this letter from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: ‘You 650 have not followed in the footsteps 651 of your father Jehoshaphat and of 652 King Asa of Judah, 21:13 but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel. 653 You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family, 654 who were better than you. 21:14 So look, the Lord is about to severely afflict 655 your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own. 21:15 And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.” 656
21:16 The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines 657 and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites. 21:17 They attacked Judah and swept through it. 658 They carried off everything they found in the royal palace, 659 including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah. 21:18 After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease. 660 21:19 After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death. 661 His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors. 662
21:20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death; 663 he was buried in the City of David, 664 but not in the royal tombs.
22:1 The residents of Jerusalem 665 made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the city with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. 666 So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. 22:2 Ahaziah was twenty-two 667 years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter 668 of Omri. 22:3 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty, 669 for his mother gave him evil advice. 670 22:4 He did evil in the sight of 671 the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they 672 gave him advice that led to his destruction. 22:5 He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram 673 of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria 674 at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 22:6 Joram 675 returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians 676 in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah 677 son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded. 678
22:7 God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram. 679 When Ahaziah 680 arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned 681 to wipe out Ahab’s family. 682 22:8 While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. 22:9 He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. 683 They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned, 684 “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place. 685
22:10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line 686 of Judah. 687 22:11 So Jehoshabeath, 688 the daughter of King Jehoram, 689 took Ahaziah’s son Joash and sneaked him away 690 from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. 22:12 He remained in hiding in God’s temple 691 for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
23:1 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact 692 with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 23:2 They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.
They came to Jerusalem, 693 23:3 and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada 694 said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. 23:4 This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 23:5 Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others 695 will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 23:6 No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. 23:7 The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple 696 must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.” 697
23:8 The Levites and all the men of Judah 698 did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. 23:9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields 699 that were kept in God’s temple. 23:10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king. 700 23:11 Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. 701 They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. 702 They declared, “Long live the king!”
23:12 When Athaliah heard the royal guard 703 shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd 704 at the Lord’s temple. 23:13 Then she saw 705 the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!” 706 23:14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. 707 Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. 708 23:15 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. 709 There they executed her.
23:16 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord. 710 23:17 All the people went and demolished 711 the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. 712 They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 23:18 Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to 713 the law of Moses and the edict of David. 23:19 He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. 23:20 He summoned 714 the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 23:21 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah. 715
24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. 716 His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. 24:2 Joash did what the Lord approved 717 throughout the lifetime 718 of Jehoiada the priest. 24:3 Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.
24:4 Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple. 719 24:5 He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.
24:6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, 720 and said to him, “Why have you not made 721 the Levites collect 722 from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?” 723 24:7 (Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) 24:8 The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. 724 24:9 An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 725 24:10 All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full. 24:11 Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.
24:12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen 726 assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple. 24:13 They worked hard and made the repairs. 727 They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it. 728 24:14 When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.
24:15 Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130. 729 24:16 He was buried in the City of David 730 with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.
24:17 After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him. 731 The king listened to their advice. 732 24:18 They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors, 733 and worshiped 734 the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. 24:19 The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. 735 They warned 736 the people, but they would not pay attention. 24:20 God’s Spirit energized 737 Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous! Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’” 24:21 They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 24:22 King Joash disregarded 738 the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s 739 son. As Zechariah 740 was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!” 741
24:23 At the beginning 742 of the year the Syrian army attacked 743 Joash 744 and invaded Judah and Jerusalem. They wiped out all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder they gathered to the king of Damascus. 24:24 Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army, 745 for the people of Judah 746 had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians 747 gave Joash what he deserved. 748 24:25 When they withdrew, they left Joash 749 badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to 750 the son 751 of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus 752 he died and was buried in the City of David, 753 but not in the tombs of the kings. 24:26 The conspirators were Zabad son of Shimeath (an Ammonite woman) and Jehozabad son of Shimrith (a Moabite woman).
24:27 The list of Joash’s 754 sons, the many prophetic oracles pertaining to him, and the account of his building project on God’s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings. 755 His son Amaziah replaced him as king.
25:1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 756 His mother was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 25:2 He did what the Lord approved, 757 but not with wholehearted devotion. 758
25:3 When he had secured control of the kingdom, 759 he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 760 25:4 However, he did not execute their sons. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses, 761 “Fathers must not be executed for what their sons do, 762 and sons must not be executed for what their fathers do. 763 A man must be executed only for his own sin.” 764
25:5 Amaziah assembled the people of Judah 765 and assigned them by families to the commanders of units of a thousand and the commanders of units of a hundred for all Judah and Benjamin. He counted those twenty years old and up and discovered there were 300,000 young men of fighting age 766 equipped with spears and shields. 767 25:6 He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for a hundred talents 768 of silver.
25:7 But a prophet 769 visited him and said: “O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites. 770 25:8 Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you 771 before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.” 772 25:9 Amaziah asked the prophet: 773 “But what should I do about the hundred talents of silver I paid the Israelite troops?” The prophet 774 replied, “The Lord is capable of giving you more than that.” 25:10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. 775 They were very angry at Judah and returned home incensed. 25:11 Amaziah boldly led his army to the Valley of Salt, 776 where he defeated 777 10,000 Edomites. 778 25:12 The men 779 of Judah captured 10,000 men alive. They took them to the top of a cliff and threw them over. 780 All the captives 781 fell to their death. 782 25:13 Now the troops Amaziah had dismissed and had not allowed to fight in the battle 783 raided 784 the cities of Judah from Samaria 785 to Beth Horon. They killed 786 3,000 people and carried off a large amount of plunder.
25:14 When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people 787 of Seir and made them his personal gods. 788 He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices. 25:15 The Lord was angry at Amaziah and sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why are you following 789 these gods 790 that could not deliver their own people from your power?” 791 25:16 While he was speaking, Amaziah 792 said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!” 793 So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that the Lord has decided 794 to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”
25:17 After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, 795 he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.” 796 25:18 King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush. 797 25:19 You defeated Edom 798 and it has gone to your head. 799 Gloat over your success, 800 but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 801
25:20 But Amaziah did not heed the warning, 802 for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom. 803 25:21 So King Joash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other on the battlefield 804 in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 25:22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 805 25:23 King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. 806 25:24 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in God’s temple that were in the care of Obed-Edom, the riches in the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.
25:25 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 25:26 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 807 25:27 From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, 808 so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him 809 and they killed him there. 25:28 His body was carried back by horses, 810 and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors 811 in the City of David. 812
26:1 All the people of Judah took Uzziah, 813 who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 26:2 Uzziah 814 built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah 815 had passed away. 816
26:3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. 817 His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 26:4 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 818 26:5 He followed 819 God during the lifetime of 820 Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed 821 the Lord, God caused him to succeed. 822
26:6 Uzziah attacked 823 the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. He built cities in the region of Ashdod and throughout Philistine territory. 824 26:7 God helped him in his campaigns 825 against the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur Baal, and the Meunites. 26:8 The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah and his fame reached 826 the border of Egypt, for he grew in power.
26:9 Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle. 827 26:10 He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the lowlands 828 and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, 829 for he loved agriculture. 830
26:11 Uzziah had an army of skilled warriors trained for battle. They were organized by divisions according to the muster rolls made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, a royal official. 26:12 The total number of family leaders who led warriors was 2,600. 26:13 They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend 831 the king against his enemies. 26:14 Uzziah supplied shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones for the entire army. 26:15 In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful. 832
26:16 But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. 833 He disobeyed 834 the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar. 26:17 Azariah the priest and eighty other brave priests of the Lord followed him in. 26:18 They confronted 835 King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the Lord. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed 836 and the Lord God will not honor you!” 26:19 Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving 837 at the priests, a skin disease 838 appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the Lord’s temple near the incense altar. 26:20 When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at 839 him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king 840 himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him. 26:21 King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, 841 afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the Lord’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
26:22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from start to finish, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 842 26:23 Uzziah passed away 843 and was buried near his ancestors 844 in a cemetery 845 belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.) 846 His son Jotham replaced him as king.
27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 847 His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 27:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 848 (He did not, however, have the audacity to enter the temple.) 849 Yet the people were still sinning.
27:3 He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel. 850 27:4 He built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.
27:5 He launched a military campaign 851 against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents 852 of silver, 10,000 kors 853 of wheat, and 10,000 kors 854 of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years. 855
27:6 Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God. 856 27:7 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his military campaigns and his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah. 857 27:8 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 27:9 Jotham passed away 858 and was buried in the City of David. 859 His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 860 He did not do what pleased the Lord, in contrast to his ancestor David. 861 28:2 He followed in the footsteps of 862 the kings of Israel; he also made images of the Baals. 28:3 He offered sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and passed his sons through the fire, 863 a horrible sin practiced by the nations 864 whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. 28:4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
28:5 The Lord his God handed him over to the king of Syria. The Syrians 865 defeated him and deported many captives to Damascus. 866 He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who thoroughly defeated him. 867 28:6 In one day King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel killed 120,000 warriors in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. 868 28:7 Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, the supervisor of the palace, and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. 28:8 The Israelites seized from their brothers 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a huge amount of plunder and took it 869 back to Samaria. 870
28:9 Oded, a prophet of the Lord, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them: “Look, because the Lord God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice. 871 28:10 And now you are planning 872 to enslave 873 the people 874 of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? 28:11 Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the Lord is very angry at you!” 875 28:12 So some of 876 the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted 877 those returning from the battle. 28:13 They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord? 878 Our guilt is already great and the Lord is very angry at Israel.” 879 28:14 So the soldiers released the captives and the plunder before the officials and the entire assembly. 28:15 Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked. 880 So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin. 881 They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys. 882 They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, 883 the city of the date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.
28:16 At that time King Ahaz asked the king 884 of Assyria for help. 28:17 The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried off captives. 28:18 The Philistines had raided the cities of Judah in the lowlands 885 and the Negev. They captured and settled in Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its surrounding villages, Timnah and its surrounding villages, and Gimzo and its surrounding villages. 28:19 The Lord humiliated 886 Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel, 887 for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very 888 unfaithful to the Lord. 28:20 King Tiglath-pileser 889 of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support. 890 28:21 Ahaz gathered riches 891 from the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.
28:22 During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord. 28:23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him. 892 He reasoned, 893 “Since the gods of the kings of Damascus helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. 28:24 Ahaz gathered the items in God’s temple and removed them. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and erected altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 28:25 In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the Lord God of his ancestors.
28:26 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 894 28:27 Ahaz passed away 895 and was buried in the City of David; 896 they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
29:1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. 897 His mother was Abijah, 898 the daughter of Zechariah. 29:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done. 899
29:3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. 29:4 He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side. 29:5 He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors! 900 Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean! 29:6 For our fathers were unfaithful; they did what is evil in the sight of 901 the Lord our God and abandoned him! They turned 902 away from the Lord’s dwelling place and rejected him. 903 29:7 They closed the doors of the temple porch and put out the lamps; they did not offer incense or burnt sacrifices in the sanctuary of the God of Israel. 29:8 The Lord was angry at Judah and Jerusalem and made them an appalling object of horror at which people hiss out their scorn, 904 as you can see with your own eyes. 29:9 Look, our fathers died violently 905 and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off 906 because of this. 29:10 Now I intend 907 to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger. 908 29:11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to serve in his presence and offer sacrifices.” 909
29:12 The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders: 910
From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;
from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;
from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;
29:13 from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel;
from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah;
29:14 from the descendants of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei;
from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.
