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___2 Chronicles chapter 1
 1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
 2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers.
 3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, that Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness.
 4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
 5 Also the brass altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord, and Solomon and the congregation sought to it.
 6 And Solomon went up there to the brass altar before the Lord, that was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
 7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask what I shall give you."
 8 And Solomon said to God, "You've shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me to rule instead of him.
 9 Now, O Lord God, let your promise to David my father be established, for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, so that I can go out and come in before this people, for who can judge this your people, that are so many?"
 11 And God said to Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of your enemies, nor yet have asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so you can judge my people, over whom I have made you king,
 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted to you, and I will give you riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you, nor shall there any after you have the like."
 13 Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and ruled over Israel.
 14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, and he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
 15 And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and he made cedar trees as the sycamore trees that are in the vale for abundance.
 16 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn, the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
 17 And they fetched up, and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty, and so they brought out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.

___2 Chronicles chapter 2
 1 And Solomon determined to build a house for the name of the Lord, and a house for his kingdom.
 2 And Solomon selected seventy thousand men to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to cut in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them.
 3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, "Like you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house to live in, so deal with me.
 4 See, I build a house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God.  This is an ordinance forever to Israel.
 5 And the house which I build is great, for great is our God above all gods.
 6 But who is able to build him a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens can't contain him?  Who am I then, that I should build him a house, except only to burn sacrifice before him?
 7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
 8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon, for I know that your servants have skill in cutting timber in Lebanon, and, see, my servants shall be with your servants,
 9 To prepare me timber in abundance, for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.
 10 And, see, I will give to your servants, the cutters that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil."
 11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, that he sent to Solomon, "because the Lord has loved his people, he has made you king over them."
 12 Huram said also, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord, and a house for his kingdom.
 13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,
 14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any kind of engraving, and to find out every device that shall be put to him, with your cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David your father.
 15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, that my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants,
 16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need, and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa, and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem."
 17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with that David his father had numbered them, and they were found one hundred fifty three thousand six hundred.
 18 And he set seventy thousand of them to be carriers of burdens, and eighty thousand to be cutters in the mountain, and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

___2 Chronicles chapter 3
 1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
 2 And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his rule.
 3 Now these are the things in which Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God.  The length by feet after the first measure was ninety, and the breadth thirty feet.
 4 And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house, thirty feet, and the height was one hundred eighty feet, and he plated it inside with pure gold.
 5 And the greater house he ceiled with fir tree, which he plated with fine gold, and set on it palm trees and chains.
 6 And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
 7 He plated also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls of it, and the doors of it, with gold, and engraved cherubims on the walls.
 8 And he made the most holy house, the length of which was according to the breadth of the house, thirty feet, and the breadth of it thirty feet, and he plated it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
 9 And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.  And he plated the upper rooms with gold.
 10 And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and plated them with gold.
 11 And the wings of the cherubims were thirty feet long, one wing of the one cherub was seven and a half feet, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was likewise seven and a half feet, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.
 12 And one wing of the other cherub was seven and a half feet, reaching to the wall of the house, and the other wing was seven and a half feet also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.
 13 The wings of these cherubims spread themselves out thirty feet, and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward.
 14 And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and made cherubims on it.
 15 Also he made before the house two pillars of fifty two and a half feet high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was seven and a half feet.
 16 And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars, and made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.
 17 And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

___2 Chronicles chapter 4
 1 Also he made an altar of brass, thirty feet the length of it, and thirty feet the breadth of it, and fifteen feet the height of it.
 2 Also he made a sea of ten cubits from brim to brim cast in the foundry, round in circle, and seven and a half feet the height of it, and a line of forty five feet surrounded it.
 3 And under it was the likeness of oxen, that surrounded it, ten in eighteen inches, surrounding the sea all around.  Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
 4 It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east, and the sea was set above on them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
 5 And the thickness of it was a hand breadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies, and it received and held three thousand baths.
 6 He made also ten wash basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them, such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
 7 And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
 8 He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left.  And he made a hundred basins of gold.
 9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and plated the doors of them with brass.
 10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, opposite the south.
 11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins.  And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God,
 12 Specifically, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars,
 13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths, two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the pillars.
 14 He made also bases, and wash basins he made on the bases,
 15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.
 16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh hooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the Lord of bright brass.
 17 The king cast them in the plain of Jordan , in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.
 18 Thus Solomon made all these containers in great abundance, for the weight of the brass could not be found out.
 19 And Solomon made all the containers that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables on which the showbread was set,
 20 Also the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold,
 21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, he made of gold, and that was perfect gold,
 22 And the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold, and the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

___2 Chronicles chapter 5
 1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished, and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated, and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, he put among the treasures of the house of God.
 2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
 3 So all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king in the feast that was in the seventh month.
 4 And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.
 5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy containers that were in the tabernacle, the priests and the Levites brought them up.
 6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled to him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, that couldn't be told nor numbered for multitude.
 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubims,
 8 For the cherubims spread out their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves of it above.
 9 And they pulled out the staves of the ark, so that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle, but they were not seen outside.  And there it is to this day.
 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tables that Moses put in it at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
 11 And when the priests had come out of the holy place, (for all the priests that were present were made holy, and did not then wait by course,
 12 Also the Levites that were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brothers, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred twenty priests sounding with trumpets,)
 13 As the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever, then the house was filled with a cloud, the house of the Lord,
 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

___2 Chronicles chapter 6
 1 Then Solomon said, "The Lord has said that he would live in the thick darkness.
 2 But I have built a house of habitation for you, and a place for your dwelling forever."
 3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood.
 4 And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has with his hands fulfilled that which he spoke with his mouth to my father David, saying,
 5 Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, so that my name would be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over my people Israel,
 6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there, and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
 7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
 8 But the Lord said to David my father, since it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well in that it was in your heart,
 9 But you shall not build the house, but your son who shall come out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.
 10 The Lord therefore has performed his word that he has spoken, for I've risen up in the office of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
 11 And in it have I put the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel."
 12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands,
 13 For Solomon had made a brass scaffold, of seven and a half feet long, and seven and a half feet broad, and four and a half feet high, and had set it in the middle of the court, and on it he stood, and kneeled down on his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven,
 14 And said, "O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heaven, nor in the earth, who keeps covenant, and showed mercy to your servants, that walk before you with all their hearts,
 15 You who have kept with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, and spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.
 16 Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, there shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, yet so that your children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as you have walked before me.
 17 Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let your word be verified, that you have spoken to your servant David.
 18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?  See, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you, how much less this house that I have built!
 19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you,
 20 So that your eyes will be open on this house day and night, on the place from which you have said that you would put your name there, to listen to the prayer that your servant prays toward this place.
 21 Listen therefore to the supplications of your servant, and of your people Israel, that they shall make toward this place, hear you from your dwelling place, from heaven, and when you hear, forgive.
 22 If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath be laid on him to make him swear, and the oath comes before your altar in this house,
 23 Then hear from heaven, and do, and judge your servants, by requiting the wicked, by repaying his way on his own head, and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.
 24 And if your people Israel are put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and shall return and confess your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this house,
 25 Then hear from the heavens, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.
 26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, yet if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,
 27 Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you have taught them the good way, in which they should walk, and send rain on your land, that you have given to your people for an inheritance.
 28 If there is drought in the land, if there's pestilence, if there's blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars, if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatever disease or whatever sickness there is,
 29 Then what prayer or whatever supplication shall be made of any man, or of all your people Israel, when everyone shall know his own trouble and his own grief, and shall spread out his hands in this house,
 30 Then hear from heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know, (for only you know the hearts of the children of men,)
 31 So that they'll fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
 32 Also concerning the stranger, that is not of your people Israel, but has come from a far country for your great name's sake, and your mighty hand, and your stretched out arm, if they come and pray in this house,
 33 Then hear from the heavens, from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for, so that all people of the earth will know your name, and fear you, as do your people Israel, and will know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
 34 If your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name,
 35 Then hear from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
 36 If they sin against you, (for there is no man who doesn't sin,) and you are angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives to a land far off or near,
 37 Yet if they think themselves in the land where they've been carried captive, and turn and pray to you in the land of their captivity, saying, we have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly,
 38 If they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, that you gave to their fathers, and toward the city that you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name,
 39 Then hear from the heavens, from your dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
 40 Now, my God, let, I beg of you, your eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.
 41 Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength, let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness.
 42 O Lord God, don't turn away the face of your anointed, remember the mercies of David your servant."

___2 Chronicles chapter 7
 1 Now when Solomon had finished praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
 2 And the priests couldn't enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.
 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, "For he is good, for his mercy endures forever."
 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord.
 5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty two thousand oxen, and one hundred twenty thousand sheep, so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
 6 And the priests waited on their offices, the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endures forever, when David praised by their ministry, and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
 7 Also Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brass altar that Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
 8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath to the river of Egypt.
 9 And on the eighth day they made a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
 10 And on the twenty third day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shown David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prospered.
 12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon at night, and said to him, "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.
 13 If I shut up heaven so that there's no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people,
 14 If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
 15 Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.
 16 For now I've chosen and made this house holy, so that my name will be there forever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.
 17 And as for you, if you'll walk before me, like David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and shall observe my statutes and my judgments,
 18 Then I'll establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David your father, saying, there shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel.
 19 But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, that I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them,
 20 Then I'll pluck them up by the roots out of my land that I have given them, and this house, that I have made holy for my name, I'll throw out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
 21 And this house, that is high, shall be an astonishment to everyone that passes by it, so that he shall say, why has the Lord done thus to this land, and to this house?
 22 And it shall be answered, because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them, therefore he has brought all this evil on them."

___2 Chronicles chapter 8
 1 And at the end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the house of the Lord, and his own house,
 2 The cities that Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to live there.
 3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.
 4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, that he built in Hamath.
 5 Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the lower, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars,
 6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.
 7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,
 8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel didn't consume, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.
 9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work, but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.
 10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, two hundred fifty, that bore rule over the people.
 11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, my wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, to which the ark of the Lord has come.
 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord, that he had built before the porch,
 13 After a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
 14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required, the porters also by their courses at every gate, for so had David the man of God commanded.
 15 And they didn't depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.
 16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and until it was finished.  So the house of the Lord was perfected.
 17 Then Solomon went to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.
 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea, and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took from there four hundred fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

___2 Chronicles chapter 9
 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that carried spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones, and when she had come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
 2 And Solomon told her all her questions, and there was nothing hidden from Solomon that he didn't tell her.
 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he 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 cupbearers 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 that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom,
 6 But I didn't believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it, and, see, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me, for you exceed the fame that I heard.
 7 Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, that stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.
 8 Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you to set you on his throne, to be king for the Lord your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them, to do judgment and justice."
 9 And she gave the king one hundred 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, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious 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.
 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, beside that which she had brought to the king.  So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.
 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty six talents of gold,
 14 Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought.  And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.
 15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.
 16 And three hundred 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 Also the king made a great throne of ivory, and plated it with pure gold.
 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, that 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 on the six steps.  There was not the like made in any kingdom.
 20 And all the drinking containers of king Solomon were of gold, and all the containers of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold, none were of silver, it was not anything accounted of in the days of Solomon.
 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram, once every three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
 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, that God had put in his heart.
 24 And they brought every man his present, containers of silver, and containers of gold, and clothing, 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 ruled over all the kings from the river to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.
 27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees he made as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.
 28 And they brought to Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.
 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
 30 And Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 10
 1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
 2 And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
 3 And they sent and called him.  So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
 4 "Your father made our yoke grievous, now therefore ease somewhat the grievous servitude of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you."
 5 And he said to them, "Come back to me after three days."  And the people departed.
 6 And king Rehoboam asked advice from the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What advice do you give me to answer these people?"
 7 And they said, "If you'll be kind to these people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they'll be your servants forever."
 8 But he forsook the advice that the old men gave him, and asked advice from the young men that had been brought up with him, that stood before him.
 9 And he said to them, "What advice do you give to answer these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ease somewhat the yoke that your father put on us?"
 10 And the young men that were brought up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus shall you answer the people that spoke to you, saying, your father made our yoke heavy, but make it somewhat lighter for us, thus shall you say to them, my little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
 11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke on 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 said, saying, "Come back to me on the third day."
 13 And the king answered them roughly, and king Rehoboam forsook the advice of the old men,
 14 And answered them according to the advice of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to that, my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."
 15 So the king didn't listen to the people, for the cause was of God, so that the Lord would perform his word, that he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion do we have in David?  And we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse, every man to your tents, O Israel, and now, David, see to your own house."  So all Israel went to their tents.
 17 But as for the children of Israel that lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam ruled over them.
 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the taxes, and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died.  But king Rehoboam made speed to get up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
 19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

___2 Chronicles chapter 11
 1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, so he could bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
 3 "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
 4 Thus says the Lord, you shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers, return every man to his house, for this thing is done by me."  And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
 5 And Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
 6 He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
 7 And Bethzur, 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 food, 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.
 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 thrown them out from executing the priest's office to the Lord,
 15 And he ordained himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves that 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 to 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 Who bore him children, Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom, who bore 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 sixty concubines, and fathered twenty eight sons, and sixty daughters.)
 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brothers, for he thought to make him king.
 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, to every fenced city, and he gave them food in abundance.  And he desired many wives.

___2 Chronicles chapter 12
 1 And when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.
 2 And in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen, and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt, the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
 4 And he took the fenced cities that pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet went to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says the Lord, you have forsaken me, and therefore I've also left you in the hand of Shishak."
 6 So then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and they said, the Lord is righteous.
 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 anger shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
 8 But they shall be his servants, so that they'll 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 that Solomon had made.
 10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
 11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard room.
 12 And when he humbled himself, the anger of the Lord turned from him, so that he would not destroy him completely, and also in Judah things went well.
 13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and ruled, for Rehoboam was forty one years old when he began to rule, and he ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there.  And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
 14 And he did evil, because he didn't prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning 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 ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 13
 1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abijah began to rule over Judah.
 2 He ruled three years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.  And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
 3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor.
 4 And Abijah stood up on mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, "Hear me, Jeroboam, and all Israel,
 5 Shouldn't you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, has risen up, and has rebelled against his lord.
 7 And there are gathered to him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.
 8 And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David, and you be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, that Jeroboam made you for gods.
 9 Haven't you cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests after the manner of the nations of other lands?  So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same can be a priest of those that are not gods.
 10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him, and the priests, who minister to the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait on their business,
 11 And they burn to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense, the showbread also they set in order on the pure table, and the candlestick of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening, for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him.
 12 And, see, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you.  O children of Israel, don't fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper."
 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come behind them, so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
 14 And when Judah looked back, see, the battle was before and behind, and they cried to the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout, and as the men of Judah shouted, God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
 16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.
 17 And Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter, so there fell down killed of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
 18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.
 19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephrain with the towns of it.
 20 Nor did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah, and the Lord struck him, and he died.
 21 But Abijah grew mighty, and married fourteen wives, and fathered twenty two sons, and sixteen daughters.
 22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

___2 Chronicles chapter 14
 1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son ruled instead of him.  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,
 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and broke 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.
 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 he 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 to Judah, let us build these cities, and make around 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 has given us rest on every side.  So they built and prospered.
 8 And Asa had an army of men that carried targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, that carried shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand, all these were mighty men of valor.
 9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million, and three hundred chariots, and came to Mareshah.
 10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
 11 And Asa cried to the Lord his God, and said, "Lord, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with those who have no power, help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude.  O Lord, you are our God, let man not prevail against you."
 12 So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
 13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them to Gerar, and the Ethiopians were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host, and they carried away very much spoil.
 14 And they struck all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord came on them, and they spoiled all the cities, for there was very much spoil in them.
 15 They struck also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

___2 Chronicles chapter 15
 1 And the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded,
 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, the Lord is with you, while you are with him, and if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
 3 Now for a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
 4 But when they in their trouble did turn to the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by 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 on all the inhabitants of the countries.
 6 And nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God vexed them with all adversity.
 7 Be 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 dirty idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities that 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 strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon, for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when 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 rule of Asa.
 11 And they offered to the Lord the same time, of the spoil that they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
 12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul,
 13 So that whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
 14 And they swore to 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 him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.
 16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove, and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
 17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel, but the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
 18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and containers.
 19 And there was no more war until the thirty fifth year of the rule of Asa.

