For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought LORD our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So

And Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand, and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand. All these were mighty men of valor.

So LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.

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

And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded 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 had taken from the hill-country of Ephra

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

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath. For they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them. And LORD gave them rest round about.

In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Then Asa the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha had built. And he built Geba and Mizpah with it.

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

And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

Therefore LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.

And his heart was lifted up in the ways of LORD. And furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

Also in the third year of his reign he sent his rulers, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

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

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

And Jehoshaphat grew exceedingly great. And he built in Judah castles and cities of storage.

And he had many works in the cities of Judah, and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

And this was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses. Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor;

These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou are, and my people as thy people, and [will be] with thee in the war.

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before th

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

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

And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of LORD, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters. The Levites shall also be officers before you. Deal courageously

And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set himself to seek for LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek [help] from LORD, even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek LORD.

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

And all Judah stood before LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their sons.

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat. Thus says LORD to you, Fear ye not, neither be dismayed because of this great multitude. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

Ye shall not need to fight in this [battle]. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for LORD is with you.

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before LORD, worshipping LORD.

And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in LORD your God, so shall ye be establ

And when they began to sing and to praise, LORD set an ambushment against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir who came against Judah, and they were smitten.

And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude. And, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.

Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy. For LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

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

And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly.

And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah. But the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the first-born.

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand because he had forsaken LORD, the God of his fathers.

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, and led Judah astray.

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

but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain thy brothers of thy father's house who were better than thy

And they came up against Judah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives, so that there has not been left a son to him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest

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

And he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel b

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

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

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

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath. For Jehoiada the priest

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money from all Israel to repair the house of your God from year to year. And see that ye hasten the matter. However t

And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, Why have thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of LORD, and of the assembly of Israel, for the tent

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

Now after the death of Jehoiada the rulers of Judah came, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened to them.

And they forsook the house of LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him. And they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the rulers of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to

Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and appointed them according to their fathers' houses, for heads of thousands and heads of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. And he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and

Then Amaziah separated them, [namely], the army that came to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

And the sons of Judah carried away ten thousand alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.

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

Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look each other in the face.

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 thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebano

Thou say, Lo, I have smitten Edom. And thy heart lifts thee up to boast. Remain now at home. Why should thou meddle to [thy] hurt, that thou should fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

So Joash king of Israel went up. And he and Amaziah king of Judah looked each other in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

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

And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundre

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

Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken LORD, the God of their fathers.

But a prophet of LORD was there, whose name was Oded. And he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your han

And now ye propose to keep under the sons of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen to you. Are there not even with you trespasses of your own against LORD your God?

For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, also Gimzo and the towns

For LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against LORD.

And in every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger LORD, the God of his fathers.

Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

Therefore the wrath of LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin-offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to LORD, the God of Israel.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his rulers throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye sons of Israel, turn again to LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, th

Also the hand of God came upon Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the rulers by the word of LORD.

For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep. And the rulers gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of priests sanctified th

And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and who dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin,

And the sons of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.

And thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah. And he wrought that which was good and right and faithful before LORD his God.

After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself.

With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him) to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it ye shall burn incense?

And many brought gifts to LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah. So that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

But Hezekiah did not render again according to the benefit done to him. For his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.