Also, the altar of bronze that Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur had made, was there before the habitation of Yahweh, - so Solomon and the convocation sought it.

And God said unto Solomon, Because this was near thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, or the life of them that hate thee, nor even, many days, hast thou asked, - but hast asked for thyself, wisdom and knowledge, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king,

wisdom and knowledge, are granted unto thee, - moreover, riches and wealth and honour, will I give thee, such as the kings who were before thee did not possess, neither shall they who come after thee possess the like.

And the king made silver and gold in Jerusalem, like stones, and, cedars, made he like the sycomores that are in the lowland, for abundance.

And the horses which Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, - and a, company of royal merchants, used to fetch a drove, at a price;

lo! I, am about to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God, to hallow unto him - to burn before him sweet incense, and for a continual setting in array, and to offer ascending-sacrifices morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the appointed feasts of Yahweh our God,-age-abiding, is this law for Israel.

And, the house which I am about to build, must be great, - for great is our God, above all gods.

Now, therefore, send me a wise man, to work in gold and in silver and in bronze and in iron, and in purple and crimson and blue, and skilful to execute gravings, - with the wise men who are with me, in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom my father David did provide.

And send me - timbers of cedar, cypress and sandal-wood, out of the Lebanon, for, I, know that, thy servants, are skilful, to cut the timbers of Lebanon, - and lo! my servants shall be with thy servants:

So Solomon numbered all the men that were sojourners, who were in the land of Israel, after the numbering, wherewith David his father had numbered them, - and they were found to be - a hundred and fifty-three thousand and six hundred.

Then began Solomon, to build the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, in Mount Moriah, where he had appeared unto David his father, - -in the place which David had prepared, in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And he began to build, in the second month, on the second, in the fourth year of his reign.

And, these, are the things wherein Solomon was grounded for the building of the house of God, - The length, by cubits, in the first measure, was sixty cubits, and, the breadth, twenty cubits.

the wings of these cherubim, outspread, were twenty cubits, - and, they themselves, were standing upon their feet, and, their faces, were inward.

two pillars, and the bowls and the capitals on the top of the two pillars, and the two frames of checker work, to cover the two bowls of the capitals, which were on the top of the pillars;

and four hundred pomegranates, for the two frames,-two rows of pomegranates, for each frame, for covering the two bowls of the capitals, which were on the face of the pillars;

Yea Solomon made all the utensils which were for the house of God, - and the altar of gold, and the rubles, whereon was the Presence-bread;

and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the censers, of purified gold, - and the entrance of the house, the inner doors thereof for the holy of holies, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

and they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy utensils, that were in the tent, - the priests the Levites did bring them up.

And, King Solomon, and all the assembly of Israel who assembled themselves unto him, before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor could they be counted, for multitude.

for the cherubim were spreading forth two wings, over the place of the ark, - so that the cherubim formed a covering over the ark and over the staves thereof, from above.

And it came to pass, when the priests, came forth, out of the holy place, - for, all the priests who were present, had hallowed themselves, they had no need to observe the courses;

and, the Levites who were the singers, even all of them pertaining to Asaph, to Heman, to Jeduthun, and to their sons and to their brethren, arrayed in white linen, with cymbals and with harps and lyres, stood eastward of the altar, - and, with them, priests to the number of a hundred-and-twenty, blowing with trumpets,

then came it to pass, when the trumpeters and the singers were, as one, to make one sound to be heard in offering praise and giving thanks unto Yahweh - yea when they did lift on high the voice, with the trumpets and with the cymbals and with the instruments of song, yea in offering praise unto Yahweh - For he is good, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness, that, the house, was filled with the cloud of the glory of Yahweh;

From the day I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I made choice of no city, out of all the tribes of Israel, for building a house, where my Name might be, - neither made I choice of any man, to be chief ruler over my people Israel:

and said, O Yahweh! God of Israel, Not like unto thee, is there a god, in the heavens, or throughout the earth, - who keepest Covenant and Lovingkindness for thy servants who are walking before thee with all their heart:

Or, if thy people Israel be smitten before an enemy, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they turn, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication before thee, in this house,

When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, - and they shall pray towards this place, and shall confess thy Name, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them,

When there shall be, a famine, in the land, when there shall be, a pestilence, - when there shall be, blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar, - when their enemy shall besiege them in the land at their own gates-whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness;-

whatsoever prayer, whatsoever supplication, which any son of earth may have, or any of thy people Israel, - when any man shall come to know his plague, or his pain, and so he shall spread abroad his hands towards this house -

When thy people shall go forth to war against their enemies, whithersoever thou mayest send them, - and shall pray unto thee in the direction of this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name,

When they sin against thee - for there is no son of earth who sinneth not - and thou shalt be angry with them, and deliver them up before an enemy, - who shall carry them away as their captives into a land - far away or near;

And, the king and all the people, were offering sacrifice before Yahweh.

while, the priests, over their charges, were standing, the Levites also, with the instruments for the songs of Yahweh, which David the king had made, for giving thanks unto Yahweh, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness, when David offered praise by their means, - and, the priests, kept on blowing trumpets over against them, while, all Israel, were standing.