___2 Chronicles chapter 16
 1 In the thirty sixth year of the rule of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, for the purpose that he would let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that lived at Damascus, saying,
 3 "There is a league between me and you, as there was between my father and your father, see, I have sent you silver and gold, go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, so he will depart from me."
 4 And Benhadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
 5 And when Baasha heard it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work stop.
 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha was building, and he built with that Geba and Mizpah.
 7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, "Because you've relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the host of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand.
 8 Weren't the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen?  Yet, because you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand.
 9 For the eyes of the Lord run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.  In this you have done foolishly, therefore from from now on you'll have wars."
 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and 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, see, 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 ninth year of his rule was diseased in his feet, until his disease was very 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 forty first year of his rule.
 14 And they buried him in his own tomb, that he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed that was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art, and they made a very great burning for him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 17
 1 And Jehoshaphat his son ruled instead of him, and strengthened himself against Israel.
 2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
 3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not to Baalim,
 4 But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
 5 Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents, and he had riches and honor in abundance.
 6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord, also he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
 7 Also in the third year of his rule he sent to his princes, to Benhail, 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, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites, and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went around throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
 10 And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around 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 seven hundred rams, and seven thousand seven hundred he goats.
 12 And Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly, and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.
 13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah, and the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem.
 14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers, of Judah, the captains of thousands, Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand.
 15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred eighty thousand.
 16 And next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.
 17 And of Benjamin, Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
 18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him one hundred eighty 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.

___2 Chronicles chapter 18
 1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor 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 Ramothgilead.
 3 And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me to Ramothgilead?  And he answered him, I am as you art, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the war."
 4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Inquire, please, at the word of the Lord today."
 5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I not go?"  And they said, "Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand."
 6 But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there a prophet of the Lord here besides, so we can inquire from him?"
 7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, by whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesied good to me, but always evil, it's Micaiah the son of Imla."  And Jehoshaphat said, "Let the king not say so."
 8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, "Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla."
 9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah each sat on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.
 10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus says the Lord, with these you shall push Syria until they are consumed."
 11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."
 12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "See, the words of the prophets declare good to the king unanimously, let your word therefore, please, be like one of theirs, and speak good."
 13 And Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, what my God says, that's will I'll say."
 14 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, "Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I not go?"  And he said, "Go up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand."
 15 And the king said to him, "How many times shall I warn you to say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?"
 16 Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, these have no master, let them therefore return every man to his house in peace."
 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good to me, but evil?"
 18 Again he said, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord, I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
 19 And the Lord said, who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, to go up and fall at Ramothgilead?  And one spoke this way, and another that way.
 20 Then a spirit came out, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him.  And the Lord said to him, how?
 21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.  And the Lord said, you shall entice him, and you shall also prevail, go out, and do so.
 22 Now therefore, see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the Lord has spoken evil against you."
 23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you?"
 24 And Micaiah said, "See, you'll know on that day when you'll go into an inner room to hide yourself."
 25 Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son,
 26 And say, thus says the king, put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace."
 27 And Micaiah said, "If you return in peace, then the Lord has not spoken by me.  And he said, listen, all you people."
 28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
 29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle, but you put on your robes."  So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went to the battle.
 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, "Don't fight with small or great, but only with the king of Israel."
 31 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel."  Therefore they surrounded him to fight, but Jehoshaphat shouted out, and the Lord helped him, and God moved them to depart from him.
 32 For when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
 33 And a certain man drew a bow by chance, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the harness, therefore he said to his chariot man, "Turn your hand, so you can carry me out of the host, for I am wounded."
 34 And the battle increased that day, but the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and about the time of the sun going down he died.

___2 Chronicles chapter 19
 1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house to Jerusalem in peace.
 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, "Should you help the ungodly, and love those who hate the Lord?  Therefore is anger on you from before the Lord.
 3 But there are good things found in you, in that you have taken away the groves out of the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God."
 4 And Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem, and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers.
 5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
 6 And said to the judges, "Take heed what you do, for you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
 7 So now let the fear of the Lord be on you, take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes."
 8 Also in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
 9 And he charged them, saying, "Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
 10 And whatever cause shall come to you of your brothers that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall warn them that not to trespass against the Lord, and so anger come against you, and on your brothers, do this, and you won't trespass.
 11 And, see, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters, also the Levites shall be officers before you.  Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good."

___2 Chronicles chapter 20
 1 It after this also, the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them others beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
 2 Then some came that told Jehoshaphat, saying, "a great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea on this side of Syria, and see, they are in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi."
 3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help from the Lord, out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,
 6 And said, "O Lord God of our fathers, aren't you God in heaven?  And don't you rule over all the kingdoms of the heathen?  And in your hand isn't there power and might, so that none is able to withstand you?
 7 Aren't you our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Abraham your friend forever?
 8 And they lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
 9 If, when evil comes on us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in your presence, (for your name is in this house,) and cry to you in our affliction, then you will hear and help.
 10 And now, see, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and didn't destroy them,
 11 See, I say, how they reward us, to come to throw us out of your possession, that you've given us to inherit.
 12 O our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no might against this great company that comes against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
 13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
 14 Then among the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph,
 15 And he said, "You listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat, thus says the Lord to you, don't be afraid nor discouraged because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
 16 Tomorrow go down against them, see, they come up by the cliff of Ziz, and you shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
 17 You shall not need to fight in this battle, set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem, don't be afraid, nor be discouraged, tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you."
 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.
 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God and you'll be established, believe his prophets and you'll prosper."
 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, praise the Lord, for his mercy endures forever.
 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, who had come against Judah, and they were struck.
 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, completely to kill and destroy them, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other.
 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked to the multitude, and, see, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
 25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away, and they were three days in gathering the spoil, it was so much.
 26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord, therefore the name of the same place was called, the valley of Berachah, to this day.
 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the front of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
 28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of the Lord.
 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.
 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
 31 And Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah, he was thirty five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled twenty five years in Jerusalem.  And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
 32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn't depart from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
 33 But the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to the God of their fathers.
 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, see, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
 35 And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly,
 36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you've joined yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken your works."  And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

___2 Chronicles chapter 21
 1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.  And Jehoram his son ruled instead of him.
 2 And he had brothers the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah, all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
 3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah, but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
 4 Now when Jehoram had risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and killed all his brothers with the sword, and various also of the princes of Israel.
 5 Jehoram was thirty two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled eight years in Jerusalem.
 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife, and he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
 7 But the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons forever.
 8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
 9 Then Jehoram went out with his princes, and all his chariots with him, and he rose up at night, and struck the Edomites that surrounded, and the captains of the chariots.
 10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day.  At the same time also Libnah revolted from under his hand, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.
 11 Also he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah to that.
 12 And a writing came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus says the Lord God of David your father, because you haven't walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
 13 But have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers of your father's house, who were better than your,
 14 See, with a great plague the Lord will strike your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your goods,
 15 And you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness day by day."
 16 Also the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians,
 17 And they came up into Judah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
 18 And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
 19 And in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out because of his sickness, so he died of severe diseases.  And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
 20 He was thirty two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired.  But they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

___2 Chronicles chapter 22
 1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king instead of him, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the eldest.  So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah ruled.
 2 Ahaziah was forty two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled one year in Jerusalem.  His mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.
 4 So he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction.
 5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead, and the Syrians struck Joram.
 6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds that were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.  And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.
 7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram, for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
 8 And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he killed them.
 9 And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him, (for he was hidden in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu, and when they had killed him, they buried him, because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.  So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep the kingdom.
 10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she got up and destroyed all the royal descendants of the house of Judah.
 11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were killed, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom.  So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn't kill him.
 12 And he was with them hidden in the house of God six years, and Athaliah ruled over the land.

___2 Chronicles chapter 23
 1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.
 2 And they went around in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
 3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God.  And he said to them, "See, the king's son shall rule, as the Lord has said of the sons of David.
 4 This is the thing that you shall do, a third part of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors,
 5 And a third part shall be at the king's house, and a third part at the gate of the foundation, and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.
 6 But let no one come into the house of the Lord, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites, they shall go in, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord.
 7 And the Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand, and whoever else comes into the house, he shall be put to death, but be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out."
 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest didn't dismiss the courses.
 9 Also Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, who were in the house of God.
 10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king all around.
 11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put on him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king.  And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.
 12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord,
 13 And she looked, and, see, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught the singing of praise.  Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, "Treason, treason."
 14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said to them, "Take her out of range, and whoever follows her, let him be killed with the sword."  For the priest said, "Don't kill her in the house of the Lord."
 15 So they laid hands on her, and when she had come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they killed her there.
 16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord's people.
 17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the Lord by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.
 19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, so that no one who was unclean in anything would enter in.
 20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.
 21 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, after they had killed Athaliah with the sword.

___2 Chronicles chapter 24
 1 Joash was seven years old when he began to rule, and he ruled forty years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
 2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
 3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives, and he fathered sons and daughters.
 4 And after this, Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord.
 5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money from all Israel to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you hasten the matter."  But the Levites didn't hasten it.
 6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, "Why haven't you required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?"
 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God, and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow on Baalim.
 8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord.
 9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness.
 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and threw into the chest, until they had made an end.
 11 Now at the time the chest was brought to the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was a lot of money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again.  Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also those who made iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord.
 13 So the workmen worked, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in its state, and strengthened it.
 14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which containers were made for the house of the Lord, containers to minister, and to offer with, and spoons, and containers of gold and silver.  And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.
 15 But Jehoiada became old, and was full of days when he died, he was one hundred thirty years old when he died.
 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
 17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came, and made obeisance to the king.  Then the king listened to them.
 18 And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols, and anger came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
 19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to the Lord, and they testified against them, but they would not give ear.
 20 And the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God, why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you can't prosper?  Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you."
 21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.
 22 Thus Joash the king didn't remember the kindness that Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son.  And when he died, he said, the Lord look on it, and require it.
 23 And at the end of the year, the host of Syria came up against him, and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus.
 24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very large army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.  So they executed judgment against Joash.
 25 And when they had departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they didn't bury him in the tombs of the kings.
 26 And these are those who conspired against him, Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
 27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the repairing of the house of God, see, they are written in the story of the book of the kings.  And Amaziah his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 25
 1 Amaziah was twenty five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled twenty nine years in Jerusalem.  And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.
 3 Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants that had killed the king his father.
 4 But he didn't kill their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, "The fathers shall not die for the children, nor shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin."
 5 Also Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
 6 He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver.
 7 But a man of God came to him, saying, "O king, don't let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, specifically, with all the children of Ephraim.
 8 But if you will go, do it, be strong for the battle, God shall make you fall before the enemy, for God has power to help, and to throw down."
 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?"  And the man of God answered, "The Lord is able to give you much more than this."
 10 Then Amaziah separated them, specifically, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again, so their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led out his people, and went to the valley of salt, and struck of the children of Seir ten thousand.
 12 And the children of Judah carried away captive another ten thousand that were left alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
 13 But the soldiers of the army that Amaziah sent back, so that they wouldn't go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Bethhoron, and struck three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
 14 Now after Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them.
 15 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, "Why have you sought after the gods of the people, that could not deliver their own people out of your hand?"
 16 And as he talked with him, the king said to him, "Are you made of the king's counsel?  Stop, why should you be struck?"  Then the prophet stopped, and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my advice."
 17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us see one another in the face."
 18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thorn that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, give your daughter to my son as wife, and a wild beast passed by that was in Lebanon, and trampled the thistle.
 19 You say, see, you've struck the Edomites, and your heart lifts you up to boast.  Stay at home now, why should you meddle to your hurt, so that you'll fall, you, and Judah with you?"
 20 But Amaziah wouldn't listen, for it came of God, so that he would deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
 21 So Joash the king of Israel went up, and they saw each other in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, that belongs to Judah.
 22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
 23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, two hundred yards.
 24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the containers that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
 25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, see, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
 27 Now after the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent to Lachish after him, and killed him there.
 28 And they brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

___2 Chronicles chapter 26
 1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the office of his father Amaziah.
 2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
 3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to rule, and he ruled fifty two years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
 4 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
 5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
 6 And he went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities around Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
 7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that lived in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
 8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah, and his name spread around even to the entering in of Egypt, for he strengthened himself exceedingly.
 9 Also Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
 10 Also he built towers in the desert, and dug many wells, for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains, farmers also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel, for he loved farming.
 11 Also Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
 12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred.
 13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.
 14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and chain mail vests, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
 15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and on the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones with.  And his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped, 'til he was strong.
 16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
 17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of the Lord, that were valiant men,
 18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, "It doesn't pertain to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense, go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed, nor shall it be for your honor from the Lord God."
 19 Then Uzziah was angry, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.
 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and, see, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from there, yes, he himself hurried also to go out, because the Lord had struck him.
 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a several house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord, and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote.
 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial that belonged to the kings, for they said, he is a leper, and Jotham his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 27
 1 Jotham was twenty five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did, but he didn't enter into the temple of the Lord.  And the people still did corruptly.
 3 He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
 4 Also he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
 5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them.  And the children of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley.  So much did the children of Ammon pay to him, both the second year, and the third.
 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.
 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
 8 He was twenty five years old when he began to rule, and ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem.
 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 28
 1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to rule, and he ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem, but he didn't do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father,
 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also images cast in foundry for Baalim.
 3 Also he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the dirty things of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
 4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
 5 So the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria, and they struck him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus.  And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.
 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, who were all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.
 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
 9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "See, because the Lord God of your fathers was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.
 10 And now you intend to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bond women for you, but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
 11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, that you have taken captive of your brothers, for the fierce anger of the Lord is on you."
 12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,
 13 And said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here, for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, you intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass, for our trespass is great, and there is fierce anger against Israel."
 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
 15 And the men who were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and put shoes on them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers, then they returned to Samaria.
 16 At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.
 17 For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.
 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages from which, and Timnah with the villages of it, Gimzo also and the villages of it, and they lived there.
 19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he made Judah naked, and transgressed severely against the Lord.
 20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but didn't strengthen him.
 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but he didn't help him.
 22 And in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more against the Lord, this is that king Ahaz.
 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, who struck him, and he said, because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, so they will help me.  But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
 24 And Ahaz gathered together the containers of the house of God, and cut in pieces the containers of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
 25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.
 26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, but they didn't bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel, and Hezekiah his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 29
 1 Hezekiah began to rule when he was twenty five years old, and he ruled twenty nine years in Jerusalem.  And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.
 3 In the first year of his rule, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them.
 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
 5 And said to them, "Hear me, you Levites, make yourselves holy now, and make the house of the Lord God of your fathers holy, and carry the filthiness out of the holy place.
 6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done what was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs.
 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.
 8 So the anger of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as you see with your eyes.
 9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
 10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us.
 11 My sons, be not now negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that you should minister to him, and burn incense."
 12 Then the Levites got up, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel, and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah,
 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri, and Jeiel, and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah, and Mattaniah,
 14 And of the sons of Heman, Jehiel, and Shimei, and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
 15 And they gathered their brothers, and made themselves holy, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord.
 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord.  And the Levites took it, to carry it out into the brook Kidron.
 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to make holy, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the Lord, so they made the house of the Lord holy in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, we have cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the containers of it, and the showbread table, with all the containers of it.
 19 Also all the containers, that king Ahaz in his rule did cast away in his transgression, we have prepared and made holy, and, see, they are before the altar of the Lord.
 20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.
 21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah.  And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord.
 22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar, likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood on the altar, they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood on the altar.
 23 And they brought the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation, and they laid their hands on them,
 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood on the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
 25 And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet, for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets.
 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar.  And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded, and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
 29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
 30 Also Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer.  And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, now you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord.  And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a free heart, burnt offerings.
 32 And the number of the burnt offerings, that the congregation brought, was seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs, all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord.
 33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings, so their brothers the Levites did help them, 'til the work was ended, and until the other priests had made themselves holy, for the Levites were more upright in heart to make themselves holy than the priests.
 35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering.  So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order.
 36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people, for the thing was done suddenly.

