And from thenceforth Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built before the porch;

And all the work of Solomon went lustily forward even unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid: and from thence till he had finished it, that the house of the LORD was perfect.

And Solomon told her all her questions, that there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

And thereto the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon which brought gold from Ophir, brought also Algum wood and precious stones.

And he reigned over all the kings from Euphrates unto the land of the Philistines and to the borders of Egypt.

And so Israel departed from the house of David unto this 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.

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 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.

And Abijah followed after Jeroboam and won certain cities from him: Bethel with the towns belonging thereto, and Jeshanah with the towns that belonged thereto, and Ephron with her towns.

"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."

For the eyes of the LORD behold all the earth, to strengthen the hearts of them that are whole with him. Herein thou hast done foolishly, and therefore from henceforth thou shalt have war."

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, went to and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, "By what way went the spirit of the LORD from me, to speak in thee?"

And Micaiah said, "Thou shalt see the day when thou shalt run from chamber to chamber, for to hide thyself."

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.

For when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from him.

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 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 now behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, by which thou wouldest not let Israel go, when they came out of Egypt: but they departed from them and destroyed them not.

And Jehoshaphat and his people went to rob away the spoil of them and found among them abundance of goods and raiment and of pleasant Jewels, and caught from them more than they could carry away: so that they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

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.

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 Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a sleeping chamber. And so Jehoshabeath the daughter of king Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest - because she was the sister of Ahaziah - hid him from Athaliah that she slew him not.

And he set all the people and every man his weapon in his hand, from the right corner of the house to the left corner of the house, along by the altar and the house round about the king.

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 as soon as they were departed from him, though they left him in great diseases: yet his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the children of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed. And when he was dead, they buried him in the city of David: but not in the sepulchers of the kings.

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 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.

And it chanced, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, and had brought the gods of the children of Seir, he set them up to be his gods, and bowed himself before them and burned cense unto them.

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 after that time that Amaziah did turn away from the LORD, they conspired treason against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish, whither they sent after him and slew him there,

And certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, as Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum and Amasa the son of Hadlai stood up against them that came from war,

For our fathers have trespassed and done evil favouredly in the eyes of the LORD our God: and have forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD and turned to their backs.

And they decreed that it should be proclaimed throughout all Israel from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come and hold the feast of the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not often done it, as it is written how they should.

Wherefore, be not stiff-necked like unto your fathers, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and come to his holy place which he hath sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his wrath may turn from you.

For if ye turn unto the LORD, then your brethren and your children shall find compassion in the presence of them that hold them captive, that they may come again unto this land: for the LORD your God is full of mercy and compassion, and will not turn his face from you, if ye turn again to him."

And the posts went from city to city throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and even unto Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

And to the males also that were reckoned from three years and above, among all that went into the house of the LORD day by day, to do service and to wait by course.

And to the priests that were reckoned in the households of their fathers from twenty years and above, to wait when their courses came.

Insomuch that many brought presents unto the LORD to Jerusalem and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

and no more bring the seat of Israel from the land which I have ordained for your fathers; if so be, they shall be diligent to do all I have commanded by Moses in all the law ordinances and manners."

And Josiah put away all manner of abominations out of all lands that pertained to the children of Israel, and brought all that were found in Israel, to serve the LORD their God. And they turned not aside from after the LORD God of their fathers as long as he lived.

And the singers the children of Asaph stood in their standing according to the commandment of David and Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer of visions: and the porters waited at every gate, and might not depart from their service. But their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the time of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of the kings of Israel hold such a Passover feast as did Josiah and the priests and Levites and all Judah, and as much of Israel as could be had, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, Josiah turned not his face from him, but made him ready to fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco out of the mouth of God. And when he was come to fight in the valley of Megiddo,

These sought the register of their birth, and found none, therefore were they put from the priesthood.

Nevertheless, they gave money unto the masons and the carpenters, and meat and drink and oil unto them of Sidon and of Tyre, to bring Cedar timber from Lebanon by sea unto Joppa, according to the commandment of Cyrus the king of Persia.

In the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem: and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and above, to see that the work of the house of the LORD went forward.

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth.

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation?

"Get you far from them therefore, thou Tattenai, captain beyond the water, and Shetharbozenai, and your counselors, which are beyond the water, get ye away from them.

This commandment have I given. And what man soever he be that altereth these words, there shall a beam be taken from his house, and set up, and he shall be hanged thereon, and his house shall be made a dunghill for the deed.

And the children of Israel which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the Heathen in the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate

After these acts in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up from Babylon, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God upon him.

These are the principal fathers of them, and this is their register, that went up with me from Babylon; what time as king Artaxerxes reigned.

And through the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a wise man from among the children of Mahli the son of Levi the son of Israel, even Sherebiah, with his sons and brethren, eighteen;

So we brake up, from the water of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemies and of such as laid wait for us by the way.