29:15 They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word 911 of the Lord. 29:16 The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside. 912 The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. 29:17 On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple. 913 For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished. 29:18 They went to King Hezekiah and said: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, including the altar of burnt sacrifice and all its equipment, and the table for the Bread of the Presence and all its equipment. 29:19 We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”
29:20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple. 29:21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. 914 The king 915 told the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. 29:22 They slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; next they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar. 29:23 Finally they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they placed their hands on them. 29:24 Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed 916 that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.
29:25 King Hezekiah 917 stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the king’s prophet, 918 and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) 29:26 The Levites had 919 David’s musical instruments and the priests had trumpets. 29:27 Hezekiah ordered the burnt sacrifice to be offered on the altar. As they began to offer the sacrifice, they also began to sing to the Lord, accompanied by the trumpets and the musical instruments of King David of Israel. 29:28 The entire assembly worshiped, as the singers sang and the trumpeters played. They continued until the burnt sacrifice was completed.
29:29 When the sacrifices were completed, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. 29:30 King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to praise the Lord, using the psalms 920 of David and Asaph the prophet. 921 So they joyfully offered praise and bowed down and worshiped. 29:31 Hezekiah said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves 922 to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings 923 to the Lord’s temple.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and whoever desired to do so 924 brought burnt sacrifices.
29:32 The assembly brought a total of 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs as burnt sacrifices to the Lord, 925 29:33 and 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep 926 were consecrated. 29:34 But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals, 927 so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.) 928 29:35 There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted. 929 29:36 Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done 930 for them, 931 for it had been done quickly. 932
30:1 Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem 933 and observe a Passover celebration for the Lord God of Israel. 30:2 The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month. 30:3 They were unable to observe it at the regular 934 time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 30:4 The proposal seemed appropriate to 935 the king and the entire assembly. 30:5 So they sent an edict 936 throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people 937 to come and observe a Passover for the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law. 938 30:6 Messengers 939 delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.
This royal edict read: 940 “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return 941 to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria. 942 30:7 Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, 943 provoking him to destroy them, 944 as you can see. 30:8 Now, don’t be stubborn 945 like your fathers! Submit 946 to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger. 947 30:9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you 948 if you return to him.”
30:10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them. 949 30:11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 30:12 In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command. 950 30:13 A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 951 30:14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 952
30:15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the Lord’s temple. 30:16 They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them. 953 30:17 Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered 954 the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord. 955 30:18 The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. 956 For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive 957 30:19 everyone who has determined to follow God, 958 the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.” 959 30:20 The Lord responded favorably 960 to Hezekiah and forgave 961 the people.
30:21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the Lord every day with all their might. 962 30:22 Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, 963 who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. 964 They feasted for the seven days of the festival, 965 and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.
30:23 The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 30:24 King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep 966 for the assembly, while the officials supplied them 967 with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves. 30:25 The celebration included 968 the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah. 30:26 There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. 969 30:27 The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them 970 as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.
31:1 When all this was over, the Israelites 971 who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished 972 all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. 973 Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities. 974
[1:1] 1 tn Heb “and Solomon son of David strengthened himself over his kingdom.”
[1:1] 2 tn The disjunctive clause (note the vav [ו] + subject pattern) probably has a causal nuance here.
[1:3] 4 tn Heb “the tent of meeting of God.”
[1:4] 5 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:5] 6 sn The tabernacle was located in Gibeon; see 1 Chr 21:29.
[1:5] 7 tn Heb “sought [or “inquired of”] him.”
[1:7] 8 tn Or “revealed himself.”
[1:9] 12 tn Or “be firm, established.”
[1:10] 13 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) following the imperative here indicates purpose/result.
[1:10] 14 tn Heb “so I may go out before this nation and come in.” The expression “go out…and come in” here means “to lead” (see HALOT 425 s.v. יצא qal.4).
[1:10] 15 tn Heb “for.” The word “otherwise” is used to reflect the logical sense of the statement.
[1:10] 16 tn Heb “who is able?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
[1:10] 18 tn Heb “these numerous people of yours.”
[1:11] 19 tn Heb “because this was in your heart.”
[1:11] 20 tn Heb “the life of those who hate you.”
[1:12] 22 tn Heb “wisdom and discernment are given to you.”
[1:12] 23 tn Heb “which was not so for the kings who were before you, and after you there will not be so.”
[1:13] 24 tn Heb “and Solomon came from the high place which was in Gibeon [to] Jerusalem, from before the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.”
[1:14] 26 tn Heb “he placed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.”
[1:14] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:15] 27 tn The words “as plentiful” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[1:15] 29 tn Heb “as the sycamore fig trees which are in the Shephelah.”
[1:16] 30 sn Because Que is also mentioned, some prefer to see 1 Kgs 10:28-29 as a reference to Mutsur. Que and Mutsur were located in Cilicia or Cappadocia (in modern southern Turkey). See HALOT 625 s.v. מִצְרַיִם.
[1:17] 31 tn Heb “and they brought up and brought out from Egypt a chariot for 600 silver (pieces), and a horse for 150, and in the same way to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram by their hand they brought out.”
[2:1] 32 sn Beginning with 2:1, the verse numbers through 2:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 2:1 ET = 1:18 HT, 2:2 ET = 2:1 HT, 2:3 ET = 2:2 HT, etc., through 2:18 ET = 2:17 HT. Beginning with 3:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
[2:1] 33 tn Heb “and Solomon said to build a house for the name of the
[2:2] 34 tn Heb “counted,” perhaps “conscripted” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[2:2] 35 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
[2:2] 36 tn Or “quarry workers”; Heb “cutters” (probably referring to stonecutters).
[2:2] 37 tc The parallel text of MT in 1 Kgs 5:16 has “thirty-six hundred,” but some Greek
[2:2] tn Heb “and 3,600 supervisors over them.”
[2:3] 38 tn Heb “Huram.” Some medieval Hebrew
[2:3] 39 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[2:3] 40 tn The words “help me” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
[2:3] 41 tn Heb “cedars.” The word “logs” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:3] 42 tn Heb “to build for him a house to live in it.”
[2:4] 43 tn Heb “for the name of.”
[2:4] 44 tn Heb “and the regular display.”
[2:4] 45 tn Heb “permanently [is] this upon Israel.”
[2:6] 46 tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[2:6] 47 tn Heb “Who retains strength to build for him a house, for the heavens and the heavens of heavens do not contain him? And who am I that I should build for him a house, except to sacrifice before him?”
[2:7] 48 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:8] 49 tn This is probably a variant name for almug trees; see 9:10-11 and the parallel passage in 1 Kgs 10:11-12; cf. NLT. One or the other probably arose through metathesis of letters.
[2:10] 51 sn As a unit of dry measure a kor was roughly equivalent to six bushels (about 220 liters).
[2:10] 52 tn Heb “20,000 baths” (also a second time later in this verse). A bath was a liquid measure roughly equivalent to six gallons (about 22 liters), so this was a quantity of about 120,000 gallons (440,000 liters).
[2:11] 53 tn Heb “Huram” (also in v. 12). Some medieval Hebrew
[2:12] 54 tn Heb “who has given to David a wise son [who] knows discernment and insight, who will build a house for the
[2:13] 55 sn The name Huram Abi means “Huram [is] my father.”
[2:14] 56 tn Heb “a son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father a man of Tyre.”
[2:16] 57 tn Heb “and we will cut down trees from Lebanon according to all your need.”
[2:16] 58 tn Heb “to you,” but this phrase has not been translated for stylistic reasons – it is somewhat redundant.
[2:16] 59 tn Or “on rafts.” See the note at 1 Kgs 5:9.
[2:18] 62 tn Heb “carriers of loads.”
[2:18] 63 tn Or “quarry workers”; Heb “cutters” (probably referring to stonecutters).
[2:18] 64 tn Heb “and thirty-six hundred [as] supervisors to compel the people to work.”
[3:1] 65 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[3:1] 66 tn In 2 Sam 24:16 this individual is called אֲרַוְנָא (“Aravna”; traditionally “Araunah”). The form of the name found here also occurs in 1 Chr 21:15; 18-28.
[3:2] 67 sn This would be April-May, 966
[3:3] 68 tn Heb “and these are the founding of Solomon to build the house of God.”
[3:3] 69 tn Heb “the length [in] cubits by the former measure was sixty cubits, and a width of twenty cubits.” Assuming a length of 18 inches (45 cm) for the standard cubit, the length of the foundation would be 90 feet (27 m) and its width 30 feet (9 m).
[3:4] 70 tc Heb “and the porch which was in front of the length corresponding to the width of the house, twenty cubits.” The phrase הֵיכַל הַבַּיִת (heykhal habbayit, “the main hall of the temple,” which appears in the parallel account in 1 Kgs 6:3) has been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton after עַל־פְּנֵי (’al-pÿney, “in front of”). Note that the following form, הָאֹרֶךְ (ha’orekh, “the length”), also begins with the Hebrew letter he (ה). A scribe’s eye probably jumped from the initial he on הֵיכַל to the initial he on הָאֹרֶךְ, leaving out the intervening letters in the process.
[3:4] 71 tc The Hebrew text has “one hundred and twenty cubits,” i.e. (assuming a cubit of 18 inches) 180 feet (54 m). An ancient Greek witness and the Syriac version read “twenty cubits,” i.e., 30 feet (9 m). It is likely that מֵאָה (me’ah, “a hundred”), is a corruption of an original אַמּוֹת (’ammot, “cubits”).
[3:5] 73 tn Heb “the large house.”
[3:5] 74 tn Heb “wood of evergreens.”
[3:5] 75 tn Heb “and he put up on it palm trees and chains.”
[3:6] 76 tn Heb “and he plated the house [with] precious stone for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim.”
[3:6] sn The location of Parvaim, the source of the gold for Solomon’s temple, is uncertain. Some have identified it with modern Farwa in Yemen; others relate it to the Sanskrit parvam and understand it to be a general term for the regions east of Palestine.
[3:8] 77 tn Heb “the house of the holy place of holy places.”
[3:8] 78 tn Heb “twenty cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), this would give a length of 30 feet (9 m).
[3:8] 79 tc Heb “twenty cubits.” Some suggest adding, “and its height twenty cubits” (see 1 Kgs 6:20). The phrase could have been omitted by homoioteleuton.
[3:8] 80 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold plating was 40,380 lbs. (18,360 kg).
[3:11] 81 tn Heb “and the wings of the cherubs, their length was twenty cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the wingspan of the cherubs would have been 30 feet (9 m).
[3:11] 82 tn Heb “the wing of the one was five cubits from the touching of the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits from the touching of the wing of the other cherub.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), each wing would have been 7.5 feet (2.25 m) long.
[3:12] 83 tn Heb “and the wing of the one (הָאֶחָד, ha’ekhad, “the one”; this should probably be emended to הָאַחֵר, ha’akher, “the other”) cherub was five cubits, touching the wall of the house, and the other wing was five cubits, clinging to the wing of the other cherub.”
[3:13] 84 tn Heb “the wings of these cherubs were spreading twenty cubits.”