___2 Chronicles chapter 30
 1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel.
 2 For the king had taken advice, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.
 3 For they couldn't keep it at that time, because the priests had not made themselves holy sufficiently, nor had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
 4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, for they had not done it of a long time the way that it was written.
 6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, "You children of Israel, turn again to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
 7 And don't be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as you see.
 8 Now don't be stiff necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has made holy forever, and serve the Lord your God, so that the fierceness of his anger will turn away from you.
 9 For if you turn again to the Lord, your brothers and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and won't turn away his face from you, if you return to him."
 10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh to Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
 11 But various of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.
 13 And many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
 14 And they got up and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and threw them into the brook Kidron.
 15 Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and made themselves holy, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.
 16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God, the priests sprinkled the blood, that they received from the hand of the Levites.
 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not made holy, therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the Passovers for everyone that was not clean, to make them holy to the Lord.
 18 For a multitude of the people, many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it was written.  But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "The good Lord pardon every one
 19 That prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he's not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary."
 20 And the Lord listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments to the Lord.
 22 And Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord, and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness.
 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, and a great number of priests made themselves holy.
 25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that lived in Judah, rejoiced.
 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
 27 Then the priests the Levites got up and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, to heaven.

___2 Chronicles chapter 31
 1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had completely destroyed them all.  Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
 2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.
 3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, specifically, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.
 4 Also he commanded the people that lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, so that they would be encouraged in the law of the Lord.
 5 And as soon as the commandment came around, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithe of all things they brought in abundantly.
 6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things that were consecrated to the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.
 7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
 8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.
 9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.
 10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty, for the Lord has blessed his people, and what is left is this great store.
 11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them,
 12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully, over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
 13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
 14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of the Lord, and the most holy things.
 15 And next to him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brothers by courses, as well to the great as to the small,
 16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, to everyone that enters into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses,
 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses,
 18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation, for in their set office they made holy themselves in holiness,
 19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, that were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.
 20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and did that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God.
 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

___2 Chronicles chapter 32
 1 After these things, and the establishment of it, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.
 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains that were outside the city, and they helped him.
 4 So many people were gathered together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the middle of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find a lot of water?"
 5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
 6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying,
 7 "Be strong and courageous, don't be afraid nor discouraged for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there are more with us than with him,
 8 With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles."  And the people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
 10 "Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, on what do you trust, that you stay in the siege in Jerusalem?
 11 Doesn't Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, the Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
 12 Hasn't the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, you shall worship before one altar, and burn incense on it?
 13 Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the people of other lands?  Were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of my hand?
 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers completely destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
 15 Now therefore don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you this way, nor believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers, how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?"
 16 And his servants spoke yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
 17 He wrote also letters to rail at the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand."
 18 Then they shouted with a loud voice in the Jews' speech to the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to make afraid them, and to trouble them, so that they would take the city.
 19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, like against the gods of the people of the earth, who were the work of the hands of man.
 20 And because of this Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and called to heaven.
 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria.  So he returned with shame of face to his own land.  And when he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword.
 22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.
 23 And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from from then on.
 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and prayed to the Lord, and he spoke to him, and he gave him a sign.
 25 But Hezekiah didn't give back according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was lifted up, therefore there was anger on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the anger of the Lord didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
 27 And Hezekiah had very much riches and honor, and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all kinds of pleasant jewels,
 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
 29 Also he provided himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him substance very much.
 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David.  And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
 31 But in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to test him, so that he would know all that was in his heart.
 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, see, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the best of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death.  And Manasseh his son ruled instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 33
 1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to rule, and he ruled fifty five years in Jerusalem,
 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like the dirty things of the heathen, whom the Lord had thrown out before the children of Israel.
 3 For he built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
 4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, about which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem my name shall be forever."
 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
 6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards, he made much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
 7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, about which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever,
 8 Nor will I anymore remove the foot of Israel from out of the land that I have appointed for your fathers, so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses."
 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.
 10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh, and to his people, but they would not listen.
 11 So the Lord brought on them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
 12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
 13 And prayed to him, and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.  Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.
 14 Now after this he built a wall outside the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, to the entering in at the fish gate, and surrounded Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
 15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
 16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed on it peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
 17 But the people sacrificed still in the high places, yet to the Lord their God only.
 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
 19 His prayer also, and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up groves and engraved images, before he was humbled, see, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house, and Amon his son ruled instead of him.
 21 Amon was twenty two years old when he began to rule, and ruled two years in Jerusalem.
 22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father, for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them,
 23 And didn't humble himself before the Lord, like Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but Amon trespassed more and more.
 24 And his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house.
 25 But the people of the land killed all of those who had conspired against king Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king instead of him.

___2 Chronicles chapter 34
 1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to rule, and he ruled in Jerusalem thirty one years.
 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
 3 For in the eighth year of his rule, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the images cast in foundry.
 4 And they broke down the altars of Baalim in his presence, and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down, and the groves, and the carved images, and the images cast in foundry, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strawed it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
 5 And he burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.
 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, to Naphtali, with their mattocks all around.
 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
 8 Now in the eighteenth year of his rule, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.
 9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, that the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and they returned to Jerusalem.
 10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that made in the house of the Lord, to repair and amend the house,
 11 To the craftsmen and builders gave they it, to buy cut stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.
 12 And the men did the work faithfully, and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward, and other of the Levites, all that were skillful with instruments of music.
 13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that made the work in any kind of service, and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
 14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses.
 15 And Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord."  And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
 16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, "All that was committed to your servants, they do it.
 17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen."
 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book."  And Shaphan read it before the king.
 19 And when the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,
 21 "Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found, for great is the anger of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book."
 22 And Hilkiah, and those who the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe, (now she lived in Jerusalem in the college,) and they spoke to her to that effect.
 23 And she answered them, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, tell the man that sent you to me,
 24 Thus says the Lord, see, I will bring evil on this place, and on the inhabitants of it, all the curses that are written in the book that they have read before the king of Judah,
 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, so that they would provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my anger shall be poured out on this place, and shall not be quenched.
 26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall you say to him, thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the words that you have heard,
 27 Because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, and humbled yourself before me, and tore your clothes, and weep before me, I have heard you also, says the Lord.
 28 See, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring on this place, and on the inhabitants of it."  So they brought the king word again.
 29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
 30 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small, and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.
 31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that are written in this book.
 32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it.  And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
 33 And Josiah took away all the dirty things out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God.  And all his days they didn't depart from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.

___2 Chronicles chapter 35
 1 Also Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
 2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord,
 3 And said to the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy to the Lord, "Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the son of David king of Israel built, it shall not be a burden on your shoulders, serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel,
 4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.
 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brothers the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites.
 6 So kill the Passover, and make yourselves holy, and prepare your brothers, so they'll do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses."
 7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the Passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks, these were of the king's substance.
 8 And his princes gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites, Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.
 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
 10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.
 11 And they killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
 12 And they removed the burnt offerings, so that they would give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses.  And they did so with the oxen.
 13 And they roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance, but the other holy offerings they sod in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people.
 14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night, therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.
 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer, and the porters waited at every gate, they didn't depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them.
 16 So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josiah.
 17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.
 18 And there was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet, neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
 19 In the eighteenth year of the rule of Josiah this Passover was kept.
 20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, "What do I have to do with you, king of Judah?  I don't come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war, for God commanded me to make haste, don't meddle with God, who is with me, so he doesn't destroy you."
 22 But Josiah wouldn't turn his face from him, but disguised himself, so he could fight with him, and didn't listen to the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah, and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am severely wounded."
 24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers.  And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and the singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel, and, see, they are written in the lamentations.
 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the Lord,
 27 And his deeds, first and last, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

___2 Chronicles chapter 36
 1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king instead of his father in Jerusalem.
 2 Jehoahaz was twenty three years old when he began to rule, and he ruled three months in Jerusalem.
 3 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
 4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim.  And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
 5 Jehoiakim was twenty five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled eleven years in Jerusalem, and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.
 6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the containers of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his dirty things that he did, and that which was found in him, see, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, and Jehoiachin his son ruled instead of him.
 9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to rule, and he ruled three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
 10 And when the year had expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly containers of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
 11 Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he began to rule, and ruled eleven years in Jerusalem.
 12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and didn't humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.
 13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God, but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning to the Lord God of Israel.
 14 Also all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much according to all the dirty things of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord that he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
 15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up at times, and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place,
 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and mistreated his prophets, until the anger of the Lord came up against his people, 'til there was no remedy.
 17 Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age, he gave them all into his hand.
 18 And all the containers of the house of God, large and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.
 19 And they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all the palaces of it with fire, and destroyed all the goodly containers of it.
 20 And those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,
 21 To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths, for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
 22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, so that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah would be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
 23 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.  Who is there among you of all his people?  The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up."

___Ezra chapter 1
 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, so that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah would be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
 2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build a house for him at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
 3 Who is there among you of all his people?  His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) that is in Jerusalem.
 4 And whoever remains in any place where he visits, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem."
 5 Then the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rose up, and the priests, and the Levites, with all of those whose spirit God had stirred up, to go up to build the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.
 6 And all of those who were around them strengthened their hands with containers of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
 7 Also Cyrus the king brought the containers of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods,
 8 Those Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
 9 And this is the number of them, thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, twenty nine knives,
 10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second sort four hundred ten, and a thousand other containers.
 11 All the containers of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred.  Sheshbazzar brought all these up with those of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

___Ezra chapter 2
 1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and came again to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city,
 2 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah.  The number of the men of the people of Israel,
 3 The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy two.
 4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy two.
 5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy five.
 6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred twelve.
 7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty four.
 8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty five.
 9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty.
 10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty two.
 11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty three.
 12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty two.
 13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty six.
 14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty six.
 15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty four.
 16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety eight.
 17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty three.
 18 The children of Jorah, an hundred twelve.
 19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty three.
 20 The children of Gibbar, ninety five.
 21 The children of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty three.
 22 The men of Netophah, fifty six.
 23 The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty eight.
 24 The children of Azmaveth, forty two.
 25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty three.
 26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty one.
 27 The men of Michmas, one hundred twenty two.
 28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty three.
 29 The children of Nebo, fifty two.
 30 The children of Magbish, one hundred fifty six.
 31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty four.
 32 The children of Harim, three hundred twenty.
 33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty five.
 34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty five.
 35 The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty.
 36 The priests, the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy three.
 37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty two.
 38 The children of Pashur, one thousand two hundred forty seven.
 39 The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
 40 The Levites, the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy four.
 41 The singers, the children of Asaph, one hundred twenty eight.
 42 The children of the porters, the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred thirty nine.
 43 The Nethinims, the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
 44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
 45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
 46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
 47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
 48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
 49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
 50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
 51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
 52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
 53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
 54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
 55 The children of Solomon's servants, the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
 56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
 57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
 58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety two.
 59 And these were those who went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they could not show their father's house, and their descendants, whether they were of Israel,
 60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty two.
 61 And of the children of the priests, the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name,
 62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found, therefore they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
 63 And the Tirshatha said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, 'til there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
 64 The whole congregation together was forty two thousand three hundred sixty,
 65 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty seven, and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
 66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty six, their mules, two hundred forty five,
 67 Their camels, four hundred thirty five, their asses, six thousand seven hundred twenty.
 68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord that is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place,
 69 They gave after their ability to the treasure of the work sixty one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
 70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

___Ezra chapter 3
 1 And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
 3 And they set the altar on its bases, for fear was on them because of the people of those countries, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening.
 4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required,
 5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of everyone that willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord.
 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord.  But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.
 7 They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters, and meat, and drink, and oil, to those of Zidon, and to those of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
 8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all of those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and older, began to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.
 9 Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God, the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.
 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
 11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks to the Lord, because he is good, for his mercy endures forever toward Israel.  And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
 12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, and many shouted out loud for joy,
 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

___Ezra chapter 4
 1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple to the Lord God of Israel,
 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God, as you do, and we do sacrifice to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who brought us up here."
 3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said to them, "You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves together will build to the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."
 4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
 5 And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, until the rule of Darius king of Persia.
 6 And in the rule of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his rule, they wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian language, and interpreted in the Syrian language.
 8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king like this:
 9 "Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the river, and at such a time.
 11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, to Artaxerxes the king, your servants the men on this side of the river, and at such a time.
 12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews that came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls of it, and joined the foundations.
 13 Be it known now to the king, that, if this city is built, and the walls set up again, then they won't pay toll, taxes, and custom, and so you shall damage the revenue of the kings.
 14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not right for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and certified to the king,
 15 So that search can be made in the book of the records of your fathers, so you'll find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time, for which cause was this city destroyed.
 16 We certify the king that, if this city is built again, and the walls of it set up, by this means you'll have no portion on this side of the river."
 17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that live in Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, "Peace, and at such a time.
 18 The letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
 19 And I commanded, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made rebellion against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river, and toll, taxes, and custom, were paid to them.
 21 Now give commandment to cause these men to stop, and that this city not be built, until another commandment shall be given from me.
 22 Take heed now that you don't fail to do this, why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?"
 23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to stop by force and power.
 24 Then the work of the house of God that is at Jerusalem stopped.  It remained halted until the second year of the rule of Darius king of Persia.

___Ezra chapter 5
 1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.
 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel rose up, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God that is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
 3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus to them, who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
 4 Then we said to them after this manner, what are the names of the men that make this building?
 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they could not cause them to stop, 'til the matter came to Darius, and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
 6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were on this side of the river, sent to Darius the king,
 7 They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus, "To Darius the king, all peace.
 8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, that is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes fast on, and prospers in their hands.
 9 Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
 10 We asked their names also, to certify you, so that we could write the names of their top men.
 11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, that a great king of Israel built and set up.
 12 But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to anger, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
 13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
 14 And the containers also of gold and silver of the house of God, that Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor,
 15 And said to him, take these containers, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.
 16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came, and laid the foundation of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and since that time until now has it been being built, and yet it is not finished.
 17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, that is there at Babylon, whether it is so, that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter."

___Ezra chapter 6
 1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the scrolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
 2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a scroll, and in it was a record thus written,
 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, "Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid, the height of it ninety feet, and the breadth of it ninety feet,
 4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber, and let the expenses be given out of the king's house,
 5 And also let the golden and silver containers of the house of God, that Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought back to the temple that is at Jerusalem, every one to place, and put them in the house of God.
 6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be far from there,
 7 Let the work of this house of God alone, let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.
 8 Also I make a decree what you shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that from the king's goods, from the taxes beyond the river, expenses immediately be given to these men, so they're not hindered.
 9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail,
 10 So they can offer sacrifices of sweet savors to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
 11 Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hung on it, and let his house be made a manure pile for this.
 12 And the God that has caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God that is at Jerusalem.  I Darius have made a decree, let it be done with speed."
 13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, they did so speedily.
 14 And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.  And they built, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, that was in the sixth year of the rule of Darius the king.
 16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
 17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
 18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
 19 And the children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
 20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
 21 And the children of Israel, who had come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, ate,
 22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

___Ezra chapter 7
 1 Now after these things, in the rule of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
 2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
 3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
 4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
 5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest,
 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given, and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God on him.
 7 And some of the children of Israel went up, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that was in the seventh year of the king.
 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.
 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
 11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.
 12 "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
 13 I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with you.
 14 Since you are sent by the king, and by his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God that is in your hand,
 15 And to carry the silver and gold, that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
 16 And all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God who is in Jerusalem,
 17 So that you can buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God who is in Jerusalem.
 18 And whatever shall seem good to you, and to your brothers, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.
 19 The containers also that are given you for the service of the house of your God, those deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
 20 And whatever more shall be necessary for the house of your God, that you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
 21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
 22 To a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven, for why should there be anger against the realm of the king and his sons?
 24 Also we certify you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, on them.
 25 And you, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, that is in your hand, set magistrates and judges, who'll judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of your God, and teach them that don't know them.
 26 And whoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment."
 27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem,
 28 And has extended mercy to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes.  And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

___Ezra chapter 8
 1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the rule of Artaxerxes the king.
 2 Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom, of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel, of the sons of David, Hattush.
 3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh, Zechariah, and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty.
 4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah, the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.
 6 Of the sons also of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.
 7 And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him eighty males.
 9 Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred eighteen males.
 10 And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred sixty males.
 11 And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
 12 And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred ten males.
 13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males.
 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we lived in tents three days, and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men, also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.
 17 And I sent them with commandment to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo, and to his brothers the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, so that they would bring to us ministers for the house of our God.
 18 And by the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen,
 19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty,
 20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims, all of them were expressed by name.
 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, "The hand of our God is on all those who seek him for good, but his power and his anger is against all of those who forsake him."
 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this, and he was entreated by us.
 24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,
 25 And weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the containers, the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered,
 26 I weighed to their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and silver containers an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents,
 27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams, and two containers of fine copper, precious as gold.
 28 And I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord, the containers are holy also, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.
 29 Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the rooms of the house of the Lord."
 30 So the priests and the Levites recorded the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the containers, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.
 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and lived there three days.
 33 Now on the fourth day, the silver and the gold and the containers were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites,
 34 By number and by weight of every one, and all the weight was written at that time.
 35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering, all this was a burnt offering to the Lord.
 36 And they delivered the king's commissions to the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side of the river, and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

___Ezra chapter 9
 1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, haven't separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their dirty things, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
 2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the people of those lands, yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass."
 3 And when I heard this thing, "I tore my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished."
 4 Then everyone that trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.
 5 And at the evening sacrifice I got up up from my heaviness, and having torn my garment and my mantle, I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to the Lord my God,
 6 And said, "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens.
 7 Since the days of our fathers we have been in a great trespass to this day, and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
 8 And now for a little space grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, so that our God will illuminate our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
 9 For we were bondmen, yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this?  For we have forsaken your commandments,
 11 That you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, the land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their dirty things, who have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
 12 Now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth forever, so that you'll be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.
 13 And after all that has come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this,
 14 Should we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these dirty things?  Wouldn't you be angry with us 'til you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant nor escaping?
 15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we remain still escaped, as it is this day, see, we are before you in our trespasses, for we can't stand before you because of this."

