Wherefore give me wisdom and knowledge how to behave myself unto this people: for who is able to judge this people that is so great?"

And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees as plenty as the mulberry trees that grow in the valleys.

And Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying, "As thou didst deal with David my father and didst send him cedar wood, to build him a house to dwell in, even so deal with me now:

And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above other gods.

So that who can be able to build him a house: when that heaven, neither heaven above all heavens, is able to receive him - what am I then that I should build him a house? Nay, but to burn sacrifice before him:

that they may prepare me timber enough. For the house which I build is great and wonderful.

And Hiram said moreover, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which hath made both heaven and earth, that he hath given David the king a wise son that hath discretion and understanding, to build a house for the LORD, and another for his kingdom.

And now I have sent a wise man and a man of understanding called Huramabi,

and is the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, - howbeit his father was a Tyrian - and he can skill to work in gold, silver, brass, iron, stone, timber, scarlet, Jacinth, bysse and crimson: and grave all manner of gravings, and to find out all manner of subtle work that shall be set before him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need, and will bring it to thee in ships by sea to port Joppa: and thence thou mayest carry them to Jerusalem."

And this is the foundation of Solomon in building the house of God. The length was three score cubits after the old cubit, and the breadth twenty.

And the porch at the end was as large as the house breadth, twenty cubits; and the height was a hundred and twenty cubits. And he overlaid it on the inner side with pure gold.

And he made the house most holy, whose length was twenty cubits like to the breadth of the house, and the breadth thereof was also twenty cubits. And he overlaid it with the best gold, that drew to the sum of six hundred talents.

And he made such chains as was in the quyre, and put them on the heads of the pillars, and made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains.

And the images of oxen did compass it round about under it: that is to wit, two rows of oxen cast when it was cast did compass that sea which was ten cubits wide, round about.

Then Solomon gathered the elders of Israel together and all the heads of the tribes and ancient lords among the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem: to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of the city of David which is Zion.

And the trumpet blowers and the singers so agreed, that it seemed but one voice in praising and thanking the LORD. And as the voice of the trumpets, cymbals and instruments of melody arose, and as they praised the LORD, how that he was good and that his mercy lasteth ever, the house of the LORD was filled with a cloud:

But the LORD said to David my father, 'Forasmuch as it was in thine heart, to build a house for my name, thou didst well that thou hadst it in thine heart.

And the LORD hath made good his saying that he hath spoken. For I arose in the room of David my father, and sat on the seat of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

And therein I have put the Ark, wherein is the Covenant of the LORD made with the children of Israel."

and said, "LORD God of Israel there is no God like thee either in heaven or in earth, which keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts.

Thou hast kept promise with my father David, thy servant: With thy mouth thou saidest it, and with thy hand thou hast fulfilled it: as it is come to pass this day.

Now, LORD God of Israel, make good unto my father David thy servant that which thou hast promised him, saying, 'Thou shalt not be without one or other in my sight that shall sit upon the seat of Israel. Of this condition, yet: if thy children will take heed to their ways to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.'

Howbeit, in very deed, can God dwell with man on earth? Behold, neither heaven or heaven above all heavens is able to contain thee! How should the house then which I have built for thee do it?

thou shalt hear from heaven thy dwelling place, and shalt be merciful, and give every man according unto all his way, even as thou shalt know every man's heart: for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of Adam:

that they may fear thee and walk in thy ways as long as they live upon the earth, which thou gavest to our fathers.

Thereto, a stranger which is not of thy people Israel, if he come from a far land for thy great name's sake and thy mighty hand and stretched out arm, and therefore come and pray at this house;

thou shalt hear him from heaven thy dwelling place, and shalt do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for. That all the nations of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doeth thy people Israel: and that it may be known how that this house which I have built, is called after thy name.

If they shall sin against thee - as there is no man, but that he shall sin - and thou be angry with them and deliver them to their enemies, and they lead them away captive unto a country far or nigh;

And if thou shalt walk before me as David thy father walked, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe mine ordinances and my laws:

And this house that is so high, shall be a wonder to all that passeth thereby that they shall say, 'Why hath the LORD dealt on this fashion with this land and with this house?'

And Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David into the house that he had made for her. For he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, for it is holy, because the Ark of the LORD came into it."

And Solomon put the sorts of priests in companies as David his father had ordered them, unto the offices, and the Levites unto their wait, for to praise and minister before the priests day by day, and the porters by course at every gate. For so had David the man of God commanded.

And then she said to the king, "The saying which I heard in mine own land, of thine acts and of thy wisdom, is truth.

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of sweet odours an exceeding great abundance with precious stones, that there was no such sweet odours as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon, were pure gold. And as for silver, it was counted nothing worth in the days of Solomon.

And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and Cedar trees as plenteous as the mulberry trees that grow in the valleys.