[3:13] 85 tn Heb “and they were standing on their feet, with their faces to the house.” An alternative translation of the last clause would be, “with their faces to the main hall.”
[3:15] 86 sn The figure given here appears to refer to the combined length of both pillars (perhaps when laid end-to-end on the ground prior to being set up; cf. v. 17); the figure given for the height of the pillars in 1 Kgs 7:15, 2 Kgs 25:17, and Jer 52:21 is half this (i.e., eighteen cubits).
[3:15] 87 tc The Syriac reads “eighteen cubits” (twenty-seven feet). This apparently reflects an attempt at harmonization with 1 Kgs 7:15, 2 Kgs 25:17, and Jer 52:21.
[3:15] 88 tn Heb “and he made before the house two pillars, thirty-five cubits [in] length, and the plated capital which was on its top [was] five cubits.” The significance of the measure “thirty-five cubits” (52.5 feet or 15.75 m, assuming a cubit of 18 inches) for the “length” of the pillars is uncertain. According to 1 Kgs 7:15, each pillar was eighteen cubits (27 feet or 8.1 m) high. Perhaps the measurement given here was taken with the pillars lying end-to-end on the ground before they were set up.
[3:16] 89 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “in the inner sanctuary,” but the description at this point is of the pillars, not the inner sanctuary.
[3:17] 90 tn Or “one on the south and the other on the north.”
[3:17] 91 tn The name “Jachin” appears to be a verbal form and probably means, “he establishes.”
[3:17] 92 tn The meaning of the name “Boaz” is uncertain. For various proposals, see BDB 126-27 s.v. בֹּעַז. One attractive option is to revocalize the name asבְּעֹז (bÿ’oz, “in strength”) and to understand it as completing the verbal form on the first pillar. Taking the words together and reading from right to left, one can translate the sentence, “he establishes [it] in strength.”
[4:1] 93 tn Heb “twenty cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the length would have been 30 feet (9 m).
[4:1] 94 tn Heb “twenty cubits.”
[4:1] 95 tn Heb “ten cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the height would have been 15 feet (4.5 m).
[4:2] 96 tn Heb “He made the sea, cast.”
[4:2] sn The large bronze basin known as “The Sea” was mounted on twelve bronze bulls and contained water for the priests to bathe themselves (see v. 6; cf. Exod 30:17-21).
[4:2] 97 tn Heb “ten cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the diameter would have been 15 feet (4.5 m).
[4:2] 98 tn Heb “five cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the height would have been 7.5 feet (2.25 m).
[4:2] 99 tn Heb “and a measuring line went around it thirty cubits all around.”
[4:3] 100 tn Heb “ten every cubit.”
[4:4] 101 tn Heb “all their hindquarters were toward the inside.”
[4:5] 102 tn Heb “3,000 baths” (note that the capacity is given in 1 Kings 7:26 as “2,000 baths”). A bath was a liquid measure roughly equivalent to six gallons (about 22 liters), so 3,000 baths was a quantity of about 18,000 gallons (66,000 liters).
[4:9] 103 tn Heb “and the doors for the enclosure.”
[4:11] 104 tn Heb “Huram,” but here this refers to Huram Abi (2 Chr 2:13). The complete name has been used in the translation to avoid possible confusion with King Huram of Tyre.
[4:11] 105 tn Heb “Huram finished doing all the work which he did for King Solomon [on] the house of God.”
[4:12] 106 tn The words “he made” are added for stylistic reasons.
[4:14] 107 tc The Hebrew text has עָשָׂה (’asah, “he made”), which is probably a corruption of עֶשֶׂר (’eser, “ten”; see 1 Kgs 7:43).
[4:14] 108 tc The Hebrew text has עָשָׂה (’asah, “he made”), which is probably a corruption of עֲשָׂרָה (’asarah, “ten”; see 1 Kgs 7:43).
[4:16] 109 tc Some prefer to read here “bowls,” see v. 11 and 1 Kgs 7:45.
[4:16] 110 tn Heb “Huram Abi made for King Solomon [for] the house of the
[4:17] 111 tn Or perhaps, “molds.”
[4:18] 112 tn Heb “Solomon made all these items in great abundance; the weight of the bronze was not sought.”
[4:19] 113 tn Heb “the bread of the face/presence.”
[4:19] sn This bread offered to God was viewed as a perpetual offering to God. See Lev 24:5-9.
[5:2] 114 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:2] 115 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[5:2] 116 tn Heb “Then Solomon convened the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, the chiefs of the fathers belonging to the sons of Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the
[5:3] 117 sn This festival in the seventh month was the Feast of Tabernacles, see Lev 23:34.
[5:3] 118 sn The seventh month would be September-October in modern reckoning.
[5:5] 119 tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”
[5:5] sn See Exod 33:7-11.
[5:5] 120 tn Heb “and they carried the ark of the
[5:6] 121 tn Heb “And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, those who had been gathered to him, [were] before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle which could not be counted or numbered because of the abundance.”
[5:7] 122 tn The word “assigned” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:8] 123 sn These poles were used to carry the ark. The Levites were to carry it with the poles on their shoulders. See Exod 25:13-15; 1 Chr 15:15.
[5:9] 124 tn Heb “they could not be seen outside.”
[5:10] 125 sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai (cf. Exod 3:1).
[5:10] 126 tn Heb “in Horeb where.”
[5:11] 127 tn Heb “and when the priests went from the holy place.” The syntactical relationship of this temporal clause to the following context is unclear. Perhaps the thought is completed in v. 14 after a lengthy digression.
[5:11] 128 tn Heb “Indeed [or “for”] all the priests who were found consecrated themselves without guarding divisions.”
[5:13] 129 tn Heb “like one were the trumpeters and the musicians, causing one voice to be heard, praising and giving thanks to the
[5:13] 130 tn Heb “and the house was filled with a cloud, the house of the
[5:14] 131 tn Heb “were not able to stand to serve.”
[6:2] 132 tn The words “O
[6:3] 133 tn Heb “turned his face.”
[6:3] 134 tn Heb “and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing.”
[6:4] 135 tn The Hebrew text reads, “fulfilled by his hand,” but the phrase “by his hand” is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[6:4] 136 tn The Hebrew text reads, “promised by his mouth,” but the phrase “by his mouth” is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[6:5] 138 tn Heb “to build a house for my name to be there.” Here “name” is used by metonymy for the
[6:6] 139 tn Heb for my name to be there.” See also the note on the word “live” in v. 5.
[6:7] 140 tn Heb “and it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the
[6:7] sn On the significance of the
[6:8] 141 tn Heb “Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was with your heart.”
[6:9] 142 tn Heb “your son, the one who came out of your body, he will build the temple for my name.”
[6:13] 143 tn Heb “five cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the length would have been 7.5 feet (2.25 m).
[6:13] 144 tn Heb “five cubits.”
[6:13] 145 tn Heb “three cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the height would have been 4.5 feet (1.35 m).
[6:14] 147 tn Heb “one who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.”
[6:14] 148 tn Heb “who walk before you with all their heart.”
[6:15] 149 tn Heb “[you] who kept to your servant David my father that which you spoke to him.”
[6:15] 150 tn Heb “you spoke by your mouth and by your hand you fulfilled, as this day.”
[6:16] 151 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from before me sitting on the throne of Israel.”
[6:16] 152 tn Heb “guard their way by walking in my law as you have walked before me.”
[6:17] 153 tn Or “prove to be reliable.”
[6:18] 154 tn Heb “Indeed, can God really live with mankind on the earth?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course not,” the force of which is reflected in the translation “God does not really live with mankind on the earth.”
[6:19] 156 tn Heb “by listening to.”
[6:19] 157 tn Heb “the loud cry and the prayer.”
[6:19] 158 tn Heb “praying before you.”
[6:20] 159 tn Heb “so your eyes might be open toward this house night and day, toward the place about which you said, ‘My name will be there.’”
[6:20] 160 tn Heb “by listening to the prayer which your servant is praying concerning this place.”
[6:21] 161 tn Heb “listen to the requests of your servant and your people Israel which they are praying concerning this place.”
[6:21] 162 tn Heb “hear and forgive.”
[6:22] 163 tn Heb “and if the man who sins against his neighbor when one takes up against him a curse to curse him and the curse comes before your altar in this house.”
[6:23] 164 tn Heb “and you, hear [from] heaven and act and judge your servants by repaying the guilty, to give his way on his head, and to declare the innocent to be innocent, to give to him according to his innocence.”
[6:24] 165 tn Or “are struck down before an enemy.”
[6:24] 166 tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
[6:24] 167 tn Heb “and they pray and ask for help.”
[6:25] 168 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 31, 38).
[6:26] 169 tn Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 26-27a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
[6:26] 170 tn Or “heavens” (also in v. 12). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[6:26] 172 tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.”
[6:26] 173 tn The Hebrew text reads “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (tÿ’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“afflict”).
[6:27] 174 tn The present translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense (“Certainly”). Other translation have “indeed” (NASB), “when” (NRSV), “so” (NEB), or leave the word untranslated (NIV).
[6:27] 175 tn Heb “the good way in which they should walk.”
[6:27] 176 tn Or “for an inheritance.”
[6:28] 177 tn Actually two Hebrew words appear here, both of which are usually (but not always) taken as referring to locusts. Perhaps different stages of growth or different varieties are in view, but this is uncertain. NEB has “locusts new-sloughed or fully grown”; NASB has “locust or grasshopper”; NIV has “locusts or grasshoppers”; NRSV has “locust, or caterpillar.”
[6:28] 178 tn Heb “in the land, his gates.”
[6:29] 179 tn Heb “every prayer, every request for help which will be to all the people, to all your people Israel.”
[6:29] 180 tn Heb “which they know, each his pain and his affliction.”
[6:30] 181 tn The words “their sin” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification.
[6:30] 182 tn Heb “and act and give to each one according to all his ways because you know his heart.” In the Hebrew text vv. 28-30a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided up for stylistic reasons.
[6:30] 183 tn Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.”
[6:31] 185 tn Heb “by walking in your ways.”
[6:31] 186 tn Heb “all the days [in] which.”
[6:32] 187 tn Heb “your great name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “your great reputation
[6:32] 188 tn Heb “and your strong hand and your outstretched arm.”
[6:33] 189 tn Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.”
[6:33] 190 tn Heb “name.” See the note on “reputation” in v. 32.
[6:33] 192 tn Heb “that your name is called over this house which I built.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.
[6:34] 193 tn Heb “When your people go out for battle against their enemies in the way which you send them.”
[6:34] 194 tn Heb “toward this city which you have chosen and the house which I built for your name.”
[6:35] 195 tn Heb “their prayer and their request for help.”
[6:35] 196 tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.”
[6:36] 197 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:37] 198 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:37] 199 tn Or “stop and reflect”; Heb “bring back to their heart.”
[6:37] 200 tn Or “done wrong.”
[6:38] 202 tn Heb “your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “your honor
[6:39] 203 tn Heb “their prayer and their requests for help.”
[6:39] 204 tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.”
[6:40] 205 tn Heb “May your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.”
[6:41] 206 tn Heb “be clothed with deliverance.”
[6:41] 207 tn Heb “and may your loyal ones rejoice in good.”