___Ezra chapter 10
 1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, crying and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great congregation of men and women and children assembled to him out of Israel, for the people cried a lot.
 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land, yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
 3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the advice of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the law.
 4 Arise, for this matter belongs to you, we also will be with you, be of good courage, and do it."
 5 Then Ezra got up, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word.  And they swore.
 6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the room of Johanan the son of Eliashib, and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water, for he mourned because of the transgression of those who had been carried away.
 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem,
 8 And that whoever wouldn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days.  It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month, and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, "You have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
 11 Now therefore make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives."
 12 Then all the congregation answered with a loud voice, "As you have said, so we must do.
 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside, nor is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all of those who have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges of them, until the fierce anger of our God for this matter has turned from us."
 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
 16 And the children of the captivity did so.  And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
 18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives, specifically, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
 19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.
 20 And of the sons of Immer, Hanani, and Zebadiah.
 21 And of the sons of Harim, Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
 22 And of the sons of Pashur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
 23 Also of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
 24 Of the singers also, Eliashib, and of the porters, Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
 25 Also of Israel, of the sons of Parosh, Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
 26 And of the sons of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
 27 And of the sons of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
 28 Of the sons also of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
 29 And of the sons of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
 30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab, Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
 31 And of the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
 33 Of the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
 34 Of the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
 38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
 39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
 41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
 43 Of the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
 44 All these had taken strange wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

___Nehemiah chapter 1
 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.  In the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
 3 And they said to me, "The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem also has been broken down, and the gates of it have been burned with fire."
 4 And when I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
 5 And said, "I beg of you, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for those who love him and observe his commandments,
 6 Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, so that you'll hear the prayer of your servant, that I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, that we have sinned against you, both I and my father's house have sinned.
 7 We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, that you commanded your servant Moses.
 8 Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, if you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations,
 9 But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them, though there were of you thrown out to the farthest part of the heaven, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
 10 Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.
 11 O Lord, I beg of you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name, and prosper, please, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."  For I was the king's cupbearer.

___Nehemiah chapter 2
 1 In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it to the king.  Now I had not been previously sad in his presence.
 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your countenance sad, since you are not sick?  This is nothing else but sorrow of heart."  Then I was very afraid,
 3 And said to the king, "Let the king live forever, why shouldn't my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and the gates of it are consumed with fire?"
 4 Then the king said to me, "For what do you make request?"  So I prayed to the God of heaven.
 5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, so I can build it."
 6 And the king said to me, (the queen also sitting by him,) "For how long shall your journey be?  And when will you return?"  So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time.
 7 Also I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, so they can convey me over 'til I come into Judah,
 8 And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace that pertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into."  And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me.
 9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters.  Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
 12 And I got up at night, I and a few men with me, nor did I tell any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem, nor was there any beast with me, except the beast that I rode on.
 13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, that were broken down, and the gates of it were consumed by fire.
 14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool, but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
 15 Then I went up at night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
 16 And the rulers didn't know where I went, or what I did, nor had I yet told the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
 17 Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we're in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the gates of it are burned with fire, come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, so we are no more a reproach."
 18 Then I told them of the hand of my God that was good on me, as also the king's words that he had spoken to me.  And they said, "Let us rise up and build."  So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you do?  Will you rebel against the king?"
 20 Then answered I them, and said to them, "The God of heaven will prosper us, therefore we, his servants, will arise and build, but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

___Nehemiah chapter 3
 1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate, they made holy it, and set up the doors of it, to the tower of Meah they made holy it, to the tower of Hananeel.
 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built.  And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
 3 But the sons of Hassenaah built the fish gate, who also laid the beams of it, and set up the doors of it, the locks of it, and the bars of it.
 4 And Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, repaired next to them.  And Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel repaired next to them.  And Zadok the son of Baana repaired next to them.
 5 And the Tekoites repaired next to them, but their nobles didn't put their necks to the work of their Lord.
 6 Also Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the old gate, they laid the beams of it, and set up the doors of it, and the locks of it, and the bars of it.
 7 And Melatiah the Gibeonite repaired next to them, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, to the throne of the governor on this side of the river.
 8 Uzziel the son of Harhaiah repaired next to him, of the goldsmiths.  Next to him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem to the broad wall.
 9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur repaired, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.
 10 And next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired, opposite his house.  And next to him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
 11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.
 12 And next to him Shallum the son of Halohesh repaired, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
 13 Hanun repaired the valley gate, and the inhabitants of Zanoah, they built it, and set up the doors of it, the locks of it, and the bars of it, and fifteen hundred feet on the wall to the dung gate.
 14 But the dung gate Malchiah the son of Rechab repaired, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem, he built it, and set up the doors of it, the locks of it, and the bars of it.
 15 But the gate of the fountain Shallun the son of Colhozeh repaired, the ruler of part of Mizpah, he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors of it, the locks of it, and the bars of it, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and to the stairs that go down from the city of David.
 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk repaired, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty.
 17 After him the Levites repaired, Rehum the son of Bani.  Next to him Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah repaired, in his part.
 18 After him their brothers repaired, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.
 19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua repaired, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armory at the turning of the wall.
 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
 21 After him Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz repaired another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.
 22 And after him the priests repaired, the men of the plain.
 23 After him Benjamin and Hashub repaired opposite their house.  After him Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah repaired by his house.
 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another piece, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, to the corner.
 25 Palal the son of Uzai, repaired opposite the turning of the wall, and the tower that lies out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison.  After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.
 26 Also the Nethinims lived in Ophel, to the place opposite the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lies out.
 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, opposite the great tower that lies out, to the wall of Ophel.
 28 From above the horse gate the priests repaired, everyone opposite his house.
 29 After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer opposite his house.  After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah repaired also, the keeper of the east gate.
 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah repaired, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece.  After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his room.
 31 After him Malchiah the goldsmith's son repaired to the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, opposite the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.
 32 And between the going up of the corner to the sheep gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

___Nehemiah chapter 4
 1 But when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry, and had great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
 2 And he spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing?  Will they fortify themselves?  Will they sacrifice?  Will they make an end in a day?  Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish that have been burned?"
 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, "That which they build, if a fox goes up, he shall topple their stone wall."
 4 "Hear, O our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach on their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity,
 5 And don't cover their iniquity, and don't let their sin be blotted out from before you, for they have provoked you to anger before the builders."
 6 So we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together to the half of it, for the people had a mind to work.
 7 But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry,
 8 And they all conspired together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
 9 But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
 10 And Judah said, "The strength of the bearers of burdens has decayed, and there is a lot of rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall."
 11 And our adversaries said, "They shall not know, nor see, 'til we come in the middle of them, and kill them, and cause the work to stop."
 12 And when the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times, "From all places from where you shall return to us they will be on you."
 13 Therefore I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them, remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses."
 15 And when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their advice to nothing, we all returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
 16 And from that time onward, half of my servants did the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the chain mail vests, and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, with those who loaded, everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
 18 For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so built.  And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
 19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, far from each other.
 20 Therefore, wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come to us there, our God shall fight for us."
 21 So we labored in the work, and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning 'til the stars appeared.
 22 Likewise at the same time I said to the people, "Let everyone with his servant lodge inside Jerusalem, so that in the night they'll be a guard to us, and work during the day."
 23 So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, except that everyone put them off for washing.

___Nehemiah chapter 5
 1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
 2 For some said, "We, our sons, and our daughters, are many, therefore we take up corn for them, so we can eat, and live."
 3 There were also some who said, "We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, so we can buy corn, because of the drought."
 4 There were also some that said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax, on our lands and vineyards.
 5 Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children, and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already, nor is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards."
 6 And I was very angry when I heard their complaint and these words.
 7 Then I consulted with myself, and I reprimanded the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, "You exact interest, everyone from his brother."  And I set a great assembly against them.
 8 And I said to them, "We, after our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, who were sold to the heathen, and will you sell your brothers?  Or shall they be sold to us?"  Then they were silent, and found nothing to answer.
 9 Also I said, "It is not good what you do, shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
 10 I likewise, and my brothers, and my servants, might exact from them money and corn, please, let us leave off this interest.
 11 Please restore to them, this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their houses, also one percent of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact from them."
 12 Then they said, "We will restore them, and will require nothing from them, so we will do as you say."  Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
 13 Also I shook my lap, and said, "So God also shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn't perform this promise, thus he'll shaken out, and emptied."  And all the congregation said, "Amen, and praised the Lord."  And the people did according to this promise.
 14 Also from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
 15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken from them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver, yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I didn't do so, because of the fear of God.
 16 Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, nor did we buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there to the work.
 17 Also there were at my table one hundred fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came to us from among the heathen that are around us.
 18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep, also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all kinds of wine, yet for all this I didn't require the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on these people.
 19 "Think on me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for these people."

___Nehemiah chapter 6
 1 Now when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though at that time I had not set up the doors on the gates,)
 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let's meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono."  But they thought to do me mischief.
 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so I can't come down, why should the work stop, while I leave it, and come down to you?"
 4 Yet they sent to me four times like that, and I answered them the same way.
 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
 6 And it said, "It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews think to rebel, which is why you build the wall, so you can be their king, according to these words.
 7 And you have also appointed prophets to preach about you at Jerusalem, saying, there is a king in Judah, and now it shall be reported to the king according to these words.  Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together."
 8 Then I sent to him, saying, "There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart."
 9 For they all made us afraid, saying, "Their hands shall be weakened from the work, so it won't be done."  "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."
 10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up, and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they will come to kill you, yes, in the night they'll come to kill you."
 11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee?  And who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life?  I will not go in."
 12 And see, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me, for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
 13 That's why he was hired, so I would be afraid, and do so, and sin, and so they would have matter for an evil report, so they could reproach me.
 14 "My God, think on Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear."
 15 So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty two days.
 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, and all the heathen that were around us saw these things, they were much thrown down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
 17 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
 18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and repeated my words to him.  And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

___Nehemiah chapter 7
 1 Now when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
 2 I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
 3 And I said to them, "Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them, and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be opposite his house."
 4 Now the city was large and great, but the people were few in it, and the houses had not been built.
 5 And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, so they could be reckoned by genealogy.  And I found a register of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and found written in it,
 6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city,
 7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.  The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this,
 8 The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy two.
 9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy two.
 10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty two.
 11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen.
 12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty four.
 13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty five.
 14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty.
 15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty eight.
 16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty eight.
 17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty two.
 18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty seven.
 19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty seven.
 20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty five.
 21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety eight.
 22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty eight.
 23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty four.
 24 The children of Hariph, an hundred twelve.
 25 The children of Gibeon, ninety five.
 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty eight.
 27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
 28 The men of Bethazmaveth, forty two.
 29 The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty three.
 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty one.
 31 The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty two.
 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty three.
 33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty two.
 34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty four.
 35 The children of Harim, three hundred twenty.
 36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty five.
 37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty one.
 38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty.
 39 The priests, the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy three.
 40 The children of Immer, one thousand fifty two.
 41 The children of Pashur, one thousand two hundred forty seven.
 42 The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
 43 The Levites, the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy four.
 44 The singers, the children of Asaph, one hundred forty eight.
 45 The porters, the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty eight.
 46 The Nethinims, the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
 47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
 48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,
 49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
 50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
 51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
 52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
 53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
 54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
 55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
 56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
 57 The children of Solomon's servants, the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
 58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
 59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
 60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety two.
 61 And these were those who went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they couldn't show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
 62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty two.
 63 And of the priests, the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
 64 These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found, therefore they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
 65 And the Tirshatha said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, 'til there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
 66 The whole congregation together was forty two thousand three hundred sixty,
 67 Beside their menservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty seven, and they had two hundred forty five singing men and singing women.
 68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty six, their mules, two hundred forty five,
 69 Their camels, four hundred thirty five, six thousand seven hundred twenty asses.
 70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the work.  The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred thirty priests' garments.
 71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand two hundred pounds of silver.
 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and sixty seven priests' garments.
 73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, lived in their cities, and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

___Nehemiah chapter 8
 1 And all the people gathered themselves together unanimously into the street that was before the water gate, and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that the Lord had commanded to Israel.
 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
 3 And he read in it before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, that they had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand, and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, (for he was above all the people,) and when he opened it, all the people stood up,
 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.  And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands, and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law, and the people stood in their place.
 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
 9 And Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God, don't mourn, nor cry."  For all the people cried, when they heard the words of the law.
 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing has been prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord, and don't be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for the day is holy, and don't be grieved."
 12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
 13 And on the second day the chief of the fathers of all the people were gathered together, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, to understand the words of the law.
 14 And they found written in the law that the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should live in booths in the feast of the seventh month,
 15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written."
 16 So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
 17 And all the congregation of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths, for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so.  And there was very great gladness.
 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God.  And they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the manner.

___Nehemiah chapter 9
 1 Now on the twenty fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with clothes of sackcloth, and earth on them.
 2 And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth of the day, and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.
 4 Then some of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, stood up on the stairs and cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.
 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and always, and blessed be your glorious name, who is exalted above all blessing and praise.
 6 You, even you, are Lord alone, you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are in it, the seas, and all that is in it, and you preserve them all, and the host of heaven worships you.
 7 You are the Lord the God, who chose Abram, and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham,
 8 And found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his descendants, and have performed your words, for you are righteous,
 9 And saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the red sea,
 10 And showed signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them.  So you got yourself a name, as it is this day.
 11 And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and their persecutors you threw into the deeps, like a stone into the mighty waters.
 12 Also you led them in the day by a cloudy pillar, and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go.
 13 You came down also on mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
 14 And made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses your servant,
 15 And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought water out for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promised them that they would go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
 16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and didn't listen to your commandments,
 17 And refused to obey, nor were mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage, but you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and didn't forsake them.
 18 Yes, when they had made them a calf cast in the foundry, and said, this is your God that brought you up out of Egypt, and had made great provocations,
 19 Yet you in your many mercies didn't forsake them in the wilderness, the pillar of the cloud didn't departed from them by day, to lead them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.
 20 You also gave your good spirit to instruct them, and didn't withheld your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.
 21 Yes, forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing, their clothes didn't grow old, and their feet didn't swell.
 22 Also you gave them kingdoms and nations, and divided them into corners, so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
 23 Their children also you multiplied like the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land, concerning which you had promised to their fathers, that they would go in to possess it.
 24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, so that they would do with them what they chose.
 25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, and olive yards, and fruit trees in abundance, so they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
 26 But they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and threw your law behind their backs, and killed your prophets who testified against them to turn them to you, and they made great provocations.
 27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them, and in the time of their trouble, when they called to you, you heard them from heaven, and according to your many mercies you gave them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
 28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before you, therefore you left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them, yet when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,
 29 And testified against them, so you could bring them again to your law, yet they dealt proudly, and didn't listen to your commandments, but sinned against your judgments, (which if a man does, he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
 30 Yet many years did you refrain from hurting them, and testified against them by your spirit in your prophets, yet they wouldn't give ear, therefore you gave them into the hand of the people of the lands.
 31 But for your great mercies' sake you didn't completely consume them, nor forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
 32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keeps covenant and mercy, don't let all the trouble seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
 33 But you are just in all that is brought on us, for you have done right, but we have done wickedly,
 34 Nor have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies, with which you testified against them.
 35 For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and fat land that you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
 36 See, we are servants this day, and for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good of it, see, we are servants in it,
 37 And it yields much increase to the kings whom you've set over us because of our sins, also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
 38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it, and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal to it."

