Jeroboam no longer retained his power during Abijah’s reign; ultimately, the Lord struck him and he died.

And Abijah strengthened himself, and took him, fourteen wives, - and begat twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters.

And Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son became king in his place. In his days the land was at rest ten years.

And he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers [to inquire of and for Him and seek Him as a vital necessity], and to observe the law [given to Moses] and the commandment.

He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom experienced peace under him.

Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. No one made war with him in those days because the Lord gave him rest.

So he said to the people of Judah, “Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God. We sought Him and He gave us rest on every side.” So they built and succeeded.

And Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him with a host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.

So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, "Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don't let man prevail against you."

Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before Yahweh and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great supply of loot.

Now Azariah the son of Oded--the Spirit of God came upon him.

So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Asa and all Judah and Benjamin, hear me. The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you.

"Listen to me, Asa, Judah, and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will allow you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. Israel lived for years without the true God, priests to teach them, and the Law,

but when they turned to the Lord God of Israel in their distress and sought Him, He was found by them.

And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in, but great disturbances were amongst all the inhabitants of the countries.

Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, as well as those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for they had defected to him from Israel in great numbers when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.

They entered into a covenant (solemn agreement) to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their mind. They had sought Him with all their heart, and He was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

In the thirty and sixth year to the kingdom of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and he will build Ramah, not to give him coming out and going in to Asa, king of Judah.

And Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent commanders of his troops that [were] with him against the cities of Israel. And they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel-Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.

At that time, Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, “Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout all the earth to strengthen those whose heart is fully devoted to him. You have been foolish in this, for from now on you will have wars."

Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison because of his anger over this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at that time.

So Asa went to rest with his fathers, and death came to him in the forty-first year of his rule.

He was buried in his own tomb that he had made for himself in the city of David. They laid him out in a coffin that was full of spices and various mixtures of prepared ointments; then they made a great fire in his honor.

His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.

So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.

And in the third year to his kingdom he sent to his chiefs to the son of power, and to the servant of Jehovah, and to him Remembered of Jehovah, and to the Gift of God, and to Who as God, to teach in the cities of Judah.

And with them the Levites, him Heard of Jehovah, and The gift of Jehovah, and him Jehovah gave, and him God made, and The Watchful of Death, and him Jehovah gave, and the Lord Jehovah, and The Good of Jehovah, and The Good Lord Jehovah, Levites; and with them God will hear, and Jehovah exalted the priests.

Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

And much work was to him in the cities of Judah: and the men of war strong of power in Jerusalem.

These are their numbers according to their ancestral families. For Judah, the commanders of thousands:

Adnah the commander and 300,000 brave warriors with him;

next to him, Jehohanan the commander and 280,000 with him;

next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer of the Lord, and 200,000 brave warriors with him;

from Benjamin, Eliada, a brave warrior, and 200,000 with him armed with bow and shield;

next to him, Jehozabad and 180,000 with him equipped for war.

Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. Then he persuaded him to march up to Ramoth-gilead,

for Israel’s King Ahab asked Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?”

He replied to him, “I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let’s ask him.”

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Nevertheless, the king of Israel called an officer and ordered him, "Bring me Imla's son Micaiah quickly."

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.'"

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let your word therefore, I pray you, be like one of theirs, and speak you good.

And when he had come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go you up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

And the king said to him, How many times shall I make you swear that you say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

But Micaiah responded, "Therefore, listen to what the LORD has to say. I saw the LORD, sitting on his throne, and the entire Heavenly Army was surrounding him on his right hand and on his left hand.

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, By what means?

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 even so.

As if on cue, Chenaanah's son Zedekiah approached Micaiah and struck him on the cheek. Then he asked him, "How did the Spirit of the LORD move from me to speak to you?"

Then the king of Israel said, Take you Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

And say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with little bread and with little water, until I return in peace.

Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small or great, except only with the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they surrounded him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God led them to depart from him.

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

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath came upon you from the LORD.

"You are to carry out your duties in the fear of the LORD, serving him faithfully with your whole heart. No matter what case comes before you from your fellow citizens who live in their own cities, whether it's a dispute between blood relatives or a dispute regarding the Law and the commands, statutes, or verdicts, you are to warn the parties so that they do not become guilty in the LORD's presence and so that anger does not come upon you and your fellow citizens.

Jehoshaphat's military advisors came and informed him, "We've been attacked by a vast invasion force from Aram, beyond the Dead Sea. Be advised they've already reached Hazazon-tamar, also known as En-gedi."

who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

And 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, upon him came the Spirit of Jehovah, in the midst of the congregation;

Then Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship Him.

After he had consulted with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed some choir members to sing to the LORD and to praise him in sacred splendor as they marched out in front of the armed forces. They kept saying "Give thanks to the LORD, because his gracious love is eternal!"

So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.

Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.

And to him brethren, sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

and he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab hath been to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah,

Yet 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.

Then Jehoram went forth with his officers, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots.

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the LORD God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

And they came up into Judah, and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was not a son left him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

And after all this the LORD struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

And it came to pass, from day to day, and at the time when the second year was drawing to a close, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died in cruel sufferings. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without anyone's regret. However they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings.

He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother gave him evil advice.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab's dynasty because, after his father's death, they gave him advice that led to his destruction.

And he also walked after their counsel. And Jehoram son of Ahab king of Israel went to fight with Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth in Gilead: and they of Ramoth wounded him.

And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which 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.

And from God was the destruction of Ahaziah, for coming to Joram: and in his coming he went forth with Jehoram against Jehu son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah anointed him to cut off the house of Ahab.

And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he had hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, they said, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.

But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons that were being slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. 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 slew him not.

And she kept him safe with her in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah was ruling the land.

Then, in the seventh year, Jehoiada summoned his courage and took the commanders of hundreds into a covenant with him: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.

The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out."

So the Levites and all Judah did as Jehoiada the priest had given them orders: every one took with him his men, those who were to come in and those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada had not sent away the divisions.

Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, Long live the king.

She looked, and there was the [young] king, standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside him. And all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments were directing the [singing of] praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”

Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the army, and said unto them, Bring her forth between the ranks: and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

Then he took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the king’s palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the throne of the kingdom.

And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why have you not 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?

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.

After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him. The king listened to their advice.

The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. They warned the people, but they would not pay attention.

And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stepped up above the people and said to them, "Thus sayeth God: 'Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD? Ye shall therefore not prosper, but as ye have forsaken him, so shall he forsake you.'"

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.

Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and repay it.

And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army 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 unto the king of Damascus.

And when they were departed from him, (for they left him severely wounded,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchers of the kings.