[6:42] 208 tc Heb “do not turn away the face of your anointed ones.” Many medieval Hebrew
[7:1] 209 tn Or “the sky.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[7:3] 210 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[7:6] 211 tn Heb “and the priests were standing at their posts, and the Levites with the instruments of music of the
[7:6] 212 tn Heb “which David the king made to give thanks to the
[7:6] 213 tn Heb “opposite them”; the referent (the Levites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:7] 214 tc The Hebrew text omits reference to the grain offerings at this point, but note that they are included both in the list in the second half of the verse (see note on “offerings” at the end of this verse) and in the parallel account in 1 Kgs 8:64. The construction וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָה (vÿ’et-hamminkhah; vav [ו] + accusative sign + noun with article; “grain offerings”) was probably omitted accidentally by homoioarcton. Note the וְאֶת (vÿ’et) that immediately follows.
[7:7] 215 tn Heb “to hold the burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.” Because this is redundant, the translation employs a summary phrase: “all these offerings.”
[7:8] 216 tn Heb “Solomon held the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel was with him, a very great assembly from Lebo Hamath to the wadi of Egypt.”
[7:10] 217 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Solomon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:10] 218 tn The words “they left” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[7:10] 219 tn Heb “good of heart.”
[7:11] 220 tn Heb “and all that entered the heart of Solomon to do in the house of the
[7:12] 221 tn Heb “I have heard.”
[7:12] 222 tn Heb “temple of sacrifice.” This means the
[7:13] 224 tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[7:13] 225 tn Heb “the land,” which stands here by metonymy for the vegetation growing in it.
[7:14] 226 tn Heb “over whom my name is called.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28.
[7:14] 227 tn Heb “seek my face,” where “my face” is figurative for God’s presence and acceptance.
[7:14] 228 tn Heb “and turn from their sinful ways.”
[7:14] 230 sn Here the phrase heal their land means restore the damage done by the drought, locusts and plague mentioned in v. 13.
[7:15] 231 tn Heb “my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer of this place.” Note Solomon’s request in 6:40.
[7:16] 232 tn Heb “for my name to be there perpetually [or perhaps, “forever”].”
[7:16] 233 tn Heb “and my eyes and my heart will be there all the days.”
[7:17] 234 tn Heb “As for you, if you walk before me, as David your father walked, by doing all which I commanded you, [and] you keep my rules and my regulations.”
[7:17] sn Verse 17 is actually a lengthy protasis (“if” section) of a conditional sentence, the apodosis (“then” section) of which appears in v. 18.
[7:18] 235 tn Heb “I will establish the throne of your kingdom.”
[7:18] 236 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man ruling over Israel.”
[7:19] 237 tn The Hebrew pronoun is plural, suggesting that Solomon and all Israel (or perhaps Solomon and his successors) are in view. To convey this to the English reader, the translation “you people” has been employed.
[7:19] 238 tn Heb “which I placed before you.”
[7:19] 239 tn Heb “and walk and serve other gods and bow down to them.”
[7:20] 240 tn Heb “them.” The switch from the second to the third person pronoun is rhetorically effective, for it mirrors God’s rejection of his people – he has stopped addressing them as “you” and begun addressing them as “them.” However, the switch is awkward and confusing in English, so the translation maintains the direct address style.
[7:20] 241 tn Heb “them.” See the note on “you” earlier in this verse.
[7:20] 242 tc Instead of “I will throw away,” the parallel text in 1 Kgs 9:7 has “I will send away.” The two verbs sound very similar in Hebrew, so the discrepancy is likely due to an oral transmissional error.
[7:20] tn Heb “and this temple which I consecrated for my name I will throw away from before my face.”
[7:20] 243 tn Heb “him,” which appears in context to refer to Israel (i.e., “you” in direct address). Many translations understand the direct object of the verb “make” to be the temple (NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “it”).
[7:20] 244 tn Heb “and I will make him [i.e., Israel] a proverb and a taunt,” that is, a proverbial example of destruction and an object of reproach.
[7:21] 245 tn Heb “and this house which was high/elevated.” The statement makes little sense in this context, which predicts the desolation that judgment will bring. Some treat the clause as concessive, “Even though this temple is lofty [now].” Others, following the lead of several ancient versions, emend the text to, “this temple will become a heap of ruins.”
[7:22] 246 tn Heb “and they will say.”
[7:22] 248 tn Heb “and they took hold of other gods and bowed down to them and served them.”
[8:2] 249 tn Heb “Huram” (also in v. 18). Some medieval Hebrew
[8:5] 250 tn Heb “and he built…[as] cities of fortification, [with] walls, doors, and a bar.”
[8:6] 251 tn Heb “Solomon.” The recurrence of the proper name is unexpected in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.
[8:6] 252 tn Heb “the cities of the chariots and the cities of the horses.”
[8:6] 253 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[8:6] 254 tn Heb “and all the desire of Solomon which he desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his kingdom.”
[8:7] 255 tn Heb “all the people who were left from the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not from Israel.”
[8:8] 256 tn Heb “from their sons who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel did not wipe out, and Solomon raised them up for a work crew to this day.”
[8:9] 257 tn Heb “and from the sons of Israel which Solomon did not assign to the laborers for his work.”
[8:9] 258 tn Heb “officers of his chariots and his horses.”
[8:10] 259 tn Heb “these [were] the officials of the governors who belonged to the king, Solomon, 250, the ones ruling over the people.”
[8:11] 260 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[8:12] 261 tn Heb “the porch.”
[8:13] 262 tn The Hebrew phrase הַסֻּכּוֹת[חַג] (khag hassukot, “[festival of] huts” [or “shelters”]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is probably better than the traditional “tabernacles” in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. The nature of the celebration during this feast as a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt suggests that a translation like “temporary shelters” is more appropriate.
[8:14] 263 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Solomon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:14] 264 tn Heb “and the Levites, according to their posts, to praise and to serve opposite the priests according to the matter of a day in its day.”
[8:14] 265 tn Heb “and the gatekeepers by their divisions for a gate and a gate.”
[8:14] 266 tn Heb “for so [was] the command of David the man of God.”
[8:15] 267 tn Heb “and they did not turn aside from the command of the king concerning the priests and the Levites with regard to any matter and with regard to the treasuries.”
[8:18] 268 tn Heb “and Huram sent to him by the hand of his servants, ships, and servants [who] know the sea, and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir.”
[8:18] 269 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold was 30,285 lbs. (13,770 kg).
[9:1] 270 tn Heb “the report about Solomon.”
[9:1] 272 tn Heb “Solomon.” The recurrence of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.
[9:1] 274 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:1] 275 tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew word חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue or to the great wealth she brought with her.
[9:2] 277 tn Heb “Solomon declared to her all her words; there was not a word hidden from the king which he did not declare to her.” If riddles are specifically in view (see v. 1), then one might translate, “Solomon explained to her all her riddles; there was no riddle too complex for the king.”
[9:3] 278 tn Heb “all the wisdom of Solomon.”
[9:4] 280 tn Heb “the food on his table.”
[9:4] 281 tn Heb “the seating of his servants and the standing of his attendants.”
[9:4] 282 tc The Hebrew text has here, “and his upper room [by] which he was going up to the house of the
[9:4] 283 tn Or “it took her breath away”; Heb “there was no breath still in her.”
[9:5] 284 tn Heb “about your words [or perhaps, “deeds”] and your wisdom.”
[9:6] 285 tn Heb “the half was not told to me.”
[9:7] 286 tn Heb “How happy are your men! How happy are these servants of yours, who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!”
[9:8] 287 tn Or “delighted in.”
[9:8] 288 tn Heb “as king for the
[9:8] 289 tn Heb “to make him stand permanently.”
[9:8] 290 tn Heb “to do justice and righteousness.”
[9:9] 291 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold was 8,076 lbs. (3,672 kg).
[9:9] 292 tn Heb “there has not been like those spices which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.”
[9:10] 293 tn Heb “Huram’s” (also in v. 21). Some medieval Hebrew
[9:10] 294 tn Heb “who brought gold from Ophir, brought.”
[9:11] 296 tn Heb “tracks.” The parallel text in 1 Kgs 10:12 has a different term whose meaning is uncertain: “supports,” perhaps “banisters” or “parapets.”
[9:11] 297 tn Two types of stringed instruments are specifically mentioned in the Hebrew text, the כִּנּוֹר (kinnor, “zither”) and נֶבֶל (nevel, “harp”).
[9:11] 298 tn Heb “there was not seen like these formerly in the land of Judah.”
[9:12] 299 tn Heb “besides what she brought to the king.”
[9:12] 300 tn Heb “turned and went.”
[9:13] 301 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the gold Solomon received annually was 44,822 lbs. (20,380 kg).
[9:13] 302 tn Heb “the weight of the gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 units of gold.”
[9:14] 303 tn Heb “traveling men.”
[9:15] 304 tn The Hebrew text has simply “600,” with no unit of measure given.
[9:16] 305 tn The Hebrew text has simply “300,” with no unit of measure given.
[9:16] 306 sn This name was appropriate because of the large amount of cedar, undoubtedly brought from Lebanon, used in its construction. The cedar pillars in the palace must have given it the appearance of a forest. See 1 Kgs 7:2.
[9:18] 307 tc The parallel text of 1 Kgs 10:19 has instead “and the back of it was rounded on top.”
[9:18] 308 tn Heb “[There were] armrests on each side of the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.”
[9:19] 309 tn Heb “nothing like it had been made for any kingdom.”
[9:20] 310 tn Heb “there was no silver, it was not regarded as anything in the days of Solomon.”
[9:21] 311 tn Heb “for ships belonging to the king were going [to] Tarshish with the servants of Huram.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish.
[9:21] 313 tn Heb “the fleet of Tarshish [ships].”
[9:21] 314 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish came carrying.”
[9:21] 315 tn The meaning of this word is unclear; some suggest it refers to “baboons.” NEB has “monkeys,” NASB, NRSV “peacocks,” and NIV “baboons.”
[9:22] 316 tn Heb “King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth with respect to wealth and wisdom.”
[9:23] 317 tn Heb “and all the kings of the earth were seeking the face of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had placed in his heart.”
[9:24] 318 tn Heb “and they were bringing each one his gift, items of silver…and mules, the matter of a year in a year.”
[9:25] 319 tc The parallel text of 1 Kgs 10:26 reads “fourteen hundred chariots.”
[9:25] 320 tn Heb “he placed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.”
[9:25] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:26] 321 tn Heb “the River.” In biblical Hebrew the Euphrates River was typically referred to simply as “the River.”
[9:27] 322 tn The words “as plentiful” are supplied for clarification.
[9:27] 323 tn Heb “he made cedar.”
[9:27] 324 tn Heb “as the sycamore fig trees which are in the Shephelah.”
[9:29] 325 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Solomon, the former and the latter, are they not written?”
[9:30] 326 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:31] 327 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[10:1] 328 tn Heb “come [to].”
[10:1] 329 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:3] 330 tn Heb “They sent and called for him.”
[10:4] 331 tn Heb “made our yoke burdensome.”
[10:4] 332 tn Heb “but you, now, lighten the burdensome work of your father and the heavy yoke which he placed on us, and we will serve you.” In the Hebrew text the prefixed verbal form with vav (וְנַעַבְדֶךָ, vÿna’avdekha, “and we will serve you”) following the imperative (הָקֵל, haqel, “lighten”) indicates purpose/result. The conditional sentence used in the present translation is an attempt to bring out the logical relationship between these forms.
[10:6] 333 tn Heb “stood before.”