___Nehemiah chapter 10
 1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah, these were the priests.
 9 And the Levites, both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,
 10 And their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
 13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
 14 The chief of the people, Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
 17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
 21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
 24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
 26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
 28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone having knowledge, and having understanding,
 29 They stuck to their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes,
 30 And that we would not give our daughters to the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons,
 31 And if the people of the land bring goods or any food on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day, and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
 32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God,
 33 For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
 34 And we drew straws among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law,
 35 And to bring the first fruits of our ground, and the first fruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the Lord,
 36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests that minister in the house of our God,
 37 And that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all kinds of trees, of wine and of oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God, and the tithes of our ground to the Levites, so that the same Levites would have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
 38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms, into the treasure house.
 39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, to the rooms, where are the containers of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers, and we will not forsake the house of our God.

___Nehemiah chapter 11
 1 And the rulers of the people lived at Jerusalem, the rest of the people also drew straws, to bring one of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to live in other cities.
 2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to live at Jerusalem.
 3 Now these are the chief of the province that lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah everyone lived in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.
 4 And at Jerusalem lived certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin.  Of the children of Judah, Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez,
 5 And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
 6 All the sons of Perez that lived at Jerusalem were four hundred sixty eight valiant men.
 7 And these are the sons of Benjamin, Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.
 8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.
 9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city.
 10 Of the priests, Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.
 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God.
 12 And their brothers that did the work of the house were eight hundred twenty two, and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,
 13 And his brothers, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and two, and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
 14 And their brothers, mighty men of valor, an hundred twenty and eight, and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.
 15 Also of the Levites, Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni,
 16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.
 17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah the second among his brothers, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
 18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty four.
 19 Also the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers that kept the gates, were one hundred seventy two.
 20 And the remainder of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
 21 But the Nethinims lived in Ophel, and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.
 22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha.  Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.
 23 For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.
 25 And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived at Kirjatharba, and in the villages from which, and at Dibon, and in the villages of it, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages of it,
 26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet,
 27 And at Hazarshual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages from which,
 28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages from which,
 29 And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields of it, at Azekah, and in the villages from which.  And they lived from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
 31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba lived at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,
 32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
 36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

___Nehemiah chapter 12
 1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
 4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
 5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.  These were the chief of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.
 8 Also the Levites, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers.
 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, were opposite them in the watches.
 10 And Jeshua fathered Joiakim, Joiakim also fathered Eliashib, and Eliashib fathered Joiada,
 11 And Joiada fathered Jonathan, and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.
 12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers, of Seraiah, Meraiah, of Jeremiah, Hananiah,
 13 Of Ezra, Meshullam, of Amariah, Jehohanan,
 14 Of Melicu, Jonathan, of Shebaniah, Joseph,
 15 Of Harim, Adna, of Meraioth, Helkai,
 16 Of Iddo, Zechariah, of Ginnethon, Meshullam,
 17 Of Abijah, Zichri, of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai,
 18 Of Bilgah, Shammua, of Shemaiah, Jehonathan,
 19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai, of Jedaiah, Uzzi,
 20 Of Sallai, Kallai, of Amok, Eber,
 21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah, of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
 22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers, also the priests, to the rule of Darius the Persian.
 23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
 24 And the chief of the Levites, Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.
 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
 27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi,
 29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem.
 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
 31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah on the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, from which one went on the right hand on the wall toward the dung gate,
 32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
 33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
 34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
 35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets, specifically, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,
 36 And his brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
 37 And at the fountain gate, that was opposite them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate eastward.
 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people on the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even to the broad wall,
 39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even to the sheep gate, and they stood still in the prison gate.
 40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me,
 41 And the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets,
 42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer.  And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy, the wives also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
 44 And at that time were some appointed over the rooms for the treasures, for the offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites, for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
 45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
 46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion, and they made holy holy things to the Levites, and the Levites made holy them to the children of Aaron.

___Nehemiah chapter 13
 1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people, and in it was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever,
 2 Because they didn't meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
 3 Now when they had heard the law, they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
 4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the room of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah,
 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the containers, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, that was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the offerings of the priests.
 6 But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem, for in the thirty second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king, and after certain days I obtained leave from the king,
 7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a room in the courts of the house of God.
 8 And it grieved me a lot, therefore I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room.
 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms, and I brought there again the containers of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
 10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, had fled everyone to his field.
 11 Then I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why has the house of God been forsaken?"  And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
 12 Then all Judah brought the tenth of the corn and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.
 13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah, and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brothers.
 14 "Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and don't wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices of it."
 15 In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading asses, as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, that they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, and I testified against them on the day on which they sold food.
 16 Men of Tyre also lived in it, who brought fish, and all kinds of goods, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?
 18 Didn't your fathers like that, and didn't our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city?  Yet you bring more anger on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."
 19 And when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened 'til after the Sabbath, and some of my servants set I at the gates, so that there would be no burden brought in on the Sabbath day.
 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
 21 Then I testified against them, and said to them, "Why do you lodge around the wall?  If you do so again, I will lay hands on you."  From that time on they didn't come any more on the Sabbath.
 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to make holy the Sabbath day.  "Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy."
 23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab,
 24 And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and couldn't speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons, or for yourselves.
 26 Didn't Solomon king of Israel sin by these things?  Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
 27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?"
 28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite, therefore I chased him from me.
 29 "Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites."
 30 Thus I cleansed them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, everyone in his business,
 31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits.  "Remember me, O my God, for good."

___Esther chapter 1
 1 Now in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus who ruled, from India to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty seven provinces,)
 2 In those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, that was in Shushan the palace,
 3 In the third year of his rule, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants, the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him,
 4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, one hundred eighty days.
 5 And when these days had expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace,
 6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble, the beds were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
 7 And they gave them drink in containers of gold, (the containers being different from each other,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
 8 And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelled, for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house that belonged to king Ahasuerus.
 10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look at.
 12 But queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains, therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.
 13 Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment,
 14 And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and who sat the first in the kingdom,)
 15 "What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?"
 16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, "Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
 17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad to all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, the king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn't go.
 18 Likewise the ladies of Persia and Media shall say this day to all the king's princes, who have heard about the deed of the queen.  Thus shall there arise too much contempt and anger.
 19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it's not altered, that Vashti comes no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she is.
 20 And when the king's decree that he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give their husbands honor, both to great and small."
 21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan,
 22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

___Esther chapter 2
 1 After these things, when the anger of king Ahasuerus had been appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.
 2 Then the king's servants that ministered to him said, "Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king,
 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, so they can gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, and let their things for purification be given them,
 4 And let the maiden that pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti."  And the thing pleased the king, and he did so.
 5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
 6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
 8 So when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was brought also to the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him, and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, who were appropriate to be given her, out of the king's house, and he preferred her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women.
 10 Esther had not shown her people nor her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it.
 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
 12 Now when every maiden's turn had come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been there twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women,)
 13 Then thus came every maiden to the king, whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house.
 14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines, she came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
 15 Now when it was Esther's turn, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed.  And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked at her.
 16 So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his rule.
 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
 18 Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast, and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
 20 Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like when she was brought up with him.
 21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were angry, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
 22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther the queen, and Esther certified the king of it in Mordecai's name.
 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out, therefore they were both hung on a tree, and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

___Esther chapter 3
 1 After these things king Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him.  But Mordecai didn't bow, nor did him reverence.
 3 Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, "Why do you transgress the king's commandment?"
 4 Now when they spoke daily to him, and he didn't listen to them, they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai didn't bow, nor did him reverence, then Haman was full of anger.
 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the people of Mordecai, so Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, the people of Mordecai.
 7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
 8 And Haman said to king Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered around and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from all people, nor do they keep the king's laws, therefore it is not for the king's profit to allow them.
 9 If it pleases the king, let it be written so that they'll be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
 10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
 11 And the king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you."
 12 Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written according to all that Haman had commanded to the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing of it, and to every people according to their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's ring.
 13 And the letters were sent by messengers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published to all people, so they would be ready for that day.
 15 The messengers went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace.  And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city Shushan was perplexed.

___Esther chapter 4
 1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and made a loud and a bitter cry,
 2 And came before the king's gate, for no one could enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
 3 And in every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and crying, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
 4 So Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her.  Then the queen was very grieved, and she sent clothing to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he wouldn't receive it.
 5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend on her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
 6 So Hatach went out to Mordecai to the street of the city, that was before the king's gate.
 7 And Mordecai told him about all that had happened to him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
 8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to explain it to her, and to charge her that she should go in to the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.
 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
 10 Again Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him commandment to Mordecai,
 11 "All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, so he can live, but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days."
 12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, "Don't think that you'll escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
 14 For if you completely remain silent at this time, then enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house shall be destroyed, and who knows whether you've come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
 15 Then Esther told them return Mordecai this answer,
 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and don't eat or drink three days, night or day, I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law, and if I die, I die."
 17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

___Esther chapter 5
 1 Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house, and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the gate of the house.
 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand.  So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
 3 Then the king said to her, "What do you want, queen Esther?  And what is your request?  It shall be given to you even to half of the kingdom."
 4 And Esther answered, if it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
 5 Then the king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, so he can do as Esther has said."  So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
 6 And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is your petition?  And it shall be granted you, and what is your request?  Even to half of the kingdom it shall be performed."
 7 Then Esther answered, "My petition and my request is,
 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said."
 9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he didn't stand up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
 10 But Haman restrained himself, and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
 12 Haman also said, "Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow I am invited to her also with the king.
 13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."
 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made seventy five feet high, and tomorrow speak to the king that Mordecai be hung on it, then go in merrily with the king to the banquet."  And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.

___Esther chapter 6
 1 On that night the king couldn't sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
 2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
 3 And the king said, "What honor and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this?"  Then the king's servants that ministered to him said, "Nothing has been done for him."
 4 And the king said, "Who is in the court?"  Now Haman had come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
 5 And the king's servants said to him, "See, Haman stands in the court."  And the king said, let him come in.
 6 So Haman came in.  And the king said to him, "What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?"  Now Haman thought in his heart, "To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?"
 7 And Haman answered the king, "For the man whom the king delights to honor,
 8 Let the royal clothing be brought that the king used to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and the royal crown that is set on his head,
 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, so they can array the man with it whom the king delights to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor."
 10 Then the king said to Haman, "Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, that sits at the king's gate, let nothing fail of all that you have spoken."
 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
 12 And Mordecai came back to the king's gate.  But Haman hurried to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened him.  Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom you have begun to fall, you won't prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him."
 14 And while they were yet talking with him, the king's chamberlains came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

___Esther chapter 7
 1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
 2 And the king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, "What is your petition, queen Esther?  And it shall be granted you, and what is your request?  And it shall be performed, even to half of the kingdom."
 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request,
 4 For we've been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to perish.  But if we had been sold for bondmen and bond women, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage."
 5 Then king Ahasuerus answered and said to Esther the queen, "Who is he, and where is he, that dares presume in his heart to do so?"
 6 And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman."  Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
 7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his anger went into the palace garden, and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
 8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine, and Haman had fallen on the bed on which Esther was.  Then the king said, "Will he force the queen also before me in the house?"  As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
 9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, "See also, the gallows seventy five feet high, that Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, stands in the house of Haman."  Then the king said, "Hang him on it."
 10 So they hung Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.  Then the king's anger was pacified.

___Esther chapter 8
 1 On that day king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jews' enemy to Esther the queen.  And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.
 2 And the king took off his ring, that he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai.  And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
 3 And Esther spoke again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
 4 Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther.  So Esther got up, and stood before the king,
 5 And said, "If it pleases the king, and if I've found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, that he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the king's provinces,
 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people?  Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"
 7 Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, "See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hung him on the gallows, because he laid his hand on the Jews.
 8 Write also for the Jews, as you like, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring, for the writing that is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, no man can reverse."
 9 Then the king's scribes were called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the twenty third day of it, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces that are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by messengers on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries,
 11 In which the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
 12 On one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, specifically, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published to all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
 14 So the news reporters that rode on mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment.  And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple, and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor.
 17 And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day.  And many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell on them.

___Esther chapter 9
 1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of it, when the king's commandment and his decree came close to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over those who hated them,)
 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hands on such as sought their hurt, and no man could withstand them, for the fear of them fell on all people.
 3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell on them.
 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces, for this man Mordecai grew greater and greater.
 5 Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they wanted to those that hated them.
 6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
 7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
 8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
 9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,
 10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, killed they, but on the spoil laid they not their hand.
 11 On that day the number of those that were killed in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
 12 And the king said to Esther the queen, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman, what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?  Now what is your petition?  And it shall be granted you, or what is your request further?  And it shall be done."
 13 Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according to this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hung on the gallows."
 14 And the king commanded that to be done, and the decree was given at Shushan, and they hung Haman's ten sons.
 15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men at Shushan, but on the prey they didn't lay their hands.
 16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed of their enemies seventy and five thousand, but they didn't lay their hands on the prey,
 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day of it, and on the fourteenth day, and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that lived in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions to each other.
 20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both near and far,
 21 To establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
 22 As the days in which the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month that was turned to them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day, that they should make themselves days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions to each other, and gifts to the poor.
 23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written to them,
 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them,
 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, that he devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hung on the gallows.
 26 So they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.  Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come to them,
 27 The Jews ordained, and took on themselves, and on their descendants, and on all such as joined themselves to them, so as it wouldn't fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year,
 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.
 30 And he sent the letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred twenty seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their descendants, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.

___Esther chapter 10
 1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the islands of the sea.
 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next to king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

___Job chapter 1
 1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and abstained from evil.
 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his day, and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and performed cleansing ceremonies, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.  Job did like that continually.
 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
 7 And the Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"  Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
 8 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is no one like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and abstains from evil?"
 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
 10 Haven't you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side?  You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
 11 But put out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."
 12 And the Lord said to Satan, "See, all that he has is in your power, only on himself don't put out your hand."  So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
 14 And a messenger came to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them,
 15 And the Sabeans fell on them, and took them away, yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
 16 While he was still speaking, someone else also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
 17 While he was still speaking, someone else also came and said, "The Chaldeans came in three bands, and fell on the camels, and have carried them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
 18 While he was still speaking, someone else also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
 19 And see, a great wind came from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead, and only I have escaped to tell you."
 20 Then Job got up, and tore his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped,
 21 And said, "I came out of my mother's womb naked, and naked shall I return there, the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."
 22 In all this Job didn't sin, nor blame God foolishly.

