And David the king said unto all the congregation, "God hath specially chosen Solomon my son which is yet young and tender, and the work is great, for the house is not for man, but for the LORD God.

And Hiram king of Tyre answered in writing and sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loveth his people, therefore he hath made thee king over them."

And Hiram said moreover, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which hath made both heaven and earth, that he hath given David the king a wise son that hath discretion and understanding, to build a house for the LORD, and another for his kingdom.

And now the wheat, barley, oil and wine which my lord hath said, let him send his servants.

Then Solomon said, "The LORD hath spoken it, how that he will dwell in darkness.

And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which spake with his mouth to my father David and hath fulfilled it with his hands. For God said,

And the LORD hath made good his saying that he hath spoken. For I arose in the room of David my father, and sat on the seat of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

And this house that is so high, shall be a wonder to all that passeth thereby that they shall say, 'Why hath the LORD dealt on this fashion with this land and with this house?'

And therefore he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and compass them with walls and towers, gates and bars, while we have the land quiet. For we have sought the LORD our God: and because we have sought him, he hath given us rest on every side." And so they built and prospered.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one, to ask the LORD by him: But I hate him, for he never prophesieth me good, but always evil, one Micaiah the son of Imlah." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."

And now behold the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these thy prophets, and yet the LORD hath spoken evil against thee."

And Micaiah said, "If thou come again in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken in me." And Micaiah said moreover, "Hearken to, ye people, every one of you."

And Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer, went out against him and said to king Jehoshaphat, "Oughtest thou to help the wicked, and to love them that hate the LORD? In this verily is the wrath of the LORD upon thee.

And Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works." And the ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

And all the congregation made a bond with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold, the king's son must reign over the children of David, as the LORD hath said.

Or else if thou needs wilt, then go and do it, and make thyself strong to battle: and thou shalt see, that God shall make thee fall before thine enemies. For God hath power to help or to cast down."

And as the prophet spake to him, he said to the prophet, "Have men made thee of the king's counsel? Cease, lest thou be beaten." And the prophet ceased, and said, "I am sure that God hath taken counsel to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and obeyest not my counsel."

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.

And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, "Since they began to bring the heave offerings into the house of the LORD, we have eaten and had enough, and yet left abundance, for the LORD hath blessed his people and thereof is this heap left."

And he built altars in the house of the LORD: of which the LORD hath said, "In Jerusalem shall my name be forever."

And then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book." And he read it before the king.

"Thus sayeth Cyrus king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me, which hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem that is in the land of Judah. Wherefore, whosoever is among you of all his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'"

"Thus sayeth Cyrus the king of Persia: 'The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the land and hath commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the other ancient fathers of Israel answered them, "It belongeth not to you, but to us to build the house unto our God: for we ourselves will build alone unto the LORD our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us."

The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me,

and I have commanded to make search: and it is found, that this city, of old, hath made insurrection against kings; and how the uproar and rebellion hath been committed therein.

At the same time came to them Tattenai, which was the captain on this side the water, and Shetharbozenai, and their counselors, and said thus unto them, "Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up the walls thereof?"

Nevertheless, we asked the Elders and said unto them, 'Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up the walls thereof?'

Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God at Jerusalem. Since that time hath it been in building, and yet is it not finished.

Praised be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath so inspired the king's heart, to garnish the house of God at Jerusalem:

and hath inclined his mercy unto me in the presence of the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's high estates. And I was comforted, according to the hand of the LORD my God over me, and so gathered I the heads of Israel together, that they might go up with me.

For they have taken the daughters of the same, and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the nations in the lands: and the hand of the rulers and lords of council hath been principal in this trespass."

For we are bondmen, and our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, and hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, that he should give us life, and promote the house of our God, and to set up the desolation thereof, and to give us a hedge in Judah and in Jerusalem.

wherein was written, "It is told the Heathen, and Geshem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for the which cause thou buildest the wall, and wilt be their king in these matters;

Now our God, thou great God, mighty and terrible, thou that keepest covenant and mercy, regard not a little all the travail that hath happened unto us, and our kings, princes, priests, prophets, fathers and all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, "The queen Vashti hath not only done evil against the king but also against all the princes and all the people in all the lands of king Ahasuerus:

The king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said." Now when the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared,

if I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to give me my petition, and to fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and so will I do tomorrow as the king hath said."

The king said, "Make haste, and take, as thou hath said, the raiment and the horse: and do even so with Mordecai the Jew that sitteth before the king's gate; and let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken."

But lay thine hand upon him a little, touch once all that he hath, and, I hold, he shall curse thee to thy face."

And the LORD said unto Satan, "Lo, all that he hath, be in thy power: only upon himself see that thou lay not thine hand." Then went Satan forth from the LORD.

And while he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God is fallen from heaven, it hath consumed, and burnt up all thy sheep and servants: and I only ran my way, to tell thee."

and said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I turn thither again. The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; now blessed be the name of the LORD."

Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin? Yea, a man will give all that ever he hath, for his life.

But now that the plague is come upon thee, thou shrinkest away: now that it hath touched thyself, thou art faint hearted.

"And unto me came the word secretly, and mine ear hath received a little thereof.

Behold, he hath found unfaithfulness among his own servants, and proud disobedience among his angels.

For the arrows of the almighty are in me, whose indignation hath drunk up my spirit, and the terrible fears of God fight against me.

Doth the wild ass roar when he hath grass? Or crieth the ox, when he hath fodder enough?

They that hate thee, shall be confounded, and the dwellings of the ungodly shall come to naught."

Thou hast granted me life, and done me good: and the diligent heed that thou tookest upon me hath preserved my spirit.

Yea, with God is wisdom and strength - it is he that hath counsel and foreknowledge.

Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of divers miseries.

What is man, that he should be clean? What hath he, which is born of a woman, whereby he might be known to be righteous?

which wise men have told, and hath not been hid from their fathers:

For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and armed himself against the Almighty.

But now that God hath sent me adversity, thou hast troubled all my congregation.

God hath given me over to the ungodly, and delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

I was some time in wealth, but suddenly hath he brought me to naught. He hath taken me by the neck, he hath rent me, and set me, as it were a mark for him to shoot at.

His archers compass me round about; he hath wounded my loins, and not spared. My bowels hath he poured upon the ground.

He hath given me one wound upon another, and is fallen upon me like a giant.

He hath made me as it were a byword of the common people. I am his jesting stock among them.

The righteous also will keep his way, and he that hath clean hands, will ever be stronger and stronger.

know this then: that it is God which hath handled me so violently, and hath compassed me about with his net.

"He hath hedged up my way, that I cannot pass; he hath set darkness in my gate.

He hath spoiled me of mine honour, and taken the crown away from my head.

He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am undone: My hope hath he taken away from me, as it were a tree plucked up by the root.

He hath put my brethren far away from me, and such as were of mine acquaintance, are become strangers unto me.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends! For the hand of God hath touched me.

the praise of the ungodly hath been short, and that the joy of the hypocrites continued but the twinkling of an eye?

And why? He hath oppressed the poor, and not helped them: houses hath he spoiled, and not builded them.

The substance that he hath in his house, shall be taken away and perish, in the day of the LORD's wrath.

Inasmuch then as God hath the highest power of all, who can teach him any knowledge?

Thus can I not get out of darkness, the cloud hath so covered my face.

"O how helpest thou the weak? What comfort givest thou unto him that hath no strength?

Where is the counsel that thou shouldest give him, which hath no wisdom? Wilt thou so show thine excellent righteousness?

He hath compassed the waters with certain bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

With his spirit hath he garnished the heavens, and with his hand hath he wounded the rebellious serpent.

"As truly as God liveth, which hath taken away my power from me; and the Almighty, that hath vexed my mind;

while my breath is in me, and as long as the wind that God hath given me is in my nostrils.

What hope hath the hypocrite, though he have great good, and though God give him riches after his heart's desire?

Hath he such pleasure and delight in the Almighty, that he dare always call upon God?

There is a way also that the birds know not, that no vulture's eye hath seen;

for the LORD hath opened his quiver: he hath hit me, and put a bridle in my mouth.

If so be that I have withdrawn my foot out of the right way, if my heart hath followed mine eyesight, if I have stained or defiled my hands,

"If my heart hath lusted after my neighbour's wife, or if I have laid wait at his door:

Have I eaten my portion alone, that the fatherless hath had no part with me?

Hath my heart meddled privily with any deceit? Or, did I ever kiss mine own hand?

Every man, no doubt, hath a mind; but it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding.

lest ye should praise yourselves, to have found out wisdom: because it is God that hath cast him out, and no man.

Nevertheless, seeing he hath not spoken unto me, therefore will not I answer him as ye have done."

Behold, I am as the new wine, which hath no vent, and bursteth the new vessels in sunder.

The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the almighty hath given me my life.

But lo, he hath picked a quarrel against me, and taketh me for his enemy:

He hath put my foot in the stocks, and looketh narrowly unto all my paths.'

Then his flesh, which hath been in misery and trouble, shall be as it was in his youth.

Such a respect hath he unto men. Therefore let a man confess, and say, 'I offended, but he hath chastened and reformed me: I did unrighteously nevertheless he hath not recompensed me thereafter.

Yea, he hath delivered my soul from destruction, and my life, that it seeth the light.'

And why? Job hath said, 'I am righteous, but God doth me wrong.'

Who ruleth the earth in his stead? Or whom hath he set to govern the whole world?