If I shut up the heavens that there be no rain, or if I lay command on the locust, to devour the land, - or if I send pestilence, amongst my people:

As for all the people that were left, of the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, who were not, of Israel; -

of their sons who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel had not utterly destroyed, Solomon enrolled them as tributary - unto this day.

But, of the sons of Israel, were there none whom he delivered up as bondmen unto his work, - for, they, were men of war, and his captains and his heroes, and captains over his chariots, and his horsemen.

These, moreover, were the chiefs of his officers whom King Solomon had, two hundred and fifty, - who wielded dominion over the people.

And, the daughter of Pharaoh, Solomon brought up, out of the city of David, unto the house which he had built for her, - for he said, A wife of mine must not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for holy are those places whereinto the ark of Yahweh hath come.

even according to the duty of each a day upon its own day, offering up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the appointed feasts, three times in the year, - in the festival of unleavened cakes and in the festival of weeks, and in the festival of booths;

neither departed they from the commandment of the king, concerning the priests and the Levites as to any duty, or as to the treasuries.

How happy! are thy men, and how happy! are these thy servants, - who are standing before thee continually, and hearing thy wisdom.

And the king made of the sandal-wood, stairs unto the house of Yahweh, and unto the house of the king, also lyres and harps, for the singers, - and there were none seen like them before, in the land of Judah.

Now, the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold;

besides what came in from the subjugated, and what the travelling merchants were bringing in, - and, all the kings of Arabia and the pashas of the land, were bringing gold and silver, unto Solomon.

and there were six steps to the throne, and a footstool in gold, unto the throne, made fast, and supports, on this side and on that, unto the seat, - and, two lions, standing by the supports;

And, all the drinking vessels of King Solomon, were of gold, and, all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were of purified gold, - there was no silver, it was esteemed, in the days of Solomon, as nothing.

And, all the kings of the earth, were seeking the face of Solomon, - to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart;

and, they, were bringing in every man his present - utensils of silver, and utensils of gold, and mantles, armour, and spices, horses and mules, - the need of a year in a year.

And the king made the silver in Jerusalem like the stones, - and, the cedar trees, made he like the sycomores which are in the lowland, for abundance.

Now, the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer, concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?

Thy father, made our yoke oppressive, - now, therefore, lighten thou somewhat the oppressive servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

But he declined the counsel of the old men, which they gave him, - and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who were standing before him.

Then spake with him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, Thus, shalt thou speak unto the people who have spoken unto thee saying, Thy father, made our yoke heavy, Thou, therefore, lighten somewhat our yoke, - Thus, shalt thou say unto them, My little finger, is thicker than my father's loins;

Now, therefore, my father, laid upon you a heavy yoke, but, I, will add to your yoke, - My father, chastised you with whips, but, I, with scorpions,

and spake unto them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father, made your yoke heavy, but, I, will add thereunto, - My father, chastised you with whips, But, I, with scorpions.

And, when, all Israel, saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying - What portion have, we, in David, or inheritance in the son of Jesse? Every man, to your homes, O Israel! Now, see to thine own house, O David! And all Israel departed to their homes.

Thus, saith Yahweh, Ye shall not go up neither shall ye fight against your brethren, return every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the words of Yahweh, and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

and Zorah, and Aijalon and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, - as fortified cities.

And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries.

And, after them - out of all the tribes of Israel, such as were setting their heart to seek Yahweh God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.

And so it came to pass, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, - because they had dealt treacherously against Yahweh; -

But, when he humbled himself, then turned from him the anger of Yahweh, that he would not destroy, to make an end, - moreover also, in Judah, there were some good things.

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, began Abijah to reign over Judah:

three years, reigned he in Jerusalem, and, the name of his mother, was Maacah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah, - and there was, war, between Abijah and Jeroboam.

And Abijah began the war with a force of heroes of war, four hundred thousand chosen men, - and, Jeroboam, set in array against him to battle, with eight hundred thousand chosen men, heroes of valour.