___Job chapter 2
 1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
 2 And the Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"  And Satan answered the Lord, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
 3 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is no one like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and abstains from evil?  And still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without reason."
 4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man will give all that he has for his life.
 5 But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face."
 6 And the Lord said to Satan, "See, he is in your hand, but don't kill him."
 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with severe boils from the sole of his foot to his crown.
 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat down among the ashes.
 9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still retain your integrity?  Curse God, and die."
 10 But he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speak.  What?  Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"  In all this Job didn't sin with his lips.
 11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they came everyone from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and didn't know him, they lifted up their voice, and wept, and they tore everyone his mantle, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven.
 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

___Job chapter 3
 1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
 2 And Job spoke, and said,
 3 "Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, there is a man child conceived.
 4 Let that day be darkness, let God not regard it from above, nor let the light shine on it.
 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it, let a cloud dwell on it, let the blackness of the day terrify it.
 6 As for that night, let darkness seize on it, let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
 7 See, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come in it.
 8 Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
 9 Let the stars of the twilight of it be dark, let it look for light, but have none, nor let it see the dawning of the day,
 10 Because it didn't shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from my eyes.
 11 Why didn't I die from the womb?  Why didn't I give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
 12 Why did the knees prevent me?  Or why the breasts that I should suck?
 13 For now I would have laid still and been quiet, I would have slept, then had I been at rest,
 14 With kings and counselors of the earth, that built desolate places for themselves,
 15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver,
 16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.
 17 There the wicked stop from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.
 18 There the prisoners rest together, they don't hear the voice of the oppressor.
 19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
 20 So is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
 21 Who long for death, but it doesn't come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
 22 Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?
 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?
 24 For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
 25 For the thing that I greatly feared has come on me, and that which I was afraid of has come to me.
 26 I was not in safety, nor did I have rest, nor was I quiet, yet trouble came."

___Job chapter 4
 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
 2 "If we try to commune with you, will you be grieved?  But who can withhold himself from speaking?
 3 See, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
 4 Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.
 5 But now it has come on you, and you faint, it touches you, and you're troubled.
 6 Is not this your fear, your confidence, your hope, and the uprightness of your ways?
 7 Remember, please, who ever perished, being innocent?  Or where were the righteous cut off?
 8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and plant wickedness, harvest the same.
 9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
 10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
 11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
 12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a little of it.
 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
 14 Fear came on me, and trembling, that made all my bones shake.
 15 Then a spirit passed before my face, the hair of my flesh stood up,
 16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form of it, an image was before my eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
 17 Shall mortal man be more just than God?  Shall a man be more pure than his maker?
 18 See, he put no trust in his servants, and his angels he charged with foolishness,
 19 How much less in those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?
 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening, they perish forever without any regarding it.
 21 Doesn't their excellence which is in them go away?  They die, even without wisdom."

___Job chapter 5
 1 "Call now, if there are any that will answer you, and to which of the saints will you turn?
 2 For anger kills the foolish man, and envy kills the silly one.
 3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
 4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, nor is there any to deliver them.
 5 Whose harvest the hungry eats up, and takes it out of the thorns, and the robber swallows up their substance.
 6 Although affliction doesn't comes out of the dust, nor does trouble spring out of the ground,
 7 Yet man is born to trouble, like the sparks fly upward.
 8 I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause,
 9 Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number,
 10 Who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields,
 11 To set up on high those that are low, so that those who mourn will be exalted to safety.
 12 He disappoints the devices of the crafty, so that their hands can't perform their enterprise.
 13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
 14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday like in the night.
 15 But he saves the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
 16 So the poor has hope, and iniquity stops her mouth.
 17 See, happy is the man whom God corrects, therefore don't despise the punishment of the Almighty,
 18 For he makes sore, and binds up, he wounds, and his hands make whole.
 19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven there shall no evil touch you.
 20 In famine he shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
 21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, nor shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
 22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh, nor shall you be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
 23 For you'll be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
 24 And you shall know that your tabernacle shall be in peace, and you shall visit your habitation, and shall not sin.
 25 You shall know also that your descendants shall be great, and yours offspring as the grass of the earth.
 26 You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of corn comes in in its season.
 27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, hear it, and know it for your good."

___Job chapter 6
 1 But Job answered,
 2 "Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea, therefore my words are swallowed up.
 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are inside me, the poison of which drinks up my spirit, the terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
 5 Does the wild ass bray when he has grass?  Or does the ox low over his fodder?
 6 Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt?  Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
 7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful food.
 8 Oh that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
 9 That it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
 10 Then I would yet have comfort, yes, I would harden myself in sorrow, let him not spare, for I have not concealed the words of the Holy one.
 11 What is my strength, that I should hope?  And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
 12 Is my strength the strength of stones?  Or is my flesh of brass?
 13 Isn't my help in me?  And has wisdom been quite driven from me?
 14 To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend, but he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
 15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, and like the stream of brooks they pass away,
 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and in which the snow is hidden,
 17 What time they grow warm, they vanish, when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
 18 The paths of their way are turned aside, they go to nothing, and perish.
 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
 20 They were confused because they had hoped, they came there, and were ashamed.
 21 For now you are nothing, you see my throwing down, and are afraid.
 22 Did I say bring to me?  Or, give a reward for me of your substance?
 23 Or, deliver me from the enemy's hand?  Or, redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue, and cause me to understand how I have erred.
 25 How forcible are right words!  But what does your arguing reprove?
 26 Do you imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of someone who is desperate, who are like wind?
 27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, and you dig a pit for your friend.
 28 Now therefore be content, look at me, for it is evident to you if I lie.
 29 Return, please, let it not be iniquity, yes, return again, my righteousness is in it.
 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue?  Can't my taste discern perverse things?"

___Job chapter 7
 1 "Is there not an appointed time to man on earth?  Aren't his days also like the days of a hireling?
 2 Like a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as a hireling looks for the reward of his work,
 3 So I am made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
 4 When I lie down, I say, when shall I arise, and the night be gone?  And I am full of tossings back and forth until the dawning of the day.
 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust, my skin is broken, and become repulsive.
 6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
 7 O remember that my life is wind, my eye shall no more see good.
 8 The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more, your eyes are on me, and I am not.
 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more.
 10 He shall return no more to his house, nor shall his place know him anymore.
 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that you set a watch over me?
 13 When I say, my bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,
 14 Then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions,
 15 So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
 16 I hate it, I would not live always, let me alone, for my days are vanity.
 17 What is man, that you should magnify him?  And that you should set your heart on him?
 18 And that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
 19 How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone 'til I swallow down my spittle?
 20 I have sinned, what shall I do to you, O you preserver of men?  Why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?
 21 And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity?  For now I shall sleep in the dust, and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be."

___Job chapter 8
 1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
 2 "How long will you speak these things?  And how long shall the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
 3 Does God pervert judgment?  Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
 4 If your children have sinned against him, and he has cast them away for their transgression,
 5 If you would seek to God at times, and make your supplication to the Almighty,
 6 If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
 7 Though your beginning was small, yet your end would greatly increase.
 8 For inquire, please, of the former age, and prepare yourself to the search of their fathers,
 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow,)
 10 Shall they not teach you, and tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
 11 Can the rush grow up without mire?  Can the flag grow without water?
 12 While it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other vegetable.
 13 So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite's hope shall perish,
 14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.
 15 He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand, he shall hold it tightly, but it won't endure.
 16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and sees the place of stones.
 18 If he destroys him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen you.
 19 See, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
 20 See, God will not cast away a perfect man, nor will he help the evil doers,
 21 'Til he fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing.
 22 They that hate you shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nothing."

___Job chapter 9
 1 Then Job answered,
 2 "I know it is so of a truth, but how should man be just with God?
 3 If he will contend with him, he can't answer him one of a thousand.
 4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
 5 Who removes the mountains, and they don't know, who overturns them in his anger.
 6 Who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble.
 7 Who commands the sun, and it doesn't rise, and seals up the stars.
 8 Who alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
 9 Who makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
 10 Who does great things past finding out, yes, and wonders without number.
 11 Lo, he goes by me, and I don't see him, he passes on also, but I don't perceive him.
 12 See, he takes away, who can hinder him?  Who will say to him, what are you doing?
 13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
 14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
 16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he had listened to my voice.
 17 For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
 18 He will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
 19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong, and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
 20 If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me, if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
 21 Though I were perfect, yet I would not know my soul, I would despise my life.
 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroys the perfect and the wicked.
 23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
 24 The earth has been given into the hand of the wicked, he covers the faces of the judges of it, if not, where, and who is he?
 25 Now my days are swifter than a post, they flee away, they see no good.
 26 They are passed away like the swift ships, like the eagle that hurries to the prey.
 27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself,
 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
 29 If I'm wicked, why then do I labor in vain?
 30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean,
 31 Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall hate me.
 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
 33 Neither is there any daysman between us, who can lay his hand on us both.
 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let his fear not terrify me,
 35 Then I would speak, and not fear him, but it is not so with me."

___Job chapter 10
 1 "My soul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint on myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
 2 I will say to God, do not condemn me, show me why you contend with me.
 3 Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and shine on the counsel of the wicked?
 4 Do you have eyes of flesh?  Or do you see like man sees?
 5 Are your days like the days of man?  Are your years as man's days,
 6 That you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?
 7 You know that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of your hand.
 8 Your hands have made me and fashioned me together around, yet you destroy me.
 9 Remember, I beg of you, that you have made me like the clay, and will you bring me into dust again?
 10 Haven't you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?
 11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have fenced me with bones and tendons.
 12 You have granted me life and favor, and your visitation has preserved my spirit.
 13 And these things you have hidden in your heart, I know that this is with you.
 14 If I sin, then you mark me, and you will not acquit me from my iniquity.
 15 If I am wicked, woe to me, and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.  I am full of confusion, therefore you see my affliction,
 16 For it increases.  You hunt me like a fierce lion, and again you showed yourself marvelous on me.
 17 You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me, changes and war are against me.
 18 Why then have you brought me out of the womb?  Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
 19 I would have been as though I had not been, I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
 20 Are not my days few?  Stop then, and let me alone, so I can take comfort a little,
 21 Before I go from where I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself, and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness."

___Job chapter 11
 1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
 2 "Shouldn't the multitude of words be answered?  And should a man full of talk be justified?
 3 Should your lies make men be silent?  And when you mock, shall no man make you ashamed?
 4 For you have said, my doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes.
 5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you,
 6 And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is!  Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.
 7 Can you by searching find out God?  Can you find out the Almighty to perfection?
 8 It is as high as heaven, what can you do?  Deeper than hell, what can you know?
 9 The measure of it is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
 10 If he cuts off, and shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder him?
 11 For he knows vain men, he sees wickedness also, will he not then consider it?
 12 For vain man would be wise, though man is born like a wild ass's colt.
 13 If you prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward him,
 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let wickedness not dwell in your tabernacles.
 15 For then shall you lift up your face without spot, yes, you shall be steady, and shall not fear,
 16 Because you shall forget your misery, and remember it as waters that pass away,
 17 And your age shall be clearer than the noonday, you shall shine forth, you shall be as the morning.
 18 And you shall be secure, because there is hope, yes, you shall dig around you, and you shall take your rest in safety.
 19 Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid, yes, many shall make suit to you.
 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be like the giving up of the ghost."

___Job chapter 12
 1 And Job answered,
 2 "No doubt but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
 3 But I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you, yes, who doesn't know such things as these?
 4 I am like one mocked by his neighbor, who calls on God, and he answers him, the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
 5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is like a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
 6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hand God brings abundantly.
 7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you, and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you,
 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you, and the fish of the sea shall declare to you.
 9 Who doesn't know in all these that the hand of the Lord has made this?
 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
 11 Doesn't the ear test words?  And the mouth taste its food?
 12 With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
 13 With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
 14 See, he breaks down, and it can't be built again, he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
 15 See, he withholds the waters, and they dry up, also he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
 16 With him is strength and wisdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his.
 17 He leads counselors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
 18 He looses the bonds of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
 19 He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
 20 He removes the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
 21 He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
 22 He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
 23 He increases the nations, and destroys them, he enlarges the nations, and restricts them again.
 24 He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man."

___Job chapter 13
 1 "Lo, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.
 2 What you know, I know also, I am not inferior to you.
 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
 4 But you are forgers of lies, you are all physicians of no value.
 5 O that you would completely be silent!  And it would be your wisdom.
 6 Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
 7 Will you speak wickedly for God?  And talk deceitfully for him?
 8 Will you accept his person?  Will you contend for God?
 9 Is it good that he should search you out?  Or as one man mocks another, do you so mock him?
 10 He will surely reprove you, if you secretly accept persons.
 11 Shall not his excellence make you afraid?  And his dread fall on you?
 12 Your remembrances are like ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
 13 Be quiet, let me alone, so I can speak, and let come on me what will.
 14 So do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
 15 Though he kills me, yet I will trust in him, but I will maintain my own ways before him.
 16 He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite shall not come before him.
 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
 18 See now, I have ordered my cause, I know that I shall be justified.
 19 Who is he that will plead with me?  For now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
 20 Only don't do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from you.
 21 Withdraw your hand far from me, and don't let your dread make me afraid.
 22 Then call , and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer me.
 23 How many are my iniquities and sins?  Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
 24 Why do you hide your face, and hold me for your enemy?
 25 Will you break a leaf driven back and forth?  And will you pursue the dry stubble?
 26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
 27 You put my feet also in the stocks, and look narrowly to all my paths, you set a print on the heels of my feet.
 28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumes, like a garment that is moth eaten."

___Job chapter 14
 1 "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
 2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down, he flees also like a shadow, and doesn't continue.
 3 And do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?  Not one.
 5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds so that he can't pass,
 6 Turn from him, so he can rest, 'til he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
 7 For there is hope of a tree, if it's cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch of it will not stop.
 8 Though the root of it grows old in the earth, and the stock of it dies in the ground,
 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
 10 But man dies, and wastes away, yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he?
 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up,
 12 So man lies down, and doesn't rise, 'til the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
 13 O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret, until your anger has passed, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
 14 If a man dies, shall he live again?  All the days of my appointed time will I wait, 'til my change comes.
 15 You shall call, and I will answer you, you will have a desire to the work of yours hands.
 16 For now you number my steps, don't you watch over my sin?
 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up my iniquity.
 18 And surely the mountain falling comes to nothing, and the rock is removed out of its place.
 19 The waters wear the stones, you wash away the things that grow out of the dust of the earth, and you destroy the hope of man.
 20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes, you change his countenance, and send him away.
 21 His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it, and they are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it about them.
 22 But his flesh on him shall have pain, and his soul inside him shall mourn."

___Job chapter 15
 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
 2 "Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
 3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk?  Or with speeches with which he can do no good?
 4 Yes, you throw off fear, and restrain prayer before God.
 5 For your mouth utters yours iniquity, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
 6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I, yes, your own lips testify against you.
 7 Are you the first man that was born?  Or were you made before the hills?
 8 Have you heard the secret of God?  And do you restrain wisdom to yourself?
 9 What do you know that we don't know?  What do you understand that is not in us?
 10 With us are both the gray headed and very aged men, much elder than your father.
 11 Are the consolations of God small with you?  Is there any secret thing with you?
 12 Why does your heart carry you away?  And what do your eyes wink at,
 13 That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
 14 What is man, that he should be clean?  And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
 15 See, he puts no trust in his saints, yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
 16 How much more dirty and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water?
 17 I will show you, hear me, and that which I have seen I will declare,
 18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it,
 19 To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
 20 The wicked man travails with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
 21 A dreadful sound is in his ears, in prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.
 22 He doesn't believes that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for by the sword.
 23 He wanders abroad for bread, saying, where is it?  He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
 24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail against him, like a king ready to the battle.
 25 For he stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty.
 26 He runs on him, on his neck, on the thick bosses of his bucklers,
 27 Because he covers his face with his fatness, and makes collops of fat on his flanks.
 28 And he dwells in desolate cities, and in houses that no man inhabits, which are ready to become heaps.
 29 He shall not be rich, nor shall his substance continue, nor shall he prolong the perfection of it on the earth.
 30 He shall not depart out of darkness, the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
 31 Let him that is deceived not trust in vanity, for vanity shall be his repayment.
 32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
 33 He shall shake off his unripe grape like the vine, and shall cast off his flower like the olive.
 34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
 35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepares deceit."

___Job chapter 16
 1 Then Job answered,
 2 "I have heard many such things, miserable comforters are you all.
 3 Shall vain words have an end?  Or what emboldens you that you answer?
 4 I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's place, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.
 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would asswage your grief.
 6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged, and though I refrain from doing, what am I eased?
 7 But now he has made me weary, you have made desolate all my company.
 8 And you have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me, and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face.
 9 He tears me in his anger, who hates me, he gnashes at me with his teeth, my enemy sharpens his eyes on me.
 10 They have gaped on me with their mouth, they have struck me on the cheek reproachfully, they have gathered themselves together against me.
 11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
 12 I was at ease, but he has broken me asunder, he has also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
 13 His archers surround me, he splits my reins in pieces, and doesn't spare, he pours out my gall on the ground.
 14 He breaks me with breach on breach, he runs on me like a giant.
 15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
 16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death,
 17 Not for any injustice in my hands, also my prayer is pure.
 18 O earth, don't cover my blood, and let my cry have no place.
 19 Also now, see, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
 20 My friends scorn me, but my eye pours out tears to God.
 21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!
 22 When a few years have come, then I shall go the way from where I shall not return."