"Thy father made us a grievous yoke: but remit thou somewhat of the grievous service of thy father and of his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee."

and said to them, "What advice give ye that I may answer this people which have communed with me, saying, 'Abate somewhat of the yoke which thy father did put upon us?'"

And the young men that were nursed up with him talked with him, saying, "Thus answer the people that spake to thee, saying, 'Thy father made our yoke heavy: But make thou our yoke somewhat lighter.' Thus wise answer them: 'My little finger shall be heavier than thy father's loins.

And when Jeroboam and all Israel were come the third day, as the king bade, saying, "Come again to me the third day,"

'Thus sayeth the LORD. Go not nor fight with your brethren: But return every man to his house, for this thing is done of me.'" And they obeyed the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.

as Bethlehem, Etam and Tekoa;

Whereupon the lords of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The LORD is righteous."

Neverthelater, they shall be his servants, to know what the difference is between my service and the service of the kingdoms of other lands."

And as oft as the king went to the house of the LORD, the guard went and fetched them, and brought them again unto the guard chamber.

The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are written in the sayings of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer of visions - so much as his genealogy, and the perpetual war that was between Rehoboam and Jeroboam during their life.

And have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests like the nations of other lands? Even whosoever cometh and filleth his hand with an ox and seven rams, the same is made priest to them that are no Gods.

But with us is the LORD our God whom we have not forsaken, and the priests of the sons of Aaron ministering unto the LORD, and the Levites in office:

Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you."

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 when Abijah was laid to sleep with his fathers, they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In whose days the land was quiet ten years.

And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God,

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 there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an Host of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.

And Asa went out to him, and they put in array to battle in the valley of Zephathah beside Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said, "LORD, it is all one with thee to help them that have no power, with few or with many: help us O LORD our God, for we trust to thee, and in thine name be come against this multitude. Thou art the LORD our God: let not man prevail against thee."

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

And Asa, and the people that was with him, followed after them as far as Gerar. And the black Moors were overthrown, that there bode none alive of them, but were destroyed of the LORD and of his Host. And they carried away a mighty great prey.

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 they assembled at Jerusalem the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

And thereto king Asa put Maacah his mother out of authority, because she had made an idol in a grove: and brake down her idol and stamped it and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

But they put not the hill altars out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was pure all his life.

And there was no more war unto the thirty fifth year of the reign of Asa.

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.

Whereupon Asa fetched out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent it to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, and said,

"There is a confederation between me and thee, and so was between my father and thine, wherefore I have sent thee silver and gold, that thou go and break thine covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me."

And Benhadad granted unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel. And they beat Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim and all the store cities of Naphtali.

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.

Whereupon Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in the converting house, for he was displeased with him because of that. Moreover Asa oppressed certain of the people the same season.

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

And the thirty ninth year of his reign Asa fell sick of his feet, and that his disease exceeded. And thereto in his sickness he asked no counsel of the LORD, but of Physicians.

And at the last Asa fell on sleep with his fathers and died when he had reigned fifty one years.

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.

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.

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 Jehoshaphat said, "Is there yet here never a Prophet more of the LORD's, that we might ask of him?"

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one, to ask the LORD by him: But I hate him, for he never prophesieth me good, but always evil, one Micaiah the son of Imlah." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah, spake to him saying, "Behold, the words of the Prophets are pleasant to the king with one assent, let thy words, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak that which is pleasant."

And Micaiah said, "As truly as the LORD liveth, even what my God sayeth, that will I speak."

Then he said, "I see all Israel scattered in the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master, let them return every man to his house in peace.'"

And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "It is the king of Israel!" - And therefore compassed about him, to fight. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God tysed them away from him.

And Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer, went out against him and said to king Jehoshaphat, "Oughtest thou to help the wicked, and to love them that hate the LORD? In this verily is the wrath of the LORD upon thee.

And as Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, he went to again and went among the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them again unto the LORD God of their fathers.

and said to the judges, "Take heed what ye do: for ye be not judges in the law of man, but of the LORD - which is with you in the words of the law.

Wherefore, let the fear of the LORD be with you, and take heed and do it. For there is no unrighteousness in the LORD our God nor regarding of persons, nor taking of rewards."

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 there came that told Jehoshaphat, saying, "There cometh a great multitude against thee from the other side the sea out of Syria. And see, they be in Hazazontamar," which is Engedi.

and said, "LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, and reignest not thou on all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is power and might, that no man can stand before thee.

'When evil cometh upon us, as the sword of judgment, pestilence or hunger: then if we stand before this house and before thee - for thy name is in this house - and shall cry unto thee in our tribulation, thou shalt hear and help.'

And see, how they reward us, to come for to cast us out of thy possession which thou hast possessed us with all.

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us. Neither know we what to do: but our eyes be unto thee."

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

the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah the son of Benaiah the son of Jeiel the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, even as he was in the midst of the congregation.

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 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."