And there are gathered unto him vain men, sons of the Abandoned One, who emboldened themselves against Rehoboam son of Solomon,-when, Rehoboam, was young and tender of heart, and had not strengthened himself to meet them.

Now, therefore, ye, are thinking to strengthen yourselves against the kingdom of Yahweh, in the hand of the sons of David, - and, ye, are a great multitude, and, with you, are calves of gold, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.

But, as for us, Yahweh, is our God, and we have not forsaken him, - and, the priests who are waiting upon Yahweh, are sons of Aaron, with Levites in the work;

and they are making a perfume unto Yahweh, with ascending-sacrifices morning by morning, and evening by evening and an incense of sweet spices, and are putting in order bread upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with the lamps thereof, for lighting up evening by evening, for, observant, are we of the charge of Yahweh our God, - whereas, ye, have forsaken him.

And lo! with us as Head, is God himself, and his priests, and the trumpets of alarm, to sound an alarm against you, - O sons of Israel! do not fight against Yahweh God of your fathers, for ye shall not prosper.

But, Jeroboam, sent round an ambush, to come up from behind them, - so they were before Judah and, the ambush, did come up from behind them.

Thus were the sons of Israel subdued at that time, - and the sons of Judah prevailed, because they leaned upon Yahweh the God of their fathers.

And, the rest of the story of Abijah, both his ways and his words, - are written, in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

And he built cities of defence, in Judah, - for the land had quiet, nor was there near him any war, in these years, because Yahweh had given him rest.

Therefore said he to Judah, Let us build these cities, and let us surround them with walls and towers, doors and bars, while the land is yet before us, for we have sought Yahweh our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built, and prospered.

And it came to pass that, Asa, had a force bearing shield and spear, out of Judah, three hundred thousand, and, out of Benjamin, such as bare a buckler and trode a bow, two hundred and eighty thousand, - all these, were heroes of valour.

And Asa went out to meet him, - and they set in array for battle, in the valley of Zaphonah, at Mareshah.

Then Asa cried out unto Yahweh his God, and said, O Yahweh, it is, nothing with thee, to help whether with many or with such as have no strength. Help us, O Yahweh our God, for, on thee, do we lean, and, in thy name, have we come against this multitude, - O Yahweh! our God, thou art, let not, weak man, have power against thee.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued as far as to Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell, so that there was no way for them to recover, for they were routed before Yahweh, and before him host, - and they carried away exceeding much spoil.

So he went forth to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear me, O Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, - Yahweh, is with you, so long as ye are with him, and, if ye seek him, he will be found of you, but, if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

And, in those times, there had been no prosperity, to him that went out nor to him that came in, - for, great consternations, were upon all the inhabitants of the lands;

and they were beaten in pieces-nation against nation, and city against city, - for, God, discomfited them with all manner of distress.

Ye, therefore, be strong, and let not your hands be slack, - for there is a reward for your work!

So they gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem, in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

and, whosoever would not seek unto Yahweh God of Israel, should be put to death, - whether small or great, whether man or woman.

But, the high places, were not taken away out of Israel, - only, the heart of Asa, was perfect, all his days.

And, war, was there none, - until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, - that he might let none come out or go in, unto Asa king of Judah.

Were not, the Ethiopians and the Lybians, a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because thou didst lean upon Yahweh, he delivered them into thy hand.

For, as touching Yahweh, seeing that , his eyes, are ever running to and fro throughout all the earth, to shew himself strong with them who are perfect toward himself, thou hast made thyself foolish over this, - for, from henceforth, there shall be with thee - wars.

And Asa became diseased - in the thirty-ninth year of his reign - in his feet, exceedingly severe, was his disease, - yet, even in his disease, he sought not Yahweh, but unto physicians.

And Asa slept with his fathers, - yea he died in the forty-first year of his reign;

And, in the third year of his reign, he sent to his rulers, even to Ben-hail and to Obadiah and to Zechariah, and to Nethanel, and to Micaiah, - that they were to teach throughout the cities of Judah;

And it came to pass, that, the dread of Yahweh, was upon all the kingdoms of the countries, that were round about Judah, - and they warred not against Jehoshaphat.

And, from among the Philistines, were they bringing in unto Jehoshaphat a present, and silver as tribute, - even the Arabians, were bringing in unto him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats.

and, much business, had he, throughout the cities of Judah, - but, the men of war, the heroes of valour, were in Jerusalem.

And, these, are the numbers of them, by their ancestral house, - To Judah, pertained rulers of thousands, Adnah the chief, and, with him, mighty men of valour, three hundred thousand;

and, under his direction, Jehozabad, - and, with him, a hundred and eighty thousand, equipped for war.