___Job chapter 17
 1 "My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.
 2 Are there not mockers with me?  And doesn't my eye continue in their provocation?
 3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with you, who is he that will strike hands with me?
 4 For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you won't exalt them.
 5 He that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
 6 He has made me also a byword of the people, and before time I was like a tabret.
 7 My eye also is dim because of sorrow, and all my members are like a shadow.
 8 Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir himself up against the hypocrite.
 9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
 10 But as for you all, do you return, and come now, for I can't find one wise man among you.
 11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
 12 They change the night into day, the light is short because of darkness.
 13 If I wait, the grave is my house, I have made my bed in the darkness.
 14 I have said to corruption, you are my father, to the worm, you are my mother, and my sister.
 15 And where is now my hope?  As for my hope, who shall see it?
 16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust."

___Job chapter 18
 1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
 2 "How long will it be before you make an end of words?  Mark, and afterward we will speak.
 3 So are we counted as beasts, and reputed filthy in your sight?
 4 He tears himself in his anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you?  And shall the rock be removed out of his place?
 5 Yes, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.
 6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
 7 The steps of his strength shall be restricted, and his own counsel shall cast him down.
 8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks on a trap.
 9 The trap shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.
 10 The trap is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.
 11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
 12 His strength shall be hunger bitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
 13 It shall devour the strength of his skin, even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.
 14 His confidence shall be uprooted from his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
 15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his, sulphur shall be scattered on his habitation.
 16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
 17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.
 18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
 19 He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
 20 Those who come after him shall be astonished at his day, like those who went before were afraid.
 21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that doesn't know God."

___Job chapter 19
 1 Then Job answered,
 2 "How long will you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
 3 These ten times have you reproached me, you are not ashamed that you make yourselves strange to me.
 4 And if it's true that I've erred, my error remains with myself.
 5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach,
 6 Know now that God has overthrown me, and has surrounded me with his net.
 7 See, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, I cry out loud, but there is no judgment.
 8 He has fenced up my way so I can't pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.
 9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
 10 He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone, and he has removed my hope like a tree.
 11 He has also kindled his anger against me, and he counts me to him as one of his enemies.
 12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp around my tabernacle.
 13 He has put my brothers far from me, and my acquaintance are truly estranged from me.
 14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
 15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger, I am an alien in their sight.
 16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer, I entreated him with my mouth.
 17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children's sake of my own body.
 18 Yes, young children despised me, I got up, and they spoke against me.
 19 All my inward friends hated me, and they whom I loved have turned against me.
 20 My bone sticks to my skin and to my flesh, and I've escaped with the skin of my teeth.
 21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.
 22 Why do you persecute me like God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
 23 Oh that my words were now written!  Oh that they were printed in a book!
 24 That they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever!
 25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth,
 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God,
 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall see, and not another, though my reins are consumed inside me.
 28 But you should say, why do we persecute him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
 29 Be afraid of the sword, for anger brings the punishments of the sword, so you'll know there is a judgment."

___Job chapter 20
 1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
 2 "Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
 3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
 4 Don't you know this of old, since man was placed on earth,
 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
 6 Though his excellence mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the clouds,
 7 Yet he shall perish forever like his own dung, they who have seen him shall say, where is he?
 8 He shall fly away like a dream, and shall not be found, yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.
 9 The eye also that saw him shall see him no more, nor shall his place anymore see him.
 10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
 11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, that shall lie down with him in the dust.
 12 Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
 13 Though he spare it, and not forsake it, but keep it still within his mouth,
 14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of snakes within him.
 15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again, God shall cast them out of his belly.
 16 He shall suck the poison of snakes, the viper's tongue shall kill him.
 17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
 18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down, according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it.
 19 Because he has oppressed and has forsaken the poor, because he has violently taken away a house that he didn't build,
 20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
 21 There shall none of his food be left, therefore shall no man look for his goods.
 22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in difficulties, every hand of the wicked shall come against him.
 23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his anger on him, and shall rain it on him while he is eating.
 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
 25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body, yes, the glittering sword comes out of his gall, terrors are on him.
 26 All darkness shall be hidden in his secret places, a fire not blown shall consume him, it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
 27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
 28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his anger.
 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God."

___Job chapter 21
 1 But Job answered,
 2 "Hear my speech diligently, and let this be your consolation.
 3 Allow me that I may speak, and after that I have spoken, mock on.
 4 As for me, is my complaint to man?  And if it were so, why shouldn't my spirit be troubled?
 5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand on your mouth.
 6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.
 7 So do the wicked live, become old, yes, are mighty in power?
 8 Their descendants are established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
 9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God on them.
 10 Their bull genders, and doesn't fail, their cow calves, and doesn't throw her calf.
 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
 12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
 13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
 14 Therefore they say to God, depart from us, for we don't desire the knowledge of your ways.
 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?  And what profit should we have, if we pray to him?
 16 Lo, their good is not in their hand, the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
 17 How often is the candle of the wicked put out!  And how often does their destruction come on them!  God distributes sorrows in his anger.
 18 They are like stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away.
 19 God lays up his iniquity for his children, he rewards him, and he shall know it.
 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the anger of the Almighty.
 21 For what pleasure does he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the middle?
 22 Shall anyone teach God knowledge?  Seeing he judges those that are high.
 23 One dies in his full strength, being completely at ease and quiet.
 24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
 25 And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure.
 26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
 27 See, I know your thoughts, and the devices that you wrongfully imagine against me.
 28 For you say, where is the house of the prince?  And where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
 29 Haven't you asked those who go by the way?  And don't you know their tokens,
 30 That the wicked is reserved for the day of destruction?  They shall be brought forth to the day of anger.
 31 Who shall declare his way to his face?  And who shall repay him what he has done?
 32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
 33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, like there are innumerable before him.
 34 How then do you comfort me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains falsehood?"

___Job chapter 22
 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
 2 "Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise can be profitable to himself?
 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous?  Or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
 4 Will he reprove you for fear of you?  Will he enter with you into judgment?
 5 Isn't your wickedness great?  And your iniquities infinite?
 6 For you've taken a security deposit from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
 7 You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
 8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth, and the honorable man lived in it.
 9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
 10 Therefore traps are around you, and sudden fear troubles you,
 11 Or darkness, that you can't see, and abundance of waters cover you.
 12 Isn't God in the height of heaven?  And see the height of the stars, how high they are!
 13 And you say, how do God know?  Can he judge through the dark cloud?
 14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see, and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
 15 Have you marked the old way that wicked men have walked on?
 16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood,
 17 Who said to God, depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them?
 18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
 19 The righteous see it, and are glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
 20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
 21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace, by that good shall come to you.
 22 Please receive the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
 23 If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
 24 Then you'll store up gold like dust, and the gold of Ophir like the stones of the brooks.
 25 Yes, the Almighty shall be your defense, and you shall have plenty of silver.
 26 For then you shall have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.
 27 You shall make your prayer to him, and he shall hear you, and you'll pay your vows.
 28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you, and the light shall shine on your ways.
 29 When men are cast down, then you'll say, there is lifting up, and he shall save the humble person.
 30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent, and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands."

___Job chapter 23
 1 Then Job answered,
 2 "Even today my complaint is bitter, my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
 3 Oh that I knew where I could find him!  So that I could come to his seat!
 4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
 5 I would know the words that he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.
 6 Will he plead against me with his great power?  No, but he would put strength in me.
 7 There the righteous could dispute with him, so I would be delivered forever from my judge.
 8 See, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I can't perceive him,
 9 On the left hand, where he works, but I can't see him, he hides himself on the right hand, so I can't see him,
 10 But he knows the way that I take, when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
 11 My foot has held his steps, his way I have kept, and not declined.
 12 Nor have I gone back from the commandment of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
 13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him?  And what his soul desires, that's what he does.
 14 For he performs the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him.
 15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence, when I consider, I am afraid of him.
 16 For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me,
 17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, nor has he covered the darkness from my face."

___Job chapter 24
 1 "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
 2 Some remove the landmarks, they violently take away flocks, and feed of it.
 3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a security deposit.
 4 They turn the needy out of the way, the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
 5 See, like wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work, rising at times for a prey, the wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
 6 They reap everyone his corn in the field, and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
 7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
 8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
 9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a security deposit of the poor.
 10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry,
 11 Who make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
 12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn't lay foolishness to them.
 13 They are of those who rebel against the light, they don't know the ways of it, nor abide in the paths of it.
 14 The murderer rising with the light kills the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
 15 The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me, and disguises his face.
 16 In the dark they dig through houses, that they had marked for themselves in the daytime, they don't know the light.
 17 For the morning is to them like the shadow of death, if someone knows them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
 18 He is swift as the waters, their portion is cursed in the earth, he doesn't see the way of the vineyards.
 19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does the grave those who have sinned.
 20 The womb shall forget him, the worm shall feed sweetly on him, he shall be no more remembered, and wickedness shall be broken like a tree.
 21 He badly treats the barren that don't bear, and doesn't do good to the widow.
 22 He draws also the mighty with his power, he rises up, and no man is sure of life.
 23 Though it's given him to be in safety, on which he rests, yet his eyes are on their ways.
 24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low, they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off like the tops of the ears of corn.
 25 And if it is not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"

___Job chapter 25
 1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
 2 "Dominion and fear are with him, he makes peace in his high places.
 3 Is there any number of his armies?  And on whom does his light not arise?
 4 How then can man be justified with God?  Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
 5 Look at the moon, and it doesn't shines, yes, the stars are not pure in his sight.
 6 How much less man, that is a worm?  And the son of man, who is a worm?"

___Job chapter 26
 1 But Job answered,
 2 "How have you helped him that is without power?  How do you save the arm that has no strength?
 3 How have you counseled him that has no wisdom?  And how have you plentifully declared the thing as it is?
 4 To whom have you uttered words?  And whose spirit came from you?
 5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants of it.
 6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction has no covering.
 7 He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth on nothing.
 8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not torn under them.
 9 He holds back the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.
 10 He has surrounded the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
 11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reprimand.
 12 He divides the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through the proud.
 13 By his spirit he has garnished the heavens, his hand has formed the crooked serpent.
 14 Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him?  But the thunder of his power who can understand?"

___Job chapter 27
 1 Also Job continued his parable,
 2 "As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has vexed my soul,
 3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
 4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
 5 God forbid that I should justify you, 'til I die I will not remove my integrity from me.
 6 I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
 7 Let my enemy be like the wicked, and he that rises up against me as the unrighteous.
 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul?
 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?
 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty?  Will he always call on God?
 11 I will teach you by the hand of God, that which is with the Almighty I won't conceal.
 12 See, all of you have seen it, why then are you thus completely vain?
 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, that they shall receive from the Almighty.
 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, and his widows shall not weep.
 16 Though he heaps up silver like the dust, and prepares clothing like the clay,
 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
 18 He builds his house like a moth, and like a booth that the keeper makes.
 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered, he opens his eyes, and he is not.
 20 Terrors take hold on him like waters, a tempest steals him away in the night.
 21 The east wind carries him away, and he departs, and like a storm, hurls him out of his place.
 22 For God shall cast on him, and not spare, he would preferably flee out of his hand.
 23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place."

___Job chapter 28
 1 "Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they refine it.
 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is melted out of the stone.
 3 He sets an end to darkness, and searches out all perfection, the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
 4 The flood breaks out from the inhabitant, even the waters forgotten by the foot, they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
 5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread, and under it is turned up as if it were fire.
 6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
 7 There is a path that no fowl knows, and which the vulture's eye has not seen,
 8 The lion's whelps have not walked on it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
 9 He puts out his hand on the rock, he overturns the mountains by the roots.
 10 He cuts out rivers among the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing.
 11 He binds the floods from overflowing, and the thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.
 12 But where shall wisdom be found?  And where is the place of understanding?
 13 Man doesn't know the price of it, nor is it found in the land of the living.
 14 The depth says, it is not in me, and the sea says, it is not with me.
 15 It can't be gotten for gold, nor shall silver be weighed for the price of it.
 16 It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
 17 The gold and the crystal can't equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
 18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
 19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, nor shall it be valued with pure gold.
 20 From where then does wisdom come?  And where is the place of understanding?
 21 Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
 22 Destruction and death say, we have heard the fame of it with our ears.
 23 God understands the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
 24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven,
 25 To make the weight for the winds, and he weighs the waters by measure.
 26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
 27 Then he saw it, and declared it, he prepared it, yes, and searched it out.
 28 And to man he said, see, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding."

___Job chapter 29
 1 Also Job continued his parable,
 2 "Oh that I were like in months past, like in the days when God preserved me,
 3 When his candle shined on my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness,
 4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was on my tabernacle,
 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me,
 6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil,
 7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
 8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves, and the aged got up, and stood up.
 9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
 10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
 11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me,
 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me, my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
 15 I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.
 16 I was a father to the poor, and the cause that I didn't know I searched out.
 17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
 18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
 19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
 20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
 21 To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my advice.
 22 After my words they didn't answer, and my speech dropped on them.
 23 And they waited for me like for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide like for the latter rain.
 24 If I laughed at them, they didn't believed it, and the light of my countenance they didn't cast down.
 25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived like a king in the army, like one that comforts the mourners."

___Job chapter 30
 1 "But now those who are younger than I am have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
 2 Yes, to whom might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
 3 For want and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
 4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
 5 They were driven out from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief,)
 6 To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
 7 Among the bushes they brayed, under the nettles they were gathered together.
 8 They were children of fools, yes, children of base men, they were filthier than the earth.
 9 And now I am their song, yes, I am their byword.
 10 They hate me, they flee far from me, and don't spare to spit in my face.
 11 Because he has loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
 12 The youth rise on my right hand, they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
 13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
 14 They came on me like a wide breaking in of waters, in the desolation they rolled themselves on me.
 15 Terrors have been turned on me, they pursue my soul like the wind, and my welfare passes away as a cloud.
 16 And now my soul is poured out on me, the days of affliction have taken hold on me.
 17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season, and my tendons take no rest.
 18 By the great force of my disease my garment is changed, it ties me up like the collar of my coat.
 19 He has cast me into the mire, and I've become like dust and ashes.
 20 I cry to you, and you don't hear me, I stand up, and you don't regard me.
 21 You've become cruel to me, with your strong hand you oppose yourself against me.
 22 You lift me up to the wind, you cause me to ride on it, and dissolve my substance.
 23 For I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
 24 But he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
 25 Didn't I weep for him that was in trouble?  Wasn't my soul grieved for the poor?
 26 When I looked for good, then evil came to me, and when I waited for light, darkness came.
 27 My bowels boiled, and didn't rest, the days of affliction prevented me.
 28 I went mourning without the sun, I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
 29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
 30 My skin is black on me, and my bones are burned with heat.
 31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those who weep."

___Job chapter 31
 1 "I made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I think on a maid?
 2 For what portion of God is there from above?  And what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
 3 Is not destruction to the wicked?  And a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
 4 Do not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
 5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hurried to deceit,
 6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, so that God will know my integrity.
 7 If my step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot has split to my hands,
 8 Then let me plant, and let another eat, yes, let my offspring be uprooted.
 9 If my heart has been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor's door,
 10 Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on her.
 11 For this is a heinous crime, yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
 12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would uproot all my increase.
 13 If I despised the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me,
 14 What then shall I do when God rises up?  And when he visits, what shall I answer him?
 15 Didn't he that made me in the womb make him?  And didn't one fashion us in the womb?
 16 If I have kept the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
 17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it,
 18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb,)
 19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering,
 20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate,
 22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
 23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
 24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, you are my confidence,
 25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much,
 26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness,
 27 And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand,
 28 This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I would have denied the God that is above.
 29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him,
 30 Nor have I allowed my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
 31 If the men of my tabernacle didn't say, oh that we had of his flesh!  We can't be satisfied.
 32 The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors to the traveler.
 33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
 34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, so that I kept silence, and didn't go out of the door?
 35 Oh that one would hear me!  See, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.
 36 Surely I would take it on my shoulder, and tie it like a crown to me.
 37 I would declare to him the number of my steps, like a prince would I go near to him.
 38 If my land cries against me, or that the furrows likewise of it complain,
 39 If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused the owners of it to lose their life,
 40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley.  The words of Job are ended."