Then all this was performed, the rulers came to me, and said, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and Levites are not separated from the nations in the lands as touching their abominations, namely of the Cananites, Hittites, Perezites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

And about the evening sacrifice I rose up from my heaviness, and rent my clothes and my raiment, and fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God;

But now is there a little and sudden graciousness come from the LORD our God, so that some of us are escaped: that he may give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and give us a little life in our bondage.

And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive.

confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives."

Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense."

and Hanani, one of my brethren, came with certain men of Judah, and I asked them how the Jews did that were delivered and escaped from the captivity, and how it went at Jerusalem.

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments and do them: though ye were cast out unto the uttermost part of heaven, yet will I gather you from thence, and will bring you from thence, even unto the place that I have chosen for my name to dwell there.'

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant of the Ammonites, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, "What is this that ye do? Will ye fall away again from the king?"

But the Well gate builded Shallum the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the fourth part of Mizphah; He builded it, covered it, and set on the doors, locks, and bars thereof, and the wall unto the pool of Siloam by the king's garden, unto the steps that go down from the city of David.

After him Baruch the son of Zabbai builded the other piece worshipfully and costly, from the corner unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

After him builded Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz the other piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even as long as the house of Eliashib extended.

After him builded Binnui the son of Henadad the other piece from the house of Azariah unto the turning, and unto the corner.

After him builded Palal the son of Uzai over against the corner and the high tower, which lieth out over from the king's house, beside the court of the prison. After him, Pedaiah the son of Parosh.

But from the Horsegate forth builded the priests, every one over against his house.

Cover not their wickedness, and let not their sin be put out from thy presence: for they have provoked the builders.

And from that time forth it came to pass, that the half part of the young men did the labour, and the other half part held spears, shields, bows, and breastplates: and the rulers stood behind all the house of Judah,

which builded on the wall, and bare burdens from those that laded them. With one hand did they the work, and with the other held they their weapon.

And I said unto the principal men, and rulers, and to the other people, "The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

and we will be laboring in the work." And the half part of them held the spears from the morning spring, till the stars came forth.

And I shook my lap, and said, "God shake out every man after the same manner from his house and labour, that maintaineth not this word: even thus be he shaken out, and void." And all the congregation said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did so.

And from the time forth that it was committed unto me to be a captain in the land of Judah, namely from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes - that is twelve years - I and my brethren lived not of such sustenance as was given to a captain:

Moreover there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, which came unto me, from among the Heathen that are about us.

For they were all minded to make us afraid and thought, "They shall withdraw their hands from the work, that they shall not labour." Howbeit I strengthened my hand the more.

And at the same time were there many of the chiefs of Judah, whose letters went unto Tobiah, and from Tobiah unto them.

"These are the sons of the land that went up from the captivity of the carrying away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had brought away, and came again to Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

These sought the register of their generation, and when they found it not, they were put from the priesthood.

And read therein in the street that is before the Watergate, from the morning until the noon day before men and women, and such as could understand it: and the ears of all the people were inclined unto the book of the law.

And every day from the first day unto the last, read he in the book of the law of God. And seven days held they the feast, and on the eighth day they gathered together, according unto the manner.

and separated the seed of Israel from all the strange children and stood and acknowledged their sins, and the wickedness of their fathers,

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest unto them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, true laws, good commandments and statutes,

and gavest them bread from heaven when they were hungry, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock when they were thirsty: and promised them, that they should go in, and take possession of the land, over which thou hadst lift up thine hand for to give them.

yet thou forsookest them not in the wilderness, according to thy great mercy. And the cloudy pillar departed not from them in the daytime to lead them the way, neither the pillar of fire in the night season, to show them light in the way that they went.

And thou gavest them thy good spirit to inform them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water when they were thirsty.

Therefore gavest thou them over into the hand of their enemies that vexed them. And in the time of their trouble they cried unto thee, and thou heardest them from heaven and through thy great mercy thou gavest them saviours, which helped them out of the hand of their enemies.

But when they came to rest, they turned back again to do evil before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them. So they converted, and cried unto thee, and thou heardest them from heaven; and many times hast thou delivered them according to thy great mercy,

and have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goods that thou gavest them, and in the large and plenteous land which thou gavest them; and have not converted from their wicked works.

And the other people, the priests, Levites, Porters, singers, Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people in the lands unto the law of God, with their wives, sons and daughters, as many as could understand it,

And we cast the lot among the priests, Levites and the people, for offering of the wood to be brought unto the house of our God from year to year, after the houses of our fathers that it might be burnt at times appointed, upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:

Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages; At Lachish, and in the fields thereof; At Azekah, and in the villages thereof; And dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom.