And the sons of Israel will be subdued in that time, and the sons of Judah will be strong, for they relied upon Jehovah the God of their fathers.

And Abijah will be strengthened, and he will take to him fourteen wives, and he will beget twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

Asa practiced what the LORD his God considered to be right

by removing the foreign altars and high places, tearing down the sacred pillars, cutting down the Asherim, and

And Asa had an army that bore targets and spears: out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew the bow, two hundred and eighty thousand: all these, mighty men of valour.

Now Zerah the Ethiopian (Cushite) came out against Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came as far as Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, it maketh no difference to thee to help, whether there be much or no power: help us, O Jehovah our God, for we rely on thee, and in thy name have we come against this multitude. Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar. For the fear of the LORD came upon them. And they robbed all the cities, for there was exceeding much to be robbed in them.

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

There will come many days in Israel, in which there shall be no true God - nor priest that teacheth, nor any law.

But when they were in their trouble and distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and [in desperation earnestly] sought Him, and He let them find Him.

And in those days there shall be no peace to them that go out and in; But great vexation upon the inhabiters of all lands.

and they have been beaten down, nation by nation, and city by city, for God hath troubled them with every adversity;

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

Encouraged by what Oded's son Azariah the prophet had said in his prophecy, Asa removed the detestable idols from throughout the entire territories of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the LORD's altar that stood in front of the vestibule of the LORD's Temple.

And they made an agreement to be true to the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and all their soul;

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

So they bound themselves by oath unto Yahweh, with a loud voice, and with shouting, - and with trumpets and with horns.

All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought Him with their whole heart, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

And also Maachah, mother of Asa the king -- he hath removed her from being mistress, in that she hath made for a shrine a horrible thing, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and beateth it small, and burneth it by the brook Kidron:

During the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and interdicted Ramah by building fortifications around it so no one could enter or leave to join King Asa of Judah.

“Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Look, I am sending you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

And it will be when Baasha heard, and he will desist from building Ramah, and cause his works to cease.

Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a very great army, with war-carriages and horsemen more than might be numbered? but because your faith was in the Lord, he gave them up into your hands.

For the eyes of the Lord go this way and that, through all the earth, letting it be seen that he is the strong support of those whose hearts are true to him. In this you have done foolishly, for from now you will have wars.

And Asa will be indignant to the seer, and he will give him to the house of the stocks, for he was in anger with him for this And Asa will oppress from the people in that time.

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year to his kingdom will be diseased in his feet, his disease even to above: and also in his disease he sought not Jehovah but in physicians.

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

by placing troops in all of the fortified citadels through Judah and by establishing garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities that his father Asa had captured.

The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example set during his ancestor David's preliminary years by not pursuing the Baals.

but sought the God of his father and walked by His commands, not according to the practices of Israel.

And Jehovah will prepare the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah will give a gift to Jehoshaphat, and riches will be to him and honor for multitude.

And his heart will be high in the ways of Jehovah: and yet more, he removed the heights and statues from Judah.

They were accompanied by the descendants of Levi, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. These descendants of Levi were accompanied by the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

And the fear of Jehovah will be upon all the kingdoms of the lands that are round about Judah, and they warred not with Jehoshaphat

And it will be Jehoshaphat went and was great even to above; and he will build fortresses in Judah, and cities of stores.

This was the number of them by their fathers’ (ancestors’) households: of Judah, the commanders of thousands, Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 courageous men;

And by his side, Amasiah the son of Zichri, willing unto the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men.

And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

Near him was Jehozabad, who was accompanied by 180,000 soldiers equipped for warfare.

These were the men who were waiting on the king, in addition to those placed by the king in the walled towns through all Judah.

And Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord still here by whom we may inquire?”

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.

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were seated on their seats of authority, dressed in their robes, by the doorway into Samaria; and all the prophets were acting as prophets before them.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

All the other prophets were saying similar things, like "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and you will be successful, because the LORD will hand it over to the king!"

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

And Micaiah said, By the living Lord, whatever the Lord says to me I will say.

And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

Then the king said unto him, How many times, must, I, be putting thee on oath, - that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say that he would not be a prophet of good to me, but of evil?

And the Lord said, How may Ahab, king of Israel, be tricked into going up to Ramoth-gilead to his death? And one said one thing and one another.

Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ The Lord said to 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, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

Now, therefore, lo! Yahweh hath suffered a spirit of falsehood to be put into the mouth of these thy prophets, - but, Yahweh, hath spoken concerning thee - evil.

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 saith, 'Lo, thou dost see in that day, that thou dost enter into the innermost chamber to be hidden.'

And say, By the king's order this man is to be put in prison, and given prison food till I come back in peace.

And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will make a change in my clothing, so that I do not seem to be the king, and will go into the fight; but do you put on your robes. So the king of Israel made a change in his dress, and they went to the fight.

And the king of Aram hath commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath, saying, 'Ye do not fight with small or with great, except with the king of Israel by himself.'

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him.

And it will be in the chiefs of the chariots seeing that he was not the king of Israel, and they will turn back from after him.

And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

But the fight became more violent while the day went on; and the king of Israel was supported in his war-carriage facing the Aramaeans till the evening; and by sundown he was dead.

And Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him. And he said to King Jehoshaphat, "Should you [be] a help to the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh? On account of this, wrath [has come] against you from Yahweh.

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

And he said to the judges, Take heed what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for Jehovah, who will be with you in the matter of judgment.

Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

And whensoever any controversy shall come to you from your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, ye shall warn them, that they be not guilty towards Jehovah, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not be guilty.

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

Sometime after these events, the Moabites and the Ammonites, accompanied by some other descendants of Ammon, attacked Jehoshaphat and started a war.

Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, 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.

here they are, rewarding us by coming to drive us out of Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance.

O our God, will you not be their judge? for our strength is not equal to this great army which is coming against us; and we are at a loss what to do: but our eyes are on you.

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

And Jehoshaphat boweth -- face to the earth -- and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have fallen before Jehovah, to bow themselves to Jehovah.

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 the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

And after discussion with the people, he put in their places those who were to make melody to the Lord, praising him in holy robes, while they went at the head of the army, and saying, May the Lord be praised, for his mercy is unchanging for ever.

And in the time they began in rejoicing and praising, Jehovah gave ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, coming against Judah; and they will be smitten.

And Judah came to the watchtower of the waste land, and looking in the direction of the army, they saw only dead bodies stretched on the earth; no living man was to be seen.

And Jehoshaphat will come, and his people, to plunder their spoil, and they will find among them for multitude and possession, and corpses, and vessels of desires, and they will take away for themselves to not lifting up: and they will be three days plundering the spoil, for it was much.

And the terror of God will be upon all the kingdoms of the lands in their hearing that Jehovah warred with the enemies of Israel.

He followed the example of his father Asa and never departed from it, practicing what the LORD considered to be right.

Sometime later, King Jehoshaphat of Judah entered into a military alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, acting wickedly by doing so.

Then the word of Eliezer the prophet, the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, came against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have let yourself be joined with Ahaziah, the Lord has sent destruction on your works. And the ships were broken and were not able to go to Tarshish.

And Jehoshaphat will lie down with his fathers, and be buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son will reign in his stead.

When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.

He lived like the kings of Israel, following the example of Ahab's dynasty, since he had married Ahab's daughter, and he practiced what the LORD considered to be evil.

Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah, and he enticed the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be unfaithful, and he led Judah astray.

but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be unfaithful like the unfaithfulness of the house of Ahab, and have also murdered your brothers of the house of your father who [were] better than you,

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

Then the Philistines and the Arabians, who are by Ethiopia, were moved by the Lord to make war on Jehoram;

And after all this hath Jehovah plagued him in his bowels by a disease for which there is no healing,