send me now therefore a cunning man to work in gold, silver, brass, iron, scarlet, crimson and Jacinth colour, and that can skill to grave, to be with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, which David my father did prepare.

And the king made of the Algum wood stairs for the house of the LORD and in the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers. And there was no such wood seen before in the land of Judah.

so that Rehoboam reigned over no more of the children of Israel than dwelt in the cities of Judah.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin to the number of nine score thousand choice men of war to fight with Israel, for to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

"Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel that are in Judah, and to Benjamin, and say,

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built strong cities in Judah:

Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron: Which were the strong cities of Judah and Benjamin.

And he ordained in all cities shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And so Judah and Benjamin were under him.

Insomuch that the Levites left their suburbs and possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering unto the LORD.

And so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon mighty three years long - for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

And he played wisely and scattered of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin in every strong city. And he gave them abundance of victuals, and asked many wives.

And they took the strong cities that were in Judah and came to Jerusalem.

Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam and to the lords of Judah that were gathered to Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye have left me, and therefore will I leave you also in the hands of Shishak.'"

And so because he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, and destroyed not all together. And thereto there were many good things yet in Judah.

The eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah,

But for all that, Jeroboam sent men privily above to come behind upon them: and so they were before Judah, and the layers in wait were behind them.

And when Judah turned and saw the battle behind and before, they cried unto the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets

and the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into the hands of Judah.

And so the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed: because they leaned unto the LORD God of their fathers.

and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do according to the law and commandment.

And he put away out of all the cities of Judah, the hill altars and the idols: for the kingdom was quiet before him.

And he built strong cities in Judah: because the land was in rest, and he had no war in those year. For the LORD had given him rest.

And therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and compass them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while we have the land quiet. For we have sought the LORD our God: and because we have sought him, he hath given us rest on every side." And so they built and prospered.

And Asa had an army that bare shield and spear, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin that bare shield and drew bows two hundred and eighty thousand, and were all strong men.

And the LORD smote the black Moors before Asa and Judah, that they fled.

And he went out against Asa and said to him, "Hear me Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you, while ye be with him, and if ye shall seek him, he will be found of you: but and if ye shall forsake him, he will forsake you.

When Asa heard those words and the prophecy of Azariah the son of Obed the Prophet, he took courage and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he won in mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD that was before the porch of the LORD.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon. For there fell many to him out of Israel, when they saw that God was with him.

And all Judah rejoiced in the oath, for they had sworn with all their hearts, and sought him with all their lust, and he was found of them. And the LORD gave them rest round about.

In the thirty sixth year of the reign of Asa, came Baasha king of Israel against Judah and built Ramah - to the intent that he would let none that pertained to Asa king of Judah have passage in and out.

And then Asa the king took all Judah and carried away and stones and timber of Ramah wherewith Baasha was a-building: and he built therewith Geba and Mizphah.

At that same time, Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because thou trustedest in the king of Syria, and trustest not in the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

The deeds of Asa both first, and last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And he put soldiers in all the strong cities of Judah, and set rulers both in the land of Judah and also in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had won.

Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought him presents, that he became exceeding rich and glorious.

And his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD, and he put down yet more of the hill altars and groves out of Judah.

And the third year of his reign he sent, of his lords: Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah:

And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, that they durst not war with Jehoshaphat.

And so Jehoshaphat prospered and grew up on high. And he built, in Judah, castles and store cities.

And he had great substance in the cities of Judah, and fighting men and men of might in Jerusalem.

And this is the order in the houses of their fathers, of the captains over thousands in Judah: Adnah the captain, and with him of fighting men three hundred thousand.

These waited on the king, besides those which the king had put in strong cities throughout all Judah.

And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth in Gilead?" And he answered him, "I will be as thou, and my people shall be as thine and we will be with thee in the war."

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his seat in their apparel, in a threshing floor beside the gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophesying before them.

And Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned to his house, safe and sound, to Jerusalem.

And he set judges in the land, throughout all the strong cities of Judah, city by city,

And see here, Amariah the priest which is head over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, a ruler in the house of Judah, he is over all causes concerning the king, with officers of the Levites before you. Take courage to you and go upon it, and the LORD shall be with the good."

And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed fasting throughout all Judah.

And Judah gathered themselves together to ask counsel of the LORD. And thereto there came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD before the new court

And as all Judah stood before the LORD with their young ones, their wives and their children:

And he said, "Hearken all Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem, and also king Jehoshaphat! Thus sayeth the LORD unto you: 'Be not afeard or faint hearted by reason of this great multitude. For the war is not yours, but God's.

Moreover, it belongeth not to you for to fight this quarrel: but step forth and stand and behold the help of the LORD which is with you: fear not, nor let your heart fail you, O ye of Judah and of Jerusalem. Tomorrow go out to them: for the LORD is with you."