[10:7] 335 tn Heb “If today you are for good to these people and you are favorable to them and speak to them good words, they will be your servants all the days.”
[10:8] 336 tn Heb “Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders which they advised and he consulted the young men with whom he had grown up, who stood before him.”
[10:9] 337 tn Heb “Lighten the yoke which your father placed on us.”
[10:10] 338 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:10] 339 tn Heb “Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter upon us.”
[10:10] 340 tn Heb “My little one is thicker than my father’s hips.” The referent of “my little one” is not clear. The traditional view is that it refers to the little finger (so NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). As the following statement makes clear, Rehoboam’s point is that he is more harsh and demanding than his father.
[10:11] 341 tn Heb “and now my father placed upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke.”
[10:11] 342 tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I [will punish you] with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound.
[10:13] 343 tn Heb “Rehoboam.” The pronoun “he” has been used in the translation in place of the proper name in keeping with contemporary English style.
[10:14] 344 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will make heavy your yoke,” but many medieval Hebrew
[10:14] 345 tn Heb “but I will add to your yoke.”
[10:14] 346 tn Heb “My father punished you with whips, but I [will punish you] with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound.
[10:15] 347 tn Heb “because this turn of events was from God.”
[10:15] 348 tn Heb “so that the
[10:16] 349 sn The people’s point seems to be that they have no familial relationship with David that brings them any benefits or places upon them any obligations. They are being treated like outsiders.
[10:16] 350 tn Heb “each one to your tents, Israel.” The word “return” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[10:16] 351 tn Heb “Now see your house, David.”
[10:16] 352 tn Heb “went to their tents.”
[10:18] 353 sn In the parallel account in 1 Kgs 12:18 this name appears as “Adoniram.”
[10:18] 354 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:1] 355 tn Heb “he summoned the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men, accomplished in war.”
[11:2] 356 tn Heb “and the word of the
[11:4] 357 tn Heb “for his thing is from me.”
[11:4] 358 tn Heb “and they heard the words of the
[11:5] 359 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:6] 360 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[11:12] 361 tn Heb “he strengthened them greatly, very much.”
[11:13] 362 tn Heb “and the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel supported him from all their territory.”
[11:15] 363 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:15] 364 tn Heb “for the high places.”
[11:15] 365 tn Heb “and for the goats and for the calves he had made.”
[11:16] 366 tn Heb “and after them from all the tribes of Israel, the ones giving their heart[s] to seek the
[11:17] 368 tn Or “strengthened.”
[11:17] 369 tn Or “strengthened.”
[11:17] 370 tn Heb “they walked in the way of.”
[11:18] 371 tn Heb “took for himself a wife.”
[11:18] 372 tn The words “and of” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[11:21] 373 sn Concubines were slave women in ancient Near Eastern societies who were the legal property of their master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with their master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10-14; 1 Kgs 11:3).
[11:22] 374 tn Heb “and Rehoboam appointed for a head Abijah son of Maacah for ruler among his brothers, indeed to make him king.”
[11:23] 375 tn Heb “and he was discerning and broke up from all his sons to all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities.”
[11:23] 376 tn “and he asked for a multitude of wives.”
[12:5] 377 tn Heb “also I have rejected you into the hand of Shishak.”
[12:6] 378 tn Or “fair,” meaning the
[12:7] 379 tn Heb “the word of the
[12:7] 380 tn Heb “and I will give to them soon deliverance.”
[12:7] 381 tn Or “gush forth upon.”
[12:7] 382 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
[12:8] 383 tn Heb “so they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the lands.”
[12:10] 384 tn Heb “runners” (also in v. 11).
[12:11] 385 tn Heb “to the chamber of the runners.”
[12:12] 386 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:12] 387 tn Heb “the anger of the
[12:12] 388 tn Heb “and also in Judah there were good things.”
[12:13] 389 tn Heb “and the king, Rehoboam, strengthened himself in Jerusalem and ruled.”
[12:13] 390 tn Heb “Rehoboam.” The recurrence of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style, so the pronoun has been used in the translation instead.
[12:13] 391 tn Heb “the city where the
[12:13] 392 tn Heb “his”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:14] 393 tn Heb “because he did not set his heart to seek the
[12:15] 394 tn Heb “As for the events of Rehoboam, the former and the latter, are they not written?”
[12:16] 395 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[12:16] 396 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[13:2] 397 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[13:2] 398 tn The parallel text in 1 Kgs 15:1 identifies his mother as “Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom” [=Absalom, 2 Chr 11:20). Although most English versions identify the mother’s father as Uriel of Gibeah, a number of English versions substitute the name “Maacah” here for the mother (e.g., NIV, NCV, CEV, NLT).
[13:3] 399 tn Heb “and Abijah bound [i.e., began] the battle with a force of warriors, four hundred thousand chosen men.”
[13:3] 400 tn Heb “and Jeroboam arranged with him [for] battle with eight hundred thousand chosen men, strong warrior[s].”
[13:5] 401 tn Heb “Do you not know that the
[13:5] sn For other references to a “covenant of salt,” see Lev 2:13 and Num 18:19.
[13:7] 402 tn Heb “empty men, sons of wickedness.”
[13:7] 403 tn Heb “strengthened themselves.”
[13:7] 404 tn Heb “a young man and tender of heart.”
[13:8] 405 tn Heb “the kingdom of the
[13:8] 406 tn Or “horde”; or “multitude.”
[13:9] 407 tn In the Hebrew text this is phrased as a rhetorical question, “Did you not banish?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course you did,” the force of which is reflected in the translation “But you banished.”
[13:9] 408 tn Heb “whoever comes to fill his hand with a bull of a son of cattle, and seven rams, and he is a priest to no-gods.”
[13:10] 409 tn Heb “and priests serving the
[13:12] 411 tn Heb “and his priests and the trumpets of the war alarm [are ready] to sound out against you.”
[13:12] 412 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 18).
[13:13] 413 tn Heb “and Jeroboam had caused to circle around an ambush to come from behind them.”
[13:14] 415 tn Heb “and Judah turned, and, look, to them [was] the battle in front and behind.”
[13:15] 416 tn Heb “shouted out.”
[13:16] 418 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:17] 419 tn Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”
[13:17] 420 tn Heb “and [the] slain from Israel fell, five hundred thousand chosen men.”
[13:18] 421 tn Heb “at that time.”
[13:19] 422 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[13:20] 423 tn Heb “and the strength of Jeroboam was not retained again in the days of Abijah.”
[13:21] 424 tn Heb “lifted up for himself.”
[13:22] 425 tn Heb “and his ways and his words.”
[14:1] 426 sn Beginning with 14:1, the verse numbers through 14:15 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 14:1 ET = 13:23 HT, 14:2 ET = 14:1 HT, 14:3 ET = 14:2 HT, etc., through 14:15 ET = 14:14 HT. Beginning with 15:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
[14:1] 427 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[14:1] 428 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[14:1] 429 tn Heb “in his days.”
[14:2] 430 tn Heb “and Asa did the good and the right in the eyes of the
[14:3] 431 tn Heb “the altars of the foreigner.”
[14:3] 432 sn Asherah poles. A leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon was Asherah, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles (Hebrew אֲשֵׁרִים [’asherim], as here). They were to be burned or cut down (Deut 7:5; 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
[14:4] 434 tn Heb “the law and the command.”
[14:5] 435 tn Heb “before him.”
[14:7] 436 tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.
[14:7] 437 tn Heb “and we will surround [them] with wall[s] and towers, doors, and bars.”
[14:7] 439 tn Heb “and he has given us rest all around.”
[14:7] 440 tn The words “the cities” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[14:9] 441 tn Heb “a thousand thousands.”
[14:11] 442 tn Heb “called out.”
[14:11] 443 tn Heb “there is not with you to help between many with regard to [the one] without strength.”
[14:11] 444 tn Heb “and in your name we have come against this multitude.”
[14:11] 445 tn Heb “let not man retain [strength] with you.”
[14:13] 446 tn Heb “and there fell from the Cushites so that there was not to them preservation of life.”
[14:13] 447 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:14] 448 tn Heb “for the terror of the
[14:14] 449 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:14] 450 tn Heb “for great plunder was in them.”
[14:15] 451 tn Heb “and also they struck down the tents of the livestock.”
[14:15] 452 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:2] 453 tn Heb “went out before.”
[15:2] 454 tn Heb “when you are with him.”
[15:2] 455 tn Heb “he will allow himself to be found by you.”
[15:3] 456 tn Heb “Many days.”
[15:4] 457 tn Heb “and he allowed himself to be found by them.”
[15:5] 459 tn Heb “there was peace for the one going out or the one coming in.”
[15:5] 460 tn Heb “for great confusion was upon all the inhabitants of the lands.”
[15:6] 461 tn Heb “threw them into confusion with all distress.”
[15:7] 462 tn Heb “and let not your hands drop.”
[15:7] 463 tn Heb “for there is payment for your work.”
[15:8] 464 tn Heb “strengthened himself.”
[15:8] 465 tn Heb “the porch of the
[15:9] 466 tn Or “resident aliens.”
[15:9] 467 tn Heb “had fallen upon him.”
[15:11] 468 tn Or “In that day.”
[15:11] 469 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (tso’n) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but their is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
[15:12] 470 tn Heb “entered into a covenant.”
[15:13] 472 tn Heb “whether small or great.”
[15:14] 473 tn Heb “with a loud voice and with a shout and with trumpets and with horns.”
[15:15] 474 tn Heb “and with all their desire they sought him and he allowed himself to be found by them.”
[15:15] 475 tn Heb “and the
[15:16] 476 tn Heb “mother,” but Hebrew often uses “father” and “mother” for grandparents and even more remote ancestors.
[15:16] 477 tn The Hebrew term גְּבִירָה (gÿvirah) can denote “queen” or “queen mother” depending on the context. Here the latter is indicated, since Maacah was the wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijah.
[15:17] 478 tn Heb “yet the heart of Asa was complete all his days.”
[15:18] 479 tn Heb “and he brought the holy things of his father and his holy things [into] the house of God, silver, gold, and items.”
[16:1] 480 tn Heb “and he built up Ramah so as to not permit going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.”
[16:3] 481 tn Heb “[May there be] a covenant between me and you [as there was] between my father and your father.”
[16:3] 482 tn Heb “so he will go up from upon me.”
[16:4] 483 tn Heb “and Ben Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of the armies which belonged to him against the cities of Israel.”
[16:4] 484 tn Heb “They struck down.”
[16:4] 485 sn In the parallel passage in 1 Kgs 15:20, this city’s name appears as Abel Beth Maacah. These appear to be variant names for the same place.
[16:5] 487 tn Heb “and he caused his work to cease.”
[16:6] 488 tn Heb “and King Asa took all Judah and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its wood which Baasha had built.”
[16:6] 489 tn Heb “and he built with them.”
[16:9] 492 tn Heb “the eyes of the
[16:9] 493 tn Heb “to strengthen himself with their heart, [the one] complete toward him.”
[16:10] 494 tn Heb “and Asa was angry at the seer, and he put him [in] the house of stocks, because of his rage with him over this.”
[16:11] 495 tn Heb “Look, the events of Asa, the former and the latter, look, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.”
[16:12] 496 tn Heb “became sick in his feet.”
[16:12] 497 tn Heb “unto upwards [i.e., very severe [was] his sickness, and even in his sickness he did not seek the
[16:13] 498 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers, and he died.”
[16:14] 499 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[16:14] 500 tn Heb “and they burned for him a large fire, very great.”
[17:1] 501 tn Heb “and strengthened himself over Israel.”
[17:2] 502 tn Or perhaps, “governors.”
[17:3] 504 tn Heb “for he walked in the ways of David his father [in] the beginning [times].”
[17:4] 506 tn Heb “walked in.”
[17:4] 507 tn Heb “and not like the behavior of Israel.”
[17:5] 508 tn Heb “established the kingdom in his hand.”
[17:5] 509 tn Heb “and he had wealth and honor in abundance.”
[17:6] 510 tn Heb “and his heart was high in the ways of the
[17:10] 511 tn Heb “and the terror of the
[17:13] 512 tn Heb “and many supplies were his in the cities of Judah, and men of war, warriors of skill in Jerusalem.”
[17:13] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[17:14] 513 tn Or perhaps “from Judah, commanders of the thousands.”
[18:2] 514 tn Heb “at the end of years.”
[18:2] 515 tn The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[18:2] 516 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[18:2] 517 tn Heb “and Ahab slaughtered for him sheep and cattle in abundance, and for the people who were with him.”
[18:3] 519 tn Heb “Like me, like you; and like your people, my people; and with you in battle.”
[18:4] 520 tn Heb “and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel.”
[18:4] 521 tn Heb “the word of the
[18:5] 522 tn Heb “Should we go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”
[18:5] 523 tn Though Jehoshaphat had requested an oracle from “the
[18:7] 524 tn Heb “to seek the
[18:7] 526 tn Heb “all his days.”
[18:7] 527 tn The words “his name is” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[18:9] 528 tn Heb “at,” which in this case probably means “near.”
[18:12] 529 tn Heb “the words of the prophets are [with] one mouth good for the king.”
[18:12] 530 tn Heb “let your words be like one of them and speak good.”
[18:14] 531 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[18:14] 532 sn One does not expect Micaiah, having just vowed to speak only what the
[18:15] 533 tn Or “swear an oath by.”
[18:16] 534 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:18] 535 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:20] 536 tn Heb “the spirit.” The significance of the article prefixed to רוּחַ (ruakh) is uncertain, but it could contain a clue as to this spirit’s identity, especially when interpreted in light of verse 23. It is certainly possible, and probably even likely, that the article is used in a generic or dramatic sense and should be translated, “a spirit.” In the latter case it would show that this spirit was vivid and definite in the mind of Micaiah the storyteller. However, if one insists that the article indicates a well-known or universally known spirit, the following context provides a likely referent. Verse 23 tells how Zedekiah slapped Micaiah in the face and then asked sarcastically, “Which way did the spirit from the
[18:21] 537 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[18:21] 538 tn The Hebrew text has two imperfects connected by וְגַם (vÿgam). These verbs could be translated as specific futures, “you will deceive and also you will prevail,” in which case the
[18:26] 539 tn Heb “the bread of affliction and the water of affliction.”
[18:29] 541 tn The Hebrew verbal forms could be imperatives (“Disguise yourself and enter”), but this would make no sense in light of the immediately following context. The forms are better interpreted as infinitives absolute functioning as cohortatives (see IBHS 594 §35.5.2a). Some prefer to emend the forms to imperfects.
[18:30] 542 tn Heb “small or great.”
[18:33] 543 tn Heb “now a man drew a bow in his innocence” (i.e., with no specific target in mind, or at least without realizing his target was the king of Israel).
[18:33] 544 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:1] 546 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[19:2] 548 tn Heb “went out to his face.”
[19:2] 549 tn Heb “and love those who hate the
[19:2] 550 tn Heb “and because of this upon you is anger from before the
[19:3] 551 tn Heb “nevertheless good things are found with you.”
[19:3] 552 tn Here בָּעַר (ba’ar) is not the well attested verb “burn,” but the less common homonym meaning “devastate, sweep away, remove.” See HALOT 146 s.v. II בער.
[19:3] 553 tn Heb “and you set your heart to seek the
[19:4] 554 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[19:4] 555 tn Heb “and turned them back to.”
[19:5] 557 tn Heb “in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city.”
[19:6] 558 tn Heb “see what you are doing.”
[19:7] 559 tn Heb “and now let the terror of the
[19:8] 560 tn Heb “for the judgment of the
[19:8] 561 tc Heb “and to conduct a case [or “for controversy”], and they returned [to] Jerusalem.” Some emend וַיָּשֻׁבוּ (vayyashuvu, “and they returned”) to וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (vayyeshÿvu, “and they lived [in]”). The present translation assumes an emendation to יֹשְׁבֵי (yoshÿvey, “residents of”).
[19:9] 562 tn Heb “This you must do with the fear of the
[19:10] 563 tn Heb “and every case which comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities.”
[19:10] 564 tn Heb “between blood pertaining to blood.”
[19:10] 565 tn Heb “and anger will be upon you and your brothers; do this and you will not be guilty.”
[19:11] 566 tn Heb “and look, Amariah the chief priest is over you with respect to every matter of the
[19:11] 567 tn Heb “Be strong and act!”
[20:1] 568 tc The Hebrew text has “Ammonites,” but they are mentioned just before this. Most translations, following some
[20:2] 569 tn Heb “they”; the implied referent (messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:2] 570 tn Heb “the Sea”; in context (“from the direction of Edom”) this must refer to the Dead Sea, which has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NEB, NLT).
[20:2] 571 tc Most Hebrew
[20:3] 572 tn Heb “and he set his face to seek the
[20:4] 573 tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.
[20:4] 574 tn Heb “to seek from the
[20:4] 575 tn Heb “to seek the
[20:5] 576 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[20:6] 577 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 33).
[20:6] 578 tn Heb “are you not God in heaven?” The rhetorical question expects the answer “yes,” resulting in the positive statement “you are the God who lives in heaven” employed in the translation.
[20:7] 579 tn Heb “did you not drive out?” This is another rhetorical question which expects a positive response; see the note on the word “heaven” in the previous verse.
[20:7] 580 tn Heb “permanently.”
[20:7] 581 tn Or perhaps “your covenantal partner.” See Isa 41:8.
[20:8] 583 tn Heb “for your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “to honor you
[20:9] 585 tn Heb “for your name is in this house.” The “name” of the
[20:9] 586 tn Or “so that you may.”
[20:10] 587 tn Heb “now, look, the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir.”
[20:10] 588 tn Heb “whom you did not allow Israel to enter when they came from the land of Egypt.”
[20:12] 589 tn Heb “for [or “indeed”] upon you are our eyes.”
[20:13] 590 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
[20:15] 591 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah. Unlike the previous instance in v. 13 where infants, wives, and children are mentioned separately, this reference appears to include them all.
[20:15] 592 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
[20:17] 594 tn Heb “the deliverance of the
[20:17] 595 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
[20:18] 596 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
[20:18] 597 tn Heb “to worship the
[20:19] 598 tn Heb “arose to praise the
[20:20] 599 tn Heb “O Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
[20:20] 600 tn There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The Hiphil verb form הַאֲמִינוּ (ha’aminu, “trust”) and the Niphal form תֵאָמֵנוּ (te’amenu, “you will be safe”) come from the same verbal root (אָמַן, ’aman).
[20:21] 601 tn Or “consulted.”
[20:21] 602 tn Or “is eternal.”
[20:22] 603 tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
[20:22] 604 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
[20:23] 605 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
[20:23] 606 tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
[20:23] 607 tn Heb “residents.”
[20:23] 608 tn Heb “they helped, each one his fellow, for destruction.” The verb עָזַר (’azar), traditionally understood as the well-attested verb meaning “to help,” is an odd fit in this context. It is possible that it is from a homonymic root, perhaps meaning to “attack.” This root is attested in Ugaritic in a nominal form meaning “young man, warrior, hero.” For a discussion of the proposed root, see HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר.
[20:24] 609 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
[20:24] 610 tn Heb “turned toward.”
[20:25] 612 tc The MT reads פְגָרִים (fÿgarim, “corpses”), but this seems odd among a list of plunder. A few medieval Hebrew
[20:25] 613 tn Heb “and they snatched away for themselves so that there was no carrying away.”
[20:25] 614 tn Heb “and they were three days looting the plunder for it was great.”
[20:26] 615 tn Heb “for there.”
[20:26] 616 sn The name Berachah, which means “blessing” in Hebrew, is derived from the verbal root “to praise [or “to bless”],” which appears earlier in the verse.
[20:29] 617 tn Heb “and the terror of God [or “a great terror”] was upon all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is uncertain if אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) should be understood as a proper name here (“God”), or taken in an idiomatic superlative sense.
[20:30] 618 tn Heb “and his God gave him rest all around.”
[20:31] 619 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[20:32] 620 tn Heb “he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn from it, doing what is right in the eyes of the
[20:33] 621 tn Heb “and still the people did not set their heart[s] on the God of their fathers.”
[20:34] 622 tn Heb “the rest of the events of Jehoshaphat, the former and the latter, look, they are written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani, which are taken up in the scroll of the kings of Israel.”
[20:35] 623 tn Heb “he.” The pronoun has been translated as a relative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
[20:36] 624 tn Heb “he made an alliance with him.”
[20:36] 625 tn Heb “make ships to go to Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish; a “Tarshish-ship” was essentially a large seagoing merchant ship.
[20:37] 627 tn Heb “to go to Tarshish.”
[21:1] 628 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[21:1] 629 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 10, 12, 19).
[21:1] 630 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[21:1] 631 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 8:16-24 has the variant spelling “Jehoram.”
[21:2] 632 sn A number of times in 2 Chronicles “Israel” is used instead of the more specific “Judah”; see 2 Chr 12:6; 23:2). In the interest of consistency some translations (e.g., NAB, NRSV) substitute “Judah” for “Israel” here.
[21:4] 633 tn Heb “and Jehoram arose over the kingdom of his father and strengthened himself.”
[21:4] 634 tn Heb “and he killed all his brothers with the sword.”
[21:5] 635 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[21:6] 636 tn Heb “he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife.”
[21:6] 637 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[21:7] 640 tn Heb “which he made to David, just as he had promised to give him and his sons a lamp all the days.” Here “lamp” is metaphorical, symbolizing the Davidic dynasty.
[21:8] 641 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehoram) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[21:8] 642 tn Heb “in his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and enthroned a king over them.”
[21:9] 643 tc Heb “and he arose at night and defeated Edom, who had surrounded him, and the chariot officers.” The Hebrew text as it stands gives the impression that Jehoram was surrounded and launched a victorious nighttime counterattack. Yet v. 10 goes on to state that the Edomite revolt was successful. The translation above assumes an emendation of the Hebrew text. Adding a third masculine singular pronominal suffix to the accusative sign before Edom (reading אֹתוֹ [’oto, “him”] instead of just אֶת [’et]) and taking Edom as the subject of verbs allows one to translate the verse in a way that is more consistent with the context, which depicts an Israelite defeat, not victory. See also 2 Kgs 8:21.
[21:10] 644 tn Heb “and Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah until this day.”
[21:10] 645 tn Or “from Jehoram’s control”; Heb “from under his hand.” The pronominal suffix may refer to Judah in general or, more specifically, to Jehoram.
