Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram who was over the forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. But king Rehoboam made haste to get himself up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their territories.

And after that, out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,

With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Libyans, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.

Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus says the LORD, You have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

In place of them king Rehoboam made shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.

And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.

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

And Asa had an army of men that bore large shields and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, so that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his army; and they carried away very much plunder.

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

And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim, and repaired the altar of the LORD, that was before the vestibule of the LORD.

And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the sojourners with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they came over to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

And they offered unto the LORD on that day some of the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father: behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease.

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD your God, therefore has the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand.

And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

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 Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, even what my God says, that will I speak.

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?

Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

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 a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn your hand, that you may carry me out of the battle; for I am wounded.

And the battle increased that day: and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

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.

Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have taken away the idol poles out of the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.

And whatsoever cause shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so bring wrath upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and you shall not trespass.

It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them others besides the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against you from beyond the sea on this side of Edom; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.

And said, O LORD God of our fathers, are not you God in heaven? and rule you not over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in your hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand you?

O our God, will you not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon you.

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endures forever.

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has broken your works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab as his wife: and he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

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.

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:

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 it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his intestines fell out because of his sickness: so he died in great pain. And his people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers.

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he killed them.

But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal descendants of the house of Judah.

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.

This is the thing that you shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be gatekeepers of the doors;

But let none come into the house of the LORD, except the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took everyone his men that were to come on duty on the sabbath, with them that were to go off duty on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the divisions.

Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and large, and small shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.

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 himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD's people.

And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in anything should enter in.

And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

And it came to pass after this, that Joash had a mind to repair the house of the LORD.

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you hasten the matter. But the Levites hastened it not.

For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they dedicate to Baalim.

And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

Now it came to pass, that at whatsoever time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

And the spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus says God, Why transgress you the commandments of the LORD, that you cannot prosper? because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.

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 these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to their fathers' houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

Then Amaziah separated them, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

And another ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were dashed to pieces.

But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Beth-horon, and killed three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.

And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Are you made the king's counselor? stop; why should you be killed? Then the prophet stopped, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not hearkened unto my counsel.

And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as a wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.

You say, Lo, you have smitten the Edomites; and your heart lifts you up to boast: abide now at home; why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?

But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.

And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunites.

Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, that went out to war by divisions, according to the number on their roll by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy.

And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It belongs not unto you, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from the LORD God.