___Job chapter 32
 1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
 2 Then the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was kindled against Job, because he justified himself rather than God.
 3 Also against his three friends was his anger kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
 4 Now Elihu had waited 'til Job had spoken, because they were elder than he was.
 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his anger was kindled.
 6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are very old, so I was afraid, and didn't dare show you my opinion.
 7 I said, days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
 8 But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding.
 9 Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged understand justice.
 10 Therefore I said, listen to me, I also will show my opinion.
 11 See, I waited for your words, I gave ear to your reasons, while you searched out what to say.
 12 Yes, I attended to you, and, see, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words,
 13 So that you wouldn't say, we have found out wisdom, God thrusts him down, not man.
 14 Now he has not directed his words against me, nor will I answer him with your speeches.
 15 They were amazed, they answered no more, they left off speaking.
 16 When I had waited, (for they didn't speak, but stood still, and answered no more,)
 17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will show my opinion.
 18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me.
 19 See, my belly is like wine that has no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles.
 20 I will speak, so I can be refreshed, I will open my lips and answer.
 21 Please don't let me accept any man's person, nor let me give flattering titles to man.
 22 For I don't know how to give flattering titles, in so doing my maker would soon take me away."

___Job chapter 33
 1 "So, Job, please hear my speeches, and listen to all my words.
 2 See, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue has spoken in my mouth.
 3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
 5 If you can answer me, set your words in order before me, stand up.
 6 See, I am according to your wish in God's stead, I also am formed out of the clay.
 7 See, my terror shall not make you afraid, nor shall my hand be heavy on you.
 8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
 9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent, nor is there iniquity in me.
 10 See, he finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,
 11 He puts my feet in the stocks, he marks all my paths.
 12 See, in this you are not just, I will answer you, that God is greater than man.
 13 Why do you strive against him?  For he doesn't give account of any of his matters.
 14 For God speaks once, yes twice, yet man doesn't perceive it.
 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumberings on the bed,
 16 Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
 17 So that he can withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
 18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
 19 He is punished also with pain on his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain,
 20 So that his life hates bread, and his soul dainty meat.
 21 His flesh is consumed away, so it can't be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
 22 Yes, his soul draws near to the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
 23 If there's a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man his uprightness,
 24 Then he is gracious to him, and says, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.
 25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child's, he shall return to the days of his youth,
 26 He shall pray to God, and he will be favorable to him, and he shall see his face with joy, for he will render to man his righteousness.
 27 He looks at men, and if any says, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not,
 28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
 29 Lo, all these things God does often with man,
 30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
 31 Mark well, O Job, listen to me, be quiet, and I will speak.
 32 If you have anything to say, answer me, speak, for I desire to justify you.
 33 If not, listen to me, be quiet, and I shall teach you wisdom."

___Job chapter 34
 1 Furthermore Elihu said,
 2 "Hear my words, O you wise men, and give ear to me, you that have knowledge.
 3 For the ear tests words, like the mouth tastes meat.
 4 Let us choose for ourselves justice, let us know among ourselves what is good.
 5 For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my justice.
 6 Should I lie against my right?  My wound is incurable without transgression.
 7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water?
 8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men.
 9 For he has said, it profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
 10 Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding, far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
 11 For the work of a man he shall render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
 12 Yes, surely God will not do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert judgment.
 13 Who has given him a charge over the earth?  Or who has disposed the whole world?
 14 If he sets his heart on man, if he gathers to himself his spirit and his breath,
 15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return to dust.
 16 If now you have understanding, hear this, listen to the voice of my words.
 17 Shall he that hates right govern?  And will you condemn him that is most just?
 18 Is it fit to say to a king, you are wicked?  And to princes, you are ungodly?
 19 How much less to him that doesn't accept the persons of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor?  For they all are the work of his hands.
 20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away, and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
 21 For his eyes are on the ways of man, and he sees all his goings.
 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves.
 23 For he will not lay on man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God.
 24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their places.
 25 Therefore he knows their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
 26 He strikes them like wicked men in the open sight of others,
 27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways,
 28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he hears the cry of the afflicted.
 29 When he gives quietness, who then can make trouble?  And when he hides his face, who then can see him?  Whether it's done against a nation, or against a man only,
 30 So that the hypocrite doesn't rule, so that the people aren't ensnared.
 31 Surely it is right to be said to God, I've been punished, I won't not offend anymore,
 32 That which I don't see teach me, if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
 33 Should it be according to your mind?  He will repay it, whether you refuse, or whether you choose, and not I, therefore speak what you know.
 34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen to me.
 35 Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.
 36 My desire is that Job be tried to the end because of his answers for wicked men.
 37 For he adds rebellion to his sin, he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."

___Job chapter 35
 1 Elihu also said,
 2 "Do you think this to be right, that you said, my righteousness is more than God's?
 3 For you said, what advantage will it be to you?  And, what profit shall I have, if I'm cleansed from my sin?
 4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.
 5 Look to the heavens, and see, and see the clouds that are higher than you are.
 6 If you sin, what do you do against him?  Or if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?  Or what does he receive from your hand?
 8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit the son of man.
 9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed cry, they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
 10 But none says, where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night,
 11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
 12 There they cry, but none gives answer, because of the pride of evil men.
 13 Surely God will not hear vanity, nor will the Almighty regard it.
 14 Although you say you won't see him, yet judgment is before him, therefore trust in him.
 15 But now, because it is not so, he has visited in his anger, yet he doesn't know it in great extremity,
 16 Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain, he multiplies words without knowledge."

___Job chapter 36
 1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
 2 "Allow me a little, and I will show you that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
 3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.
 4 For truly my words shall not be false, he that is perfect in knowledge is with you.
 5 See, God is mighty, and doesn't despise any, he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
 6 He preserves not the life of the wicked, but gives right to the poor.
 7 He doesn't withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings they are on the throne, yes, he establishes them forever, and they are exalted.
 8 And if they are bound in fetters, and be held in cords of affliction,
 9 Then he shows them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
 10 He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.
 11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
 12 But if they don't obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
 13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up anger, they don't cry when he binds them.
 14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
 15 He delivers the poor in his affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.
 16 Even so would he have removed you out of the tight place into a broad place, where there is no restriction, and that which should be set on your table should be full of fatness.
 17 But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice take hold on you.
 18 Because there is anger, beware so that he doesn't take you away with his stroke, then a great ransom can't deliver you.
 19 Will he esteem your riches?  No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
 20 Don't desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
 21 Take heed, don't regard iniquity, for this have you chosen rather than affliction.
 22 See, God exalts by his power, who teaches like him?
 23 Who has enjoined him his way?  Or who can say, you have made iniquity?
 24 Remember that you magnify his work, that men see.
 25 Every man can see it, man can see it afar off.
 26 See, God is great, and we don't know him, nor can the number of his years be searched out.
 27 For he makes small the drops of water, they pour down rain according to the vapor of it,
 28 Which the clouds do drop and distil on man abundantly.
 29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
 30 See, he spreads his light on it, and covers the bottom of the sea.
 31 For by them judges he the people, he gives meat in abundance.
 32 With clouds he covers the light, and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between.
 33 The noise of it shows concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapor."

___Job chapter 37
 1 "At this also my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place.
 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goes out of his mouth.
 3 He directs it under the whole heaven, and his lightning to the ends of the earth.
 4 After it a voice roars, he thunders with the voice of his excellence, and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.
 5 God thunders marvelously with his voice, great things does he, that we can't comprehend.
 6 For he says to the snow, be on the earth, likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.
 7 He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men will know his work.
 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.
 9 Out of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold out of the north.
 10 By the breath of God frost is given, and the breadth of the waters is restricted.
 11 Also by watering he wearies the thick cloud, he scatters his bright cloud,
 12 And it is turned around by his counsels, so that they'll do whatever he commands them on the face of the world in the earth.
 13 He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
 14 Listen to this, O Job, stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
 15 Do you know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?
 16 Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
 17 How your garments are warm, when he quiets the earth by the south wind?
 18 Have you with him spread out the sky, that is strong, and as a looking glass cast in foundry?
 19 Teach us what we shall say to him, for we can't order our speech because of darkness.
 20 Shall it be told him that I speak?  If a man speaks, surely he shall be swallowed up.
 21 And now men don't see the bright light that is in the clouds, but the wind passes, and cleanses them.
 22 Fair weather comes out of the north, with God is terrible majesty.
 23 Touching the Almighty, we can't find him out, he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice, he will not afflict.
 24 Men do therefore fear him, he respects not any that are wise of heart."

___Job chapter 38
 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
 2 "Who is this that darkens advice by words without knowledge?
 3 Gird up now your loins like a man, for I will demand of you, and answer me.
 4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?  Declare, if you have understanding.
 5 Who has laid the measures of it, if you know?  Or who has stretched the line on it?
 6 On what are the foundations of it fastened?  Or who laid the cornerstone of it,
 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
 8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
 9 When I made the cloud the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,
 10 And broke up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
 11 And said, to here shall you come, but no further, and here shall your proud waves be stopped?
 12 Have you commanded the morning since your days, and caused the dayspring to know its place,
 13 So that it will take hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked will be shaken out of it?
 14 It is turned like clay to the seal, and they stand as a garment.
 15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
 16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea?  Or have you walked in search of the depth?
 17 Have the gates of death been opened to you?  Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
 18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth?  Declare if you know it all.
 19 Where is the way where light dwells?  And as for darkness, where is the place of it,
 20 That you should take it to the bound of it, and that you should know the paths to the house of it?
 21 Do you know it, because you were then born?  Or because the number of your days is large?
 22 Have you entered into the treasures of the snow?  Or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
 24 By what way is the light divided, that scatters the east wind on the earth?
 25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder,
 26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
 27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender vegetable to spring forth?
 28 Has the rain a father?  Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
 29 Out of whose womb came the ice?  And the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
 30 The waters are hidden like with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
 31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
 32 Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in its season?  Or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
 33 Do you know the ordinances of heaven?  Can you set the dominion of it in the earth?
 34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that abundance of waters will cover you?
 35 Can you send lightnings, so they'll go, and say to you, here we are?
 36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts?  Or who has given understanding to the heart?
 37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom?  Or who can stop the bottles of heaven,
 38 When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods split fast together?
 39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion?  Or fill the appetite of the young lions,
 40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
 41 Who provides for the raven his food?  When his young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of food."

___Job chapter 39
 1 "Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?  Or can you mark when the hinds calve?
 2 Can you number the months that they fulfill?  Or do you know the time when they bring forth?
 3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
 4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn, they go out, and don't return to them.
 5 Who has sent out the wild ass free?  Or who has loosed the bands of the wild ass?
 6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
 7 He scorns the multitude of the city, neither regards he the crying of the driver.
 8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
 9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve you, or abide by your crib?
 10 Can you bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow?  Or will he harrow the valleys after you?
 11 Will you trust him, because his strength is great?  Or will you leave your labor to him?
 12 Will you believe him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather it into your barn?
 13 Did you give the goodly wings to the peacocks?  Or wings and feathers to the ostrich?
 14 Who leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in dust,
 15 And forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
 16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers, her labor is in vain without fear,
 17 Because God has deprived her of wisdom, nor has he imparted to her understanding.
 18 At what time she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
 19 Have you given the horse strength?  Have you clothed his neck with thunder?
 20 Can you make him afraid like a grasshopper?  The glory of his nostrils is terrible.
 21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength, he goes on to meet the armed men.
 22 He mocks at fear, and is not afraid, nor does he turn back from the sword.
 23 The quiver rattles against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
 24 He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage, neither believes he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
 25 He says among the trumpets, ha, ha, and he smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
 26 Do the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
 27 Do the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest on high?
 28 She dwells and abides on the rock, on the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
 29 From there she seeks the prey, and her eyes see afar off.
 30 Her young ones also suck up blood, and where the dead are, she is there."

___Job chapter 40
 1 Also the Lord answered Job, and said,
 2 "Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him?  He that reprimands God, let him answer it."
 3 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
 4 "See, I am filthy, what shall I answer you?  I will lay my hand on my mouth.
 5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer, yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."
 6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
 7 "Gird up your loins now like a man, I will demand of you, and declare to me.
 8 Will you also annul my judgment?  Will you condemn me, so you can be righteous?
 9 Do you have an arm like God?  Or can you thunder with a voice like him?
 10 Deck yourself now with majesty and excellence, and array yourself with glory and beauty.
 11 Cast abroad the rage of your anger, and see everyone that is proud, and bring him low.
 12 Look at everyone that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place.
 13 Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret.
 14 Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.
 15 See now the elephant, which I made with you, he eats grass like an ox.
 16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
 17 He moves his tail like a cedar, the tendons of his stones are wrapped together.
 18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass, his bones are like bars of iron.
 19 He is the chief of the ways of God, he that made him can make his sword to approach to him.
 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
 21 He lies under the shady trees, in the covering of the reed, and fens.
 22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow, the willows of the brook surround him.
 23 See, he drinks up a river, and doesn't hurry, he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
 24 He takes it with his eyes, his nose pierces through traps."

___Job chapter 41
 1 "Can you draw out the whale with a hook?  Or his tongue with a cord that you let down?
 2 Can you put a hook into his nose?  Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
 3 Will he make many supplications to you?  Will he speak soft words to you?
 4 Will he make a covenant with you?  Will you take him for a servant forever?
 5 Will you play with him like with a bird?  Or will you bind him for your maidens?
 6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him?  Shall they divide him among the merchants?
 7 Can you fill his skin with barbed irons?  Or his head with fish spears?
 8 Lay your hand on him, remember the battle, do no more.
 9 See, the hope of him is in vain, shall not a man be thrown down even at the sight of him?
 10 None is so fierce that dares stir him up, who then is able to stand before me?
 11 Who has gone before me, so that I should repay him?  Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
 12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his attractive proportion.
 13 Who can discover the face of his garment?  Or who can come to him with his double bridle?
 14 Who can open the doors of his face?  His teeth are terrible all around.
 15 His scales are his pride, shut up together like with a close seal.
 16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
 17 They are joined to each other, they stick together, so that they can't be separated.
 18 When he sneezes a light shines, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
 19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
 20 Out of his nostrils goes smoke, like out of a seething pot or caldron.
 21 His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
 22 In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
 23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together, they are firm in themselves, they can't be moved.
 24 His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, as hard as a piece of the lower millstone.
 25 When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid, by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
 26 The sword of him that lays at him can't hold, the spear, the dart, nor the chain mail vest.
 27 He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
 28 The arrow can't make him flee, sling stones are turned with him into stubble.
 29 Darts are counted as stubble, he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
 30 Sharp stones are under him, he spreads sharp pointed things on the mire.
 31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot, he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
 32 He makes a path to shine after him, one would think the deep to be gray headed.
 33 On earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
 34 He sees all high things, he is a king over all the children of pride."

___Job chapter 42
 1 Then Job answered the Lord,
 2 "I know that you can do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from you.
 3 Who is he that hides counsel without knowledge?  Therefore I have uttered what I didn't understand, things too wonderful for me, that I didn't know.
 4 Hear, I beg of you, and I will speak, I will demand of you, and declare to me.
 5 I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
 6 So I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
 7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My anger is kindled against you, and against your two friends, for you haven't spoken about me the thing that is right, like my servant Job has.
 8 Therefore take to yourselves now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him I will accept, so that I don't deal with you after your foolishness, in that you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, like my servant Job."
 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did as the Lord commanded them, the Lord also accepted Job.
 10 And the Lord undid the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends, also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
 11 Then all his brothers came to him, and all his sisters, and all of those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house, and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought on him, every man also gave him a piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold.
 12 So the Lord blessed the end of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters.
 14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima, and the name of the second, Kezia, and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
 15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.
 16 After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.
 17 So Job died, being old and full of days.