[21:10] 646 tn Heb “he.” This pronoun could refer to Judah, but the context focuses on Jehoram’s misdeeds. See especially v. 11.
[21:11] 647 tn Heb “and he caused the residents of Jerusalem to commit adultery.” In this context spiritual unfaithfulness to the
[21:11] 648 tn Heb “and drove Judah away.”
[21:12] 649 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoram) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[21:12] 650 tn Heb “Because you…” In the Hebrew text this lengthy sentence is completed in vv. 14-15. Because of its length and complexity (and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences), the translation has divided it up into several English sentences.
[21:12] 651 tn Heb “walked in the ways.”
[21:12] 652 tn Heb “in the ways of.”
[21:13] 653 tn Heb “and you walked in the way of the kings of Israel and caused Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to commit adultery, like the house of Ahab causes to commit adultery.”
[21:13] 654 tn Heb “the house of your father.”
[21:14] 655 tn Heb “to strike with a great striking.”
[21:15] 656 tn Heb “and you [will have] a serious illness, an illness of the intestines until your intestines come out because of the illness days upon days.”
[21:16] 657 tn Heb “the spirit of the Philistines.”
[21:17] 658 tn Heb “broke it up.”
[21:17] 659 tn Heb “all the property which was found in the house of the king.”
[21:18] 660 tn Heb “in his intestines with an illness [for which] there was no healer.”
[21:19] 661 tn Heb “and it was to days from days, and about the time of the going out of the end for the days, two, his intestines came out with his illness and he died in severe illness.”
[21:19] 662 tn Heb “and his people did not make for him a fire, like the fire of his fathers.”
[21:20] 663 tn Heb “and he went without desire.”
[21:20] 664 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[22:1] 665 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[22:1] 666 tn Heb “for all the older [ones] the raiding party that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed.”
[22:2] 667 tc Heb “forty-two,” but the parallel passage in 2 Kgs 8:26 reads “twenty-two” along with some
[22:2] 668 tn The Hebrew term בַּת (bat, “daughter”) can refer, as here, to a granddaughter. See HALOT 165-66 s.v. I בַּת 1.
[22:3] 669 tn Heb “and also he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.”
[22:3] 670 tn Heb “for his mother was his adviser to do evil.”
[22:4] 671 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[22:4] 672 tn That is, the members of Ahab’s royal house.
[22:5] 673 sn Jehoram and Joram are alternate spellings of the Israelite king’s name (also in vv. 6-7). The shorter form is used in these verse to avoid confusion with King Jehoram of Judah, father of Azariah.
[22:5] 674 tn Heb “Aram” (also in v. 6).
[22:6] 675 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:6] 676 tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”
[22:6] 677 tc Most Hebrew
[22:6] 678 tn Heb “because he was sick,” presumably referring to the wounds he received in the battle with the Syrians.
[22:7] 679 tn Heb “From God was the downfall of Ahaziah by going to Joram.”
[22:7] 680 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:7] 682 tn Heb “to cut off the house of Ahab.”
[22:9] 683 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[22:9] 684 tn Heb “they said.”
[22:9] 685 tn Heb “and there was no one belonging to the house of Ahaziah to retain strength for kingship.”
[22:10] 686 tn Heb “she arose and she destroyed all the royal offspring.” The verb קוּם (qum, “arise”) is here used in an auxiliary sense to indicate that she embarked on a campaign to destroy the royal offspring. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 125.
[22:10] 687 tn Heb “house of Judah.”
[22:11] 688 sn Jehoshabeath is a variant spelling of the name Jehosheba (2 Kgs 11:2).
[22:11] 689 tn Heb “the king”; the referent (King Jehoram, see later in this verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:12] 691 tn Heb “and he was with them in the house of God hiding.”
[23:2] 693 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:3] 694 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoiada the priest, cf. v. 8) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:5] 695 tn Heb “all the people.”
[23:7] 697 tn Heb “and be with the king in his coming out and in his going out.”
[23:8] 698 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
[23:9] 699 tn The Hebrew text lists two different types of shields here. Most translations render “the large and small shields” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV; NEB “King David’s spears, shields, and bucklers”).
[23:10] 700 tn Heb “and he stationed all the people, each with his weapon in his hand, from the south shoulder of the house to the north shoulder of the house, at the altar and at the house, near the king all around.”
[23:11] 701 tn The Hebrew word עֵדוּת (’edut) normally means “witness” or “testimony.” Here it probably refers to some tangible symbol of kingship, perhaps a piece of jewelry such as an amulet or neck chain (see the discussion in M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings [AB], 128). Some suggest that a document is in view, perhaps a copy of the royal protocol or of the stipulations of the Davidic covenant (see HALOT 790-91 s.v.).
[23:11] 702 tn Or “they made him king and anointed him.”
[23:12] 703 tn Heb “and Athaliah heard the sound of the people, the runners.”
[23:12] 704 tn Heb “she came to the people.”
[23:13] 705 tn Heb “and she saw, and behold.”
[23:13] 706 tn Or “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”
[23:14] 708 tn Heb “for the priest had said, ‘Do not put her to death in the house of the
[23:15] 709 tn Heb “and they placed hands on her, and she went through the entrance of the gate of the horses [into] the house of the king.” Some English versions treat the phrase “gate of the horses” as the name of the gate (“the Horse Gate”; e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[23:16] 710 tn Heb “and Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and [between] all the people and [between] the king, to become a people for the
[23:17] 711 tn Or “tore down.”
[23:18] 713 tn Heb “as it is written in.”
[23:21] 715 tn Heb “killed Athaliah with the sword.”
[24:1] 716 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[24:2] 717 tn Heb “and Joash did what was proper in the eyes of the
[24:2] 718 tn Heb “all the days of.”
[24:4] 719 tn Heb “and it was, later, there was with the heart of Joash to repair the house of the
[24:6] 720 tn Heb “Jehoiada the head”; the word “priest” not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
[24:6] 723 tn Heb “the tent of testimony.”
[24:8] 724 tn Heb “and the king said [it] and they made a chest and placed it in the gate of the house of the
[24:9] 725 tn Heb “and they gave voice in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the
[24:12] 726 tn Heb “doers of the work.”
[24:13] 727 tn Heb “and the doers of the work worked, and the repairs went up for the work by their hand.”
[24:13] 728 tn Heb “and they caused the house of God to stand according to its measurements and they strengthened it.”
[24:15] 729 tn Heb “and Jehoiada grew old and was full of days and died; [he was] one hundred thirty years old when he died.”
[24:16] 730 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[24:17] 731 tn Heb “came and bowed down to the king.”
[24:18] 733 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 24).
[24:19] 735 tn Heb “and he sent among them prophets to bring them back to the
[24:19] 736 tn Heb “testified among.”
[24:22] 738 tn Heb “did not remember.”
[24:22] 739 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehoiada) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:22] 740 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Zechariah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:22] 741 tn Heb “and seek [ – ].” The direct object of “seek” is omitted in the Hebrew text but implied; “vengeance” is supplied for clarification.
[24:23] 743 tn Heb “went up against.”
[24:23] 744 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:24] 745 tn Heb “though with a small amount of men the army of Aram came, the
[24:24] 746 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people of Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:24] 747 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Syrians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:24] 748 tn Heb “executed judgments [on] Joash.”
[24:25] 749 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:25] 750 tn Heb “because of the shed blood of.”
[24:25] 751 tc The MT has the plural בְּנֵי (bÿney, “sons”), but the final yod is dittographic. Note the yod that immediately follows.
[24:25] 752 tn Heb “and he died.”
[24:25] 753 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[24:27] 754 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joash) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:27] 755 tn Heb “And his sons and the abundance of the oracle[s] against him, and the founding of the house of God, look are they not written on the writing of the scroll of the kings?”
[25:1] 756 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[25:2] 757 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[25:2] 758 tn Heb “a complete heart.”
[25:3] 759 tn Heb “when the kingdom was secure upon him.”
[25:3] 760 tn Heb “he killed his servants, the ones who had struck down the king, his father.”
[25:4] 761 tn Heb “as it is written in the scroll of the law of Moses which the
[25:4] 762 tn Heb “on account of sons.”
[25:4] 763 tn Heb “on account of fathers.”
[25:4] 764 sn This law is recorded in Deut 24:16.
[25:5] 765 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy here for the people of Judah.
[25:5] 766 tn Heb “young men going out to war.”
[25:5] 767 tn Heb “holding a spear and a shield.”
[25:6] 768 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the silver was 6,730 lbs. (3,060 kg).
[25:7] 769 tn Heb “man of God.”
[25:7] 770 tn Heb “Israel, all the sons of Ephraim.”
[25:8] 771 tn Heb “cause you to stumble.”
[25:8] 772 tn Heb “to cause to stumble.”
[25:9] 773 tn Heb “said to the man of God.”
[25:9] 774 tn Heb “man of God.”
[25:10] 775 tn Heb “and Amaziah separated them, the troops who came to him from Ephraim, to go to their place.”
[25:11] 776 tn Heb “and Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people and went to the Valley of Salt.”
[25:11] 777 tn Or “struck down.”
[25:11] 778 tn Heb “sons of Seir.”
[25:12] 780 tn Heb “and threw them from the top of the cliff.”
[25:12] 781 tn Heb “all of them.”
[25:12] 782 tn Heb “smashed in pieces.”
[25:13] 783 tn Heb “had sent back from going with him to the battle.”
[25:13] 784 tn Heb “stripped.”
[25:13] 785 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[25:13] 786 tn Heb “struck down.”
[25:14] 788 tn Heb “caused them to stand for him as gods.”
[25:15] 789 tn Heb “seeking,” perhaps in the sense of “consulting [an oracle from].”
[25:15] 790 tn Heb “the gods of the people.”
[25:16] 792 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[25:16] 793 tn Heb “Stop yourself! Why should they strike you down?”
[25:16] 794 tn The verb יָעַץ (ya’ats, “has decided”) is from the same root as יוֹעֵץ (yo’ets, “counselor”) in v. 16 and עֵצָה (’etsah, “advice”) later in v. 16. The wordplay highlights the appropriate nature of the divine punishment. Amaziah rejected the counsel of God’s prophet; now he would be the victim of God’s “counsel.”
[25:17] 795 tn The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[25:17] 796 tn Heb “let us look at each other [in the] face.” The expression refers here not to a visit but to meeting in battle. See v. 21.
[25:18] 797 sn The thorn bush in the allegory is Judah. Amaziah’s success had deceived him into thinking he was on the same level as the major powers in the area (symbolized by the cedar). In reality he was not capable of withstanding an attack by a real military power such as Israel (symbolized by the wild animal).
[25:19] 798 tn Heb “you say [to yourself], ‘look, you have defeated Edom.’”
[25:19] 799 tn Heb “and your heart is lifted up.”
[25:19] 800 tn Heb “to glorify.”
[25:19] 801 tn Heb “Why get involved in calamity and fall, you and Judah with you?”
[25:20] 802 tn Heb “did not listen.”
[25:20] 803 tn Heb “because it was from God in order to give them into the hand because they sought the gods of Edom.”
[25:21] 804 tn Heb “looked at each other [in the] face.” See the note on the expression “Come on, face me on the battlefield” in v. 17.
[25:22] 805 tn Heb “and Judah was struck down before Israel and they fled, each to his tent.”
[25:23] 806 tn Heb “400 cubits.” Assuming a cubit of 18 inches (45 cm), the distance would have been about 600 feet (180 m).