And Jehoshaphat bowed himself with his face to the city, and all Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, to bow themselves unto the LORD.

And so they arose early in the morning and gat them out unto the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they went out Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and the inhabiters of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and so shall ye continue: and believe his prophets and so shall ye prosper."

And when Judah came to Mizphah in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude. And behold, they were dead carcasses fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

And so all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned and Jehoshaphat among the thickest of them, for to go again to Jerusalem with gladness: for the LORD had made them to rejoice of their enemies.

And Jehoshaphat reigned upon Judah, and was thirty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, which was a wicked doer.

which Jehoram had other brethren, sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.

And their father gave them many great gifts in silver, gold and other precious things with strong cities in Judah: but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the eldest.

In his days the Edomites departed from under the hand of Judah and made them a king.

And so Edom departed from under the hand of Judah unto this day. That same time also did Libnah depart from under his power, because he left the LORD God of his fathers.

Moreover, he made hill altars in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabiters of Jerusalem to commit adultery, and he thrust Judah out of the way.

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, of this tenor: "Thus sayeth the LORD God of David thy father: 'Because thou walkedst not in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father and in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

but walkedst in the ways of Asa king of Israel and hast made Judah and the dwellers of Jerusalem go a-whoring, like to the whoring of the house of Ahab, and hast thereto slain thy brethren that were thy father's house, which were better than thou:

Which came against Judah and all to tare the land, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and thereto his sons and his wives: so that there was never a son left him save Jehoahaz his youngest son.

And the inhabiters of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: For the men of war that came with the Arabians in the host had slain all his elder sons. And so Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah, was made king.

Wherefore he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which were given him at Ramoth, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was diseased.

And as Jehu was executing justice upon the house of Ahab. He found the lords of Judah and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah that waited on Ahaziah, and he slew them.

For Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah, when she saw her son was dead, arose and destroyed all the seed of the kingdom of the house of Judah.

And they went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah and the ancient heads of Israel: and they came to Jerusalem.

And the Levites and all Judah did in all things as Jehoiada the priest commanded, and took every man his men: both them that came in and them that went out the Sabbath day: for Jehoiada the priest did let none of the companies depart.

And upon that he gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out through the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel silver, to strengthen the house of your God, year by year, and see that ye haste the thing." Howbeit, the Levites were slack.

Then the king called Jehoiada that was the chiefest, and said to him, "Why requirest thou not of the Levites to bring in, out of Judah and Jerusalem the sum appointed by Moses the servant of the LORD, and by the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?"

and made proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring in to the LORD the taxation of Moses the servant of God, which he set upon Israel in the wilderness.

And after the death of Jehoiada, came the lords of Judah and made obeisance to the king. And then he hearkened unto them.

And so they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and Images. And then came there wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem, for this their trespasses' sake.

And when the year was out, the host of the Syrians came against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the lords of the people from among the people and sent all the spoil of them unto the king to Damascus.

And Amaziah gathered Judah together and made captains over thousands and over hundreds in the houses of their fathers throughout all Judah and Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years and above, and found them three hundred thousand lusty men able to go to battle, and that could handle spear and shield.

And then Amaziah severed that army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Wherefore they were exceeding wroth with Judah, and returned to their own home in great anger.

And other ten thousand the children of Judah took alive, and carried them unto the top of a rock and cast them down from the top of the rock that they all to burst:

but the men of the army which Amaziah had turned back and would not let go with his people to battle, ran upon the cities of Judah from Samaria unto Bethhoron and slew three thousand of them and won much spoil.

Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu king of Israel and said, "Come, and let us see each other."

And Joash king of Israel sent again to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "A thistle in Lebanon sent to a Cedar tree of Lebanon saying, 'Give thy daughter to my son to wife.' But there came the wild beasts of Lebanon and trod down the thistle.

Thou thinkest, 'See, I have beaten the Edomites,' therefore thine heart ariseth to glorify thyself. Now bide at home: what needeth thee to provoke to evil, that thou perish and Judah with thee?"

And Joash king of Israel came up: and they saw either other, both he and Amaziah king of Judah at Bethshemesh in Judah.

And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and fled every man to his tent.

And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah at Bethshemesh: and brought him to Jerusalem, and tare the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits long.

And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen years.

The rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

and brought him up with horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah which was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

And he built Eloth and brought it again to Judah after the king was laid to rest with his fathers.

Moreover, he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the wood country he built castles and towers.

The rest of the acts of Jotham and all his wars and his ways are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, and all fighting men: and that because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

But there was a prophet of the LORD's named Obed which went out to the host which came to Samaria and said to them, "See, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he delivered them into your hands. And ye have slain them with cruelness that reacheth up to heaven.