The queen of Sheba's visit. B. C. 991. s c.9.10,13. 2 CHRONICLES.-CHAP. IX., X. 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of 4. M. 3013. his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence Ec.2.8. four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon. CHAPTER IX. t A. M. 3014. B. C. 990. a 1 Ki.10.1, &c. Mat 12.42 Lu.11.31. b Pr.18.4. Ja.1.5. eor,butlers. d word. e or, say inge. f P.31.19. Solomon's reign and death. 16 And three nundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: 19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom. 20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure P7218, gold: "none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ship of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 19. h 1 Ki.3.28. Pr.21.3. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that hei P7210, had built, 4 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cup-bearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: e 6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. 15. Ec.28. 11 Ki.10.11. almug. W 22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, or, stays that God had put in his heart. m highways n Ps.92.3 Re.5.8. 14.2. A. M. 2989..3029. B. C. 1015..975. o P8.68.29. por, captains. 129,10. r1 Ki.7.2 s hands. u or, there was no 9 And she gave the king a hundred and shut up. twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon. 10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and pre cious stones. 11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps " and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. vor, dephant's teeth. w1 Ki.3.12, 13. 4.30,&c. x Ge.15.18. 1 Ki.4.2. Ps. 72.8. Eu phrates. z 1 Ki.10.27, &c. c.1.15.17. b 1 KL.11.41 ..43. 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of gave Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. c words. d1 Ki.11.29. e c.12.15. 13.22. 24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25 ¶ And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. 28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and A. M. 3029. king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of threescore and six talents of gold; Rehoboam succeeds Solomon. 2 CHRONICLES.-CHAP. XI., XII. He is forbade to fight Israel. AM39king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, e B. C. 975. d Pr.12. 15. e Job 12.12, 13. 5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed. 6 T And king Rehoboam took d counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy h 18.30.1. servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him. Pr.27.10. g Pr.15.1. i laded. J Pr.19.27. k 130.12, 13. De 230 1 Sa. 2.25. m 1 Ki.11. 9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us? 10 And the young men that were brought up 28.20.1. with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 11 For whereas my father i put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, o 1 Ki.4.6. ram. 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto : my father 13.11 chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. : m P.33.11. f Is.22.10, themselves. A. M. 3030. B. C. 974. i Nu.35.2, c.13.9. 15 So the king hearkened not unto the peo-g c.17.19. ple for the cause was of God, that the LORD h presented might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, " What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam P made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. 13.33. 1 Le. 17.7. De 32 17 1C.10.29. m 1 Ki. 12 P.84.5.7. A. M. 3029..3032. B. C. 975..972. o c.12.1. She is 6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etanı, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains & in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. h 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all " the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. 18 ¶ And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse ; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took P Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Chaiah the Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives. AND when Rehoboam was come to Jeru-ture of wives. B. C. 972 salem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thou-A M. 302. sand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, c.11.17. b1 Ki.14.22. De 3215, 18 A. M. 3034. 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, BC. 970. Rehoboam's death. 2 CHRONICLES.-CHAP. XIII. Abijah succeeds him. 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and three-hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty score thousand horsemen: and the people dc.16.8. d were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the a Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. i e c.11.2 f c.15.2. g Je. 13.15, men of valour. 4 T And Abijah stood upon mount & Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a is, covenant of salt? h Ex.9.27. 29. J Le.26.41, e 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, 5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to 7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jeru-ar, and salem by the hand of Shishak. k 8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants: that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms " of the countries. 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which " Solomon had made. 10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the nands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house. dah there c.19.3. 9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the Sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and IK.14.13 have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. r fired. 8 De.5.29. Eze 33.31. t words. a ver.5. v c.9.29. A. M. 1.15.1, &c. 11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, b c.11.20. and brought them again into the guard chamber. 12 And when P he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. 13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. A e bound together. 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business, 11 And m they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt-sacrifices and sweet incense: the shew-bread " also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. 12 And, behold, God P himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding d Jos 18.22 trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shema-fill hi iah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer con- Ex. 29.1. cerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. m c.2.4. n Le. 24.5..9. o Ex.27.20, 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. 17 And Abijah and his people slew them Le 24.2,3 with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen 21. p Is.8.10. 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof. 3 And Abijah set the battle in array with 20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD The good reign of Asa. B. C. 957. 21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married | A. M. 3047. fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 2 CHRONICLES.-CHAP. XIV..XVI. A covenant made with God. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo. x or, com mentary. y c.12.15. A. M. 3049. B. C. 955. a 1 Ki. 15.8, &c. b 1 Ki.11.7. c. 15.17. c statues. buried him in the city of David: and Asad Ex34.13. his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: b 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. e 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6 ¶ And they built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and four score thousand; all these were mighty men of valour. 9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots, and came unto i Mareshah. e sun images. A. M. 3063. B. C. 941. f Jos. 23.1. g Ps. 105.3,4. Je.29.13. h c.16.8. i Jos. 15.44. c. 13. 14. k 1 Sa.14.6. 1117.45 Pr.18.10. m or, mor tal man n c. 13.15. o Ge.20.1. p broken. q Ge.35.5. Jos. 2.9,24. c. 17.10. Is.31.9. a Nn.21.2 Ju.3.10. c.20.14. 24.20. b before. c Ja. 4.8. d ver.4.15. 1 Ch.28.9. c.33 12,13. Je.29.12, d 3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did 1 vex them with all adversity. m 7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 8 ¶ And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the " abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the Lord. 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the P strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, whe they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. r 11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12 And they entered into a covenant to Mat7.7,8 seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13. e c.24.20. He. 10.38. f Hos.3.4. 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zepha-Le.10.11. thah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 12 So the LORD smote " the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. h De.4.29. Pa. 106.44. i Ju5.6 1 Sa.13.6. J beaten in pieces. 13 That" whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought Mat.24.7. him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about. 1 Am.3.6. m Jos. 1.7.9. 1Ch 28.20 abomina tione. o e. 13.19. p c.11.16. day. r c.14.13,15. 8 2Ki.23.3. c.34.31. 13 And Asa and the people that were within that him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were P destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and Ac.24.14. they carried away very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jesusalem. 16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an y idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. The death of Asa. 2 CHRONICLES.-CHAP. XVII., XVIII. Jehoshaphat's good reign. might let none go out or come in to Asa king | A. M. 3074. of Judah. B. C. 930. c Darmesek. which were his. e 1 Ki. 16.1. c. 19.2. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and darmies of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against P.146.3,6. 13.31.1. Je. 17.5. g c.12.3. 14.9. h in abundance. e 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance. 6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. 7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, even She the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Job 34.21. maiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. Pr.5.21. 15.3. Je. 16.17. 32.19. Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adoniZec.4.10. jah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. jor, strongly to hold with them. 1K15.32 c.18.26. Je. 2.2. m crushed. n digged. a 1Ki. 15.24. b c.15.8. c or, of his father and of David. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims ha huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on a 18.12.30. the LORD, he delivered them into thy hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. B. C. 913. e gave. 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and M. 3091. put him in a prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. 11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. 13 ¶ And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. 14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had " made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him. CHAPTER XVII. 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 10 And the fear of the LORD m fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that "they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats. 12 ¶ And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah P castles, and cities of store. 13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. 14 And these are the numbers of them áccording to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. r 15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand. 16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour. 17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand. 18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah. OW Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. 2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. 3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehob 2 KL.8.18. shaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. c at the end of years. d! Ki.22.2, &c. 4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of |