[25:26] 807 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Amaziah, the former and the latter, are they not – behold, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.”
[25:27] 808 tn Heb “and they conspired against him [with] a conspiracy in Jerusalem.”
[25:27] 809 tn Heb “and they sent after him to Lachish.”
[25:28] 810 tn Heb “and they carried him on horses.”
[25:28] 812 tc The Hebrew text has “Judah,” but some medieval
[25:28] sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[26:1] 813 tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 15:1-8 has the variant spelling “Azariah.”
[26:2] 814 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Uzziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:2] 815 tn Heb “after the king”; the referent (Amaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:2] 816 tn “slept with his fathers.”
[26:3] 817 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[26:4] 818 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[26:5] 820 tn Heb “in the days of.”
[26:5] 821 tn Heb “in the days of his seeking.”
[26:6] 823 tn Heb “went out and fought.”
[26:6] 824 tn Heb “in Ashdod and among the Philistines.”
[26:7] 825 tn The words “in his campaigns” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons
[26:8] 826 tn Heb “and his name went to.”
[26:9] 827 tn On the meaning of the Hebrew word מִקְצוֹעַ (miqtsoa’), see HALOT 628 s.v. עַ(וֹ)מִקְצֹ. The term probably refers to an “angle” or “corner” somewhere on the eastern wall of Jerusalem.
[26:10] 828 tn Heb “Shephelah.”
[26:10] 829 tn Heb “workers and vinedressers in the hills and in Carmel.” The words “he had” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[26:10] 830 tn Heb “for a lover of the ground he [was].”
[26:15] 832 tn Heb “and his name went out to a distant place, for he did extraordinarily to be helped until he was strong.”
[26:16] 833 tn Heb “his heart was high [i.e., proud] to destroy.”
[26:16] 834 tn Or “was unfaithful to.”
[26:18] 835 tn Heb “stood against.”
[26:18] 836 tn Or “been unfaithful.”
[26:19] 838 tn Traditionally “leprosy,” but this was probably a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy (technically known today as Hansen’s disease). See 2 Kgs 5:1.
[26:20] 839 tn Heb “turned toward.”
[26:20] 840 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:21] 841 tn The precise meaning of בֵּית הַחָפְשִׁית (bet hakhafshiyt, “house of [?]”) is uncertain. NASB, NIV, NRSV all have “in a separate house”; NEB has “in his own house…relieved of all duties.” For a discussion of various proposals, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 166-67.
[26:22] 842 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Uzziah, the former and the latter, Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, recorded.”
[26:23] 843 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[26:23] 845 tn Heb “a field of burial.”
[26:23] 846 tn Heb “for they said, ‘He had a skin disease.’”
[27:1] 847 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[27:2] 848 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[27:2] 849 tn Heb “except he did not enter the house of the
[27:3] 850 tn Heb “wall of Ophel.” See HALOT 861 s.v. II עֹפֶל.
[27:5] 851 tn Heb “he fought with.”
[27:5] 852 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the weight of the silver was 6,730 lbs. (3,060 kg).
[27:5] 853 sn As a unit of dry measure a kor was roughly equivalent to six bushels (about 220 liters).
[27:5] 854 tn Heb “10,000 kors of wheat and 10,000 of barley.” The unit of measure of the barley is omitted in the Hebrew text, but is understood to be “kors,” the same as the measures of wheat.
[27:5] 855 tn Heb “This the sons of Ammon brought to him, and in the second year and the third.”
[27:6] 856 tn Heb “because he established his ways before the
[27:7] 857 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jotham, and his battles and his ways, look, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah.”
[27:9] 858 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[27:9] 859 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[28:1] 860 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[28:1] 861 tn Heb “and he did not do what was proper in the eyes of the
[28:2] 862 tn Heb “he walked in the ways of.”
[28:3] 863 sn This may refer to child sacrifice, though some interpret it as a less drastic cultic practice (NEB “burnt his sons in the fire”; NASB “burned his sons in the fire”; NIV “sacrificed his sons in the fire”; NRSV “made his sons pass through fire”). For discussion see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 266-67.
[28:3] 864 tn Heb “like the abominable practices of the nations.”
[28:5] 865 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Syrians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[28:5] 866 tn Heb “and took captive from him a great captivity and brought [them] to Damascus.”
[28:5] 867 tn Heb “who struck him down with a great striking.”
[28:6] 868 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 25).
[28:8] 869 tn Heb “the loot.” The pronoun (“it”) has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[28:8] 870 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[28:9] 871 tn Heb “and you killed them with anger [that] reaches as far as heaven.”
[28:10] 873 tn Heb “to enslave as male servants and female servants.”
[28:11] 875 tn Heb “for the rage of the anger of the
[28:12] 876 tn Heb “men from.”
[28:12] 877 tn Heb “arose against.”
[28:13] 878 tn Heb “for to the guilt of the
[28:13] 879 tn Heb “for great is [the] guilt to us and rage of anger is upon Israel.”
[28:15] 880 tn Heb “and the men who were designated by names arose and took the captives and all their naked ones they clothed from the loot.”
[28:15] 881 tn Heb “and poured oil on them.”
[28:15] 882 tn Heb “and they led them on donkeys, with respect to everyone stumbling.”
[28:15] 883 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[28:16] 884 tc Most Hebrew
[28:18] 885 tn Heb “Shephelah.”
[28:19] 887 sn That is, “of Judah.” Frequently in 2 Chronicles “Israel” is substituted for “Judah.”
[28:19] 888 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form to emphasize the degree of Ahaz’s unfaithfulness.
[28:20] 889 tn Heb “Tilgath-pilneser,” a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser.
[28:20] 890 tn Heb “and he caused him distress and did not strengthen him.”
[28:21] 891 tn Heb “divided up,” but some read חִלֵּץ (khillets, “despoiled”).
[28:23] 892 tn Heb “the gods of Damascus, the ones who had defeated him.” The words “he thought” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The perspective is that of Ahaz, not the narrator! Another option is that “the kings” has been accidentally omitted after “gods of.” See v. 23b.
[28:26] 894 tn Heb “As for the rest of his events, and all his ways, the former and the latter, look, they are written on the scroll of the kings of Judah and Israel.”
[28:27] 895 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
[28:27] 896 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
[29:1] 897 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[29:1] 898 tn The parallel passage in 2 Kgs 18:2 has “Abi.”
[29:2] 899 tn Heb “he did what was proper in the eyes of the
[29:6] 901 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
[29:6] 902 tn Heb “turned their faces.”
[29:6] 903 tn Heb “and turned the back.”
[29:8] 904 tn Heb “and he made them [an object] of dread and devastation and hissing.”
[29:9] 905 tn Heb “fell by the sword.”
[29:9] 906 tn Heb “are in captivity.”
[29:10] 907 tn Heb “now it is with my heart.”
[29:10] 908 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from us.” The jussive with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding statement of intention.
[29:11] 909 tn Heb “to stand before him to serve him and to be his servants and sacrificers.”
[29:12] 910 tn Heb “and the Levites arose.”
[29:15] 911 tn Heb “words” (plural).
[29:16] 912 tn Heb “in the temple of the
[29:17] 913 tn Heb “porch of the
[29:21] 914 sn Perhaps these terms refer metonymically to the royal court, the priests and Levites, and the people, respectively.
[29:21] 915 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[29:25] 917 tn Heb “he”; the referent (King Hezekiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[29:26] 919 tn Heb “stood with” (i.e., stood holding).
[29:30] 920 tn Heb “with the words.”
[29:31] 922 tn Heb “filled your hand.”
[29:31] 923 tn Or “tokens of thanks.”
[29:31] 924 tn Heb “and all who were willing of heart.”
[29:32] 925 tn Heb “and the number of burnt sacrifices which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs; for a burnt sacrifice to the
[29:33] 926 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (ts’on) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but there is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
[29:34] 927 tn Heb “the burnt sacrifices.”
[29:34] 928 tn Heb “for the Levites were more pure of heart to consecrate themselves than the priests.”
[29:35] 929 tn Or “established.”
[29:36] 930 tn Heb “prepared.”
[29:36] 931 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun “they” has been used here for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[29:36] 932 tn Heb “for quickly was the matter.”
[30:1] 933 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[30:3] 934 tn Heb “at that time.”
[30:4] 935 tn Heb “and the thing was proper in the eyes of.”
[30:5] 936 tn Heb “and they caused to stand a word to cause a voice to pass through.”
[30:5] 937 tn The words “summoning the people” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[30:5] 938 tn Heb “because not for abundance had they done as written.”
[30:6] 939 tn Heb “the runners.”
[30:6] 940 tn Heb “and according to the command of the king, saying.”
[30:6] 941 tn The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[30:6] 942 tn Heb “to the survivors who are left to you from the palm of the kings of Assyria.”
[30:7] 943 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 19, 22).
[30:7] 944 tn Heb “and he made them a devastation” (or, perhaps, “an object of horror”).
[30:8] 945 tn Heb “don’t stiffen your neck” (a Hebrew idiom for being stubborn).
[30:8] 946 tn Heb “give a hand.” On the meaning of the idiom here, see HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד 2.
[30:8] 947 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from you.” The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[30:9] 948 tn Heb “turn [his] face from you.”
[30:10] 949 tn Heb “and they were mocking them and ridiculing them.”
[30:12] 950 tn Heb “also in Judah the hand of God was to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and the officials by the word of the
[30:13] 951 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “a very large assembly.” This has not been translated to avoid redundancy with the expression “a huge crowd” at the beginning of the verse.
[30:14] 952 tn Heb “and they arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the incense altars they removed and threw into the Kidron Valley.”
[30:16] 953 tn Heb “from the hand of the Levites.”
[30:17] 954 tn Heb “were over the slaughter of.”
[30:17] 955 tn Heb “of everyone not pure to consecrate to the
[30:18] 956 tn Heb “without what is written.”
[30:18] 957 tn Heb “make atonement for.”
[30:19] 958 tn Heb “everyone [who] has prepared his heart to seek God.”
[30:19] 959 tn Heb “and not according to the purification of the holy place.”
[30:20] 960 tn Heb “listened.”
[30:21] 962 tn Heb “and they were praising the
[30:22] 963 tn Heb “and Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites.” On the meaning of the idiom “speak to the heart of” here, see HALOT 210 s.v. II דבר 8.d.
[30:22] 964 tn Heb “who demonstrated skill [with] good skill for the
[30:22] 965 tn Heb “and they ate [during] the appointed time [for] seven days.” מוֹעֵד (mo’ed, “appointed time”) is probably an adverbial accusative of time referring to the festival. However, some understand it as metonymically referring to the food eaten during the festival. See BDB 417 s.v.
[30:24] 966 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (ts’on, translated “sheep” twice in this verse) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but their is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
[30:24] 967 tn Heb “the assembly.” The pronoun “them” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[30:25] 968 tn Heb “they rejoiced.”
[30:26] 969 tn Heb “and there was great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.”
[30:27] 970 tn Heb “and it was heard with their voice.” BDB 1034 s.v. שָׁמַע Niph.4 interprets this to mean “hearing was granted to their voice.” It is possible that the name יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
[31:1] 971 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[31:1] 973 tn Heb “the high places and the altars from all Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and in Manasseh until finished.”
[31:1] 974 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel returned, each to his possession to their cities.”
